The best headphones, noise-cancelling headphones, and earbuds make it easier than ever to listen to whatever you want, wherever you want. Streaming music follows us practically everywhere. Phone storage is ample enough that audiophiles can keep a library’s worth of WAV-quality files on hand at all times. Bluetooth means no more getting tangled up in headphone cords at the gym. And noise cancellation makes it possible to hear your music more clearly than ever, while shutting out the sound of the outside world.
But all those choices can be head-spinning. Which is better: wired or wireless? On ear, over ear, or in ear? Which Bluetooth codecs deliver the least lossy sound? To help answer these questions and more, we spoke to a number of music professionals about the headphones they use in the studio, at home, and on the go. According to them, these are the best headphones—wired, wireless, noise-cancelling, and earbuds—you can buy.
All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Jump to: Wired Headphones | Wireless Bluetooth Headphones | Noise-Cancelling Headphones | Earbuds
Wired Headphones
When it comes to audio quality, Germany’s Beyerdynamic and their DT 770, DT 880, and DT 990 trio of studio headphones are long-time favorites of many of the music professionals we queried. Found in top-end studios for decades, the three models are variations on the same essential model. The DT 770 is the closed-back version, which lets listeners really feel immersed in the sound. “When I wear these headphones, it feels like I’m disconnected from the outside world. This helps me to work on smaller details if I’m making music,” says Tbilisi, Georgia electronic musician Gacha Bakradze, who has been using his 770s for the past eight years. But the noise isolation of the DT 770 PRO also makes it a good bet for anyone who listens to music around other people, whether in a shared office or on public transportation.
The DT 990 has an open back, which lets air circulate around your ears: Studio producers value that design for its more spacious, natural sound. But office workers and commuters should steer clear, unless they want passers-by asking about the particularities of their playlists. Evan Majumdar-Swift, aka British producer 96 Back, is a fan of the 990s, which he calls “affordable and extremely reliable. They have an extremely flat response and always reveal any problems in a mixdown.” Ambient musician and field recordist Jake Muir agrees: “For the price point, the ear pads are super comfortable, the build is not flimsy, and the sound is pretty spacious and transparent.”
With a semi-open back, the DT 880 is the Goldilocks of the range. “They’re fantastic for mixing and referencing, and they’re super comfortable—you can wear them for hours without fatigue,” says Brooklyn’s Sam Evian, aka singer/guitarist Sam Owen, of his 880s, which he’s had for more than eight years. “The semi-open back provides a more realistic sense of what’s happening in the low end.” They’re still not great for listening in public, he warns, but for studio work, “they’re perfect for critical listening in a mix environment.”
“The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO or DT 770 PRO are always my default pair to check my work in the studio, but also when I listen to music for fun,” adds Atlanta producer, mixer, and engineer Ben Etter. “Are they the best audiophile headphones in the known universe? No, but they are very solid, with a natural sound that's easy to listen to and fairly priced. They are by far the most comfortable over-ear headphones I've ever used—it's like wearing your grandmother's satin couch pillow on your head. They sound pretty great at both low and high volumes and they’re not too hyped or squeezed sounding, a problem so many modern headphones are suffering from these days.”
One thing to bear in mind, Etter suggests, is to select the right impedance rating for your needs, since certain models come in 32-ohm, 80-ohm, and 250-ohm versions. Higher impedance requires more voltage to get good sound, so for listening on a phone or laptop, 32 ohms is the way to go. Using an audio interface with a dedicated headphone amp, a 250-ohms headphone will be the better fit. “The higher ohm versions will sound great powered by a more powerful amp in a studio or hi-fi setting, but will be too quiet if underpowered by an iPhone.”
All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Veteran acoustic-equipment maker AKG, now a part of the Harman electronics group, has been making headphones since 1949. Their K702 are “a classic for a reason,” says Stephan Mathieu, an experimental musician and veteran mastering engineer in Bonn, Germany. Like the Beyerdynamic DT 880, these open-back, over-ear phones “are a reference for many producers and engineers. They’re affordable with a solid build, and their sound signature is as neutral as it gets for this budget.” For anyone who might think that headphones advertising features like bass boost would be more desirable, Mathieu suggests they think again. “Way too many headphones come with a pimped-out, heavily exaggerated sound. I’m in favor of neutral monitoring, so you can hear the music, and not the headphones.”
