8 of the Best Headphones You Can Buy Right Now
Each of these headphones looks good, sounds great, and is worthy of both your cranium and your cash.
It’s Friday, J. Cole and Pharrell have both dropped surprise new albums, you probably need something to listen to these on, and we just happen to have put together a list of eight of the best headphones you can go out and get right now.
Finding the perfect pair of headphones is a balance of style, sound and budget. You want something that looks good and sounds great, with handy features that add to your listening experience. In our last round-up we featured six models that do just that – and, don’t get us wrong, every single one of those is still a great pick up today, you might even find yourself a steal – and now we’re giving you eight different options from a range of brands, offering different prices, finishes and specs.
Check out our list below and let us know what you’re rocking with in the comments.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95
Bang & Olufsen’s H95 is a luxury set of headphones in every way, from the precision-crafted aluminum and real leather used to the beautifully balanced, expertly tuned sound – and, of course, to the price. At $999 these headphones are a pretty serious investment, but for your money you’ll receive one of if not the most premium wireless audio experiences you can buy. The H95 look, feel and sound brilliant with a host of features that make using them a pleasure. On either ear cup you’ll find a full-sized rotating dial; the one on the right ear is for volume, whilst the one on the left controls the level noise cancellation. Unlike any other pair of headphones on this list, the tactile feel of a turning dial to control your sound feels really good. Bang & Olufsen has been making audio products for almost 100 years (the brand celebrates its centenary next year) and this dial – although digital – harks back to its analog origins, though you’ll also find the more modern gesture controls on the right ear cup for play/pause and track selection. The H95 features an impressive 38 hours playback on a single charge (even with noise cancelling turned on), has Bluetooth 5.1, and supports lossless, wireless playback using the aptX Adaptive and AAC codecs. There’s a supporting app that allows for different sound customization options (including EQ), and the headphones come with a very sturdy aluminum travel case.
Beats Studio Pro
It’s fair to say that Beats wasn’t always known for its clean, balanced audio, favoring a flatter, more bass-heavy sound profile instead. However, in the almost decade since the company was acquired by Apple, its products have slowly but surely focused less on aesthetic and more on sound quality. The brand’s latest flagship headphones, Beats Studio Pro, are a case in point: they look almost identical to the iterations that came before them with only minor design changes, but they sound noticeably better. And it’s not just sound they have going for them, but a whole slew of features that make them a good choice for both iOS or Android users. For iOS these features include single-touch pairing (just like AirPods), hands-free “Hey Siri” (which, somewhat annoyingly, Apple restricts to its own devices), iCloud synchronization as well as ‘Find My’. Additionally, Spatial Audio is available on the Beats Studio Pro, a feature previously available on AirPods alone. If you’re an Android user you can expect to take advantage of Google’s ‘Fast Pair’ as well synchronization with your Google account, allowing the headphones to automatically pair with devices you’re logged in to. ‘Find My Device’, Google’s own tracking software, is also present. And, though this is a list about wireless headphones, the Beats Studio Pro has one more trick up its sleeve: you can connect to your devices over USB-C for a wired, lossless audio experience, something you’d imagine all headphones should have, but that’s not the case. Lastly, they fold down for space and come with a zip-up travel case, perfect for packing.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Bose launched its QuietComfort Ultra headphones launched last fall as a replacement to its flagship NC 700 headphones that had been around for four years at that point, and, in terms of sound quality and features both inside and out, they are pretty hard to beat. They feature a new, proprietary signal processing system, improved microphones (five per ear, one more than was found in the NC 700) to help with both calls and noise cancelling, and come with Immersive Audio – Bose’s take on 3D sound – a brand new algorithm built from the ground up that can be applied to any source of audio. Lossless audio is possible wirelessly thanks to support for SBC, AAC and aptX Adaptive codecs, but unlike previous Bose headphones, these can’t be used wired unless they’re powered on – this was a feature that was quite unique to Bose and it’s a shame it’s no longer available, especially as they come with 2.5mm to 3.5mm stereo jack cable. They charge rapidly over USB-C and can be connected to two devices at the same time, with users able to control which source is connected via the Bose Music app. The app also allows users to customize sound profiles, noise cancellation levels and EQ. On the right ear cup you’ll find two buttons: one of these is for Bluetooth pairing, whilst the other is play/pause and has the option of being mapped to one additional control. So what’s the best thing about the Bose QuietComfort Ultra? Well, the clue’s in the name. They are easily the most comfortable set of headphones on this list – and there are some really comfy ones. Bose’s headphones are light weighing only 250g, but they also have a very subtle clamping force, making them a joy to wear for prolonged periods of time (so much so you might forget you’re wearing them). The other thing that stands out is their noise cancelling powers and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are up there with the very best in the market. And, while we’re talking about Bose, check out the brand’s QuietComfort Headphones – another superb option, albeit with slighlty fewer features.
