Best headphones: Our top picks for personal listening

Headphones are the ultimate tool for intimate listening experiences. Whether your audio is coming through your phone, a headphone amp, a disc player, or a PC or gaming console, a great set of cans has the ability to shut out all distractions so you are fully immersed in your content. 

You probably have multiple sets of headphones/earbuds lying around, since most every smart device and digital audio player comes with a pair; but odds are you’re really not satisfied with any of them.

Whether you prefer the isolation of in-ear headphones, the comfort of an over-the-ear model, the convenience of wireless, or you’re not sure which type is best for you, we’ll help you find the right ones at the right price. If you need more information to make a choice, you’ll find an in-depth buyers’ guide below our top picks. We also list our top picks in noise-cancelling headphones here, but you’ll find a similarly in-depth buyers guide to noise-cancelling headphones at the preceding link.

Updated to add a link to our Beyerdynamic Free Byrd true wireless ANC headphone review. Beyerdynamic’s first in-ear wireless headphones are designed to deliver the best possible music reproduction, making them an ideal for music lovers. That said, the actual earbuds are a bit heavy and bulky, and the good-enough ANC is surpassed by the likes of Bose and Sony.

Best headphone for every preference and budget

Focal Celestee — Best closed-back headphone

Pros

• Incredibly detailed sound
• Rock-solid construction
• Stunning design

Cons

• May expose the flaws in low-fidelity recordings
• Expensive

Yes, the Focal Celestee is an expensive headphones, but it’s easy to imagine using it for decades. There’s no battery that will eventually fail to hold a charge, and there’s no wireless technology with the potential to become obsolete. Once you make that initial investment and spread out the cost over a few years, you can consider these headphones a bargain for the incredible sonic performance they deliver.

Read our full
Focal Celestee review

Edifier Stax Spirit S3 — Best value in planar magnetic headphones

Pros

• Superbly balanced planar magnetic sound
• Pleasantly compact for a headphone with planar magnetic drivers
• Bluetooth 5.2
• Supports aptX Adaptive codec

Cons

• No active noise cancellation (ANC)
• Must be powered even for wired use

The Edifier Stax Spirit S3 is a pricey headphone, but it delivers excellent sonic performance thanks in part to its planar magnetic drivers. It’s surprisingly compact for a PM headphone, but if you want active noise cancellation, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

Read our full
Edifier Stax Spirit S3 headphones review

Focal Clear Mg — Best open-back headphone

Pros

• Superb sound—clean, clear, open
• Neutral, precise tonal balance
• Wide sound stage
• Super comfortable

Cons

• By their nature, open-back headphones provide little isolation and they allow a lot of sound to leak out
• Very expensive

None of our five-star reviews are meant to imply a product is perfect, but the Focal Clear Mg does sound absolutely fantastic; in fact, the only real drawback our reviewer points to is its price tag. If you’ve never listened to an open-back headphone, be aware that they do little to prevent your music from leaking into the rest of the world and are therefore best used in environments where your music isn’t going to bother anyone near you. They also won’t prevent outside noises from reaching your ears. What you get in exchange, however, is a wide-open sound stage that no closed-back headphone can match. And the Focal Clear Mg deliver that in spades.

Read our full
Focal Clear Mg review

Grado GW100 v2 Bluetooth headphone — Best on-ear headphone

Pros

• Clean, clear, open sound
• Excellent tonal balance
• Wide soundstage, great imaging
• Super-comfortable for extended listening sessions

Cons

• No mitigation of ambient noise
• Hard-shell case costs extra

If you prefer headphones that sit on top of our outer ear, instead of encircling them, Grado’s first Bluetooth headphone sounds superb and is supremely comfortable for long listening sessions. You won’t get active noise cancellation or acoustic isolation, however, so it’s not the type of headphone you’d want to use in a noisy environment.

Read our full
Grado GW100 v2 Bluetooth headphone review

Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones — Best budget headphone

Pros

• Excellent active and passive noise cancellation
• Super comfortable
• Very good sound overall
• Extremely affordable

Cons

• Some will consider active noise-cancellation to be a detriment, not a bonus.
• A tiny degradation in frequency response when using active noise cancellation is the reason why
• 1/4-inch and airline adapters not included

MSRP:

Price when reviewed: $59.99; price as of May 16, 2022: $79.99

It’s hard to believe how inexpensive these Bluetooth headphones are–and you get active noise-cancellation to boot (whether you want it or not). But that’s par for the course for Wyze Labs, a company that never seems to fail to package the most bang for the buck in every product they make. While their audio quality doesn’t compete with the higher-end models, and they might not be as durable as some of the more expensive brands, you won’t be too upset if they break and need to be replaced after a few years.

