There are loads of headphones and earbuds on the market. Believe me: I’ve purchased a good variety of them through the years and examined much more of them. And but, even with a lot alternative obtainable, I’ve typically discovered that almost all choices are likely to excel in a single or two particular areas – looking for one pair of headphones that unimpeachably bests its rivals in each space is nearly not possible.
Having spent so lengthy searching for ‘the one’, I’m beginning to realise there’s no such factor in terms of headphones and earbuds. Most of the choices I’ve encountered include their very own strengths but additionally their very own baggage. And that’s pushed house the concept reasonably than counting on one pair for all of my wants, I’m higher off constructing a assist community of helpful units which can be well-equipped to information me via particular conditions.
Look, I’m not completely out of touch – I’m aware this isn’t a practical solution for most people. Few of us are exactly drowning in money at the moment and not everybody has access to an audio testing lab crammed with headphones waiting to be tried out.
But my broader point still stands: even if you can’t afford the best headphones or best earbuds for each conceivable objective, you could be higher off selecting up a number of completely different pairs that deal with every of your largest priorities completely than accept an all-rounder that may’t fairly cowl any of them in addition to their rivals.
By specializing in what every pair of headphones or earbuds can truly do, reasonably than attempting to resolve which one serves me finest, I’ve been ready to verify I at all times have the best software for the job. So right here’s a rundown of the headphones on which I already rely for a variety of duties, together with those I nonetheless have my eye on to assist full my audio utility belt.
1. Audio quality – Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3
If you’re only going to buy one pair of headphones, you’’ll likely have one factor that tops your list of priorities more than any other. For me, that prime concern is always going to be sound quality.
In the days of ferric tape – yes, alright, I’m old – or 128kbps MP3s, there was a limit to how good your music would sound even with high-end headphones, but with lossless and high-res audio having become far more mainstream, I want a pair that are going to offer the most loyal reproduction of my tunes as possible. That quality is increasingly something I’m happy to make a decent investment in.
For several years, I was unwaveringly loyal to my AirPods Max because of this. While they’re a little bit lengthy within the tooth now, having not had an replace for an absurd 5 years, it’s laborious to overstate how spectacular they felt the primary time I clamped them over my ears. With heat, punchy bass that also doesn’t overshadow the mids, they had been a revelation; I hadn’t realised earlier than how exquisitely balanced some high-end headphones might be.
Unfortunately, a defective Bluetooth module and Apple’s cussed refusal to launch a model suitable with lossless audio has meant we’ve since parted ways. It’s taken me some time to open my coronary heart once more however I’m glad I did; I not too long ago tried out the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 and so they’ve shortly turn into my go-to. They might not provide the swelling, mellifluous bass of the AirPods Max however their soundstage is beautiful; not solely proving them able to spacious sound, but additionally meticulous separation.
2. Noise cancelling – Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2
Deciding on my pick for shutting out sound has been surprisingly tricky, mainly because so many brands now are getting astoundingly good at it. For example, I’ve never considered Sony to be synonymous with near-silent ANC however its not too long ago launched Sony WH-1000XM6 utterly upturned my assumptions, with them deftly decreasing din to an absolute minimal.
But, in the end, if you wish to bid sayonara to noise, you’ve gotta go Bose. While the unique Bose QuietComfort Ultra had been good at blocking out background chatter, they couldn’t fairly sustain with the latest cans on the block, just like the XM6 above.
Well that’s now not a priority: the model new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 have allowed the corporate to firmly replant its backside on the noise cancelling throne. With even additional refinement to their ANC algorithm, they’re able to blocking much more high-end noise, which is, mockingly, music to my ears. Coupled with improved battery, sound and a brand new Immersive Audio function – spatial audio by every other identify – they’re exactly the noise-nullifying cans my assortment wants.
3. Battery life – Cambridge Audio Melomania P100
Generation upon generation, brands have improved almost every area of their cans in a steady evolution and yet one feature gets passed over again and again: battery life. Despite being three generations apart, the Sony WH-1000XM3 and WH-1000XM6 both last 30 hours with ANC, as do my Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 – and the S2 and OG Px7 before them. Battery life simply isn’t a priority for most brands.