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e
British brand Bowers & Wilkins is well-renowned amongst audiophiles and its PX8 featured in our list last year. The Px7 S2e is a more affordable option compared to the PX8, but it brings with it many of the more expensive model’s premium features. This includes its custom-designed 40mm angled drivers, intentionally positioned as such to deliver a more nuanced, more engaging sound, and a 24-bit digital sound processor that makes for very detailed audio that helps to deliver on the brand’s promise of “music exactly as the artist intended.” Onboard the Px7 S2e are six microphones that make for really clear phone calls as well as a very respectful level of noise cancelling. The headphones are made from a mix of materials including a metal frame and fabric ear cups that, together, add to Px7 S2e’s overall premium feel. They have a 30 hour battery life and, while they don’t fold, they come with a nice carrying case in a color matching the headphones. High quality streaming is possible thanks to support for AAC and Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive, and you can also use these wired with the included USB-C and 3.5mm cables. The Bowers & Wilkins app (available for iOS and Android) also allows users to connect directly to and control lossless streaming services like Tidal and Deezer. All in all, the Px7 S2e offer a truly premium package at a very competitive price.
Dyson Zone Absolute+
When Dyson announced its entry into the headphones world, the comparisons to Bane were fast and inevitable. And it’s hard not to see why. It’s also difficult to be truly unique in the world of headphones, but the Dyson Zone Absolute+ is most definitely that. They’re the only air-purifying, noise cancelling headphones in the world. There’s literally nothing else like them. Novelty aside, the Zone Absolute+ headphones are packed with features including a huge 50 hour battery life, noise cancelling on steroids (with microphones that refresh 384,000 times a second to monitor and cancel noise), and over-sized, extremely comfortable maximal ear pads. They have a nicely balanced sound profile that’s suited to a wide range of genres, and they sound great making calls. For those of us confident enough to walk around wearing the air-purifying visor, Dyson claims it will capture 99 percent of pollutants as tiny as 0.1 microns, and the included electrostatic filters are claimed to last up to a year (though we haven’t spent a year testing them, so we can’t attest to this). The only real downside with these is their weight: the headphones weigh 600g (1.31 lbs) alone – and that’s before you attached the purifier, which bring them up to around 680g (1.5 lbs). This is almost three times heavier than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and when used over a long period the weight becomes noticeable. Still, if you’re planning to use these for shorter stretches or somewhere where you can lay back and relax (you know, like a first class flight) this shouldn’t be a problem. You’ll almost certainly turn heads wearing these, probably deflect facial recognition software, but you’ll be doing so whilst breathing the cleanest air on the block. A win-win all round. The MyDyson app is available for iOS and Android.
Master & Dynamic MW75
Although Master & Dynamic’s MW75 headphones have been out for a couple of years now, they still stand up as one of the best sets you can buy. At $599 they’re on the more expensive side, but when you consider the use of premium materials like lambskin leather, anodized aluminum and tempered glass it starts to make sense. The brand is also really young – having been started in New York just over a decade ago in 2013 by founders Jonathan Levine and Vicki Gross – and, as a private company, its margins are likely to be different to most of the other brands included in this feature. Nonetheless, the MW75 are a worthy set of headphones that sound as good as they look. They’re built with 40mm beryllium dynamic drivers that deliver a very nice, nuanced sound profile for clean, warm lows that are complimented by crisp, detailed highs. Unlike most of the other headphones on this list, noise cancelling is not the MW75’s strong point; whilst they do feature ANC, there’s a subtle but noticeable hiss when the headphones are used at low volume. Other than this, though, the MW75 makes for a solid choice if you’re looking for something that looks, feels and sound great; so much so the MW75 was awarded the 2023 Red Dot Design Award for product design. Master & Dynamic also recently partnered with French luxury fashion house Celine for a special capsule collection of three headphones. The accompanying M&D Connect app is available for iOS and Android.
Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4
Sennheiser is a brand that epitomizes German engineering and its headphones have been the standard-bearers for good sound across many industries including TV and radio for decades. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 are no different and these headphones deliver the same, top-level quality sound that anyone familiar with the brand will expect. They feature a mammoth 60 hour battery life – the longest of any pair of headphones currently on the market – and a quick 10 minute charge will provide six hours of listening, perfect for emergencies. They’re lightweight at just 293g (0.6 lbs) and sit comfortably on your head without clamping down too tightly. In terms of audio, the MOMENTUM 4 feature a neutral, well-balanced sound profile that slightly skews towards the lows – if you like your music to sound bass-heavy, these are great, delivering this without sacrificing the other elements of a song. They come with a travel case that includes an two-pin airplane adaptor, as well as as stereo jack cable and USB-A to USB-C charging cable. And, of clourse, there’s an app available for both iOS and Android.
Technics EAH-A800
Japanese brand Technics is best known for making the 1200 turntable – the most popular record player in clubland and radio for close to 40 years. Its EAH-A800 are a simple, well-designed pair of headphones that deliver great audio at an affordable cost. Responsible for this are the 40mm dynamic drivers you’ll find inside each ear cup; Technics claims these have a frequency response of 4Hz to 40KHz and they are coupled with an internal design that the brand calls an “acoustic control chamber”, allowing air to flow freely past the drivers to produce a well rounded sound for listeners. The EAH-A800 have really good battery life that rivals the Sennheiser’s, coming in close to the German brand’s 60 hour life, and have Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity with SBC, AAC and LDAC codec support. They are not, however, capable of using Qualcomms’s low energy, high quality aptX Adaptive codec. Alexa users can expect to find hands-free support, but there’s no “Hey Google” or “Hey Siri” here – Google and Apple’s assistants can be summoned at the click of a button, not called for. The Technics Audio Connect app for iOS and Android offers additional user options like EQ, configuring power settings, and setting the level of noise cancelling amongst others.
