Not sure which headphones to buy? Four decisions narrow 202 ranked models down to a shortlist: over-ear or in-ear, wired or wireless, how much to spend and what you want it to sound like. Every model here is rated on its measured frequency response, scored against the Harman target that most listeners prefer in blind tests, so the rating tells you how natural and balanced it sounds rather than how many features it has.
Quick Navigation
- Step 1: Over-Ear or In-Ear
- Step 2: Wired, Wireless or Noise Cancelling
- Step 3: Set a Budget
- Step 4: Match the Sound to Your Taste
- Step 5: Fine Tune With EQ
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Step 1: Over-Ear or In-Ear
Over-ear headphones sit around your ears. They’re the most comfortable for long sessions at home and usually give the widest sense of space. See all 134 over-ear headphones.
In-ear headphones (in-ear monitors, or IEMs, and earbuds) seal inside the ear canal. They block outside noise without any electronics, fit in a pocket, and often measure remarkably well for very little money. The seal matters: try the different ear tip sizes, because a poor fit loses most of the bass. See all 68 in-ear headphones.
Open or closed back: open-back over-ears leak sound in both directions, so they suit a quiet room and sound more spacious. Closed-back models keep your music private and block noise, which is what you want for the office, travel or recording. See the best open-back and closed-back headphones.
Step 2: Wired, Wireless or Noise Cancelling
Wired headphones are where the best sound per dollar lives: no battery, no processing, and many of the top-rated models in both classes are wired. Wireless headphones trade some accuracy for convenience, and most are tuned with heavy bass. Active noise cancelling is the right choice for flights and commutes, where it removes engine drone that no passive design can. See every wireless headphone and noise cancelling headphone ranked by sound.
If you take calls or play games online, look for a built-in or boom microphone: headphones with a microphone.
Step 3: Set a Budget
You don’t need to spend much for excellent sound, especially with in-ears. The under $50, under $100 and under $200 pages pick the best at each price. Beyond about $200, extra money mostly buys build, comfort, materials and features rather than a more accurate tuning.
Check whether it needs an amp. High impedance (250 ohms and up) or low sensitivity models, including many planar magnetic headphones, play too quietly from a phone or laptop. Each model’s specs list its impedance and sensitivity, and its pros and cons say when a dedicated headphone amp is needed. Budget for one if your pick needs it.
Step 4: Match the Sound to Your Taste
The overall rating uses the Harman target, which suits most people. If you know you like something different, sort any ranking table with Sort by taste, or go straight to the picks for your preference:
- Warm: full and relaxed, never sharp.
- Bass: extra low-end weight for hip hop, electronic music and films.
- Bright and detailed: lean bass, lifted treble.
- V-shaped: boosted bass and treble for an exciting sound.
- Neutral: no added bass, for mixing and critical listening.
- Studio flat: the traditional diffuse-field studio reference.
Step 5: Fine Tune With EQ
Every model page includes an EQ preset that brings its measured response to the Harman target. Enter the preamp and filters in any parametric equalizer, such as Wavelet on Android, Equalizer APO or Peace on Windows, or your music player’s EQ, and a lower-rated headphone can sound much closer to the best. EQ can’t fix everything: it won’t add bass a headphone physically can’t reach, or rescue a poor seal.