| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
1 | Below is a list of previously-tested headphones that are still available. To read more about our current picks, check out the guides: Best Bluetooth Headphones | |
2 | Model Name | Our Thoughts |
3 | Adidas RPT-02 Sol: | This on-ear pair looks cool, and its solar charging is a neat idea. But in our testing it proved to be less practical than we’d hoped. The headphones are heavy, and the mesh earcups pressed uncomfortably into our ears, leaving them marked up like one’s thighs might be after sitting in a wicker seat while wearing shorts. On top of that, the bass was boomy and formless, as though someone had put a subwoofer under a blanket. |
4 | AKG K-361BT | This pair is designed to be a hybrid studio- and portable-use set, but the touch controls can accidentally be triggered when you adjust the earcups, and the sound quality isn’t up to the level our panel would want to use when recording or editing. Though the drivers aren’t bad, the tuning is a bit off. There is a jagged-sounding frequency response to the mids and highs, with peaks and dips that overemphasized recording flaws and made male vocals sound somewhat recessed. |
5 | AKG K371-BT | The wired version of this pair has gained favor among the audiophile set, because it measures very closely to the Harman curve, which many regard as the standard for headphones that are perceptually neutral. In other words, they are great for monitoring recordings. So we were very excited at the prospect of a wireless version. Unfortunately, the K371-BT does not sound the same as the original version, the K371. Both corded and wireless, this pair has noticeably less bass response, which leaves the K371-BT feeling like it’s lacking a foundation. Additionally, the touch controls are finicky (we often adjusted volume when trying to play/pause), and the microphone is very quiet, so you’ll need to speak a little louder on phone calls than you might with headphones that have a more sensitive mic. For folks with smaller head sizes, the oblong-shaped earcups may make it difficult to get a seal. And the input on the BT version utilizes a 4-pin mini XLR connection, rather than the more standard 3-pin mini XLR plug on the original—which may make finding replacement cables more difficult. |
6 | Audio Technica ATH-S220BT | These have a lot going for them: a 60-hour battery life, dual-device connectivity, and rapid charging capabilities. However, the microphone quality isn’t as stellar as we’ve heard with other headphones, and the tight clamping force means folks with larger heads might feel the squeeze when this pair is worn for a long time. |
7 | Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT | The headband design on this pair can make it difficult to get the earcup to lay flush against your face. Even with a proper fit, this pair has quite boosted high frequencies that could be good for folks who need that extra intensity to hear upper ranges but can be fatiguing for folks who don’t require or prefer that kind of tuning. The plastic chosen for this pair is lightweight but feels brittle and cheap, especially compared to the Audio-Technica pro line. |
8 | Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay HX | Like all B&O headphones, these look fantastic—and it’s the looks you’re paying for with these $500 headphones. Although the sound profile is well-reviewed and adjustable, you can get equal performance from the less-expensive Sony WH-1000XM4. The same also applies to the noise cancellation, which performs well but is not superlative. If cost is no object and you like the looks of the HX, you’ll likely be happy with this pair. |
9 | Beats Solo3 | The W1 chip makes pairing with Apple devices a breeze, and the 40-hour battery life is impressive. The sound was very similar to that of the Solo2, which we also liked, offering nice highs and mids with a slight bass boost. But the Jabra Elite 45h sounds better, has a longer battery life, and costs less. |
10 | Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II | The QC35 headphones offer some of the best noise cancellation you can get. But you pay a premium for that, and some people may find the aggressive ANC uncomfortable. For details, you can read more about these headphones in our guide to noise-canceling headphones. |
11 | Bose QuietComfort 45 | These wireless, over-ear, noise-cancelling headphones are the update to Bose’s popular QuietComfort 35 Series II, and they sound essentially the same. The QC45 offers an awareness mode, background-noise-reducing microphones, 24 hours of battery life, and quick-charge abilities. If you happen to have a Bose soundbar, the QC45 headphones are compatible with SimpleSync, which allows you to pair to your Bose soundbar and use the QC45 as a pair of wireless TV headphones. The noise cancellation measures nearly identically to the more feature-rich Bose 700, as well as the QC35 Series II—which is to say it’s excellent, but if noise cancellation matters most to you, we think you should spend a little more to get the adjustable ANC on the Bose 700. Otherwise, the Jabra Elite 85h costs less, offers adjustable audio EQ, adds water and dust resistance, and still provides decent noise cancellation. |
