Best headphones of 2018: Headphones for any budget in India

INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Everyone is unique, which is why everyone has their own, personal taste in music making it all the more important to be quipped with the
perfect pair of headphones.Upgrading your headphones is a personal choice, but it's an essential step if you want to move away from the
cheap earbuds that your phone probably came bundled with.  But, since there are so many categories of music, there are just as many
options when it comes to headphones
Some people like the convenience of a wireless set while others prefer the reliability and audio quality of wired headphones. Then there
are those who want in-ear headphones, while the rest prefer over-ears. A better pair of headphones will add a new dimension to your music,
whether it's more detail, added functionality or just more bass. It sounds like a lot
But that's why we have a guide for the best ones. The headphones that you'll find here have tons of features to help you get the most out
of your music. These features range from wireless connectivity to noise-cancellation and come in the three major form-factors: in-ear,
on-ear and over-ear headphones.  We've selected the best headphones for each form-factor, and we've even picked out a budget option for
each so that you should be able to find an excellent pair, no matter where your price point lies. Here's a quick look at the best
headphones this year:If you already know which kind of headphones you're looking for, then you can browse through our other, more specific,
recommendations: What headphones does TheIndianSubcontinent recommendWe think the two most important things to consider when buying a pair
of headphones are form-factor and price, and that's exactly how we've organised our guide.Below you'll find our top picks for the best
in-ear headphones, the best on-ear headphones, the best over-ear headphones, the best noise-cancelling headphones and finally the best
wireless headphones.As well as a top pick for each form-factor we've also included a budget pick which manages to offer great sound at a
much more competitive price point.1More Triple Driver In-Ear HeadphoneBest 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 | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 99 dB/mW | Impedance: 32 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A |
NFC: N/ALush sound qualityExcellent build and designUnmatched valuePlastic remote feels cheapAfter spending a few weeks with the 1MORE
Triple Driver in-ear headphones we were blown away at just how much value they give in this price range. It’s hard to think of a better
sounding pair of headphones that are as durable
There’s very little with which we can find fault with but it's worth mentioning that the rubber cable is an unnecessary struggle and the
remote control feels cheap because it's made of plastic without a metallic finish
But this is honestly just nitpicking. Instead, it's better to highlight the 1More Triple Driver's warm tonal balance
Even the bass sounds good with extension and impact
It gives you the right amount of boost without completely taking over.Read the full review:1More Triple Driver In-Ear HeadphoneBest budget
in-ear headphones: Sennheiser CX 213Great-sounding, incredibly cheap in-ear headphonesAcoustic design: Closed | Weight: 45 grams | Cable
length: 1.2m | Frequency response: 25-20,000Hz | Drivers: Micro Dynamic | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: 16 ohms |
Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/AExcellent build quality  Balanced, rich audioBetter noise reduction and bass Marginal
difference over the CX 180The Sennheiser CX 213's build upon the legendary budget in-ears, the CX 180, which have been around quite some
time. Although it's a minimal upgrade when it comes to the CX 213's, the sound quality is balanced with a slight bass bump
Bass is slightly emphasized and features good impact while maintaining good control
It also has better passive noise cancellation to the table over the CX180.Best on-ear headphones: Grado SR60eTruly excellent sound
performance for a stellar priceAcoustic design: Open | Weight: N/A | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response: 20Hz-20,000Hz | Drivers: N/A |
Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 99db | Impedance: 32 ohm | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: 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 Prestige Series is its best and most refined yet. The SR60e is a particularly smart choice if you're looking
for an entry-level set of headphones that sound like they should cost you way more than they do
Its open-back ear cup design gives you a more breathable experience than what most on-ear headphones can deliver. In our candid opinion,
it's the gold-standard when it comes to on-ears.Best over-ear headphones: Oppo PM-3Closed back planar magnetic headphones from the gods
Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: 322 grams | Cable length: 9.8 ft or 3.9 ft | Frequency response: 10-50,000Hz | Drivers: 55mm | Driver
type: Planar Magnetic | Sensitivity: 102dB | Impedance: 26 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/AStunning sound
quality Great isolation Faux leather earpads Less precision than open-back cans The Oppo PM-3 truly deserve to be called the best
over-ear headphones. The build of these headphones is comparable to other big brand names like Sony and Philips, who are experts at putting
together their own contraptions. The synthetic ear pads may be a little off putting to a few users but fear not, they're soft, comfortable
and don't overheat your ears.Their compact design makes them easy to travel with and hold their own against heavy wear and tear. They
deliver incredible sound across the entire soundscape with clear and natural highs paired with balanced bass
The Oppo PM-3 never fails to provide crisp sound quality to the users.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: 199 grams | Cable length: 9.8 ft | Frequency
