The best headphones I’ve tried (and why I’d buy them all)

You might think You have enough headphones. Most of us have collected at least two or three pairs over the years, and probably have a few half-working pairs stuck in a drawer somewhere. But I’m here to tell you, if you haven’t fully explored the wonderful world of specialty headphones that have exploded in the past decade, from open-ear headphones to sports and travel cans, you’re not maximizing your audio potential. The best headphones are now so diverse that they often depend entirely on what you intend to use them for. This means that the best headphones for you probably come in many shapes and sizes, and you may actually need more than one pair.

Using a lot of headphones for every life situation doesn’t necessarily mean spending a lot of money. Unless you ride successfully.”com. boomcession“, there’s a fair chance there’s a shortage of spare cash right now. Fortunately, there’s a real explosion of great budget brands making great stuff, along with household brands heading into the cheap seats.

As an audio reviewer for more than a decade, I’ve tried hundreds of models across every color in the headphones rainbow. Here’s how to shop properly so you can get the most out of all of these products, as well as the best headphones I can think of in each category right now.

Noise-cancelling headphones: 2026 baseline

Let’s start with the modern one-time option: noise-cancelling earbuds are the jack of all trades. If you only want to own one pair, this is it. the Best noise canceling headphones It looks great, fits neatly in your pocket, and is also adept at letting in or blocking out environmental sounds to adapt to any situation.

Perhaps not surprisingly, it is so popular AirPods Pro These are the best headphones for iPhone owners, thanks to amazing performance, tons of features, and seamless integration with all things Apple. They are a huge step up from Standard AirPodswhich offers similar Apple-compatible features and a touch of noise cancellation, but doesn’t perform nearly as well even with most Budget earbuds.

For more phone-neutral options, Boss QuietComfort Ultra 2 They are the ultimate noise killers, while Sony’s new products WF-1000XM6 Offers great sound and a completely natural transparency mode. Technologies EAH AZ100 It is among my favorites for its sound quality.

If this sounds expensive, fear not! Budget earbud options are varied and plentiful, ranging from mid-range ones optimized for Android like Google pixel buds 2a To elegant None Ear (A) Or very affordable Soundcore Space A40. If you’re only going to keep one pair, I’d put all your chips in for better performance, but there’s no shortage of great affordable options, and new pairs at all price points keep coming out.

Over-ear noise cancellation: comfort meets performance

Anyone who has taken a long flight can probably relate to the fact that sticking something in your ears for an extra five hours is not a comfortable exercise. Enter travel headphones like the best noise-cancelling earbuds, which have adapted from early models like Bose’s QC 25 to become among the most advanced and luxurious audio products for your money. They’re great for other tasks too, from working in a busy office to commuting or just relaxing at home in peace and quiet.

Latest and greatest, like Sony WH-1000XM6 and QuietComfort Ultra from Boseimplement relentless noise cancellation, luxurious comfort for extended listening, and a host of advanced features like pause when talking or auto sleep and wake. The Ultra is my favorite in terms of sheer comfort, but there are plenty of competitors like Sonos that are just as comfortable wittyIconic (and heavy) AirPods Maxor completely immersive B&WP BX7S3. Cheaper options abound, but some of my favorites include Sony WH-CH720 high punchingCrazy affordable Soundcore Live Q30or his more recent cousin, Space is one. These won’t provide the same level of performance or quietness, but they still work great for longer trips and beyond.

Open the earbuds: to keep the alarm on

Here’s where things get really interesting: Open the earphones It has exploded faster than any other audio segment in recent memory, with a kaleidoscope of options from almost every audio brand. Designed to keep your ears open while providing satisfying sound, the best open-ear headphones aren’t ideal for everything you do, but they’re great for specialized activities like E-bike ridingWind resistance makes artificial transparency modes useless. Over time, I’ve found Tons of other cool use casesfrom walking the dog to sneaking in some Olympics at the bar.

Open earbuds come in all sorts of designs, from exotic bone connectors to coil-over models and my personal favorite, clip-on. Their light, comfortable surfaces are meant to basically disappear on your ears for all-day listening, and they work better than you might think.

You can spend a lot more on pairs like the excellent Bose Open UltraBut you don’t have to, because even the best models have limited performance. Soundcore’s Aeroclip They’re my favorite pair in terms of value for performance, but there are plenty of cheaper options to get the job done, like the almost free Acefast Acevit water or Soundpeat’s Pearclip Pro. Open ear headphones are easily my favorite new audio trend.