12 | Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 | The Px7 S2 over-ear headphones are lightweight and comfortable to wear, and they have an undeniably luxurious aesthetic. If you’re a fan of a sound profile that’s slightly bass-forward, you’ll like the way this pair sounds with the ANC activated. However, these headphones lose some bass presence when you turn the ANC off, and the app doesn’t allow for EQ adjustments to address the issue. Also, the active noise cancellation is exceptionally directional. Even a tip of the head a few inches will change how much noise is reduced—especially if the source of the sound is located on one side of your body, like an air-conditioner unit or traffic noise from the street as you walk along the sidewalk. This may not bother you much if optimal noise cancellation isn’t your priority. However, given the $400 original price, we were hoping for consistently excellent performance to match the stellar looks. |
13 | Bowers & Wilkins Px8 | A pair of headphones needs to be outstanding to justify paying $700. Unfortunately, the PX8, while very nice headphones, fail to outshine our top picks in any single aspect, except perhaps for their looks. Though the leather on the earcups and headband is plush and squishy, the weight and clamping force of this pair can be uncomfortable after a long period. On large heads the pressure could be headache-inducing, and on smaller heads the earcups can press on your jaw. The noise cancellation is decent, but is not on par with that of the Bose 700 or the similarly priced (and equally flawed) Apple AirPods Max. The microphones are nice: Calls sound clear, and the hear-through mode has a more natural sound than just about any over-ear headphone we’ve tested. Without EQ, the sound is boosted in the upper lows and lower mids, which can blur male vocals. Unfortunately, the EQ is a two-slider system that handles “treble” and “bass” and nothing else. Though moving the slider does add some clarity or oomph, it’s too broadly applied and leads to new problems, rather than fixing existing ones. That isn’t to say this pair sounds bad, but they don’t sound as good as the AirPods Max, they don’t cancel noise as well as the Bose 700, and they aren’t as affordable and comfortable as the Jabra pairs. |
14 | Cleer Alpha | The Alpha’s noise-cancellation is very effective on the band of frequencies that make up airplane sound, but higher-frequency isolation is lacking. So although this pair will reduce a plane’s engine hum, it won’t do much about the loud talker in row 22B. We appreciated the Alpha’s thoughtful details, like the palm-to-earcup touchpad gesture that activates a quick-attention hear-through mode, and the included airplane adapter for frequent flyers. However, the audio quality was not our favorite, with or without the Dirac Virto activated. Sonic descriptions of the various settings included “boomy”,” smeared”, and “boxy”, and the EQ wasn’t able to adjust consistently enough to match the standards we hold for a top pick. |
15 | Cleer Enduro 100 | The claimed 100 hours of battery life per charge is incredibly impressive. But the controls are tricky to operate by feel, and the sound quality is sadly marred by a blurry bass that makes male vocals sound far away. |
16 | Cleer Enduro ANC | This pair’s 60-hour battery life is helpful for folks who greatly dislike remembering to charge their headphones. The sound quality is a little uneven (the default sound profile is hyped in the lows and highs), but listening to the Enduro ANC is nonetheless quite enjoyable. The app offers EQ adjustment, but the frequency ranges that are represented on the faders aren’t dexterous enough and are a touch baffling (most people can’t hear 20 kHz after infancy, so why is that one of the EQ options). The Enduro ANC isn’t the absolute strongest at noise canceling—it’s most effective at very low-frequency sounds, so airplane noise rumble is reduced, but you’ll still hear the upper grinding sounds of the engine whir. But the fit is comfortable, the microphone is clear on calls, and the $150 price makes them a solid value. |
17 | Cowin E7 | The word that best describes these is fine. They don’t have a lot of bass when the noise cancelling is off; when it’s on, the bass is more boosted and smeared. The noise cancellation isn’t very effective, either. The controls are unusual, but once you figure them out, they work acceptably well. There are definitely worse headphones out there for under $50, but if you want more than just “fine,” you may find yourself wishing for an upgrade. |
18 | Edifier W820NB Plus | With so many other great options, this pair just fell a bit short. The sound quality is decent, and the padding on the earcups is comfortable. The noise cancellation is moderately effective, but the overall reduction is marred by the design’s lack of passive isolation. |
