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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#
