INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

Best Headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to TheIndianSubcontinent's round-up of the best headphones you can buy on any budget in 2018. We've

all bought headphones that were just OK

Headphones that we could wear for a few weeks, maybe, and then just toss them out if we didn't like them

They were from discount bins or check-out lines and they served a very specific need.I'm not here to tell you not to buy those kinds of

headphones anymore

What I will tell you, though, is that headphones like those disposable ones aren't good

Not only are these headphones built to fall apart, but they're not physically not capable of delivering the audio experience artists and

directors set out to achieve in your favorite movies, albums and TV shows.They're cheap, yeah, but they're not good.It's our mission to hook

you up with a pair of great-sounding headphones

The best headphones money can buy - even when you're on a budget. To that end, we've listened to hundreds of headphones over the years of

every make, model and variety to create list-after-list of the best noise-cancelling headphones, the best wireless headphones, the best

earbuds, etcWe encourage you to take a look at all the headphone lists here on TheIndianSubcontinent - but, if you're in a hurry and just

want to see the best headphones, period, this is the article for you

What you'll find below is our selection of the best headphones for each form-factor, and we've even picked out a less-costly option for each

so that a lack of finances won't stop you from finding a pair of headphones you'll truly love. What are the best headphones to buy right

nowHere's a quick look at the best headphones this year:Best in-ear headphones: 1More Triple Driver In-Ear HeadphoneYour search for great

sounding, good value headphones ends hereAcoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: 20-40,000Hz |

sound qualityExcellent build and designUnmatched valuePlastic remote feels cheapAfter spending a few weeks with both the 1MORE Triple Driver

in-ear headphones and the 1MORE Quad Driver in-ear headphones we were blown away at just how much value each one gave in their prospective

price ranges. For $100 (£100, about AU$168), it’s hard to think of a better sounding and built headphone than the 1MORE Triple Driver

(That said, if you want just that little extra refinement and luxury materials, the 1MORE Quad Drivers are still a bargain at twice the

price.) There’s very little we can fault the Triple Drivers for

Its rubber cable is annoying and its remote control feels cheap but these are just nitpicks

But, for its price, it’s impossible to do better than 1MORE's Triple Driver in-ear headphones. Read the full review:1More Triple Driver

In-Ear HeadphoneBest budget in-ear headphones: RHA S500uGreat-sounding, incredibly cheap in-ear headphonesAcoustic design: Closed | Weight:

Sensitivity: 100dB | Impedance: 16 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/AExcellent build quality Balanced, rich

audio Sibilant at times Narrow soundstage If you have a tendency to lose or break headphones but still value sound quality, it’s hard

to think of a better value than the RHA S500u

These headphones have no business sounding so good for the price: Sound quality is balanced with a slight mid-bass bump

Bass is slightly emphasized but not egregiously and features good impact while maintaining good control

And highs, while sibilant at times, makes music sound more exciting. Read the full review:RHA S500uBest on-ear headphones: Grado

SR60eTruly excellent sound performance for a stellar priceAcoustic design: Open | Weight: N/A | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response:

N/AVery comfortableImpressive definition for the priceHighly recommendedNo in-line controlsFor your money, you can't do any better than

Grado's SR60e

The third-generation of the Brooklyn, NY-based company's Prestige Series is its best and most refined yet

The SR60e in particular is a smart choice if you're looking for an entry-level set of headphones that sounds like it should cost you way

more than it does

Its open-backed ear cup design makes them a more breathable experience than what most on-ear headphones can deliver

In a few words, it's our gold-standard when it comes to on-ears.(Our review is for the SR60i, but the newer SR60e headphones are largely

similar in design and performance.)Read the full review:Grado SR60eBest budget on-ear headphones: Urbanears Plattan IIA perfect value buy if

you want headphones that are cheap and comfortableAcoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response:

N/AVery comfortableGood valueNarrow soundstageNo volume controlsWhile the original Plattan headphones were just fine for a pair of on-ear

headphones, Urbanears wasn’t satisfied with being mediocre

The company took customer feedback to heart and addressed many complaints about comfort, sound quality and isolation

For the most part, Urbanears succeeded, making the Plattan II a worthy sequel to the company’s most popular headphone

In short, these are basic headphones without a ton of features

But, because they're feature-light, you get a good-sounding pair of wired headphones for significantly less than you would otherwise. Read

the full review:Urbanears Plattan IIBest over-ear headphones: Oppo PM-3Closed back planar magnetic headphones from the gods Acoustic design:

isolationFaux leather earpadsLess precision than open-back cansThe Oppo PM-3's are a truly stunning pair of headphones