19 | Edifier WH-950NB | The sound out of the box has a dull, boomy quality that feels like you are listening to a speaker in a really big room with wood floors and no curtains. There is an EQ function in the app that lets you adjust several frequency ranges, but we were unable to dial in a sound profile that we liked. This pair’s ANC will reduce some lower frequencies, but it lacks enough passive isolation to be effective on much more than engine hum. |
20 | Edifier WH950NB: | This pair is a mixed bag. Sonically, the bass is a touch bloated in the upper lows, and the highs have a slight coarseness to them, but neither flaw makes listening unenjoyable. The fit is lightweight and comfortable, and the earcups are deep, which can be more comfortable for people who have prominent or sensitive ears. However, the control buttons are small and tricky to feel, especially if you have larger fingers or challenges with dexterity. Like the W820NB Plus, this set lacks passive isolation. So although the noise cancellation is effective in a band of lower frequencies, you can still hear things like babies crying or dishes clinking. This combo of intense ANC and lack of isolation can exacerbate eardrum suck if you’re sensitive to it. |
21 | Focal Bathys | This $800 pair was designed to appeal to audio lovers with an enthusiast’s level of commitment. Audio connoisseurs should be aware that this pair has varying response curves between the passive (wired), active (Bluetooth), and ANC modes. Initially, in Bluetooth mode, the bass response was diminished, with a peak in the highs that some folks might enjoy but sensitive listeners could find fatiguing. The EQ is helpful in adjusting both the bass and highs to your taste, but the EQ doesn’t apply in passive mode, so be sure you like the sound out of the box if you plan to use a headphone cable. The Bathys is quite heavy, but the padding is very soft and distributes weight well enough that this pair is comfortable to wear long term, especially compared with other massive high-end headphones. Overall, we don’t think this pair is the right fit for most people, but if you are a fan of the Focal sound and are willing to pay for a pair that is useful on the go, the Bathys is a good set. |
22 | House of Marley Positive Vibration XL | These are the best-sounding headphones that House of Marley has released in a long time. They have a solid and sustainable build quality, and though the sound is bass-heavy, it’s not overpowering. The highs are a tad coarse when compared with the Jabra 45h. But since these headphones are under $100, that could be forgivable if you like the looks. One caveat: People with smaller noggins may want to look elsewhere, since the headband is on the longer side. I had to hold these headphones up about an inch to have them fit properly. |
23 | JLab Studio Pro | This $40 pair is affordable and comfortable, with a long 50-hour battery life. The sound quality, however, is a you-get-what-you-pay-for situation. The audio is crude—the bass lacks pitch, and the highs sound thin and harsh. The only range that sounds decent is male vocals. The microphone functions, but your callers may say you sound distant. If you want a super-cheap pair that gets sound to your head for podcasts, this is fine. But unless you’re buying in bulk, we would suggest spending a little more for something that will last you longer. |
24 | Mackie MC-40BT | Mackie says this pair is designed for audio pros on the go, but we weren’t a fan of the sound for professional applications. Although the audio quality is pleasant enough via Bluetooth for casual listening, the bass notes are lacking definition with a somewhat boomy quality. Additionally, although the microphone is clear, callers may say your voice sounds quiet or distant. In wired mode, this pair is less successful: The high frequencies have a spike at 3 kHz, then bounce up and down between 3.5 and 6 kHz only to be topped with another huge peak at 9 kHz. It also sounds like there is some resonance-based distortion until around 200 Hz. |
25 | Mark Levinson № 5909 | This $1000 pair of headphones is good, but for such a price, we expect superlative. Unfortunately, our panel found the sonic profile to be fatiguingly bright, both powered and in passive mode (although when powered, the highs had a spiked quality–especially between 8-10kHz– with solid bass support, in passive the highs sounded smoother, but the foundational low notes lost presence in the mix.) The noise cancellation worked well, but not in a way that rivaled the Bose 700 or Sony 1000XM4. Though we appreciated the lightweight build, the controls are very small in a way that could be challenging for folks with dexterity challenges or larger hands. Overall, the 5909 are very good headphones, but not enough for us to justify the cost. |