Portland, Oregon, sound artist and ambient musician Patricia Wolf likes AKG K271 MKIIs when she’s out on field-recording expeditions in nature. “They’re lightweight, comfortable, great for monitoring, and pretty durable,” she says. But more affordable AKG models also come highly recommended, like the K240 MK II, an over-ear, semi-open model. “They’re really neutral and comfortable,” praises Chicago drummer/producer Spencer Tweedy. Los Angeles producer, arranger, and jazz musician Carlos Niño is a fan of the original K240. “I love that they’re semi-open and that they put less physical pressure on my ears,” he says. “I do all my monitoring and mixing in headphones, and while I’ve tried many kinds over the years, I feel best with these. I never realized how inexpensive they are—I think I’ll buy another pair now!”
Founded in 1962, Japanese company Audio-Technica has deep roots in phono cartridges, turntables—their ATLP120X comes highly recommended as an introductory deck—and headphones. Recording engineers recommend the closed-back ATH-M70x and its generous frequency range (5 to 40,000 Hz). “They’re my favorite when it comes to sound-isolating earcups,” says New York techno producer Julia Govor, who appreciates their extreme detail.
Philip Weinrobe, a New York recording engineer who has worked on records for Adrianne Lenker and Deerhoof, also recommends Audio-Technica to professional and amateur producers alike. For quality-to-price ratio, he says, they can’t be beat: “I could recommend a $1300 pair of fancy planar magnetic closed back headphones, but you'd be crazy not to throw down $149 on a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. These are rock-solid cans that I use for tracking and mixing every day of the week. Take the $1,151 you just saved and spend it on Bandcamp Friday.”
Of course, Audio-Technica’s experience with hi-fi audio means their headphones are also well suited to home listening. “At home, the $50 Audio-Technica ATH-M20 headphones have been my longtime standby,” says Nabil Ayers, writer and general manager of 4AD America. “They're light, so you can wear them for a long time and forget that you have them on.”
Germany’s Sennheiser is another firm favorite among music professionals. The company’s HD 25 is a celebrated all-rounder that has become a bona fide industry standard for DJs, thanks to its power, comfort, and club-friendly features like one swiveling cup, for single-ear listening. Georgia’s Gacha Bakradze goes so far as to credit them with shaping the way he plays. “I’d used many other headphones, but after using HD25, my approach to DJing changed; it got me into harmonic mixing, or mixing in key. They’re very high quality and comfortable, and also good for day-to-day use.” Ambient musician Jake Muir also recommends them outside the DJ booth. “While marketed toward DJs, they’re popular with us field recordists for the same reasons: They’re durable, do a great job of blocking out sound, and you can rotate the left cup for one-ear listening.”
For producers, Sennheiser’s HD 600 gets high marks for their comfort, durability, and sound quality. (Bear in mind, however, that they’re open-back, which means they aren’t good for listening on planes, in the street, or in open-plan offices.) The model’s fans include Clive Davis School of Music professor Bob Power and Portland ambient musician Patricia Wolf, who uses them for “deep listening” and studio time, “to determine if there’s an unwanted sound that I might have missed while listening on studio monitors.” New York mastering engineer Josh Bonati, who has mastered records by Sufjan Stevens, Mac DeMarco, and Pharoah Sanders, among dozens more, calls them his “ol’ workhorses”: “I have three pairs and have been using them for well over 10 years now. They sound great, they’re easy to drive with almost any headphone outputs, light and comfortable—and I occasionally have 12-hour headphone-wearing days.” One huge bonus, he adds, is that their parts are replaceable. “I like repairing things and keeping them going, and Sennheiser makes it easy. I’ve replaced the cable and earpads numerous times, the headband, left driver—it’s amazing. We're spoiled these days—there really are a lot of good headphones out there, but the HD600s are still a solid choice.”
Produced in Ireland, the open-back Sennheiser HD 650 is another sound choice. “They’re a classic: light and easy to work with,” says Matthew Styles-Harris, mastering engineer at Barcelona’s Horizontal Studios. They boast a broad frequency range (12 - 41,000 Hz) and offer mastering-grade detail in bass, mid-range, and treble. (At 300 ohm impedance, they’re best used with a headphone amp or audio interface, not straight out of your phone or laptop.)
