Headphones

Audio is purely subjective, your tastes may vary! These are just some popular options that are well-reviewed online!

In-Ear

Wireless

  • under $100: OnePlus Buds 3 ($99) / Soundcore Liberty 4 NC ($99) / Earfun Air 4 Pro ($95 $89)

The Samsung Buds FE and Sony WF-C700N are both good under $100 TWS buds, but the above options offer better value

  • under $150: Sony LinkBuds S ($159 $129)
  • under $200: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 ($299 $199) / Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 ($279 $199) / Technics AZ80 ($199)

The Sony WF-1000XM5 ($299 $249) is also quite good with class-leading ANC

  • open-ear: Sony LinkBuds Open ($199 $179)

Jabra is out of the consumer audio market, meaning they won’t release new Elite buds

Wired

  • under $50: Kiwi Ears Cadenza ($34) / 7Hz Zero:2 ($24)
  • under $100: Moondrop Aria 2 ($89) / Truthear Hexa ($89) / Truthear Zero ($59) or Zero:RED ($64)
  • under $250: Kiwi Ears Quintet ($219) / 7Hz Timeless ($219) / Letshouer S12 Pro ($169)
  • under $400: Moondrop Blessing 3 or Dusk ($359)

Over-Ear

Wireless

  • around $100: Sennheiser HD 350BT ($119) / Soundcore Space One ($99) / JBL Tune 770NC ($129) / Sony WH-CH720N ($129 $99)

The HD 350BT is just the 450BT with no ANC

  • under $200: Sennheiser HD 450BT ($179)
  • around $200: JBL Live 770NC ($199) / Sennheiser Accentum Plus ($199)
  • under $400: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless ($379)

The Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399 $329) has better ANC, but the Momentum 4 by Sennheiser has 60 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE!

Wired

  • under $100: Phillips SHP9600 ($69) / Sony MDR-7506 ($99)
  • just over $100: Hifiman HE400SE ($109)
  • under $200: Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro ($149) / AKG K361 ($119) or K371 ($179)
  • just over $200: Sennheiser HD 560S ($229)
  • under $300: Hifiman Sundara ($279)
  • under $500: Sennheiser HD 600 ($449) or HD 650 ($499)

The Massdrop x Sennheiser HD 6XX is quite good for $200