26 | Marshall Major IV | There is a lot to like about this on-ear pair. If this category weren’t so competitive, these might have had a shot as a pick. The Major IV features the signature Marshall sound, which is generally described as “warmer”—there’s a bit of a gentle-but-broad bass boost with highs that aren’t over-emphasized. A small high-frequency bump gives some detail to consonants and avoids muddy male vocals, but overall the sound is smooth and pleasant. However, if you don’t like what you hear, there is no way to EQ the sound profile. The headband’s padding is soft, but the headband itself is quite snug—which means this pair will stay in place, but those with larger heads, sensitive ears, or full hair might not be able to wear these for extended periods. A single multi-function knob handles tracks, volume, and calls and is very easy to use and find without looking. The microphone clarity is fine, but not as crisp as our top picks, and there isn’t any wind or noise reduction. You can listen to this pair with the included cable or string another pair of headphones to the Major IV to allow for the sharing of a single audio device. Though chargeable by cable, this is the first pair of headphones that we’ve tested that have Qi wireless charging. It’s a little awkward to get the ear cup to lay correctly on a charge pad without support, but it does work—so folks who hate finding a cable may enjoy that as a bonus feature. |
27 | Marshall Mid ANC | This pair isn’t half bad, with a comfortable, light design, easy-to-operate controls, and a fun, bass-forward sound. What’s crazy is that these headphones fold up to be rather small, yet the clunky carrying case makes them far more unwieldy to pack than is necessary. The ANC is only okay but capable of reducing lower-frequency airplane noises. If you like the looks and the on-ear fit, this pair is a fine alternative to our picks. |
28 | Master & Dynamic MH40 | If it’s important to you that your headphones have style, the 2023 version of the MH40 is worth consideration. This pair doesn’t have added features like active noise cancellation, multipoint connectivity, or voice control, but it does have excellent sound quality and head-turning looks. The design is retro-chic and feels like an item that’s built to last. The M&D Connect app is easy to use because it has only a few features––you can choose from four EQ presets, turn side-tone on or off, and adjust the amount of time the headphones wait in standby before powering off. The microphone offers excellent vocal clarity and will reduce some background noise like wind or air conditioner humming. The MH40 can connect to your device via a cable––either digitally with a USB-C cable or analog with a USB-C-to-eighth-inch headphone jack. The battery will last for around 30 hours of playtime, and the fast-charge capabilities will get you six hours of listening after only 15 minutes plugged in. There are some downsides, however. The controls are small and could be tricky to access for folks with larger hands or dexterity challenges. This pair is far less effective at blocking noise than any of our picks, so if you’re looking for a set to use in a noisy cafe or busy office, this pair isn’t for you. And the sound quality loses oomph in the bass response when you listen via a headphone jack. |
29 | Master & Dynamic MW60 | Beautiful but heavy, the MW60 is a luxury headphone model in looks and price. The sound was great but ever-so-slightly flawed: The boost on the lows extended slightly into the lower mids, so the sound had a subtly veiled quality that took some of the vitality out of live music. That’s an exceptionally minor quibble, but at the original cost of $400, we insisted upon the best sound quality. Now this model seems to be headed toward discontinuation and can be found for $200 or less—at that price, it’s a lovely pair of headphones. |
30 | Master & Dynamic MW65 | If you don’t mind paying a higher price, the MW65 is a decent choice. The problem is that the design is the only way in which these headphones are superlative. The ANC was middling, we found them a little heavy to wear, they didn’t seal out external sounds too well, and the sound, though quite nice, was a bit unnaturally boosted in the lows and highs. If these headphones weren’t $500, we could overlook all of those concerns, but at that price, we want something closer to perfection. |
31 | Master & Dynamic MW75 | The design and build of this $600 pair is undeniably luxurious, and the sound quality is very good, though the signature Master & Dynamic tuning has a spike in the highs that can add an icy feeling to strings. There are a handful of EQ presets in the app, but we felt the options were too dramatic. A greater level of nuance is needed to address the tuning changes we want in the MW75. The noise cancellation is decent—useful enough to bring down the volume of airplane engine hum. This pair has a hear-through feature, but it’s not the most natural-sounding we’ve heard; it has a muffled quality, as though you’re cupping your hands around your ears. Overall, the only superlative about this pair is the looks. If that’s worth the expense, go for it. But folks who are feature-focused or frugal will want to look at our picks instead. |