Read our full
Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones review

ThinkWrite Ultra Durable Pro (model TW200) — Best budget headphone, runner-up

Pros

• Stunningly affordable
• Comfortable
• Great sound for the price

Cons

• No 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch adapter included
• Wired only
• Braided cable transmits contact noise to left ear cup

This headphone is wired, it doesn’t offer active noise cancellation, and it’s certainly does not deliver audiophile-quality performance. But for less than $25, ThinkWrite’s Ultra Durable Pro headphone might be one of the best deals on the market. it certainly surprised us.

Read our full
ThinkWrite Ultra Durable Pro Headphone (model TW200) review

Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet ANC — Best headphone for children

Pros

• Excellent, open sound with ANC enabled
• ANC is very effective at reducing ambient noise level
• Solid build quality

Cons

• Closed-in, congested sound with ANC off
• Uncomfortably tight fit for large heads
• Expensive when not on sale

Listening to headphones at too high volume can induce permanent hearing damage. If you’re going to let children use them, be sure to buy a pair that protect their hearing while also delivering a good audio performance. The PuroQuiet ANC headphone delivers on both counts and provides very good active noise cancellation as a bonus. It’s a smart choice for kids.

Read our full
Puro Sound Labs PuroQuiet ANC headphones review

Sennheiser IE 300 — Best in-ear headphone

Pros

• Superb sound: clean, clear, open, full-bodied, well-balanced
• Detachable cable lets you upgrade to a balanced connection
• Adjustable ear hooks keep earpieces securely in place

The Sennheiser IE 300 is the best in-ear headphone we’ve ever heard, with superb sound and no drawbacks—though that quality comes at a relatively steep price. Aimed at audiophiles, this IEH doesn’t have a Bluetooth radio, there’s no active noise cancellation, or a microphone for phone calls. It comes with just a 4-foot, unbalanced cable terminating in a 3.5mm stereo plug, but you can upgrade that cable to a balanced connection if you have a source device that supports that feature.

Read our full
Sennheiser IE 300 review

Periodic Audio Be — Best in-ear headphone, runner-up

Pros

• Oustanding sonic reproduction
• Excellent fit and comfort, even during long listening sessions
• Thin cable makes headphones easy to fit into tight pockets

Cons

• Headphone cable tangles easily
• No inline remote or mic option
• 3.5mm barrel lacks protection

These sweet-sounding, Berllyium (Be) driver-based headphones are worth every penny of their asking price. Like the Sennheiser IE300, they don’t offer the utility of wireless connectivity, an inline remote, or a microphone for pairing with a smartphone, but they excel where it counts most: reproducing music.

Read our full
Periodic Audio Be review

Sony WH-1000XM5 — Best noise-cancelling over-ear headphone

Pros

• New carbon fiber driver delivers intoxicating sound
• Best-in-class noise cancellation is better than ever
• Outstanding adaptive noise-cancelling performance
• Beam-forming mics make near-perfect calls in noisy environments

Cons

• Noise cancellation subject to the occasional audible artifact
• No support for aptX codecs

Sony’s WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphone is nothing short of spectacular, delivering both exceptional sonic performance and stellar active noise cancellation. It’s the finest noise-cancelling headphone Sony has ever built, and it’s the best noise-cancelling headphone I’ve ever reviewed. Beautifully designed, lightweight, reliable, and mature, yet cutting-edge. It sounds spectacular and delivers superior noise cancellation

Read our full
Sony WH-1000XM5 review

Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Carbon Edition — Best noise-cancelling over-ear headphone, runner-up

Pros

• Stylish design featuring carbon fiber components
• Great noise cancelling
• Highly accurate audio reproduction
• Lightweight and comfortable to wear during long listening sessions

Cons

• Missing a few bells and whistles compared to the competition
• Ear pad seal can be a problem for people who wear eyeglasses
• They don’t fold as compactly as some other headphones

If you place a high value on accurate audio reproduction and bespoke British design, you should audition the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Carbon Edition headphone. Sony beats B&W on noise cancellation, but this headphone sounds divine and its carbon fiber design looks spectacular.

