In a crowded headphone market, there are lots to choose from. But before you go and spend your hard-earned money on just any pair, make sure that the over-ear cans suit your lifestyle and needs. Also: The best headphone deals To help make that process easier, I’ve rounded up what our team and other headphone enthusiasts consider to be the best in class for you and your listening preferences. Also:
The best wireless headphones The best headphones for workouts and runningThe best PC gaming headsets
Sony’s WH-1000XM series headphones have been the go-to headphones for active noise cancellation (ANC) technology since its popularity in the 1980s. The WH-1000XM5 headphones have raised Sony’s bar even higher, offering the best ANC technology yet, with 30 hours of battery life and a quick charging time of 3 minutes to 3 hours. These headphones provide the perfect sound escape. As we pointed out in our full review, these headphones have also improved on an often overlooked factor that is becoming increasingly important in a video-conferencing world: superb microphone quality. Read our full review: Sony’s WH-1000XM5 headphones are basically perfect At a price tag of $400, the advanced tech suite doesn’t come cheap. However, for someone who frequently forgets to charge their headphones, the quick charger benefits offer an opportunity cost. Additionally, the comfortable fit, despite controversial aesthetic reviews, makes blocking out surrounding sounds possible and practical. Bottom line, these comfortable headphones are perfect for working professionals who want to spend their headphone time plugging into projects or calls instead of plugging into a charger. Are you tempted by Sony’s impressive suite, but can’t quite justify the traditionally hefty price tag that follows? Well, you’re in luck. As reported by ZDNET in February, Sony announced that the WH-CH520 over-ear headphones offer Sony’s star quality in a more compact and affordable size. Instead of paying $400 for Sony’s multi-point connectivity, Bluetooth 5.2, and sleek aesthetic, you can pay $60 and opt for the WH-CH520 model. Read more: Sony’s new headphones adopt WH-1000XM5 technology for less than half the price You might be asking yourself if the dramatic drop in price comes with a decrease in quality. However, Sony headphone enthusiasts and customer reviews prove otherwise. While it’s still early, these lightweight headphones seem to offer a sound signature that meets Sony’s superb standards, custom EQ adjustments, and impressive battery life, all rolled into a breathable design with cushioned ear pads for all-day wear. I will note, however, that you will be sacrificing Sony’s renowned ANC technology. Sony boasts “noise blocking” with this model, but there are no external mics to combat intrusive noise. Nevertheless, if you are a casual listener who doesn’t mind external sounds leaking in and values the surround sound of the headphones themselves, then these are a great option. Gamers, the last thing you want is for your headphones’ battery life to act as a game-defining factor. The HyperX Cloud headphones provide an impressive 300 hours of battery life. If you do the math (which we did), you can game and stream for eight hours a day for over a month before needing to recharge. This is even with the DTS Headphone:X audio drivers enabled. Additionally, the microphone is detachable, so you can remove it depending on the type of gaming you’re doing. It’s also adjustable, so you don’t peak your audio or sound muffled while talking to other gamers. ZDNET’s own Taylor Clemons reviewed the HyperXCloud headphones while streaming, gaming, and making work calls and praised the headset for their robust battery, clean audio, and custom EQ settings. Read the review: HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless review: Solid, no-nonsense audio for gaming, music, and more This headset has excellent audio quality that provides rich, clean sound even at low volumes. The Ngenuity desktop app enables or disables the spatial audio and DTS Headphone:X settings, allowing you to monitor battery life, adjust volume, and create custom equalizer settings. This ensures that no matter what you’re playing, it will sound its absolute best. Even though wireless headphones have dominated the headphone market recently, we can’t forget about the roots of headphones - wires. That’s right, wired headphones still exist and are, controversially, still worth it. The Beyerdynamic DT 990 PRO X headphones are living proof. This model is a mid-range headphone option for mixing, streaming or for audiophiles who want to hear every detail in their music. The detachable mini-XLR cable can be changed at will or exchanged with other connection options. These headphones are open-backed, allowing air and sound to transmit freely through the earcups’ grills, resulting in a more natural, speaker-like sound. If you’re producing and mixing, you can definitely hear the difference in their natural frequency response and reliable sound. Plus, the included memory foam provides an ergonomic and comfortable fit, making the over-ear fit feel less constrictive. Read the review: Beyerdynamic DT 900 PRO X headphones review: Brutally honest sound for under $300 Evident from our 4/5 review rating, these wired headphones are too good to be left out of your consideration, delivering “precisely what it says on the tin: provides you with a relatively affordable, brutally honest audio solution for mixing and audio engineering.” Despite being newcomers in the over-ear headphone market, Apple’s AirPods Max have unsurprisingly established quite the Apple-ecosystem fanbase. These over-ear headphones are the only device that combines exceptional sound with all the same benefits that Apple device owners have enjoyed for years with the smaller AirPods earbuds. These features include instant connectivity, multi-device switching, and the ability to tweak settings and view charge levels on any Apple device. Even ZDNET’s Jason Cipriani sings the AirPods Max’s praises for their impressive Transparency Mode and Spatial Audio, claiming the cans majorly elevated his viewing of The Mandalorian. Read the review: AirPods Max review: Stunning sound and performance mean I’m keeping the $550 headphones The sound quality of the Apple AirPods Max is by far the best of any Apple headphones today, especially with their ANC technology that meets or exceeds what competitors like Sony and Bose currently offer. If you’re an avid Apple user and don’t mind spending a little more, the Apple AirPods Max are an excellent choice for headphones. Check out ZDNET’s tips for preventing hearing loss caused by headphones for how to listen healthily.
