The headphone market is bursting with options with all sorts to choose from whether you’re after an over-ear pair to on-ear, wired or wireless headphones.
But, you still need to sort the wheat from the chaff, and that’s where we come in to assist you during the buying process. This list of headphones represents the best we’ve tested in recent times, and we’ve put them through their paces with real world tests, listening to lots of music, testing the active noise cancellation out in public where possible and comparing them to similarly priced efforts to ascertain how good they are and whether they’re worth buying .
We’ve tried to make sure that the entries on this list cover a wide range of options, along with hitting different price points from affordable models to more expensive headphones. We’re constantly looking to update this list with more headphones, so be sure to check back if you don’t find a pair to your liking at this current point in time.
If you’re in need of something more specific, then we also have several other best lists. If you want to know which are the best true wireless earphones there’s our best wireless earbuds list. If you exercise or do a lot of sports then our best running headphones page is where you need a dash to. For wireless headphones and noise cancelling efforts, check out best noise cancelling headphones and best wireless headphones.
Which are the best headphones?
How we test
Not just anybody can review a pair of headphones. You don’t need superhuman hearing to tell what’s good, but you do need to know what to listen out for.
Our headphone tests are done by some of the best and most prolific reviewers in the industry, with years of experience listening to everything from the plasticky freebie earbuds that come with your smartphone, to five-figure beasts of glass and marble. We love music and we want your tunes to sound good, too.
So we listen every pair of headphones we can get on or in our ears. We use a variety of sources, from basic MP3s playing on a laptop to high-quality tracks on dedicated hi-res audio players.
Our test tracks are wide-ranging to give headphones a thorough challenge. They’re also familiar, so we know every track backwards, and we know which bits might trouble the lesser performers.
We listen again and again, and we do that for weeks in case the sound changes – because it usually does. Then we’ll listen to similarly priced rivals and come up with a verdict that reflects the performance and features for the money.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Best wireless headphones
Pros
- Excellent comfort
- Musical, rich audio performance
- Impressively clean and natural noise cancellation
- Superb Ambient Mode
- Great call quality
Cons
- Non-foldable design
- Connection gets choppy in busy areas
Winner of our best headphone and best noise cancelling headphones categories at the 2022 Trusted Reviews awards, the Sony WH-1000XM5 make subtle changes to their predecessors but they all add up to an even better performing pair of headphones.
They have a more modern look than the WH-1000XM4 did with redesigned earcups that don’t fold flat, which follows in the footsteps of Bose’s NC 700 HP and Apple’s AirPods Max. This change has been done to offer better noise cancelling performance, and in testing we did find the design reduced wind noise for a more satisfying ANC experience.
We also did sense that the WH-1000XM5’s noise cancelling was able to tackle higher frequency sounds with more confidence than the XM4, although we did feel the XM4 model suppressed voices a tad better. The new WH-1000XM5 coped with other noises well, with everything from big crowds to commuting on transport reduced to a hush. With eight microphones to assist call quality and noise cancellation, we found the Ambient Mode offered a noticeable improvement over the older model with a clearer, natural sound.
There have also been incremental improvements made to the already great audio performance. The mid-range sounds slightly richer and more detailed, with increased definition and clarity granted to instruments and voices. Music also takes place within a wider soundstage and bass has more texture was previously heard on older models. Taken all together and it makes the WH-1000XM5 a great listen with any genre.
On the feature front, it’s much the same story as before. Quick Attention (which filters through outside sound at a moment’s notice) and Speak To Chat (which pauses music when you’re speaking) are back, while battery life remains at at 30 hours of runtime. We managed to get around a week’s use from these headphones, but if you’re after more longevity then both the Technics EAH-A800 and Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless exceed the WH-1000XM5’s stamina.
Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Sony WH-1000XM5
Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Best ANC earbuds
Pros
- Class-leading noise cancellation for an earbud
- Neutral sound quality
- Comfortable fit
- Excellent transparency mode
Cons
- Average battery life
- No higher quality Bluetooth codecs
- Design affected by wing noise
If you prefer the convenience wireless in-earphones, we’d highly recommend the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds, especially if you’re in need of supreme noise cancelling performance.
The noise cancellation is one of the best we’ve tested in a pair of earbuds, with the QC Earbuds blocking out noise from traffic to large gatherings. This help to protect hearing as there’s less of a need to raise the volume to higher levels to hear music.
While the QuietComfort Earbuds are big in size, they’re comfortable to wear due to their StayHear Max ear-tips that keep the earphones locked in. Along with their IPX4 resistance that protects them against water and sweat, they make a good option for exercise use, although we found during runs that the design amplified wind noise, something Bose’s Sport Earbuds didn’t produce.