32 | Monolith by Monoprice M1000ANC | We liked this pair’s soft memory-foam earpads and surprisingly natural hear-through mode. However, the ANC was less effective than that of our budget noise-cancelling pick, the Soundcore Life Q20. Out of the box, the sound quality is pretty good—slightly flat, but not offensive. The Dirac filter attempts to create a sense of artificial space, but we found the effect off-putting. Precise sounds in the center channel ended up doubled, or ping ponging right to left. Though the filter also increased loudness of the lows and highs to make the sound more exciting, we were so thrown by phase trickery that we couldn't appreciate the boosts. At the original $130 price, we didn’t think the performance was worth the extra cash. |
33 | Monoprice Sync-ANC | The headband causes the earcups to flare away from your head and sit away from your face, which is not ideal for a pair that is supposed to cancel noise. Even if you manually hold the earcups down, the noise cancellation is minimal, and the build feels creaky and breakable. |
34 | Onanoff Fokus + | The hear-through mode sounds like the person speaking has their hands cupped around their mouth. The sound quality isn’t much better, with blurry boosted bass and highs with a harsh, coarse edge. The only redeeming aspect to this pair is the boom mic, which is very effective at isolating your voice from background noise. |
35 | Phiaton 900 Legacy | Though the looks are sleek, the fit comfortable, and the active noise cancelling decently effective, there is a jagged quality to the sonic tuning in the high-frequency range that is baffling. The spikes add emphasis to any air hiss noise in recordings, and make cymbals and strings have a tinny sizzling quality that’s harsh and off-putting. The volume controls cause large jumps in loudness; it takes about six swipes to go from silent to top volume, so any in-between adjustment must be done on your device. The microphone is clear for calls and seems to handle a light breeze well, but overall we were very disappointed in this pair’s audio performance. |
36 | Phiaton BonoBeats Lite | It has been a while since we’ve tested a new pair of on-ear headphones, so we were hopeful that the BonoBeats Lite would be recommendable for someone who prefers that style. Sadly, this pair wasn’t what we’re looking for. The headband is small with a lot of clamping force. The noise cancellation is middling, the sound quality has recessed vocals, and the hear-through mode has a hissing quality. Bummer. |
37 | Philips H9505 Over-Ear ANC | This pair sounds dull out of the box. The EQ presets in the app can help to add clarity to the vocal range, but no matter what we did, the bass notes lacked definition, much like a paint thinned by too much water. The noise cancellation is quite effective if you are facing the cause of the sound (for example, an air conditioner) but less so if the noise is coming from the sides. The hear-through mode is helpful for short-term use, but sounds like you’re listening to the world through a paper-towel tube. |
38 | Pioneer DJ HDJ-Cue 1 Bluetooth | This pair feels very sturdy, with swivel ear cups that are useful in professional settings. The fashion-conscious performer may be attracted by the colorful optional replaceable ear cups and cable sets that allow you to customize the look of your gear. However, you will not want to use these for a long DJ set, as the clamping force is vice-like, even for smaller heads. The ear cup padding isn’t to blame (it’s soft); the headband arch is narrower than most. Additionally, the tuning is blaring in the male vocal range and jagged in the highs in a way that may make it easier to hear and cue up vocals in a noisy club, but it won’t be appealing to most folks listening for enjoyment. |
39 | PSB M4U 9 | PSB is known for excellent bass reproduction, and the M4U 9 is a great example of why. The bass is slightly forward in the mix, but the notes have actual pitch, even at volumes that might cause distortion in other headphones. Out of the box, the highs have a slight icy spike, and male vocals are slightly recessed, but it’s subtle enough to be a matter of preference. Taking the time to complete the hearing-test-based EQ test can improve the experience, and unlike many wireless headphones, this pair sounds just as good wired as it does wireless. However, there are also some downsides. The noise cancellation takes the edge off of low frequencies, but the intensity isn’t competitive with even our budget pick in this guide. The headband transfers a lot of noise, so a small bump or scratch resonates noisily. On a more affordable pair, we might be able to overlook this given the great sound quality, but for $500, we want better. |
