Apple Music Classical offers high-resolution and spatial audio recordings of classical music, making it one of the most demanding genres for headphones. To truly appreciate the dynamics, timbre, and expansive staging of symphonic and chamber works, you’ll want headphones with high fidelity, excellent tonal balance, and superior imaging. In this guide, we cover the best headphones for Apple Music Classical in 2025, each handpicked for its technical performance and emotional delivery across works from Bach to Bruckner.
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro MKII
The Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro MKII is a German-engineered open-back headphone with a reputation for forensic detail retrieval. The MKII update brings subtle refinements in tuning and comfort, making it an excellent choice for classical purists. The DT 1990 MKII reveals subtle microphone placement, bowing texture, and breath in woodwinds with surgical clarity, ideal for high-resolution tracks available through Apple Music’s Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless tiers.
Meze 109 Pro
Meze Audio’s 109 Pro is a semi-open dynamic headphone that has earned a strong following for its musical, natural tonality. It’s a strong all-rounder, particularly adept at capturing the warmth of string quartets and piano sonatas. The Meze 109 Pro shines with the solo violin of Hilary Hahn or the rich vocal overtones of choral works by Arvo Pärt, offering an intimate and immersive experience.
Sennheiser HD 800S
The Sennheiser HD 800S remains one of the most technically capable headphones available, revered for its wide-open soundstage, pinpoint imaging, and neutral tuning. Its ability to recreate the depth and width of a concert hall makes it a reference standard for classical music. The HD 800S renders orchestral depth, hall ambiance, and instrumental separation with jaw-dropping accuracy. Recordings by the Berlin Philharmonic, available in Apple Music’s Spatial Audio catalog, sound breathtaking on this platform.
HiFiMAN Arya Unveiled
The HiFiMAN Arya Unveiled is a planar magnetic headphone that offers a massive soundstage, pinpoint imaging, and a natural timbre. It excels with large-scale classical compositions, from Mahler symphonies to Wagnerian operas. When listening to Dolby Atmos-enabled recordings or Apple’s immersive mixes, the Arya Unveiled transports you into the concert hall, allowing you to localize each section of the orchestra with surgical accuracy.
Final Audio D8000 DC
The Final Audio D8000 DC combines dynamic power with planar-like precision. Its Air Film Damping System (AFDS) allows for extremely clean, low-end reproduction while retaining beautiful transparency in the upper mids and highs. This is a top-tier choice for lossless and hi-res classical recordings on Apple Music. Whether it’s a full orchestral blast or a nuanced harpsichord fugue, the D8000 delivers with authority and finesse.
Compare the ranking of various headphones, earbuds and in-ear monitors using our tools.
Discuss this, and much more, over on our forum.
---MAJORHIFI may receive commissions from retail offers.