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If you like to listen to music, podcasts, and movies, you need the best headphones. They are a must-have if you travel a lot, have a lot of video calls, need music to help you work or stay motivated while you work out. There are a lot of different kinds of headphones, and new ones come out every week. This makes it hard to find the best headphones or earbuds for you.
You have to think about a lot of things, like your budget, the features you need, and how you want them to look and fit. A good pair of wired headphones can’t be beat when it comes to sound quality. But if you want to listen without a cable, there are also some great options that don’t need one. We’ve spent many happy hours over the years testing the best earbuds and headphones, and we know what makes a great pair: sound quality, of course, but also comfort and ease of use.
And, as this guide shows, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get all three of these things. There are a lot of different headphones and earbuds here, but they all have important things in common that make it easy to recommend them. These features include a comfortable design, the best sound quality in its class, and helpful extras like built-in voice assistants or rock-solid wireless connectivity.
You won’t be disappointed with any of these pairs, whether you want to listen on your phone, laptop, or one of the best MP3 players. However, if you’re looking for gaming headphones with built-in mics, you should check out our guide to the best PC gaming headsets, which is focused on gaming performance, surround sound, and in-game chat.
Best Headphones Deals
Focal Bathys
The Focal Bathys Wireless are high-end headphones for audiophiles that can be used for listening on the go. They are Focal’s first pair of noise-canceling headphones, but they also support the aptX Adaptive codec for streaming high-quality audio over Bluetooth.
If you prefer a wired connection, their USB-DAC mode turns digital audio signals from your device into analogue signals with a resolution of up to 24 bits/192 kHz.
They even come with a companion app that has a graphic equaliser and presets so you can adjust the sound to your liking. Even though they are good for both casual listeners and audiophiles, there are some design and performance choices that may not be perfect for either group, especially given how much they cost.
Bowers & Wilkins PX8
The Bowers & Wilkins PX8 is an over-ear headphone that is ridiculously well-made and comfortable. There is nothing fake about this. It is all metal and leather. You can choose between black and tan. I think the tan one looks more expensive than the other.
The PX8 comes with a hard case made of a color-matching cloth. Since the headphones don’t fold, the case is pretty big. Along with the headphones, the case has a magnetic pocket for the two cables that come with it: a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to mini plug cable. It may look like there’s not much to choose from, but there’s really no need for more.
There’s also Pass-through, which uses mics to let you hear what’s going on around you, and Off, which turns ANC off. There are separate EQ controls for treble and bass in the app. Even though it’s nothing special, the EQ does what it should.
Focal Clear MG
The Focal brand may have started out by making great speakers, but since it started making headphones in 2012, it has become much more well-known. Since then, it has made a number of high-quality competitors that can stand up to the best of the established competition.
Its newest pair is the Clear Mg, which are high-end, open-backed headphones that aim to set the standard and be one of the best over-ear headphones at their price. These headphones are great right away. They come in fancy packaging that screams quality and feels just as expensive as the price tag. They are very stylish, but some people might like a more understated look.
HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Magnet
Unlike the sound waves made by a regular magnet, Stealth Magnets are shaped in a way that lets the waves pass through them without causing any interference. The advanced magnet design of HIFIMAN makes it acoustically transparent and reduces wave diffraction turbulence, which breaks up sound waves. Because there is less distortion, the sound is clear and full-range.
The high-quality metal headband on the Arya was made by HIFIMAN with extra strength and a special high-grade plastic to make it lightweight, comfortable, and durable. Strong 3.5mm user-replaceable connectors make it easy to switch cables, giving you the best durability and the most customization options.
Best Headphones Deals Under $500
Sony WH-1000XM4
If you have the money and want the best headphones for modern life, you should get the Sony WH-1000XM4. These are the best all-around choice for most people because they have high-quality Bluetooth codecs, great sound, better noise cancellation, a long battery life, and smart features like auto pause and Bluetooth multipoint.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 builds on the Sony WH-1000XM3, which came before it. The WH-1000XM4 continues to compete with Bose. It has multipoint connectivity, a “speak-to-chat” feature, and a lot of other high-tech software features.
This time, Sony is way ahead of the competition, and now that the Sony WH-1000XM5 is out, you can get the XM4 headphones at a big discount. If you were hoping for an improvement in noise cancelling with the WH-1000XM4, these are going to make you very happy. Somehow, the team at Sony made the ANC even better than before.
Sony WH-1000XM5
The family tree of the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones is one of the best-known in the history of audio. After two over-ear noise-cancelling headphones that were the best in their class, people were looking forward to the WH-1000XM5, which is unusual in the world of personal audio.
TechRadar gave the Sony WH-1000XM3 and Sony WH-1000XM4 high marks in their reviews, and it’s expected that the WH-1000XM5 will sound just as good as those headphones.
In terms of specs and performance, they mostly (a little too closely) follow in the footsteps of their predecessors. However, in terms of design, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are the biggest change to the line since it began. Still, we had fun testing them, which is why they are one of our top choices in our guide to the best wireless headphones.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Few things have as good of a reputation as Bose’s new headphones. The Noise Cancelling 700 are the latest in a line of noise-cancelling headphones made by Bose over the past 19 years. For most of that time, these headphones have been the best in their category.
The Bose Noise Cancelling Earbuds 700 are not part of the QuietComfort line. Instead, they are part of a new premium series that will soon be joined by the Bose Earbuds 500 and the Bose Noise Cancelling Earbuds 700. Even though these changes were promised three years ago, they haven’t happened yet.
In the present, though, Bose says that these Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 over-ears are “the biggest leap forward in headphones since the iconic QuietComfort.” This is a bold claim, given how popular that line was.