The audio carries a neutral and detailed sound, with the top end of the frequency sharp and bright, the midrange spacious and detailed and bass lent decent weight and power. Since the QuietComfort Earbuds launched, Bose has added EQ options for treble and bass to the app so listeners can customise to their tastes. These earphones aren’t as musical-sounding as the Sony WF-1000XM4, nor quite as rich as the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3, but are well suited to those who prefer an uncoloured sound.
Compared to other premium earbuds, the Bose have a low battery life. The QuietComfort Earbuds only have 18 hours in total, 6 hours less than the WF-1000XM4 and ten hours fewer than Sennheiser. They could survive regularly use across a day, but will need charging fairly often as a result.
They’ve been replaced by the QuietComfort Earbuds II, which reportedly have an even better noise cancelling performance, but the original model is still available for less than £200, and in our minds they are still worth taking a look at.
Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds
Rode NTH-100
Best wired headphones for professional use
Pros
- Articulate, convincing sound in all scenarios
- Built to last
- Good-looking (in a purposeful sort of way)
Cons
- Sonic even-handedness won’t suit everybody
- Hard-wired configuration won’t be for all
- Earpads heat up over time
The Røde NTH-100 are a fantastic choice if you’re in need of a pair of headphones for professional use. This is reflected in their detailed and balanced audio that makes them ideal as a pair of reference headphones for mixing, especially when dealing with lossless audio.
Our reviewed found the bass carried plenty of depth without the typical superficial excitement present with cheaper headphones. The mid-range unpacks every last detail of a track, alongside a smooth top-end that makes listening to these headphones a pleasure.
The NTH-100 lack the features of wireless headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds on this list. What you do get is a very long 2.4m cable (an optional 1.2m is available for extra cost) and a clever fitting system known as FitLock that allows you to lock in the headband position of the NTH-100 so it remains in the correct position for your head at all times.
In terms of their design, the NTH-100 adhere totally to the expectation of what over ear headphones look like in general. They build quality is very fine, the all-black finish and Alcantara-covered memory foam for earpads contact helps them to be especially comfortable. If performance-per-pound is what you’re in the market for, then the Røde are great whether it’s for casual or critical listening.
Reviewer: Simon Lucas
Full Review: Røde NTH-100
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus
Best affordable true wireless
Pros
- Impressive sound for the money
- Long battery life
- Good call quality
- App support
- Affordable
Cons
- Some won’t like the ‘plugged in’ feeling
- Connection can get spotty in busy areas
The Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+ first launched in 2021 at £119.95, but have since then dropped in price to £49.95 to mark them out as a terrific budget buy for a pair of true wireless.
Award-winner for best affordable true wireless, the Melomania 1+ don’t feature any noise cancellation to block sounds out, relying on the passive noise isolating qualities of the design to reduce any distractions in a solid manner. They’re shaped like a bullet, which is unique in the world of true wireless earphones, but they proved cozy to wear and by using physical push buttons the controls are more reliable to use than touch controls. Some, however, won’t like the plugged in feeling of the buds in which case a design like the OneSonic BXS-HD1 might be more of interest.
Like we mentioned above, the Cambridge doesn’t have noise cancellation or a transparency mode. But they’re not a basic offering, the Melomania app comes bundled with a few features such as customisation of audio equaliser and the touch controls, plus the ability to switch between audio modes for better quality sound as seen on the Melomania Touch.
Switching modes has an effect on battery with the Low Power mode set at 9 hours and 41 in the small charging case or in High Performance mode it is 7 hours and 35 more in the case. Both figures we find to be very respectable for a true wireless.
And the sound is a step up in our minds from the original Melomania. The bass response is improved with more weight and punch that makes the Melomania 1 sound feeble in comparison. Vocals are much smoother in tone and sound bigger where they came across as small before, and while the original is crisper and sharper with high frequencies, we found the Melomania 1+ overall struck a better balance across the frequency range. At this price we’d rate at as a bargain not to be missed out on.
Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Cambridge Audio Melomania 1+
Grado SR325x
Best wired on-ears
Pros
- Insightful, detailed and spacious presentation
- Striking design
- Low impedance drivers
Cons
- Comfort may be an issue for some
- Design isn’t especially portable
Anyone familiar with the Grado brand will be able to identify the SR325x as one of theirs in a heartbeat, A pair of on-ear headphones with an open-backed design, it’s an approach that’s been at the heart of Grado’s offering for decades, the open-backed design grants these on-ears a bigger, more spacious soundstage to delve into.
