There's a place for crappy earbuds, but equally, there's most likely a place for truly high-end headphones. The Sennheiser HD 800 headphones stand out as a way to hear the details and nuances that are impossible to perceive on the cheap headphones you're probably using at this very moment.

Now, is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? The HD 800 is incredibly well-engineered, uses the best components available, tuned with years of research. Biggest drivers used in a headphone, Teflon-insulated, luxurious fabric-coated earpads, etc. But how much is all that tricked-out engineering worth? According to Sennheiser, it's worth about $1399.95, suggested retail. If you want realistic sound, at that price, you might as well fly to wherever to hear your favorite band perform it live.