Focal Elegia
The Focal Elegia are better than average headphones for critical listening. They are the closed-back version of the Focal Elear, which has the same design. These high-quality headphones have a metal frame and a cable that can be taken off.
They are very comfortable to wear for long listening sessions and are well-made. Because they have a closed back and a shorter cable, you can also use them outside.
Unfortunately, they won’t be the best headphones to use outside because they are bulky, don’t block out noise very well, and don’t have a remote with a microphone for calls. Still, these headphones are good enough that most people who can afford them should be happy with them.
Best Headphones Deals Under $300
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless is the successor to the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless. Their design is much simpler than that of their predecessor, and there have been a few important changes to how well they work. They don’t support High-End Sound Tuning, an EQ that’s supposed to make the sound more dynamic and lively.
In our Momentum 3 unit, this made the mismatch between the drivers worse. Instead of supporting the aptX-LL codec, they use aptX Adaptive, which makes sure that the audio experience is low-latency and high-resolution. They also have a much longer battery life than their predecessor and other models that compete with them, such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless. Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM 4 Wireless headphones come in two colours: “Black” and “White.”
We checked out the “Black” version. The label is under the padding on the ear cup, which makes it hard to get to without hurting the padding. This is also our second unit, which is bad. The first unit couldn’t keep its charge, so we switched it out for a new one that works as it should.
Sony WH-XB910N
The Sony WH-XB910N is part of the company’s Extra Bass line of headphones, and as expected, it has a sound that emphasises the bass and hits hard. In addition to AAC and SBC, the headphones also work with the LDAC Bluetooth codec, and you can connect them to a wired 3.5mm jack if you want to. The headphones also have a good battery life, and the sound is pretty clear. But the bass can sometimes get annoying, and the sound doesn’t work well with all kinds of music.
Sennheiser HD 600
Older models of headphones are still used because they do what they are supposed to do well. The Sennheiser HD 600 is one of the most popular headphones among audiophiles, and for good reason: it’s great. The Sennheiser HD 600 headphones are good for critical listening but can’t be used for anything else. They’re comfortable enough and made better than most shoes.
They also have a well-balanced sound with a great mid-range and clear instruments and vocals, but they don’t have much low-end bass, which might not be perfect for everyone. They are also not made to block out sound, so you can’t use them outside.
Master & Dynamic MH40
The gunmetal Master & Dynamic MH40 are over-ear headphones that are made to give musicians and music lovers a rich, warm sound at home, on the go, and in the studio. The 45mm neodymium drivers have a frequency range of 5 Hz to 25 kHz, and the oxygen-free copper in the heavy-duty woven cable gives the sound a pure quality. The in-line remote and microphone are separate, which makes it easier to hear what you’re saying and cuts down on noise. The earcup has a button that lets you mute and unmute the sound while you’re on the go.
Best Headphones Deals Under $180
Jabra Elite 45h
Even though the Elite 45h is made of plastic all the way through, the matte finish makes it look and feel pretty good. The patterns on the ear pads make it easy to tell which side is left and which is right. On the right are the buttons and a USB Type-C port for charging.
The power and pairing with Bluetooth are controlled by a slider switch, and playback and volume are controlled by three separate buttons near the top. There are two microphones on the right ear cup. These are used to reduce background noise in the voice signal that goes out.
The frequency range of the Jabra Elite 45h is 20–20,000Hz, and it has 40mm dynamic drivers. The headphones use Bluetooth 5 to connect, but only the SBC codec is supported. Up to two devices can connect to the network at the same time. The sales package comes with a USB Type-C cable for charging and a pouch to carry it in.
Sony WH-CH510
The Sony WH-CH510 on-ear Bluetooth headphones are not very good. Even though they are simple and easy to use, they look and feel very cheap. The headband is made of plastic and has no padding. They don’t fold up to be smaller so you can take them with you. Even though their sound is pretty well-balanced, some of the vocals and instruments may sound flat and weak, so they may not be the best choice for rock or pop.
The Sony WH-CH510 headphones are not very good for travelling or commuting. Even though their on-ear design makes them a little less bulky than over-ear headphones, they don’t fold up or come with a carrying case.
Also, they don’t block out almost any background noise, so they won’t help you block out the low rumble of a bus or train engine or the chatter of people next to you. Even though you can turn up the volume to help block out background noises, they leak quite a bit, and the people sitting next to you will probably find your music annoying.
Philips PH802
When it comes to materials, construction, and sound, these Philips headphones are better than their price indicates. Active noise cancellation is a little bit of a letdown, though. Now that CES2020 is over, headphones we saw, heard, or read about are starting to come out.
The Philips TAPH802 Hi-Res Audio wireless over-ear headphones are one of these types. The Philips PH802 headphones cost less than $150, and they have closed-back 40 mm speakers and passive noise isolation.
They also have Bluetooth 4.2, Hi-Res Audio when wired, and Bluetooth 4.2. These headphones that go over your ears are made to give you a clear sound. Want to find out if they got it right? In this Philips PH802 headphones review, let’s take a closer look right away.
Sony ZX110
The 30mm dynamic drivers in the black Sony MDR-ZX110 On-Ear Headphones give you a low frequency response of 12 Hz to 22 kHz so you can listen to all kinds of music on the go. The earcups can swivel flat and fold up to make the headphones easier to carry. The 3.9-foot Y-shaped cable keeps it from getting tangled.
The way the buttons are set up and how they work is disappointing. There is only one noise-canceling switch, so you won’t be able to change the sound.
The Sony MDR-ZX110NC headphones look fine, but there’s nothing special about the way they look. They are all black and have a matt finish. The back of the ear cups is designed in a way that gives them a little more style. These headphones won’t stand out, but some people will like their simple style.