Read our full
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Carbon Edition review

Mark Levinson No. 5909 — Most luxurious over-ear noise-cancelling headphone

Pros

• Best-in-class audio performance
• Premium materials and build quality
• Bluetooth 5.1 with support for LDAC, AptX Adaptive, and AAC codecs

Cons

• Noise cancelling can’t be engaged during phone calls
• Buggy on-head detection
• Very expensive

If you’ve got it, flaunt it–knowing that the lofty price Mark Levinson expects to fetch for its 5909 noise-cancelling headphones is justified by its performance and exquisite craftsmanship. These headphones sound as luxurious as they feel wrapped around your ears.

Read our full
Mark Levinson No. 5909 noise-cancelling headphone review

Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones — Best budget-priced over-ear noise-cancelling headphone

Pros

• Excellent active and passive noise cancellation
• Super comfortable
• Very good sound overall
• Extremely affordable

Cons

• Tiny degradation in frequency response when using active noise cancellation
• 1/4-inch and airline adapters not included

MSRP:

Price when reviewed: $59.99; price as of May 16, 2022: $79.99

It’s hard to believe how inexpensive these noise-cancelling Bluetooth headphones are, but that’s par for the course for Wyze Labs, a company that never seems to fail to package the most bang for the buck in every product they make. While their audio quality doesn’t compete with the higher-end models, and they might not be as durable as some of the more expensive brands, you won’t be too upset if they break and need to be replaced after a few years.

Read our full
Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones review

Sony WF-1000XM4 — Best in-ear noise-cancelling headphone

Pros

• Exceptionally rich, mature, and reliable tech
• Best-in-class noise cancelling and adaptive noise cancelling
• Superb sound signature
• Solid, secure fit
• Long battery life

Cons

• Adaptive sound control can be problematic on phone calls
• No support for aptX codecs

If you prefer noise-cancelling headphones that fit in your ear instead of over your head, Sony’s superb WF-1000XM4 are your absolute best choice. These earbuds are supremely comfortable and they deliver all the same audio and noise-cancelling technology that makes Sony’s WH-1000XM5 our top pick in over-ear noise-cancelling headphones.

Read our full
Sony WF-1000XM4 review

Focal Stellia — Best money-is-no-object headphone

Pros

• Extraordinary sound quality
• Exceptional build quality
• Super-comfortable for extended periods
• High-quality case

Cons

• Does not provide a balanced connection
• Very expensive

Being an audiophile means paying dearly for that very last nth of improved performance. And if you have very deep pockets that allow you to indulge that passion, you shouldn’t bat an eye at the Focal Stellia’s nearly $3,000 price tag. These are the most exquisite headphones we’ve ever wrapped around our heads, and you better believe that they sound even better than they feel. Félicitation pour cette victoire, Focal.

Read our full
Focal Stellia review

Headphone types

Over-the-ear (aka circumaural) headphones are the audiophile gold standard for high-fidelity, critical listening. And for good reason: This type of headphone fully covers your ear, creating a stable arena of sound.

They come in two designs: closed and open back. Closed-back models help seal out ambient noise and prevent sound from leaking into the environment (and nearby microphones, if you’re in a recording studio). As a general rule, because of their design, closed-back headphones tend to have better, more visceral bass response than open-back designs. Some closed-back headphones from Bose, Sony, JBL and others also feature active noise cancellation (ANC) technologies to greatly reduce ambient noise during air travel or noisy commutes (not if you’re the driver, obviously).

Open-back designs typically have a perforated screen that allows air to pass between the ear cups and the outside world. With an open-back design, you can hear your surroundings and anyone near you can easily hear the music you’re playing. The best place for open-back headphones is in a quite place at home, as opposed to a noisy environment or in library where you’ll disturb others.

Choose an open-back design for a deeper soundstage and a sense of space with musical recordings. These types of headphones liberate your music in a fashion that’s similar way to listening to free-standing loudspeakers.

The biggest drawback of over-the-ear headphones is their size and bulk. Models that can fold up, such as the Bowers&Wilkins P7 and P9 Signature, the V-Moda Crossfade 2, and the Focal Listen Wireless are still bulkier than on-ear models. Some models don’t fold at all. 