Denmark’s AIAIAI is relentlessly focused on headphones: That’s pretty much the only thing the company produces. t has gained a lot of fans since it was founded in 2006, working closely with DJs and producers to develop stylish, great-sounding products that meet working musicians’ needs. Best of all, their headphones are just as well suited to the rest of us, too. Their current flagship model is the TMA-2, a modular headphone available in various configurations: Buyers have a choice of speaker units, earpads, headbands, and cables, allowing them to custom-build the pair that’s right for them, whether that means punchier drivers and on-ear vegan leather cups for the DJ booth, or detailed sound and soft, over-ear memory-foam cups for long studio sessions. The company claims a commitment to responsible design, too: In 2020, they launched a new campaign to reduce the carbon footprint of their packaging. The driver of their high-end S05 speaker is made of biodegradable bio-cellulose. They even recently launched a collaborative edition with Ninja Tune that’s made of recycled vinyl.
“The TMA-2 DJ headphones are my trusty steeds while touring and traveling,” says Debi Ghose, aka London DJ and NTS Radio resident DEBONAIR. “Robust as you like, with a detailed, balanced sound and punchy bass, they're a solid all-rounder with a clean, unfussy look that have outlasted any other headphones I've used. In addition to being super comfortable to wear, these headphones are a low-key hero.”
A more recent addition to AIAIAI’s minimalist product line, the Tracks are lightweight, no-frills, on-ear wired headphones made for city living. “To listen to music in the streets, I use AIAIAI Tracks,” says Gacha Bakradze. “They’re very light, and they have very good sound quality.”
Like AIAIAI, Japan’s Phonon is a relative newcomer. The company was founded in 2010 by a group of musicians and audio engineers including mastering engineer Isao Kumano, DJ Alex Prat (aka DJ Alex from Tokyo, Kumano’s partner in the duo Tokyo Black Star), and producer and audio technician Yusuke Uchiyama (aka no milk). For the moment, Phonon’s product line is as minimalist as the design of its headphones, with just a handful of models so far. (Speaking of minimal, if two earcups feel like one too many, perhaps you’d prefer a made-for-DJs “lollipop” headphone?) But they’ve built an impressive list of fans, including Jeff Mills, Dixon, Âme, Laurent Garnier, King Britt, Carl Craig, and the late Philippe Zdar. Peruvian-born, Berlin-based producer/DJ Sofia Kourtesis uses Phonon’s SMB-02, the company’s flagship product, in the studio and on stage. “They have a very open and clear sound, perfect for my music,” she says.
“For rock-solid studio headphones, the SMB-02 are amazing, says Sam Valenti IV, of Ghostly International. “I like really clean high end, and these dazzle.” He likes them so much, in fact, that Ghostly partnered with Phonon on a special edition of the Phonon 4400, an on-ear model that’s made for travelers and DJs alike, with a foldable design and extra-long cable.
These models don’t come cheap, but for audiophiles with deep pockets, the sound might be worth it. Berlin’s ADAM Audio, an acclaimed maker of high-end studio monitors, entered the headphone market with the Studio Pro SP-5, a closed-back model produced in collaboration with German audiophile brand Ultrasone. The lightweight, folding headphones return a frequency response of 8 Hz to 38 kHz, with generous low end and a broad sound stage. “On the pricier end,” acknowledges Willie Green, a producer and engineer whose credits include Armand Hammer, the Roots, and Wiz Khalifa. Still, he adds, “it feels like listening to speakers—just on your head.”
German mastering engineer and experimental musician Stephan Mathieu says that Audeze’s LCD-1 open-back headphones “are a big favorite in this price range.” They’re lightweight, comfortable, and deliver astonishingly vivid sound, thanks to their incorporation of planar magnetic technology, which used to be limited to models with price tags with four digits and up. The closed-back Audeze LCD-XC and open-back Audeze LCD-X fall into that category. Grammy-winning producer, composer, and Clive Davis School of Music professor Bob Power praises the “astounding detail and nuance” of the LCD-XC. Berlin-based electronic musician Tim Van de Meutter, aka Locked Groove, concurs: “They’re essentially studio monitors for your head. Great if you have annoying neighbors.”