40 | PSB M4U8 MKII | PSB are known for excellent bass note reproduction, and the M4U8 MKII continues this lineage. Powered on, the MKII’s low notes are full and supported without becoming overpowering or muddy, even on bass-heavy songs. Sonically, we liked this pair’s lows better than our upgrade pick, the Sony WH-1000XM4. However, the highs have an icy edge to them, which can be fatiguing if you’re sensitive to high frequency sounds, so we prefer the EQed sound of the Sony for vocals. The M4U8’s noise cancellation is helpful, but middling in performance. If price isn’t an issue, we’d say that the PSB have the edge for sound, especially since there is no EQ required to get great quality. But the original price the M4U8 MKII is around $150 more than the Sony, so if price and noise cancellation matter to you, we’d say to stick with the 1000XM4. |
41 | Raycon Everyday Headphones | This pair performs acceptably for the price but are unremarkable. The “balanced” sound profile is pleasant to listen to. (The other sound profiles are too bass- or treble-heavy to be useful for most listeners.) The active noise cancellation is middle of the road, but the passive noise isolation is minimal so you’ll still hear a lot of higher-pitched noises (like voices) from your surroundings. The microphone has a digital distortion quality that isn’t up to par with the competition. |
42 | Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless | If you are already a fan of Sennheiser’s Momentum line of headphones and are looking to replace an old or ailing set, you’ll be happy with this latest edition. They’re sleek and comfortable, and they have a few added bells and whistles. For everyone else, though, we found the bass to have a boxy, bloated quality that wasn’t fixable using the three clumsy faders available in the app’s EQ function. The ANC is decent but unremarkable, and the passive noise isolation is such that the upper range of sounds (like fan whirs) will still leak into your ears. |
43 | Shure Aonic 40 | We weren’t a fan of the Aonic 40’s sound out of the box–we found it to be blurry with smeared lows. But after some tinkering with the EQ in the app, we were able to create a pleasant-to-listen-to profile. The problem is that when you switch the ANC on and off, the sound changes –most noticeably in the bass. So then you need to adjust the EQ in the app again. Annoying. Though we appreciated details like the optional busy light that illuminates when you’re on a call, the inconsistent sound and moderate noise cancellation performance wasn’t enough to impress. |
44 | Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 | This pair is an evolution of studio headphones and may be considered by people specifically for that purpose. It retains the Shure sound (narrowly boosted high frequencies and extra energy in the lows around 60 Hz) when you listen passively. However, via Bluetooth, the sound out of the box is very boomy, and the three preset EQ modes all go too far in their application of filters. The sound can be customized in the app, but the interface is not user-friendly for beginners and not dexterous enough for experts. We eventually got to a sound that was “close enough” to what we wanted, but it wasn’t easy to get there. The noise cancellation is intense and restricted to lower frequencies, so for those sensitive to eardrum suck, you’ll want to make adjustments. The microphones are clear but pick up external noise and are easily overwhelmed by wind. If you specifically want a pair of studio headphones that can be used wirelessly, these are fine, but we’d suggest getting a pair of Sony MDR-7506 wired headphones and our budget pick here for less money combined. |
45 | Skullcandy Crusher ANC XT 2 | This pair is for someone who wants the experience of a car-trunk subwoofer in a wearable format. The bass is loud and boomy, and a small motor vibrates the headphones so that you can feel the bass. It’s not our thing, but if you’re into that, we won’t yuck your yum. We’ll just say, don’t get these if you want effective ANC or balanced sound. |
46 | Skullcandy Crusher Evo | This pair is very comfortable to wear. The earcups are made of super-soft foam and supple protein leather. Once you learn the controls, they are easy to adjust without looking. Without the haptic boost on, the bass is a little undefined in attack and decay, and the highs are spiked a bit too much—possibly to try and retain detail under the threat of impending bass. Not perfect, but not half bad. But oh man, if you even boost the haptics a little, the bass becomes ridiculous—like boomy, blurry “after-market subwoofer badly installed in a car” bass. With the bass fully turned up, piano key strikes resonate so much they sound like someone is thumping the side of the piano body, and hip-hop tickles your face as the headphones buzz with every beat. We’re sure that’s someone’s jam, but it’s not ours. |
47 | Skullcandy Hesh Evo Transparency Edition | This is the see-through version of the Hesh Evo. The performance is the same on both pairs; all that differs is the looks. Unfortunately, the Hesh Evo has a mushy, bloated bass response that muddies lower-pitched sounds from bass hits to male vocals. The microphone is very quiet, so you may sound distant to your callers. The fit is light and comfy, but not worth the original price. |
