Immerse yourself in deep, rich bass with the best headphones and earbuds—perfect for rocking out to your favorite tunes!
For enthusiasts of rap, EDM, rhythm and blues, or any genre where bass reigns supreme, the right headphones or earbuds can transform your listening experience. Why just hear music when you can feel the deep vibrations reverberating through your body? While nothing beats the energy of a live performance near the subwoofers, a solid pair of bass-focused headphones or earbuds comes close, delivering an immersive listening experience.
When choosing the best bass headphones for yourself—or the bass lover in your life—consider what matters most to you. After testing a range of popular wired and wireless models, we’ve narrowed down the best headphones that pack a punch in the bass department. Some headphones allow you to customize the bass, while others come factory-tuned to deliver booming, balanced sound.
What to Consider
When picking headphones or earbuds for bass, there are several important factors to keep in mind. These devices are sophisticated pieces of technology, and a little research will help you find the best option for your needs. Here are the main features to consider:
Adjustable Bass
Sometimes, you want more bass than others. Some headphones allow you to tweak the bass levels, either through an app or onboard controls. If you love customizing your sound, look for headphones that offer bass-boosting options. However, don’t overlook headphones with fixed bass—many are finely tuned to provide a balanced bass experience that enhances rather than dominates the music.
Weight and Comfort
If you plan on wearing your headphones for hours, comfort is key. Lighter headphones tend to be more comfortable, especially for long listening sessions, though the overall design of the headband and ear pads plays a role too. Wired headphones, being battery-free, are typically lighter, making them a great choice for desk work or long periods of use.
Noise Cancellation and Ambient Sound
Noise-canceling and transparency modes are essential for wireless headphones. A quality noise-canceling feature can significantly reduce external sounds, while a good transparency mode will allow you to hear important sounds, like voices, without compromising sound quality. Be sure to test these features in real-world environments, such as on a plane or in a busy cafe.
Headphones vs. Earbuds
While over-ear headphones generally deliver superior sound quality, larger drivers in headphones produce a more dynamic and fuller sound. However, earbuds can be more practical in active environments like the gym, where you need lightweight, portable options that stay in place. That’s why we’ve also included top bass-boosting wireless earbuds, many of which are waterproof and gym-friendly.
How We Selected
We began by researching the market for the best bass-focused headphones and earbuds, concentrating on models with customizable bass or exceptional low-end performance. After extensive hands-on testing, we ensured each model provided not only strong bass but also well-rounded sound, ensuring that both bass-heavy tracks and other genres were enjoyable. We also tested battery life and evaluated noise-canceling and ambient sound features in a variety of settings.
Here are the top bass headphones and earbuds we recommend, based on our thorough testing and research.
1. Soundcore Space Q45 Bass Headphones
Soundcore’s Space Q45 wireless headphones are packed with features typically reserved for more expensive cans, but that doesn’t mean they skimp on the bass or sound quality. Our testing found that they do justice to electronic tracks, classical music and podcasts alike. With 40mm audio drivers, the Space Q45 delivers balanced, crisp sound across the bass, treble and mid-range. For even more bass, you can customize the equalizer in a companion app and even set one of the buttons on the left ear cup to queue up more bass on command.
The Space Q45 packages its great sound and tunable bass within a competent and comfortable set of headphones. A lightweight construction means comfort for hours of use, and you won’t have to worry about charging too often thanks to a 50-hour maximum battery life with noise cancellation (or 65 hours without). The noise cancellation itself works well and can be adjusted within the companion app, too.
2. DOQAUS Bluetooth Headphones Over Ear
The DOQAUS Bluetooth headphones are designed for comfort and durability, featuring pressure-relieving memory-protein earpads, an adjustable headband, and a lightweight build (8.1 oz). The headphones provide 90 hours of continuous playtime and can switch to wired mode using the included 3.5mm audio cable when the battery runs out. They offer a built-in microphone for clear calls and support Bluetooth connectivity with devices within 66 feet. The headphones also feature three sound modes (balanced, extra bass, and clear vocal) and Bluetooth 5.3 for stable connections. With a foldable, ergonomic design, they are easy to carry and store. The package includes the headphones, an AUX cable, charging cable, storage pouch, and user manual.
3. Audio-Technica ATH-M20X Bass Headphones
The sound quality from these wired headphones is uncannily good, thanks to the expert tuning on part of Audio-Technica. Using 40mm drivers, the ATH-M20X delivers “ stellar bass , well-presented mid-range, and vibrant treble,” writes tester Vazharov. A set of wired headphones that costs a dollar below additional discounts shouldn’t sound this good, so props to the storied audio maker for this feat. Excellent passive noise isolation blocks out distractions to help the great sound quality shine, even when you take these wired cans on the road.
The headphones are also lightweight with soft ear pads, so they remain comfortable after hours of use. The affordability of the ATH-M20X shows in its lack of a removable cable and storage pouch, but an included warranty backs the product for the first two years of use.
4. Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Bass Headphones
Skullcandy’s Crusher ANC 2 transports you to the inside of a subwoofer with the turn of a dial. A wheel on the left ear cup dials up something called “Crusher Adjustable Sensory Bass,” which increases the bass while also vibrating the ear cups. You can press the wheel down (it also acts as a button) to cycle through presets of 20%, 50% and 80%, or customize the level by turning the wheel. If bass is what you’re after, it’s tough to beat the visceral thump and vibration that Skullcandy’s Crusher ANC 2 delivers.
In practice, Crusher mode is a blunt instrument: Anything over 20% bludgeons your track with bass that can either elevate an already bass-heavy track or make it sound muddled. But that’s the beauty of Crusher’s accessibility: Turn it up when you want it and turn it off when you don’t. There’s also an equalizer in the Skullcandy app to further customize the sound, which is bass-heavy on its own.
If we have any gripes about the sound, they actually come from the earpads. They’re thick but foam inside isn’t as soft as it is in other headphones, which makes the cans feel a touch unstable at times and allows the pads to separate from your head when you bend down or look over your shoulder. That opens up a gap that allows ambient sound in and thwarts the otherwise-decent noise canceling ability. For that reason, we wouldn’t pick these as the best headphones and earbuds for bass for the gym unless you're grinding away on a stationary bike, but you won’t notice this downside during sedentary use.
5. Jabra Elite 8 Active Bass Earbuds
It’s tough for a pair of wireless earbuds to live up to the full, dynamic sound quality of a quality set of over-ear headphones, but Jabra’s Elite 8 Active comes closer than most. A combination of dynamic sound, a shape that seals out ambient sound well, and an effective noise-canceling mode make the Elite 8 Active among the best bass wireless buds you can buy.
Recently tested head-to-head against competitors like Apple’s AirPods Pro, the Beats Fit Pro, and the Sony WF-1000XM5, the Elite 8 Active delivers a richer, fuller sound than the lot. And while the stock level of bass is substantial, you can boost it via the equalizer in Jabra’s companion app. Our only knock on the sound is the ambient mode, which picks up white noise from wind and air conditioners more than peers like the AirPods Pro.
In addition to blasting bass, we also love the Elite 8 Active for the gym. The earbuds are waterproof, and the case is water resistant, so there’s no need to worry about shorting out the buds from a hard sweat session. Unlike touchscreen-style buttons on some earbuds that stop working at the first sign of moisture, the buttons that control audio playback and listening modes on the Elite 8 Active function just fine while wet.
6. Beats New 2023 Studio Pro Wireless Over
If you’re the type of person whose headphones are either on your ears or around your neck, check out the Beats Studio Pro as a great-sounding and all-day comfortable set of cans. The band has a noticeable tension when you pull the ear cups apart to place the headphones on your cranium, and the soft earpads and headband pad compress for a stable fit that doesn’t waver while you’re out on a jog or in the gym.
While Beats has the Studio Pro marked down at nearly half of the original price, we’re hoping the forthcoming generation includes the auto-pause feature akin to Apple’s AirPods that stops your music when you remove the headphones—a button on the left ear cup does this presently, but it’s strangely loud one to press that you hear even with the volume up.
The sound is clear, balanced and crisp, with an admirable mid-range that makes vocals shine. Unfortunately there is no customizable equalizer, so no potential for boosting the bass (unless your streaming service features an equalizer). There are, however, class-leading noise canceling and ambient sound modes, as well as clear call quality. Pick the Beats Studio Pro if you’re after a well-tuned audio experience that keeps up with your entire day.
7. Sony ULT Wear Wireless Bass Headphones
The ULT Wear puts bass front and center with a button on the left ear cup that toggles between a track’s organic sound as well as two bass-boosting modes. The first notches up the bass substantially but doesn’t overpower the treble or midrange, while Vazharov said the second mode made bass-forward tracks “feel like they were bouncing off my head in rhythm with the music.”
Outside of the tunable bass, the headphones offer noise canceling that tranquilizes a busy street or chattery office environment, although it trails behind the effectiveness of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. Noise canceling and ambient sound modes are also easy to toggle via the right ear cup. The headphones lack speak-to-chat; you’ll have to spring for the pricier Sony WH-1000XM4 or WH-1000XM5 if that feature is crucial to you. But for bassheads who want a variable thump in a comfortable package, the Sony ULT Wear is tough to beat for the price.
8. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bass Headphones
Bose's QuietComfort Ultra headphones stand out with exceptional sound quality and comfort, reinforcing why the brand is a leader in the headphone market. These wireless, noise-canceling headphones offer customizable bass through the Bose app, with 10 adjustable levels that enhance the sound without overwhelming it. The bass remains deep and rich even at stock settings, and the spatial audio feature provides an immersive listening experience with surround sound, making it feel as though music is coming from all directions.
Beyond sound, the QuietComfort Ultra excels in comfort and daily usability. Weighing just over half a pound, they feature soft faux leather padding in the earpads and headband, providing a snug yet comfortable fit that blocks out ambient noise without pressure. While the active noise canceling works exceptionally well—transforming noisy environments like an Airbus A330 into a quiet space—the transparency mode isn’t as effective, making it challenging to have a conversation unless the surroundings are already quiet.