Jump to: Wired Headphones | Wireless Bluetooth Headphones | Noise-Cancelling Headphones | Earbuds
Wireless Bluetooth Headphones
The company’s latest addition to its product line is the TMA-2 Studio Wireless+, which adds lossless 2.4 GHz wireless audio “for latency-free DJing and music making.” What does that mean, exactly? Bluetooth is too lossy and too laggy for many professional applications, like DJing in clubs or producing in the studio. But these headphones, designed in consultation with Richie Hawtin, sidestep that problem by adding a wireless transmitter to the mix. The device in question is a small black slab, about the size of an iPhone 5.0, that you plug into your audio source—a DJ mixer, say, or audio interface—using a standard audio cable. (A coiled cable with 1/4" adapter is included.) That box then transmits wirelessly, losslessly, and with ultra-low latency to your headphones. I tried it with Ableton Live and noticed no perceptible delay between tweaking parameters on my computer and registering the changes in my ears. The wireless range is rated at 12 meters—plenty of room to move around the DJ booth or studio. (Using them at home, that rated distance sounds about right; as I walked down the hall with my laptop in the living room, they only started cutting out once I turned into the kitchen, more than 12 meters away.) Using W+ Link technology, battery life for the headphones is rated at 16 hours, and 30 hours for the wireless transmitter—more than enough for a gig and an afterparty. Switch to Bluetooth 5.0 and enjoy up to 80 hours of battery life—or plug in a standard audio cable and kiss all your battery worries goodbye.
Audiophile loudspeaker brand Bowers & Wilkins has been making confident strides into headphones over the past decade. Introduced in 2010, the P5 was the company’s first model; the PX5 cuts the cord, featuring Adaptive Noise Cancelling and 25 hours of playback. And if you’re short on time, a 15-minute emergency charge can power you up for the next five hours. “On subways and flights I like Bowers & Wilkins PX5 wireless headphones,” says Nabil Ayers, journalist and U.S. general manager of 4AD. “They sound great without being clunky.” A step up from the on-ear PX5s, the PX7 is an over-ear model that features the largest drivers in Bowers & Wilkins’ headphone collection—and, despite the size, promises 30 hours of playback. On both models, lifting an earcup pauses the music, allowing you to reconnect with your surroundings without missing a beat.
Japan’s Audio-Technica, founded in 1962, is something of a one-stop-shop for quality hi-fi: It started out making phono cartridges, then branched into turntables (their ATLP120X comes highly recommended as an introductory deck) and eventually headphones. The company’s ATH-M50x wired headphones are popular with recording engineers like New York’s Philip Weinrobe (Adrianne Lenker, Deerhoof), who calls them “rock-solid cans that I use for tracking and mixing every day of the week.” Now, Audio-Technica’s wireless edition lets you take that sound anywhere. The closed-back, over-ear design facilitates passive noise isolation, for noisy situations like subways and airplanes. “The Audio-Technicas have really great battery life,” says Pitchfork’s Noah Yoo. In fact, they’re rated at a more than generous 40 hours. “They’re super robust, too—I’ve never hesitated to just throw them in my bag with other things. Plus, they’re also really good studio headphones when you use them wired.”
New York’s Master & Dynamic, launched in 2014, positions itself as much as a luxury goods maker as a tech company: Its collaborations include brands like Proenza Schouler, Leica, and Aston Martin. But their headphones are the real deal. The company has won rave reviews with its MH40 headphones, which pair retro, mid-century design—all metal and leather, with no visible plastic—with clear, transparent sound. Italian ambient musician Gigi Masin raves, “If you love to swim in a sea of loops and drones, Master & Dynamic MH40 are gorgeous, perfect, irreplaceable.” The MH40 Wireless translate everything audiophiles love about the original into a cordless package featuring Bluetooth 5.0 supporting aptX and SBC, dual mics for clear voice calls, and up to 18 hours of battery life. A full charge takes less than an hour and a half, while you can restore 50% power—nine hours of play time—in just 30 minutes.
When it comes to top-of-the-line audio engineering, New York’s family-run Grado holds its own against any number of German or Japanese multinationals. The boutique company has been making headphones in its Brooklyn workshop since 1953, and their products have a correspondingly retro aesthetic: “Think 1930s ham-radio operator,” says Iowa City’s Kent Williams, aka Chaircrusher. The company’s GW100, introduced in 2018, brings the old school and the new school together in one package. Billed as the world’s first open-back Bluetooth headphones, the GW100 supports Bluetooth 5.0 and promises 40 hours of playback on a full charge, though it also works with a standard cable. It uses the same drivers as Grado’s wired headphones, tuned to the specifics of these enclosures, with a frequency response from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The open-back design isn’t great for crowded commutes, but for listening around the house or yard, it yields a rich, immersive soundstage.
