The Best Headphones For Audiophiles

A great pair of headphones should provide exceptional sound quality, be comfortable on your head and ears and be simple to use. Ideally, they should include features like noise cancellation or transparency modes, and control buttons that can be tapped.

Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones set the standard in this class. They are comfortable, come with excellent ANC and a powerful app to tweak audio profiles.

High-end

A high-quality pair of headphones is a must-have piece of kit for anyone who is a music lover. They can bring old favourites back to life and bring new life to your carefully-curated playlists of music. They can also be used to play podcasts, audiobooks, gaming and taking calls.

The purchase of high-end headphones is an investment but you can enjoy top audio quality and features for the price of a moderate one. Consider the build quality of the headphones and their brand reputation when selecting the right pair. Brands like Bowers & Wilkins and Sony have models that are sturdy and suitable for everyday use. They also provide a full service for customer support and a warranty.

Focal's Stellia offers an advanced alternative to its Utopia line at a reasonable price. It offers a natural, neutral sound, and can display the full detail of your music, without putting too much emphasis on.

Although it's not as portable as the Focal Stellia, the Monoprice Arya is one of the cheapest planar headphones available. It is spacious and has a well-balanced soundstage, which is ideal for listening to music while in motion. It is also easy to personalize the sound with a variety of well-engineered presets.

These Sony headphones are the best alternatives if you're searching for an affordable pair. These headphones are perfect for long journeys because they provide high-quality sound and noise cancelling. They are also comfortable and have elegant design. They are available in a broad variety of colors and designs, so you'll find the perfect pair for your style. You can also pick from a variety of accessories to enhance your listening experience. The Sony MDRZX110A has a wide range of features that are perfect for audiophiles.

Mid-range

There are a lot of choices in the mid-range of audiophiles. The right set can make or break your listening experience. The best headphones for this price point are open-back and have a wide soundstage, which is large and spacious, with crystalline highs and natural smooth mids. The acoustics are generally superb and they often detect the finest details and subtleties in recordings. The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 headphones are among the best in this category. They provide significant improvements over their first-generation model. It's still heavy at 307 grams, but it's more comfortable and it has improved noise cancellation and voice-calling features. It also appears more luxurious, thanks to its elegant design and luxurious materials.

The Grado Prestige SR225x is an alternative option for those who want a pair of open-back, premium headphones that aren't overly expensive. It's a handmade headphone and it offers great audio quality at this price. It's not as good as the Prestige headphones that cost more, but for an open-back pair of headphones it's an excellent value.

The Focal Stellia headphones are an excellent pair of mid-priced headphones. It's a closed-back rival to the flagship Utopia headphone and it's stunning. It also has a superior technical performance, and it can create a large open soundstage with great transparency. It's a great headphone for listening to music or podcasts, and it comes with an excellent build quality, which includes real wood earcups. It's among the top headphones to listen to music while on the move. It comes in a wide spectrum of colors, and has an elegant design that will appeal to the audiophile in you.

Low-end

If you are on a budget and searching for headphones, you must be able to prioritize features you need and those you can live without. There are a lot of options at the lower end of the price spectrum that offer top audio quality and comfort.

Sony's MDR7506s provide a fantastic illustration of how you can push your budget in this area. These dynamically wired cans utilize neodymium drivers and neodymium-magnets to deliver the balanced sound you'd expect from a top pair. The headphones come with DSEE, which upscales low-resolution digital music files into near-hi-res sound. You'll be able to control your voice using Google Assistant or Siri, as well as an IPX4 rating to protect your from showers.

Another good option in this price range are the HiFiMan E11BTs. These small wireless buds are superior to their more expensive counterparts due a sturdy, all-aluminum build. The neckband is flat and can be worn around your head. They're great for quick trips to the bar or a daily jog.

These are some of the top headphones available for less than PS200. They're an current What Hi-Fi? Award winner and offer great sonic bang for the buck. The sound is wide and wide that you just don't hear in headphones that cost this much.

They also utilize high-quality bluetooth headphones codecs that work with LDAC, aptX HD and other Bluetooth standards. Unfortunately, they do not support the higher quality AAC codec, which is used by a majority of iOS devices. iPhone users might experience some latency when using the headphones with their phones. Android users will not encounter any issues with latency with these headphones.

Comfort

For long listening sessions, comfort is a huge factor to take into account. Most over-ear headphones have comfortable ear cups and headbands which rest comfortably on your ears. You may also want to test different ear tips (supplied or available as accessories) until you find the ideal one for you.

Wireless headphones are a great alternative for a variety of people, as they let you move freely without tangled wires. Certain models come with a noise cancelling feature to block out background noise and allow you to concentrate on work or study. For commuters, headphones with noise cancellation are an excellent choice since they block out the sounds of airplane trains and engines while you're traveling to and from work.

High-end headphones typically come with numerous features such as bluetooth headphones, hi-res audio quality, and noise cancellation. Some fold up to an incredibly compact size and come with a protective case.

If you're looking for a pair of premium headphones, the Bose series is a fantastic option. Audiophiles adore them for their high-quality sound as well as their noise cancellation capabilities and comfortable design. The headband can be adjusted to fit most heads and the supple ears are comfortable.

Sony WH1000XM5 is another pair of headphones worth trying. They're highly-rated and feature outstanding sound quality, impressive noise cancellation, and comfortable ergonomics. Wireless and packed with user-friendly features, they feature touch sensors, smart assistants (Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant) and automatic audio settings through accelerometers and proximity sensors. They're also quite light for a pair of headphones with this much tech.

Noise-canceling

If you're in the city that is crowded or flying on a plane or working at home with coworkers in the next room who are slamming at their keyboards noise-canceling headphones can help concentrate and block out distracting sounds. They employ active noise cancellation that makes use of built-in microphones that listen to the surroundings and then emit an audio wave which cancels it out.

The best noise cancelling headphones will depend on your budget and requirements. You might want to prioritize an option that is light and comfortable, as well as easy to connect and control via your mobile device or music player. You could also consider an option with an internal rechargeable battery that can be used to provide hours of music or a case that can make them portable.

Over-the-ear ANC headphones offer the best noise-canceling capabilities, while the earbuds are generally more compact, but less effective in blocking background noise. The Bose QC 35 II is lightweight and comfortable to wear for headphones with noise cancellation long periods of time. They come with adjustable ANC and a remarkable battery lifespan of up to 30 hours. Their design is sleek and compact with a fold-down mechanism that allows them to be easily stored in backpacks or bags.

If you're looking for a cheaper alternative, the Anker Soundcore Space Q45 headphones feature good ANC with good transparency mode and customizable EQ settings. The headphones don't block out as much ambient noise and headphones with noise cancellation bass-heavy songs may sound less lively. However, they are a great deal for the price.

The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 headphone is more expensive than other options in this class, but it has excellent audio quality as well as an impressive noise-canceling features set. They're comfortable to wear for long periods of time and fold down into an easy-to-carry storage bag. They have a premium appearance and support the lossless LDAC Bluetooth codec for high-resolution audio streaming. The headphone app lets you alter EQ settings and choose from a range of audio presets.