Headphones are one of the best ways to immerse yourself in music, and there have never been so many choices on the market. Today’s mix of high-end music headphones delivers unprecedented comfort and quality at surprisingly affordable prices.
We’ve rounded up seven of the best options, from top-end audiophile gear to budget-soothing wireless devices and the best in-ear hardware.
Best Headphones for Audiophiles
Focal Elegia Circumaural Closed-Back
If you’re committed to enjoying music and you’re willing to splurge, then the Focal Elegia closed-back headphones are a satisfying choice. This is an incredible piece of technology that delivers perfect, professional sound quality for even the most demanding music fans.
These high-fidelity (hi-fi) headphones deploy fantastic features. You can expect a new generation of full-range speaker drivers designed for smaller environments. There’s also frameless copper voice coils, a dedicated 110-micron surround sound range, and updated electromagnet transducers.
Focal’s headphones serve up this incredible pack of features with comfortable, molded memory foam earpads and a geometric headband. The closed-back design ensures total privacy with no unwanted audio intrusions.
Best Headphones for High-End Users
If you’re a music-lover on a budget, you can still get a high-quality product that pumps out studio-esque sound with these noise-cancelling headphones.
Shure AONIC 50
The Shure AONIC 50 is a wireless pair of over-ear headphones that delivers sensational sound quality, thanks to Shure’s decades of audio experience. They also boast Bluetooth operation, 20 hours of battery life, and adjustable noise cancellation. Plus, the fingertip controls let you answer phone calls, change the volume, or pause music in a snap.
These audiophile-pleasing headphones also support wired operation and multiple audio codecs, with comfortable padding, a solid build quality, and a convenient fold-flat design.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless
Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones carry dual microphones (one on each earcup) and an updated algorithm for industry-leading noise cancellation.
This Sony over-ear model uses 40mm liquid crystal polymer drivers to create fantastic sound. The headphones pause and resume playback if you take them off or put them on. They also use on-board AI to punch up the quality of your audio files, including podcasts and mp3s.
They even learn your favorite locations to dish out the perfect sound fast, no matter where you roam. And if you do want to go wired, they come with the cable you need to do that, too. But when you want a true wireless experience, you can enjoy up to 30 hours of playback on a single charge with these studio headphones.
Best Headphones with Futuristic Features
Bose Headphones 700
Bose 700 headphones deliver Muscle Shoals-level audio quality, with added Bluetooth and voice control for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. They also support the Bose AR platform, using location data and motion sensors to offer content that’s tailored to your location and activities.
This pair of headphones has a partner app for smarter control, 11 different noise-canceling levels, and an adaptive four-microphone system that can isolate your voice. They also provide smooth, effective touch controls for an even more streamlined listening experience.
V-MODA S-80 Wireless On-Ear Headphones
This new Bluetooth model from V-MODA allows you to customize the exterior appearance of the headphones using interchangeable magnetic shields. It also has a unique two-way sound experience. You can flip the earphones inward for on-ear listening, or flip the earphones out to use as a personal speaker system.
The headphones’ sound has been carefully crafted to sound beautifully with modern electronic music.
There’s also a dedicated mobile editor app to download, so you can to shape your sound to fit your preferences with a custom EQ curve. There are also one-touch presets for different genres.
Best Mid-Range Headphone Options
The two Sennheiser headphone pairs below provide excellent quality at a more affordable price point.
Sennheiser HD 450BT
Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones have versatile audio codec support, letting you play audio files from a wide variety of sources. They’ve also got a closed-back construction for distraction-free listening, as well as active noise cancellation. Sennheiser’s Smart Control app makes it easier to tailor the sound to your preferences, and touch-buttons on the ear cups provide added functionality for controlling music and calls on your mobile device.
Best In-Ear Headphones
Shure SE215
The Shure SE215 is the best headphone option if you want a more compact unit with an entry-level price tag.
These earphones are lightweight and comfortable, and they feature a high-end audio driver that produces clear, natural audio with a boosted bass response for lifelike sound. The detachable cables have Kevlar reinforcement, and the gold-plated earpiece connectors use a locking mechanism, so they’ll always stay in place. They also come with a variety of different earbuds, so you can find the right fit to suit your sound preferences and the shape of your ears.
Summary
Whether you’re listening on your iPhone or Android device, plugging directly into your studio setup, or kicking back with your hi-fi system, there’s a pair of headphones on our list for you. And if you want even more options to choose from, check out our extensive selection of headphones and earphones right here at Adorama.