Jump to: Wired Headphones | Wireless Bluetooth Headphones | Noise-Cancelling Headphones | Earbuds
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Sennheiser’s proven track record in studios has made it a firm favorite of audio professionals, and the company is no less innovative when it comes to wireless and noise-cancelling headsets. With an elegant folding design, the HD 450BT is made for the road, with USB-C charging and a 30-hour battery life, while high-quality wireless codec support (AAC, aptX, aptX Low Latency) a configurable EQ (via Sennheiser’s Smart Control App) ensure optimal sound quality. “They’re great noise-cancelling headphones,” says Willie Green, a producer and engineer whose credits include Armand Hammer, the Roots, and Wiz Khalifa. “They come with an app to adjust the sound, but they sound great out of the box.”
Pitchfork editor Anna Gaca praises the sound of Sennheiser’s PXC 550-II featuring Adaptive Noise Cancellation, which boasts an impressively wide frequency range (17 Hz - 23kHz), as well as a similar 30-hour battery life. “The balance just hits better than other brands, to my ears,” she says. “Ease of use is important to me, so I appreciate the intuitive touch controls and the option to turn off noise-canceling if someone is talking to me. They also work just as well as wired headphones if you need to save battery power.”
For still more impressive performance, Sennheiser’s Bluetooth 5-compliant MOMENTUM Wireless features an even broader frequency range (6 Hz - 22 kHz) and luxurious retro looks in a unique folding design. Three different modes of Active Noise Cancellation allow you to adjust the level according to your environment, while Transparent Hearing allows you to listen to music without feeling shut off from the outside world.
Pitchfork’s Noah Yoo praises the Sony WH-1000XM4: “They have great noise cancellation and are really comfortable for extended listening sessions—plus they’re stylish.” No wonder they’re among the most favorably reviewed noise-cancellation headphones on the market. These fourth-generation follow-ups to the WH-1000XM3 are lighter, boast an improved sound processor (DSEE Extreme), and feature both an improved microphone and improved noise cancellation. Travellers will appreciate features like the ability to automatically adjust for changes in cabin pressure inside the cups, or the Speak to Chat feature, which pauses the music once you start talking. They also support Sony’s LDAC codec, said to triple the amount of audio information transmitted via SBC. All that, plus 30 hours of battery life.
Sony’s WH-CH700N are more accessibly priced but still offer plenty of desirable features, like 35 hours of listening time, one-touch Bluetooth connectivity, and AI-driven noise cancellation that scans and adjusts to ambient background noise, along with Sony’s DSEE Digital Sound Enhancement Engine. “They’re lightweight and not ear-crushing for longer use, which is a bonus,” says Brooklyn producer and engineer Daniel J. Schlett, whose work includes records for Arto Lindsay, DIIV, and the War on Drugs. “I love the noise canceling on the subway. It allows you to keep the volume down so you aren’t keeping your device at full volume all the time—save your ears and your battery life.”
If you can afford them and you plan to pair them with other Apple projects, it might be hard to find a better all-around pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones than Apple’s AirPods Max, released to great fanfare in December 2020. “The AirPods Max are an almost perfect technical achievement,” says Benoît Carretier, editor at France’s Tsugi magazine and a self-described headphone obsessive. “They are probably the best-built headphones on the market. These are premium quality materials, not your average plastic. The sound quality is impressive, the Active Noise Cancellation is by far the best available on the market, and the transparency is just astounding.”
The distinctive headband and burnished cups amount to an impressive fusion of form and function. Even while the breathable mesh canopy of the headband promotes comfort, the over-ear cups create a tight acoustic seal meant to work on various shapes and sizes of head. There’s no fumbling for buttons; a single spinning knob lets you play or pause audio, select or skip tracks, answer or end phone calls, and more. Adaptive EQ alters the mix of low and mid frequencies depending upon the fit and seal of the ear cushions. The noise cancellation uses six outward-facing microphones to detect background noise and two inward-facing mics to measure what the listener hears; for phone calls, two beamforming mics zero in on the user’s voice and filter out unwanted noise, making for crisp, clear calls. Though the technology is still in its early days, what might be most intriguing is the incorporation of spatial audio, which uses built-in gyroscopes and accelerometer to follow the movements of the listener’s head, then translate those motions into a dynamic surround-sound experience when watching select films and shows on certain iOS devices.