We should also note that over-the-ear headphones tend to feature three different technologies: dynamic driver, planar magnetic, and electrostatic. We explain these technologies further down.

On-ear headphones

The smaller cups that on-ear (aka supra-aural) headphones use are designed to sit on top of your outer ears. This enables them to approach the sound quality of over-the-ear headphones, but in a more compact form factor. Many models, including the AKG N60NC wireless shown below, fold up for travel.

You’ll do well to test how on-ear models fit. Some models are too tight and others far too loose. While tight-fitting models can help reduce external noise, they can become fatiguing and painful to wear for extended periods. 

In-ear headphones

In-ear-headphones (aka in-ear monitors or IEMs), fit into your ear canal and create a seal with either a silicone or memory-foam tip. Because they’re delivering audio almost directly to your ear drums, IEMs tend to deliver a smaller sound stage than either in-ear or on-ear headphones.

Their compact size make IEMs perfect for travel and exercising, and models that include microphones (either wireless or in the cord of wired models) can be used with your smartphone. Some active-lifestyle models even feature IPX ratings certifying their water (and sweat) resistance.

Getting a good fit and tight seal with IEMs critical to achieving the best audio performance. An in-ear-headphone’s bass response is dependent on the quality of the seal. If the seal is too loose, bass will sound anemic.

Because of their superior ability to seal, memory-foam tips that expand to the unique shape of your ear canal will not only fit better, they’ll also block ambient noise—in some cases, by 25dB or more—and they’ll increase an in-ear monitors’ perceived bass response (delivering too much of a good thing in some cases).

Memory-foam tips create a superior seal. Some third party companies, including Comply, sell high-quality memory-foam tips for various brands of in-ear monitors.

Higher-quality over-the-ear and on-ear headphones come with detachable cables, so you can replace them if they’re ever damaged or simply wear out. That’s not always the case with in-ear headphones; however, some recent IEMs now come with detachable cables that conform to the MMCX (Micro Miniature Coax Connector) standard, so you can use any compatible MMCX cable with them. Replacing a cable is a much better alternative to throwing away an otherwise perfectly serviceable set of headphones.

Earbud headphones

Earbuds are similar to in-ear-headphones, but they are designed differently. Earbuds sit in the outer part of your ear (the concha, specifically) as opposed to fitting inside your ear canal.

Earbuds don’t block ambient noise, and you might find you need to increase the volume on your source device to overcome the noise floor of your surroundings. This could result in the people around your hearing whatever you’re listening to.

A major benefit of earbuds is that one size fits all. You don’t need to find the just the right silicone or memory-foam tip to fit the unique shape of your ear. The most common complaint about earbuds is that they fall out of your ears too easily, especially while you’re running or exercising.

Wireless headphones

Wireless headphones are super convenient, and the best will deliver audio performances rivaling wired phones. They’re particularly useful when you’re exercising. If this is the type of headphone you’re shopping for, these are the most important features you’ll want to consider:

Battery life

Wireless headphones use Bluetooth to connect to a source device (smartphone, digital audio player, laptop, or even a soundbar). They typically rely on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can last anywhere from four to more than 20 hours. If the battery runs dry on in-ear and earbud headphones, you won’t be able to use them they’ve been recharged. Most on-ear and over-the-ear models come with a 3.5mm audio cable, so you can plug them into your source device and use them in wired mode.

Wireless audio support

A wireless headphone’s audio quality relies significantly on the audio codecs it supports. Codec stands for compression/decompression: Digital audio is compressed at the source, so the information can be transmitted to the headphone without wires, and decompressed at the destination, so you can hear it. Some codecs deliver higher fidelity than others, but the codec must be supported at both end: by the source device and by the headphones. These codecs are among the most common in wireless headphones:

• SBC: All Bluetooth devices support the SBC codec, which offers maximum bandwidth of 328Kbps. While functional, the SBC codec doesn’t support high-resolution audio, and it tends to exhibit high latency. This could result in soundtracks falling out of sync with video. 
• aptX: A high-quality, low-latency audio codec from Qualcomm that promises to deliver near CD-quality audio over Bluetooth. Qualcomm has more recently developed a newer version of this codec, called aptX HD, that enables audio encoded in up to 24-bit resolution with sampling rates as high as 48kHz to stream over a Bluetooth connection.
• AAC: If you use Apple products and services, such as iTunes, you’ll need support for this codec. You’ll also encounter it in some gaming consoles, high-resolution digital audio players, and in automotive entertainment systems. AAC delivers higher-fidelity audio than the more common MP3 codec at the same bit rate.
• LDAC: Developed by Sony, LDAC offers bandwidth of as much as 990Kbps to wirelessly deliver audio encoded in up to 24-bit resolution with sampling rates as high as 96kHz.