It does of course make them a leaky-sounding pair of headphones, so if you’re using this pair on public transport, then be prepared to to face people looking at you as they hear your favourite tunes. The Grado SR325x offer terrific consistency in their balanced approach to music, emphasising a natural tone and fantastic clarity with instruments and vocals. We found the stereo image to be full of depth, the sharpness and definition of these headphones gives music a great sense of fidelity.
You will need high quality files to get the best from them but with their 38 ohm impedance, you’ll be able to connect these wired headphones to a range of devices without the need for further amplification to drive them.
We found the design to be of premium quality, the metal housing for each earcup offers a durable finish, and the brand’s ‘F’ type earcups are ones we felt were especially comfortable during use. As seems to be the case with on-ears, you may experience a degree of pinching depending on the size of your ear, in which case an over-ear such as the Monolith M1070 or Austrian Audio Hi-X65 may be preferable.
Nevertheless, these are an insightful, precise and detailed pair of on-ear headphones, an audiophile pair of cans without the price tag to go with it.
Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Grado SR325x
Final UX3000
Best affordable noise cancelling headphones
Pros
- Good comfort
- Effective ANC
- Rich, warm sound
- Solid battery life
- Simple operation
Cons
- Stripped-down feature set
- Minimalist looks may be interpreted as bland
If the likes of award-winning Sony WH-1000XM5 is too far out of your budget, then another award-winner in the Final UX3000 demonstrate that you don’t need to spend a fortune for good noise cancelling headphones.
The UX3000 are not heavy on the features with a simple on-off button for the active noise cancellation but they deal with persistent noises, busy road junctions and crowds of people well. The noise cancellation can be switched on without having to power the headphones too. Similar to the Ausounds AU-XT ANC, we’d recommend turning the ANC on if you’re listening to music they sounds better with it on.
The audio here is some of the best we’ve heard under £150, eliciting a confident, musical performance from the tracks we played, with bass weighty in feel and the mid-range rich in tone. The warmth of their presentation means they’re quite as detailed or incisive as either the Austrian Audio Hi-X25BT or the Cleer Enduro ANC model, but overall we found the UX3000 has a better handle over music those two rivals, with solid dynamics and decently wide soundstage.
We found 25-hour battery life good enough to last a week with general use and with ANC off it can reach up to 35 hours. The design is minimalistic in appearance, the finish is referred to as ‘Shibo’, an old terms that refers to wrinkled paper of leather. On these headphones the Shibo texture can repel dust or dirt.
Operation is via physical buttons that cover volume, ANC and playback making the UX3000 an easy pair of headphones to use. We also found they were comfortable over extended periods, which we found made them a good partner for commutes into work.
Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: Final UX3000
SoundMagic P23BT
Best affordable on-ears
Pros
- Refined and detailed sound
- Compact and lightweight design
- Long battery life
- Cheap
Cons
- Can pinch on the ears
- Not what you’d call stylish
On-ear headphones certainly have their pros and cons, but they still remain a popular choice among commuters, and the SoundMagic P23BT are one of the best we’ve reviewed in recent years.
That said, we haven’t come across as many on-ear pairs as headphone brands have switched to developing noise cancelling over-ears, but the P23BT are an affordable (£49.99), support aptX-HD Bluetooth for higher quality sound and can last for around 50-60 hours.
The design carries with it the same issues that plague any on-ear, in that it can pinch around the earlobes (especially if you have bigger ears) and it can leak sound from the outside world through. Get past that and the SoundMagic offer a lightweight and foldable design that made it easier for us to stow away when not in use. Touch controls are cleverly integrated into the headphones, though it’s initially obvious there are touch controls in the first place. In use, they’re surprisingly responsive.
Features are low for a pair of headphones such as these, with aptX-HD Bluetooth the most notable as it offers the chance for music to be heard at a higher quality bit-rate. Our reviewer found the headphones were capable of much more subtlety than expected, with a midrange full of detail, treble that’s bright and sharp and bass that offers good detail and weight. The Marshall Major IV are a great deal more bassy in their performance, but we find the P23BT to more balanced overall.
Given the price these headphones are bargain, and for those not big on features and just need a simple pair of on-ears to listen to, we would highly recommend the SoundMagic.
Reviewer: Kob Monney
Full Review: SoundMagic P23BT
We also considered…
FAQs
The Sony WH-1000XM5 would get vote for the best overall headphones. The feature set is comprehensive, the wireless connection reliable, and of course, they sound excellent for the money, too.
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