The Bose brand name is virtually synonymous with noise-cancelling headphones. In fact, noise-cancelling is part of the company’s origin story. Dr. Amar Bose experienced his “eureka” moment in 1978 when trying, and failing, to listen to headphones on a noisy flight. His invention would take more than a decade to perfect: Bose released the world’s first noise-reduction headset to the aviation industry in 1989, and introduced its consumer-oriented QuietComfort Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones in 2000; the world of business class has never been the same since.
The company’s current flagship is its Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. Introduced in 2019, the 700 are intended as a step up from the QuietComfort 35, introduced in 2016. They’re pricey, but the design is sleek and the build extraordinary. (One downside: Though the cups swivel for storage, the headphones themselves aren’t foldable, so you’ll have to carry them in their accompanying case if you want to keep them protected.) A touch-sensitive system of taps and swipes controls playback, volume, and answering calls; you can also pair them with two devices at a time, in case you want to switch between phone and laptop. The secret sauce, of course, is the noise cancellation itself, which relies on an array of six microphones to detect outside noise. (Two of these pair with two additional mics for voice recognition, leading to unusually clear phone calls.) The ability to adjust ANC on a scale from 1 to 10 means you can precisely tailor it to your surroundings and preferences. “I love my Bose QuietComfort noise-cancelling headphones,” says Mat Schulz, director of Poland’s Unsound festival. “They’re amazing for plane travel, when I used to do a lot of that, and for getting rid of background noise while working. I have the last model, but the 700s are even better. They’re also great for phone calls and Zooms—an essential item.”
The QuietComfort 35 II, released in 2017, is still in production, and it still has plenty of fans. Some reviewers find that it has a slightly more comfortable fit than the 700, and its battery life is a respectable 20 hours, as with the 700. It only supports AAC and SBC codecs, so obsessive audiophiles might want to look elsewhere. But the noise cancellation is strong enough that the QuietComfort 35 II isn’t just for listening to music. “I don't go anywhere without them anymore,” says Katerina Émotsiya, a Bulgarian-born, Helsinki-based DJ and producer. “I think they’re especially helpful for highly sensitive people—when the noise level is lower, I feel less stressed.”
For those who don’t like the feel of over-ear headphones, Bose QuietComfort 20 noise-cancelling in-ear monitors might be the way to go. “On flights, I still rely on the old standby Bose QuietComfort 20s,” says Portland, Oregon, web developer Matthew McVickar. The molded StayHear+ tips naturally block out noise, while noise-cancelling technology filters out whatever makes its way in. In short, says Stockholm-based producer, mixer, and live engineer Daniel Rejmer,“If there is better noise-canceling than the Bose, I want to know about it!”
No two sets of ears are alike, so why should headphones be any different? That’s the philosophy of Australia’s Nura, founded in 2016 by an electrical engineer and a hearing scientist. The principle is a little bit like technologies like Sonos’ Trueplay, which automatically “tunes” your speakers according to the dimensions of your room. Their technology entails playing a range of tones into your ear when setting up the headphones, then measuring the otoacoustic emission that the cochlea produces in response. (It’s a similar process to the hearing tests given to infants.) Nura’s software uses that otoacoustic emission to generate a customized “hearing profile” for the user, which adjusts playback according to the physiological particularities of their ears. Fans of the technology swear that it’s a listening experience unlike any other. Their flagship product is the Nuraphone, a wired, over-ear headphone that utilizes dual speakers for each ear—one over the ear and one inside the ear canal—to provide an unusually immersive, spatialized experience. In addition to the Active Noise Cancellation and passive isolation, the Nuraphone offers a range of features that audiophiles will appreciate, like Bluetooth aptX HD and multiple wired options (Lightning connector, USB-C, micro-USB, and analog mini-jack), for even better sound.
If you’re looking for noise canceling wireless earbuds, Nura’s got you covered there, too. Their first entry into the space was with the wireless, in-ear Nuraloop. Nuraloop functions according to the same principle as the Nuraphones, using Nura’s proprietary technology to adapt playback according to your own inner ear. The Nuraloop isn’t exactly a “true wireless” product; the two earbuds are connected via a cable that loops behind your head, which—combined with their IPX4 sweat-resistance rating, makes them an excellent choice for running or the gym. The active noise cancellation, combined with the passive noise cancellation provided by the multi-sized silicone ear tips, is surprisingly good; “social mode,” which lets in ambient sound, isn’t great for listening, but it does make for a handy way of listening for traffic nearby if you’re crossing a street. The unit supports Bluetooth 5.0 and aptX HD, for optimal sound quality, and it supports an impressive 16 hours of battery life. And for audiophiles or long-haul passengers, there’s also the option to connect them to a wired audio cable—a nice bonus.