Workout headphones: Keep moving

There is a clear Venn diagram overlapping between open earphones and headphones Exercise headphonesbut if you don’t like the idea of ​​keeping your ears open, traditional sports models are a great alternative. My favorite is the renovation Beats Powerbeats Pro 2which offers a lot of features in an all-in-one, almost unwavering design. I like that it’s optimized for Apple devices, but still works well for Android devices, and comes with great noise cancellation and transparency mode, but also at a high price.

Like open-ear headphones, there are plenty of cheap options, including unshakeable (but more basic) in-ear headphones. Gulab Go Air Sportswhich are only $30 or less on sale. If you’re not a fan of minimalism, WIRED editor Adrienne So swears by Blount X pump Over-ear headphones for weightlifting, largely due to cooling gel ear pads that are placed in the refrigerator overnight to prevent sweat. They also have noise cancellation and a great battery life of over 50 hours per charge. For running or cycling, open-ear headphones will likely be a better fit, while some people simply use AirPods Pro, but it might be nice to have a dedicated pair in your gym bag.

Wired headphones: Plug them in

Young people are happy to revive old technology that the more experienced among us have long left behind (cassette tapes?!). In the case of wired headphones, there’s a good reason to plug them in, starting with better performance for your money. If you’re a content creator, musician, or just a money-savvy audio connoisseur, you can get an amazing return from wired options that avoid the audio degradation of many wireless options.

Some of our favorite affordable options include classic-looking, affordable earbuds The famous Shure SE-112 Sennheiser is impressive IE200,Suitable for studio over ears Audio Technica ATH-M20xIf you’re willing to spend a little more, that’s great Sennheiser HD6XX Delivering the best sound for the money I’ve heard in any category of headphones. On a much more expensive basis HD 650These are open-back headphones that let outside sounds in, but the performance is incredible. If you want better sound and design, there it is Tons Of options, but it will cost you.

Luxury Headphones: The Audiophile’s Corner

If you really want to step up your wired connection, there’s a whole segment of audiophile headphones made with high-quality materials, innovative speaker technologies, elevated designs, and thus high prices. There are a whole host of varieties, but for the sake of convenience I’ll divide them into two categories: in-ear monitors (IEMs), the deluxe version of in-ear headphones, and over-ears.

IEMs generally use dynamic drivers, the traditional driver type found in most headphones and speakers, balanced chassis, smaller, more precise tweeters, or a combination of both. My favorite pairs come from Ultimate Ears, like UE 18+ Prowhich are customized to your ears using 3D printing and other technologies. (You’ve probably seen it on TV for musicians and broadcasters.) Other IEMs we like include Sennheiser IE900 And models of The sound of a campfire.

For over-ear headphones, Audeze’s planar magnetic headphones are among my favorites, starting at $500 (yes, I know) at a premium price LCD-S20 closed-back headphones. Another great pair I’ve been testing recently is A wonderful poetNot only are they the most stunning pair I’ve reviewed, but they also offer among the clearest, most intelligible sounds I’ve ever laid my ears to. There are dozens of other experiences, as the passion for music is its own journey, but this is a good starting point. We recently reviewed Signature grade S750which has an effortlessly extended sound that sounds like it couldn’t come from mere centimeters from your eardrum.

Other headphone types and upcoming features

As I’m sure some of you have already noticed, there are still more specialized types of headphones, including Gaming headphoneswhich is a whole other animal, and even TV headphones, which quickly switch from the screen’s internal speakers to let you listen silently without delay. I’m currently testing a new TV speaker package from Sennheiser, Rs 275which includes a custom pair of headphones in Human Development Report 275 And the new Sennheiser BTA1 Auracast transmitter (verdict coming).

Talk about Oracastit is a wonderful new type of Bluetooth protocol that allows connection to an infinite number of devices at a distance of up to 100 meters, such as an FM radio signal. Its implementation is still in its early stages, but it’s a good feature to look for in new headphones. Other features to consider include an app with an equalizer and presets (which most of my recommendations include), multipoint pairing for connecting two or more devices at once (again, ubiquitous), and spatial audio features for video formats like Dolby Atmos.