response: 16-20,000Hz | Drivers: 40mm | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: 113dB | Impedance: 32 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A
| NFC: N/AComfortable to wearGreat soundingBudget plastic constructionNo detachable cableEven though they have a plastic body, the AKG K92
stands as a very good competitor when it comes to audio quality
In most cases, you get what you pay for but these headphones push above and beyond their price range. They're dynamic, expressive and let
you clearly listen to individual instruments without being reduced to a mess of sound.Most users prefer them for in-house use due to their
size but being lightweight, portability is feasible
Their size is an asset rather than a drawback because their fit wouldn't be comfortable otherwise.All in all, their performance is amazing
and they definitely give other brands a run for their money.Read the full review: AKG K92Best noise-canceling headphones: Sony
WH-1000XM2Crystal clear-sounding noise-cancelling headphonesAcoustic design: Closed | Weight: 23g | Cable length: N/A | Frequency response:
N/A | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 10 hours | Wireless range: 33 ft | NFC: YesSuperb
noise-cancellation Great-sounding audio Touch controls Hinges on arms are fragile When you buy a pair of noise-cancelling headphones,
you're often trading sound quality for the ability to block 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 pair of headphones 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: Philips Fidelio NC1An all-around headset offering quality
sound and noise cancellation Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Cable length: 3.9 feet | Frequency response: 7-25,000Hz | Drivers: Two
1.5" Neodymium drivers | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 107 dB | Impedance: 16 ohm | Battery life: 25+ hours | Wireless range: N/A |
NFC: NoBrilliantly balanced sound Great build quality and battery lifeWired headphones Some sound leakage The Philips Fidelio NC1
replaces the Sony WH-H900N in our list
They come with two 1.5" Neodymium drivers and have a 3.9 ft cable. If you're looking for good travel headphones, they fit the bill with a
hard case while folding in comfortably keeping them from being ruined when you throw them into your bag. The aluminium finishing gives them
a premium look and subtle design, despite 'High Definition Audio Philips NC1' etchings on both sides.The headphones offer quality audio to
the users while delivering 30 hours of battery life
Even if you choose not to use noise cancelling, the audio quality is amazing providing a balanced sound without forcibly favoring the
bass. If you're on-the-go and don't want want to lug around massive headphones, this is the choice for you. Read the full review:Philips
Fidelio NC1 Sennheiser Momentum WirelessBest wireless headphones: Sennheiser Momentum WirelessIncredible audio fidelity backed by a serious
price Acoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Cable length: 4.6 feet | Frequency response: 16-22,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: Dynamic
| Sensitivity: N/A | Impedance: 28 ohms | Battery life: 25+ hours | Wireless range: 30+ feet | NFC: YesComfy, rugged buildBest-in-class
soundEverlasting battery lifeTerribly priceyThese headphones showcase a whole bunch of leather and a premium build along with unequaled
sound performance
They may be expensive, especially in comparison to other over-ear headphones, but they’re worth a listen for true audiophiles. The
battery is impressive claiming to last for 22 hours once you charge the headphone for 3 hours
The sidearms are built of stainless steel and attached to the leather headband by hinges
This allows the headphones to fold neatly making them easy to carry around when travelling. The ear cups themselves are made of memory foam
with leather coating. Best wireless earphones: Optoma NuForce BE6iSporty wireless earphones that are great for casual listeners tooAcoustic
design: Closed | Weight: 18 grams | Frequency response: 20Hz - 20kHz | Drivers: 10mm | Driver type: Dynamic | Sensitivity: 95dB +/-3dB |
Impedance: 20 Ohms | Battery life: 8 hours | Wireless range: 98 feet | NFC: NoComfortable fit Amazing value Cheap remote Light on
features Optoma NuForce BE6i are an updated version of the original NuForce BE6
However, the changes are minimal in the new pair of headphones. They come with 10mm dynamic drivers and eight hours of battery life, which
is a bump up from the 6 hours that their predecessor offered
They have an aluminium enclosure for the drivers but it's paired with a sub-par plastic remote on their tangle resistant flat wire. They
deliver good quality sound with controlled bass and decent clarity up top.The Optoma NuForce NE6i are a pair of no-huss, no-fuss headphones
that can survive heavy use.Read the full review:Optoma NuForce BE6i Best true wireless earbuds: Jabra Elite SportGreat sound with fitness
tracking to machAcoustic design: Closed | Weight: N/A | Frequency response: 20Hz - 20kHz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity:
N/A | Impedance: N/A | Battery life: 4.5 hours (13.5 hours in charging case) | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: NoGreat sport features Excellent
isolation Expensive Following the footsteps of Apple, Jabra launched a pair of ‘true wireless’ earbuds in India recently
Apart from offering great sound quality, the earphones come with advanced fitness analysis technology
Through this, the earbuds can track your heart rate during workouts.The initial setup though, may make you feel a little silly because you
have to stand in one place at first and then jump around for a few seconds. The carry case doubles as a charger giving you 4.5 hours of
battery life in one charge, followed by two more charges before you need to plug them back in
 They also support all the major operating systems including Android and iOS and can be easily paired with any smartphone - but you
definitely need a phone for these to work.Read the full review:Jabra Elite Sport Press on to page two to see how to pick out a good pair of
headphones along more of our recommendations.QmDuVgXFGeq9Pa5BFw9zEj.jpg#