For the full Nura experience in a wireless package, though, the Nuratrue is the way to go. Introduced in the summer of 2021, these true-wireless earbuds deliver astonishingly crisp, dynamic sound in a remarkably svelte package. Like the Nuraloop, they boast both passive and active noise cancellation, Bluetooth 5.0, and aptX, along with the company’s personalized-listening secret sauce. Programmable touch buttons allow you to do things like stop the music, skip tracks, or enable social mode by tapping the earbuds. The batteries hold a charge for six hours, while the carrying case can keep you going with three extra charges, for up to 24 hours of listening before you can plug into a socket. I’m most impressed by the width of the soundstage, the nuance in the details, and the overall fullness of the sound; the bass is deep and rich without being too boomy (and for the bass junkies out there, “immersion mode” shifts the EQ to the low end), and the fit is comfortable enough that I can wear them for hours without even thinking about it.
Jump to: Wired Headphones | Wireless Bluetooth Headphones | Noise-Cancelling Headphones | Earbuds
Earbuds
Anyone who has owned more than a handful of Apple products in their lifetime probably has a drawerful of little white earbuds lying around, but Apple’s AirPods Pro are different. These top-of-the-line wireless earbuds come with all the key features of Active Noise Cancellation, including Transparency mode, for when you want to focus on the sounds around you, adaptive EQ, and a vent system for pressure equalization. Just as importantly, the improved, customizable fit facilitates noise isolation, allowing you to listen to music at a lower volume, and thus helping to protect against hearing damage. The AirPods Pro have an IPX4 water-resistance rating and feature Qi-pad charging. More unusual is their compatibility with Spatial Audio, Apple’s simulated surround sound, by which accelerometers in the AirPods pro read the motions of your head, in order to create immersive spatial playback of film and TV audio on certain platforms. All that, and they sound great.
“I think what Apple does with tiny headphone speakers is incredible,” says Chicago drummer/producer Spencer Tweedy. “I don’t necessarily like having earbuds in my ears all the time, but I can’t believe how full-ranged and clear AirPods Pro sound. They even have decent low end. I’m completely happy listening to music on AirPods most of the time.”
Jabra Elite’s line of wireless earbuds are popular choices among commuters, who favor their microphones and call quality. (The GN Group, the parent company of popular Bluetooth headphone maker Jabra, got its start 150 years ago laying telegraph cables between Europe and Asia, so perhaps it’s fitting that the company’s marketing focuses as much on wireless telephony as music.) They’re also sweat-resistant, which makes them good picks for the gym, too. The Jabra Elite 65t is the current entry-level model of the company’s line, offering 5 hours of battery life (15 with charger), Bluetooth 5.0, wind noise reduction on calls, and three sizes of molded tips; it’s also rated IP55 waterproof. “I’ve used the Jabra Elite 65t daily for a few years,” says Portland, Oregon, web developer Matthew McVickar. “They’re considerably cheaper than AirPods and sound great, but the essential difference for me is that you can control volume, track skipping, and the hear-through—which amplifies the outside sound for better environmental awareness—with the on-earbud buttons.”
The Jabra Elite 75t represents a modest step up in battery life, from 5 hours to 5.5 hours of music or calls, but jumps to 24 hours when paired with the charging case; it also features Active Noise Cancellation, which the Elite 65t doesn’t. Like the 65t, it features Bluetooth 5.0, which supports AAC and SBC, but not aptX. Most importantly for some users, it’s smaller than the 65t, which can make for a better fit.
The Jabra Elite 85t makes several improvements, stepping up from four mics to six and from Bluetooth 5.0 to 5.1. While bigger than the 75t and even the 65t, it also boasts the biggest sound of the bunch—at 12mm, its speakers are twice the size of the 65t’s—as well as 11 levels of Active Noise Cancellation, from full ANC to full transparency. With ANC off, Jabra promises 7 hours of music playback, and up to 31 hours with the charging case.