48 | Sony WH-XB910N | The XB stands for “extra bass”, and wow does this pair have that. Imagine if you lived in a small studio apartment and you put a subwoofer next to your couch, then turned it up loudly enough that your neighbors could hear the thumping. The Sony app is able to adjust the balance, but it’s not nimble enough, which leaves you with the choice of too much or too little low-note emphasis. The noise cancellation is above average, and the hear-through mode is quite good. But seriously, only consider these if you like a ton of bass. |
49 | Soundcore Life Q20 | This was our budget pick in our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones because the noise cancellation is effective, the sound quality is pretty decent (though a bit bass-heavy), and the lightweight chassis and soft foam earcups are very comfortable. The 30-hour battery life is respectable. You can use them in wired mode, and the controls are easy to operate. However, over time we heard from readers that the build quality of this pair wasn’t up to our standards, frequently cracking at the point where the earcup hinge meets the headband. Soundcore has been good about honoring the warranty, but that’s still a hassle people shouldn’t have to deal with. And once you’re out of warranty, you’re out a pair of headphones. If you’re willing to take that risk (and don’t mind possibly using some tape to hold an earcup in place), the Q20 is fine, but we’d recommend spending a bit more to get a more durable pair. |
50 | Soundcore Life Q20+ | These are almost exactly the same as the Q20, with the added convenience of app-based adjustable audio EQ and hear-through capabilities for a bit more cash. If those add-ons appeal to you, these are just as good as the original, but according to user reviews, may be just as prone to breaking. |
51 | Soundcore Space Q45 | This is a generally solid pair of over-ear headphones for the price. The sound quality out of the box is boosted too intensely in the bass and high-highs to be considered natural-sounding, but you can adjust the sound in the app. This pair has good noise cancellation; the reduction is a bit more intense in the airplane-engine range than it is on our noise-cancelling budget pick, the 1More SonoFlow, but the range of frequencies being blocked is narrower, so you’ll hear more whirring of fans or whooshing of traffic. The level of ANC can be adjusted, too. If you want to have a conversation, the hear-through mode is helpful, but it overemphasizes clicks and pops in a way that is too distracting to leave on for long-term awareness. |
52 | Technics EAH-A800 | This over-ear pair is capable of good performance, but getting there requires effort. Out of the box, the sound quality is marred by a pronounced boost in the upper-lows that makes acoustic guitar sound overly resonant, and male vocals get lost in tracks with heavy basslines. None of the app-based EQ presets were able to address the balance effectively, but we were able to dial in the manual EQ to create a sound that we found enjoyable. But also, the sound quality varies based on whether the ANC is turned on or off, so you’d need to re-adjust it for each setting. The dual hybrid noise cancellation significantly reduces the volume of airplane noise, but the physical sound isolation is less effective at blocking mid- and high-frequency sounds like voices or traffic. The effect is exacerbated if you have a smaller head, as the larger earcups can gap and allow in more outside noise. For phone calls, the eight-microphone array does an excellent job of preventing background noise like traffic or air conditioners from interrupting the conversation, but it causes your voice to sound more compressed. Lastly, the control buttons are small and tricky to use by feel, especially for people with larger fingers. |
53 | The Haymaker HM100 | This pair includes some thoughtful extras–a USB cable with volume and mic controls for gaming and two sets of earpads, one in pleather and the other fabric. But the sound is incredibly inconsistent depending on how you plan to listen. ANC on, they sound quite nice, with enjoyably boosted lows and highs. But Bluetooth mode is unlistenable, with coarse highs and blurry lows that hide guitars and vocals. Wired, the bass all but disappears. And gamers will be bummed to learn that the ANC doesn’t work when you’re connected to your audio source with a cord. Though the flashing rainbow of lights on the logo are fun, it wasn’t enough to distract us from the unpredictable audio experience. |
54 | Urbanista Los Angeles | This is the first pair of solar-powered headphones that we’ve tested. We were extremely excited about the idea of potentially infinite battery life, and hoped that we would love the experience of using these. Unfortunately, this pair has such tight headband clamping force, in combination with shallow earcups, that wearing it is deeply uncomfortable after only a short time, even for folks with small heads. We were so disappointed, but are encouraged by the technology. We hope to see more (comfortable) solar-powered pairs moving forward. |