Wireless remote control

Many wireless headphones provide wireless controls. In-ear headphones typically come with some type of inline remote control, like their wired counterparts, while on-ear and over-the-ear headphones usually have remote functions on the ear cup.

Make sure the control navigation fits your style: Some manufacturers outfit their headphones with physical buttons on the right or left ear cup, in locations that feel natural to your fingertips. Some go further and provide tactile cues, so you can be confident you’re pressing the right button.

Other manufactures provide what’s called a gesture pad, a touch-sensitive surface on one ear cup that responds to taps and directional swipes. Swiping your finger from the back to the front might move to the next track in your playlist, for example, while swiping up or down adjusts the volume. As you might expect, some gesture pads work better than others. 

Headphone technologies explained

You will encounter lots of other jargon—and no shortage of marketing hype—when you shop for headphones. Here are explanations of some of the most common terms:

Dynamic driver: Most headphones on the market today use dynamic drivers, which are similar to the round cones or tweeters you see in loudspeakers.

Balanced armature: You’ll find balanced armature designs in in-ear monitors. First developed for hearing aids, a balanced-armature architecture relies on an electrical signal to vibrate a small reed or paddle thousands of times per second.

The reed is “balanced” between two magnets, hence the name “balanced armature.” Some headphones have multiple armatures, each functioning within a certain frequency range for better performance. Balanced armature drivers don’t reproduce bass frequencies well. You’ll typically see balanced armature designs using a dynamic driver for the bass frequencies.

Planar magnetic drivers: A planar magnetic design uses an extremely thin and light diaphragm to reproduce sound. A magnetic system drives the entire surface of the diaphragm evenly in a pull-push manner.

Planar magnetic designs are typically found in over-the-ear headphones and have the reputation for being able to resolve fine musical details and creating a sense of space and depth in the music. The drawback to some planar magnetic models is that they present high impedance to the source device and are thus too difficult for some mobile devices to drive. Check the capabilities of your source device before you buy this type of headphone. You can also use them with a headphone amplifier.

Electrostatic drivers: Electrostatic drivers consist of a thin electrically charged diaphragm. The diaphragm is normally suspended between two perforated plates, and an electrical signal is then passed through the plates to move the diaphragm in a push-pull manner towards one of them. Like planar magnetic designs, some electrostatic headphones present high impedance levels to the source and are therefore hard to drive. Here again, check the capabilities of your source device before you buy this type of headphone or use a headphone amplifier.

Noise-cancelling technologies explained

If you travel or find yourself in noisy environments frequently, you might be interested in a headphone that offers noise cancellation. Here are explanations of the three primary means by which this is accomplished:

Passive noise cancellation: This isn’t a technology per se; rather, It refers to how much ambient noise a headphone will block out. In-ear headphones with memory-foam tips and closed-back over-the-ear headphones offer the best passive noise cancellation. They’re also the least likely to color the music you’re listening to.

Active noise cancellation: A sound wave is similar to the ripples in a pond. Toss a pebble in the pond and then introduce inverse ripples and you’ll effectively smooth out the pond’s surface. Active noise cancellation (ANC) works in a similar manner. Microphones mounted on the headphones analyze ambient sound waves and then produce inverse sound waves that will cancel them out.

As you might expect, the ANC technologies from some are incredibly effective; others, less so. We’ve tested models from AKG, Bose, JBL, Libratone, and Sony and found them to be very good. Some individuals find that ANC-enabled headphones exert pressure on their ears, creating a similar sensation to being under water. If you find ANC headphones to be uncomfortable, you’ll prefer a model with good passive noise cancellation.

Adaptive noise cancellation: You might think of this as a smarter form of active noise cancellation. It operates on the same principles, but adapts to your surroundings to apply more or less of the effect and to even bring in sounds from the outside world.

Some adaptive noise-cancelling solutions even take into account how fast you’re moving, the air pressure around you, and whether you’re likely in a plane, taking a walk, or holding a conversation. Many operate in conjunction with a mobile app on your smartphone.