I say most for a reason. That’s because Cambridge Audio has been steadily bucking this trend. Its Melomania M100 earbuds provide as much as a mixed 52 hours (together with their case) when many buds nonetheless solely high out at 24. Meanwhile, my Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 headphones provide a whopping 60 hours of playback with ANC on – primarily double what many different mainstream manufacturers can muster.
That’s why the latter have turn into vital in my e book. If I’m ever occurring a protracted journey and I’m undecided how lengthy my regular cans will final, realizing I’ve the Melomania P100 ready within the wings provides me actual peace of thoughts. And they’ve confirmed a lifesaver on multiple event: whenever you’re attempting to sleep in a crowded pageant campsite at 4am and noise-cancelling cans die, there’s nothing fairly like realizing you’ve a backup pair in your bag.
Not solely are the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 at all times there for me when my common headphones have lengthy given up the ghost however the worth it’s important to pay for this epic longevity is severely affordable in my e book. They’re often discounted all the way down to $239 / £149 as of late, a major step down from their unique $279 / £250 listing worth. So in the event you ever end up needing a marathon runner over a sprinter, I heartily advocate these long-lasting cans.
4. Exercise – Sony LinkBuds Fit
OK, time to admit something that will already have been readily apparent to anyone paying even the remotest attention to everything I’ve written so far: I’m a headphones man. Increasingly, I prefer them to earbuds in almost every way – they offer better sound, better battery, better comfort, better noise cancelling.
But I’m not so far gone that I don’t recognize there are some areas where earbuds are the indisputable champ. For me, the most obvious is exercise. Over-ear headphones get too hot, flop around and aren’t sweat-proof. On top of that, if I’m wearing earbuds during benchpresses and I drop a dumbbell, I’ll only damage my nice cheap face, not my super-expensive headphones.
The only real issue here is that workout earbuds have a lot of style conventions I’m not particularly keen on. Frankly, I find earhooks ugly and unnecessary and while open-ear buds are probably better for my safety, I’m always going to opt for sound quality over situational awareness.
In light of this, the obvious choice for me is the Sony LinkBuds Fit. Their refined wings provide a steady match, whereas their suggestions are comfy even throughout vigorous exercises. Most importantly, they provide dynamic, bass-rich sound, which is ideal for the sort of driving sound you need throughout a exercise. Moreover, now you can get them from $116.14 (was $229.99) at Amazon US or from £109.60 (was £149) at Amazon UK, making them a lot simpler to put money into even in the event you’ve already spent cash on one other pair for on a regular basis listening.
5. Home use – Sennheiser HD 660 S2
Home audio was the final nail in the coffin of the idea that I could meet all my needs with a single pair of headphones or earbuds. Don’t get me wrong. Many of the cans or buds above offer a gorgeous listening experience but I’m a music maker – I need studio-quality headphones that pass muster for music production and few wireless options can cut it.
Resolution is the most obvious hitch here. AirPlay 2 still doesn’t stream lossless audio to headphones and while aptX Adaptive and LDAC bill themselves as lossless, the reality is more complicated than that. These Bluetooth codecs are able to hit the same bitrate as CD-quality audio but still require compression to transmit the required amount of information, meaning you’ll still lose some of the detail of your audio files. Sure, some over-ears allow you to use a wired connection via USB-C but that doesn’t sidestep my second issue: sound profile.
These days, most mass market pairs of headphones are specifically toned to produce a specific sound signature – hence all the great pairs out there with punchy, dynamic bass. But when you’re trying to get an accurate sense of what a piece of music sounds like, this quickly becomes a hindrance, as it’s hard to ascertain whether it’s the peculiarities of a particular recording or the profile of the headphones. That’s why neutrality is so important here.
While there are countless examples of the best wired headphones that match the invoice right here – together with the actually beautiful but eye-wateringly costly Focal Stellia – I solely actually have ears for one pair. The Sennheiser HD-660S2 provide the precise sort of balanced sound that makes them good for house use, whereas their open-backed design affords higher readability and dynamics. Whether it’s for music-making or kicking again into an armchair and listening to information, they’re my dream headphones for house use.
Literally the one factor stopping me from clicking Add to Cart proper now’s they’ve beforehand been on sale for a a lot cheaper price – $372.21 compared to $479 at Amazon US or £354 compared to £399 at Amazon UK. Fortunately, with Amazon Big Deal Days looming on October 7 – 8, 2025, I’m crossing my fingers that they’ll lastly obtain one other sweeping low cost.