Shure’s in-ear monitors, which musicians use to hear themselves and their bandmates in live performance, are industry-standard on stages around the world. While the high-end SE535 Pro ($449) and SE846-CL ($899) cater to professional needs and wallets, the SE215-CL boasts solid quality at a more consumer-friendly price point. Snugly fitting rubber tips are designed to block up to 37 dB of outside noise, contributing to clearer sound at a lower volume; the over-ear design helps the buds stay in place. Leveling up to the SE425-CL means dual drivers instead of single and expanded frequency range (from 22 Hz - 17.5 kHz to 20 Hz - 19 kHz).
“I was pretty blown away by the SE215-CL,” says Evan Majumdar-Swift, aka the British electronic musician 96 Back. “They manage to get around the usual uncomfortable and tinny qualities that most earbuds have by isolating outside noise and having a really rich and warm sound. For the cost, they’re by far the best, in my opinion. Perhaps lacking somewhat in the tops but still miles ahead of the grating sound I so often associate with earbuds.”
New York-based electronic musician and digital marketer David Abravanel likewise praises the SE215-CL’s comfort and “lovely balanced sound,” and Debit calls them “the general winner” as far as earbuds go. “They have a great sound and are best for performance monitoring, but I listen to work stuff with them. I’ve had two pairs—the first lasted me for like seven years until I lost them.”
Campfire Audio’s IEMs look not unlike something Tony Stark might invent for Iron Man to wear. The Portland, Oregon company’s high standards and restless creative spirit have made them cult favorites among audiophiles. David Abravanel calls their Andromeda “easily the most advanced listening tools in my arsenal.” Stephan Mathieu, an experimental musician and veteran mastering engineer in Bonn, Germany, agrees. “It’s a great company, much appreciated by the IEM community. I’d recommend the IO but also the Polaris, which is a serious step up. Both models will last long, since they come in great build quality.”
Campfire Audio’s earphones aren’t cheap, but when I visited their headquarters, I got a firsthand look at the reasons they’ve so celebrated: All of their products are 3D printed and hand-assembled right there on the premises. They even wind their own cable. And the designers—led by founder Ken Ball, who initially launched the company as a bespoke audio-cable manufacturer working out of his basement—have a dogged, even obsessive curiosity about the possibilities of earphones. Their expansive product line, which currently numbers nine different earphone models (plus two more custom-fit models for on-stage professionals) reflects not just different price points but also different listening situations. For instance, the Mammoth sports a low-end profile conducive to bass-heavy electronic music and rap, while the similarly priced Holocene favors the kind of detailed highs and midrange that can make all kinds of rock, jazz, and classical truly sing.
All of their models come with a variety of sizes of silicone ear tips, for maximum passive noise isolation as well as optimum in-ear fidelity. The entry-level models Satsuma (favoring highs and mids) and Honeydew (favoring low end) each feature a single driver in a plastic shell, and the same proprietary Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber (T.A.E.C.) technology that gives the sound a natural, open feel. The Holocene and Mammoth both utilize a single custom-tuned driver for highs and two independent drivers for mids and lows, yielding a much more detailed and expansive sound; instead of plastic, the shell is machined from aluminum. (A fun design touch on the Holocene: glow-in-the-dark detailing.) And if you’re in search of the best possible sound and your budget will permit, the Ara delivers the richest, most detailed sound I’ve ever experienced from an earphone. Each titanium-shelled unit features seven drivers—two high, one mid, four low. With the Ara, I’ve discovered new nuances from recordings that I’ve been listening to for years, without any sort of fatigue. Using them feels less like passively listening to recorded music than being actively immersed in a shape-shifting world of sound—a hard sensation to explain, but once you’ve experienced it, you’ll know what I mean. They’re a delight, plain and simple.
Sennheiser’s earbuds deliver the acclaimed sound of their studio headphones in a slimmed-down package. The MOMENTUM True Wireless earbuds feature Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC, aptX, and aptX Low Latency codecs. Intelligent control figures pause and restart the music when you remove and reinsert an earbud; transparent hearing keeps you engaged with the world around you. “I think the Sennheiser Momentums are the most discreet and comfortable wireless earbuds I’ve come across,” says New York singer-songwriter Ryley Walker. “Incredibly long battery life for commutes or tour-van time. I’m really impressed by the bass response for wacky low-end music—and 3D detail of vocal fry from podcast hosts. Not cheap, but built to last years and years if stored properly.”
.jpg)