55 | V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless | Providing balanced, vivid, and exciting sound, the Crossfade 2 Wireless boosts the lowest bass notes and specific high frequencies to amp up music in a fun, energizing way. The chassis is sturdy, edgy-looking, and customizable, and this set folds up into a surprisingly small case. However, we struggled with making this model a pick due to its price, weight, and lack of isolation. For the current base price of $280 (features such as aptX, a removable boom mic, and extra shields add to the cost), we would have liked active noise cancelling or some of those aforementioned add-ons included. We also questioned whether the weight of the Crossfade 2 would become uncomfortable to wear over a long day. Knowing all of these quibbles, if you still want the Crossfade 2, get it; you won’t be disappointed. But in a saturated category, even minimal downsides are enough to pull a headphone model out of contention as one of our picks. |
56 | V-Moda Crossfade 3 Wireless | V-Moda is known for solid build quality and customizable looks. In that respect, the Crossfade 3 delivers. The earcups are supple and squishy, the metal headband and hinges feel durable, and the V-Moda design with optional custom earcup shields is instantly recognizable. Even the case has a unique aesthetic. However, the headband has a pretty tight clamping force that might be uncomfortable for larger heads. The bass response is heavy-handed and has a reverb-like quality. We were able to make some changes in the app to tone the bass down, but we never got to the balance we were able to achieve in the Sony XM4 and XM5 or the clarity of the Edifier Stax S3. With no added value in the app or bonus features like hear-through or ANC, your money is invested in style. |
57 | V-Moda M-200 ANC | As with all things V-Moda, the M-200 ANC has metal parts that feel solidly built, and this pair features optional ornamental shield customization. That build style comes at a hefty price, as the price starts at $500. The noise cancellation is quite good, and the intensity is adjustable via the V-Moda app. Worth noting is that the fit will affect your experience. The headband was a touch long for my face, so the earcups were slightly lower than optimal, which made the ANC less effective. This should only be a problem for those with small heads, however. Though the V-Moda app has EQ presets, no matter the option there is a jagged boost that causes vocals to sound too forward in the mix, which both John and I thought made singers sound strained or shouty. At the time of our review the V-Moda app was buggy and on our iPhone 12 frequently crashed or got hung up on a spinning loading wheel. Parents will also want to use caution as the M-200 ANC pair gets incredibly loud at max volume. |
58 | V-Moda S-80 | This on-ear is designed to be worn on your head or like a necklace. The idea is that you can put the headband around your neck, flip the earcups up and convert the headphones into a “wearable speaker.” The first issue we encountered is that this pair is heavy, especially for on-ear headphones. The clamping force is intense, so the combo of weight and squeeze wasn’t as comfortable any of our picks. The sound quality in headphone mode is fine, but as speakers, it’s pretty terrible. There is no bass response, and we’ve heard better sound from our budget Bluetooth portable speaker pick. This is an interesting idea, but for the original $400 price, we’d say to get a good pair of headphones and a separate speaker. |
59 | Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones | Folks who value their privacy will be put off by the fact that you must create an email-verified account to use the app. And the app is required to access many bonus features, like choosing between low and high ANC levels as well as EQ adjustment. Out of the box the bass is dull, and though you can increase low-end loudness via the app’s EQ, the controls are heavy-handed and broad—so adding more bass also muddies male vocals and bass guitar. The noise cancellation is noticeable but largely unimpressive. For fifty bucks, you could do worse, but we far prefer our picks. |
60 | Yamaha YH-L700A | This pair was a disappointment. The noise cancellation noticeably reduces very low frequencies, but overall is less than superlative. The L700A’s sound quality is made of dull, thudding lows with an overemphasized spike in the highs that makes stringed instruments sound like they were recorded improperly. The 3D audio setting only makes matters worse by making everything sound like it was recorded in a reverb-heavy metal box. And the large headband and earcups means that folks with small hat sizes won’t even be able to get the earcups to center over their ears. |
61 | ||
62 | ||
63 | ||
64 | ||
65 | ||
66 | ||
67 | ||
68 | ||
69 | ||
70 | ||
71 | ||
72 | ||
73 | ||
74 | ||
75 | ||
76 | ||
77 | ||
78 | ||
79 | ||
80 | ||
81 | ||
82 | ||
83 | ||
84 | ||
85 | ||
86 | ||
87 | ||
88 | ||
89 | ||
90 | ||
91 | ||
92 | ||
93 | ||
94 | ||
95 | ||
96 | ||
97 | ||
98 | ||
99 | ||
100 |