Can you REALLY hear the difference between commercial and audiophile headphones?

I've recently been getting into the world of audiophile headphones, but I've been buying and borrowing commercial headphones for 20+ years now. And that got me thinking – what are the real differences between headphones that most people buy, and the ones that are deemed 'audiophile'? And, if you're only used to using commercial cans – Bluetooth, ANC headphones – would it really be a massive step up?

Well, long story short, since I started using the Sennheiser HD 650 audiophile headphones, I've fallen in love with listening to music again. That's because these types of headphone offer an audio experience that most commercial cans do not (or simply can't). And yet, since trying out the Bose Quite Comfort Ultra commercial headphones, it's clear that they're popular for a reason, offering features that hi-fi headphones don't... The plot thickens.

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Totally wired or free and easy

There are many names for them – reference, pro, studio, hi-fi – but audiophile headphones, like the HD 650s that you can see in these photos, are always wired. That's because the main aim of pro headphones is audio accuracy – a wide frequency range, minimal distortion, and bags of detail. Being wired means these headphones receive maximum audio information to achieve all that. In contrast, my Bose wireless headphones are limited in the amount of information they can receive by Bluetooth's bandwidth, and so work with compressed audio.

Sennheiser HD 650 $580 $350 at Amazon
Save 40%: These headphones were first released in 2003, and have remained a best-seller ever since. They are famous for their natural, detailed sound profile, but don't offer a very large soundstage like other audiophile headphones. They are currently the favourite thing that I own.

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This seems like a obvious win for pro headphones, but there have been recent strides in wireless audio technology and the truth is most people (probably including me) can't actually tell the difference between lossless, max-info audio, and a slightly compressed variant. What's the story between my two examples? Comparing the HD 650s and Bose Ultras, the latter does sound fantastic (especially after a little play with the app's equaliser), but they do not achieve the clarity, sound stage, imaging and amount of detail on offer with the Sennheiser HD 650s.

This wired/non-wired talk reveals fundamentally conflicting audio philosophies at the core of each type of headphone – about how audio is presented to the listener, and how that audio is meant to be enjoyed.

Bose QC Ultra $450 $430 at Bose
Save $20: These are the lightest ANC headphones I've owned, and some of the best sounding. Sure there's a big bass shelf in the sound straight out the box, but you can pull that back in the app, and the result, when paired with ANC, is a pair of incredibly handy cans. They don't compete with a dedicated pair of pro headphones, but they come close.

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Sound profiles: Pursuit of purity? I'm here for the fun!

Generally speaking, audiophile headphones make the most of all that information they receive, and so present an accurate representation of all low, mid and high sound frequencies (bass, mids, treble). The resulting sound profiles are often described as neutral or balanced, and the upside is you can pick out individual instruments – which sound true to life – in a way you just can't in most commercial cans.

That was the thing that blew my mind when I first tried the HD 550 audiophile headphones. I put on music I've been listening to for decades, and it sounded different: more detail, better sound, better arranged. Audiophile headphones are also often open-back – there is no metal or plastic casing around the ears like all commercial headphones have. The down side is you can hear if your partner farts in the same room as you; the upside is music can be presented on a stage that is wide and deep. The HD 650s don't actually offer a very wide soundstage, and yet it's noticeably grander than the Bose Ultras.

Historically, commercial cans are less bothered with accuracy – they're all about the good times. Back in the 1970s music engineers realised that people loved it when they whacked up the bass and treble. Sure, the details of the mids were often sacrificed (guitars, piano, snare drum and, err, the human voice), but my god was it punchy, energetic, and... fun! This is called a v-shaped sound profile, and commercial headphones commonly come with it preset (though some premium models allow you to meaningfully change it with an in app equaliser).

It's not just that this is a fun audio profile. This elevated bass and treble profile was also the result of the small and cheap drivers that came with affordable headphones. Back in the Walkman days of the 80s and 90s, a pair of Sony MDR-W05L (I had a pair!) struggled to reproduce deep bass and detailed treble in an accurate way. Whacking up those frequencies was a welcome solution.

The result? Candy for the ears.

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Extra features: Worth it or nah?

The thing is, Bluetooth headphones offer features like active noise cancelling (ANC), different preset frequency profiles, and apps that give the listener the option to play around with those profiles even more.

That's what I did with my Bose Ultras – immediately went into the app and reduced the inflated bass. They sound bloody great! Being wireless they are also incredibly convenient to use when going to, and when I'm at, work. The ANC erases many of the annoying sounds around me, and they're super light and comfortable.

But just flipping from one to the other, listening to the beautifully produced Hey Nineteen by Steely Dan, and the presentation of instruments, the imaging – how each instrument has its own space, and isn't crowded out by another – and the little soundstage that the HD 650s offer, all works to produce a far more rich and deep experience. Even when I dialled down that swampy, overbearing bass, the Bose Ultras were still lacking in detail and spacious presentation.

So, yes, absolutely there is a difference in sound that even an audio newbie like me can notice. But does that mean I'll be getting rid of my Bose Ultras? Hell no. They're far too convenient, and they sound really good. But neither will I be ditching the pro cans anytime soon. Perhaps ironically, I'm just having way too much fun with them.