Best Headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to TechRadar's round-up of the best headphones you can buy on any budget in 2019.
Everyone is unique, which is why everyone has their own, personal taste in music making it all the more important to be equipped 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 in India right now:
If you already know which kind of headphones you're looking for, then you can browse through our other, more specific, recommendations:
1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphone
After 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 Headphone
Sennheiser CX 213
The 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.
Grado SR60e
For 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.
The Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signatures are simply some of the best-sounding headphones we’ve ever used. They have a tight, refined sound that offers an almost unmatched level of detail.
That said, the fact remains that they’re a comparatively feature-light pair of cans. If you want to spend less then you can get a much more portable pair that’ll be better suited to the morning commute or a plane ride thanks to additional features like noise-cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity.
But, if you’re looking to invest in a seriously high-quality pair of headphones to listen to a high-quality music collection, then there are few that can match the P9s at this price point.
Read the full review: B&W P9 Signature
- Want more options? Check out our guide to the best over-ear headphones.
Even 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 K92
If there’s anything surprising about the new Sony WH-1000XM3 it’s that they’re so consistent with what Sony has released in the last two years in the form of the Sony WH-1000XM2 and Sony MDR-1000X. To wit, they’re a dominant noise-cancelling pair of headphones that can beat out anything Bose has with both arms behind its back.
That’s because, while Bose has done a tremendous job working out its noise-cancellation algorithm over the years, Sony has spent that time perfecting audio playback while simultaneously creating an adaptability algorithm that doesn’t just create a single sterile sound barrier, but multiple kinds that can adapt to whatever situation you’re in.
Beyond being exceptional at keeping external noises at bay, Sony's headphones are Hi-Res Audio-ready, sporting aptX, aptX HD and LDAC codecs, plus offer will offer Google Assistant support right on-board. If you need a headphone that can live up to any challenge and excel in any environment, these are them.
Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM3
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 Wireless
If you're a frequent traveler you're probably all too familiar with headphones that can't hold a charge and can't block out sound, let alone sound very good. Let us introduce you to the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2, one of the few headphones on the market that can do all of the above and cost less than half as much as one of the bigger names like Beats, Bose and Sony.
They also include a neat little feature that allows them to automatically turn off when you're not wearing them, meaning you're able to easily maximise their battery life without much effort.
If we had to boil it down to its core, the BackBeat Pro 2 offers an excellent travel headphone with incredible battery life, supreme comfort, the ability to pair two device as once and, most importantly, good sound quality for the cost.
Read the full review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2
Optoma NuForce BE6i
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
Jabra Elite Sport
All 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 Sport which 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 65t
- Want more options? Check out our guide to the best wireless headphones.
Press on to page two to see how to pick out a good pair of headphones along more of our recommendations.
A pair of headphones is more than just wires, or lack thereof, and ear plugs or foam cushioning. There's more to them that what immediately meets the eye, which is why is we've provided a breakdown of what you should know for each of the form factors.
Knowledge is power, so knowing which features are important to you in a pair of headphones will go a long way in helping you choose the perfect pair of headphones.
Not only will learning more about headphones help you make a more informed purchasing decision, but you'll also be able to ascertain when you're really getting your money's worth.
In-ear headphones
These type of headphones are usually the cheapest and easiest way to get audio from point A to point B. If you've purchased an MP3 player, or more recently, a smartphone, it's likely that a pair came out-of-the-box.
Earphones rest in or just outside the ear canal, creating a tight seal to keep air out and sound in. Compared to other types of headphones, these are the most discreet ones you'll find. Their small form-factor also makes them the king/queen of portability and the prime choice for athletes.
You're not likely to find strong performers at the low-end of the price spectrum. Their sound delivery is generally muddled, lacking bass and overcompensating for that with harsh mids and highs.
Not to mention that the build quality falters. That being said, it won't cost you much money at all to find a value-packed option complete with inline controls and a microphone.
On-ear headphones
While similar to over-ear headphones in appearance, they fit to your head a little differently. Instead of enveloping your ears with a soft cushion, on-ear headphones create a light, breathable around the edges of your ears. Thus, the noise isolation is much less effective than in-ear or over-ear options. This might be a deal breaker for some, but there are some benefits to keep in mind.
On-ear headphones are usually more portable than their over-ear brethren, and as such they appeal to travelers and the fitness geeks. Taking a walk or a jog around town is also safer, as you can hear traffic go by and be aware of potential hazards.
The cushioned pads of these headphones is one of the more important features to check before making a purchase since they rest right on the edges of yours ears. You want to make sure that the fit is right, not too tight, and that the pair gets more comfortable as time passes, not the other way around.
Over-ear headphones
This ear-muff style of these headphones generally provide greater richness and depth of sound, which allows listeners to pick apart the instruments and decibels easily. Additionally, over-ear, or circum-aural headphones, go around the ear and offer a generous amount of padding.
The price range for a set of on-ear headphones begins around Rs. 5k and from there, the sky's the limit. For example, the Oppo PM-1, while excellent, are priced exorbitantly at Rs. 56k. It's definitely not necessary to spend that much. That said, you tend to get what you pay for.
If your headphone budget is in the Rs. 500-15,000, you'll start getting into options that have excellent build quality, premium materials and amazing sound and features like ANC (active noise cancellation.)
Wireless headphones
This category of headphones doesn't limit you to a specific form factor like the others. In fact, you can find in-ear, on-ear and over-ear headphone styles sans wire.
Opting to go wireless will cost over and above the price traditional of wired cans. So, keep in mind that bustling to go futuristic isn't going to be cheap. One important thing to keep in mind is that your music player must support the Bluetooth wireless protocol because that's a prerequisite use these type of headphones.
Bluetooth technology has become exponentially more reliable over time, but it's always susceptible to disturbances in the force. In short, any little thing, from the understandable (conflicting Wi-Fi signals, microwaves, cordless telephones), to the absurd (sticking a hand in the space between the device and the headphones) can sometimes interrupt the wireless listening experience.
Noise-cancelling headphones
This category, like wireless headphones, isn't limited to a form factor. You can find this clever mix of technologies integrated into the ear pieces of in-ear and over-ear headphones alike.
Many companies falsely claim to offer true noise cancellation with just the padding included around the ear cups. Don't believe it. This is PNC (passive noise cancellation), and it doesn't amount to much. You can even replicate this effect by cupping your hands around your ears, so why shell out the big bucks for it?
On the other hand, ANC (active noise cancellation) is the real deal. This technique employs a set of external microphones, which detect the decibel level outside. Once it has an idea of the incoming noise level, the headphone speakers inside transmit a noise generated to dampen the racket. The end result is an effect that hushes the outside noise, allowing you to focus.
- Shove out the unnecessarily interruptions to your listening experience and know what your options are in this category.
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