Make no mistake, we've reviewed a lot of headphones in the last 10 years but none have we become more fond of than the PM-3.They're equally

comfortable being plugged into a headphone amp at home as they are commuting through the hustle and bustle of a big city, and they stand

head and shoulders above rival products from bigger brands

We really can't recommend them highly enough, they're just amazing.Read the full review: Oppo PM-3Best budget over-ear headphones: AKG

K92Budget over-ears that make no compromises on sound quality Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 0.44 pounds | Cable length: 9.8 ft |

range: N/A | NFC: N/AComfortable to wearGreat soundingBudget plastic constructionNo detachable cableAKG has the right idea when it comes to

budget headphones

Instead of spending lots of money on an expensive, heavy construction, the company has instead clearly spend the bulk of its money on the

K92's drivers, which sound appropriately excellent.So yes, the K92's might feel a little plastic-y, but they have a good amount of power

where it matters the most.Read the full review: AKG K92Best noise-canceling headphones: Sony WH-1000XM2Crystal clear-sounding

audioTouch controlsHinges on arms are fragileWhen you buy a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, you're often trading sound quality for the

ability to block out outside noise

It's a trade that we've been willing to make for years because, honestly, we just hadn't been able to find a headphone that could do both

noise-cancellation and Hi-Res audio.Until now. The Sony WH-1000XM2 is the follow-up to the surprisingly great MDR-1000X

They might have a slightly shorter battery life than Bose’s flagship over-ear headphones, the QuietComfort 35, but Sony’s WH-1000XM2

outclass the QC35 in terms of both performance for the price and overall feature-set

Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM2Best budget noise-canceling headphones: TaoTronics TT-BH22Insanely cheap noise-cancelling

headphonesAcoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Cable length: 3.9 feet | Frequency response: 7-25,000Hz | Drivers: Two 1.5" Neodymium

sound signatureGood battery lifeSounds bad with ANC offUnrefined build and featuresWe make it a habit to not look up pricing of a product

before reviewing and if we had to guess the price of the Taotronics TT-BH22, we would have guessed it cost $150

We were shocked to find out that the MSRP for the TT-BH22 is $70 (£60, about AU$86), and can regularly be found for even less online. The

TT-BH22 feature active noise cancellation (ANC), which is unheard of in this price range, and on top of that, you get a rated 25 hours of

battery life

They're not perfect, but if you need noise-cancellation and you don't want to drop your next two paychecks on headphones, they're worth

checking out.Read the full review:TaoTronics TT-BH22Best wireless headphones: Sennheiser Momentum WirelessIncredible audio fidelity backed

buildBest-in-class soundEverlasting battery lifeTerribly priceyThese no-holds-barred wireless headphones are oozing with positive qualities,

but for many, they're almost prohibitively expensive

However, if you're an audio lover that can spare the expense, do not hesitate on this comfortable, hard-working set of headphones that will

likely last for years.Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum WirelessBest wireless earphones: Optoma NuForce BE6iSporty wireless

earphones that are great for casual listeners tooAcoustic design: Closed | Weight: 18 grams | Frequency response: 20Hz - 20kHz | Drivers:

NoComfortable fitAmazing valueCheap remoteLight on featuresContinuing the trend that the original NuForce BE6 started, the Optoma Nuforce

BE6i are a minor update to an already great pair of earbuds and remain one of our favorite in-ear wireless headphones for the price.Offering

good sound, build quality and battery life in its segment if you're looking for a pair of wireless in-ear headphones that can survive a

strenuous work out, the these should be on the top of your list of headphones to try.Read the full review:Optoma NuForce BE6iBest true

wireless earbuds: Jabra Elite 65tOne of the best true wireless earbuds you can buyAcoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Frequency

charging case) | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: NoMature, understated design Pleasure to use Balanced sound qualityLimited eartip selectionAll

things considered, the Jabra Elite 65t are one of the best truly wireless headphones you can buy today

They cost slightly more than the Apple AirPods but they also offer better sound quality, noise isolation and adjustable ambient noise when

you want it

And if you don’t like the design of the odd, alien-looking AirPods, the mature, understated look of the 65t may be to your liking. While

the Jabra Elite 65t are easily one of the highest scoring true wireless headphones we've reviewed, there are a few others on the market

worth considering: If you want a pair of exercise earbuds, there’s the Jabra Elite Sportwhich has a higher water resistance and handy

sports-oriented features

For audiophiles who don’t mind stretching the budget, the active noise cancelling Sony WF-1000X are an excellent choice

Bassheads will want to try the SOL Republic Amps Air

If you only have the budget for one of these, though, go for the Elite 65t.Read the full review:Jabra Elite 65tPress on to page two to see

how to pick out a good pair of headphones along more of our recommendations.14fa23c4c3acb8b52eb6ec89dae3e8e6.jpg#

The best headphones 2018: Our pick of the best of the best