Monday, 20 January 2014
Friday, 17 January 2014
Best earphones
Best in-ear headphones under £50
Five stars
Delivering a punchy and agile sound, these budget SoundMagic headphones deliver plenty of detail and weight for a steal of a price.
The E10s look, feel and sound like they’re worth way more than £35 and are a no-brainer to replace the cheap freebie buds with any smartphone. An absolute bargain and now available under £30.
Best in-ear headphones under £70
Five stars
The Beyerdynamic DTX 101 iE earphones are a smart but otherwise fairly unspectacular-looking pair of in-ears (you can choose a red finish if you want something a little more eye-catching).
More importantly, your money buys you a beautifully balanced performance with sparkly, controlled treble and solid bass that adds power when needed.
The three supplied pairs of tips makes it easy to find a comfortable, noise-isolating fit, meaning our only issue is the occasional cable noise, though this can be cured by running the wires over your ears before putting them in your ears. Another solid pair of in-ear headphones at a good price.
Best in-ear headphones under £100
Five stars
It would be easy to dismiss the Beyerdynamic MMX 101 iE in-ear headphones as a mic-enabled version of the less-expensive DTX 101 iEs – but in truth one of the best in-ear headphones with mic models that we've heard.
These are, though, superior-sounding earphones that add weight and greater dynamics to the already impressive delivery. There’s a smidge more detail and drive to these earphones, too.
While the lack of volume controls on the mic/remote unit might be annoying, the one-button system works with non-Apple smartphones – so more users can also enjoy the brilliant sound.
Also consider: Grado iGi
Best in-ear headphones under £150
Tested at £130 Compare Prices
Five stars
The Sony XBA-2iP in-ear headphones come from the company’s Prestige range of headphones, and are also available without the in-line mic and remote (the XBA-2) for around £20 less.
Sound quality is great: agile, exciting and precise, with a spacious delivery that allows for plenty of detail all the way up the frequency range.
We can’t fault these buds – even call quality is good. Well worth a listen.
Also consider: Klipsch Image X7i
Best in-ear headphones under £200
Five stars
The Shure SE425 in-ear headphones are superb. Incredibly detailed and immersive, the level of finesse on offer is astonishing, even at this price: you’ll hear things you never thought were there even on recordings you know inside out.
The looks might not appeal to everyone – Shure has gone for the pro-style in-ear monitor configuration, where the cable passes up your back and splits behind your head before passing over the top of your ears – and they can be a bit annoying to put in, but the results are worth it.
The SE425s have detachable enclosures – which means if the cable breaks, you can replace it for less money than buying a new set of earphones – and there's also the option of custom buds and adding a separate mic and remote unit. However you have them, you'll be happy with the sound quality.
Also consider: Sony XBA-3iP
Best in-ear headphones under £300
Tested at £270 Compare Prices
Five stars
These headphones have a premium price, but they're presented in a manner which suits. Build quality is first rate, with the solid, brushed-metal housings catching the eye, and there's a carry case, too.
The iE80s have excellent separation and clarity, dig out a serious amount of detail, boast punchy drums and natural-sounding vocals. Interestingly, you can adjust the amount of bass by adjusting a small screw on the earphone. We got the best balance with a quarter-turn clockwise – see the review for full details.
If you're looking for a cut above entry-level heaphones and are keen to give your MP3 player or phone the right tools to make the most of your digital music, the iE80s will help. They're really impressive earbuds.
Also consider: Sony XBA-4iP
Best in-ear headphones under £500
Tested at £355 Compare Prices
Five stars
Now we get into luxury in-ear territory, where a smartphone alone won’t be enough to get the most out of the headphones. Get an external DAC and headphone amp to get the best out of these – and get seriously impressive results.
Tested at £355, the Grado GR10 in-ears are now the wrong side of £400 but get them fitted in your ears correctly – vital to getting a proper tonal balance – and you'll enjoy decent bass weight, incredible transparency and one of the most engaging sounds we've heard from a pair of earphones.
Delivering bags of insight with breathtaking agility, without ever seeming clinical, is a fine balance that very few rivals can match.
Best in-ear headphones under £700
Tested at £600 Compare Prices
Five stars
As you’d expect, Sennheiser is at pains to point out the numerous innovations and attention to detail incorporated into the £600 IE 800s. The extra-wideband (XWB) transducers are the smallest currently available, for example, while the single-piece ceramic enclosures feel super-solid.
Controlled and authoritative with low-end frequencies, crisp and detailed with treble sounds, music is delivered with speed, definition and superb tonal variation.
The Sennheiser IE 800s are superbly made, brilliantly accomplished in-ear headphones. If you can justify the cost, and if your source player can justify it too, we think you’d be hard-pressed to find better. Except possibly, the ones below...
Best in-ear headphones under £1000
Tested at £1000 Compare Prices
Five stars
The priciest pair of in-ear headphones we’ve ever reviewed, they were thankfully also undoubtedly the best when we reviewed them (the Sennheisers above might have something to say about that now).
Use the right source – ideally a laptop with external DAC and headphone amp – and they’ll deliver a sound that’s staggeringly realistic and immersive for a pair of in-ears.
Like the Sennheiser earphones, you can fine-tune the K3003i sound, here by means of interchangeable filters. These take the form of nicely machined caps that screw onto the ear pieces and mechanically filter certain parts of the frequency range.
It's the bass that immediately strikes you: precise and articulate, with weight and authority. The news stays positive further up the frequency range, too. Kate Bush’s vocals on the 24-bit/96kHz version of 50 Words for Snow sound as intimate and communicative as we’ve heard them.
Yes, they're very expensive, but we're amazed at how accomplised they are for a pair of in-ear headphones. A must audition if you want the very best.
Whether you're out listening to your MP3 player or out at home with your high-end stereo, your headphone choice is critical. Here we've picked our five favorites across every style and category, but if you already know which type of headphones you want, use the links at the left to get more options. Also, be sure to check back regularly (or subscribe to our Home Theater and Music Center newsletters) as we'll be updating the list frequently.
Best full-size (circumaural) headphone
Audio-Technica ATH-M50
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50 Professional Studio Monitor Headphones are among the best available for less than $200, offering excellent sound and build quality.
Price: $134.95 - $264.20 (check prices)
Read full review
Best DJ headphone
V-Moda Crossfade M-100 (White Silver)
A generous feature set, rugged construction, and warm, detailed sound with powerful bass guarantees the V-Moda M-100's strong appeal for audiophiles with a flexible budget.
Price: $299.99 (check prices)
Read full review
Best noise-canceling headphone
Bose Quiet Comfort 15 (Silver)
While they're no bargain, the Bose QuietComfort 15s currently offer the best sound and silencing capabilities in a pair of noise-canceling headphones.
Price: $259.98 - $299.95 (check prices)
Read full review
Best budget on-ear headphone
JVC Flats (Black)
Though they look a little cheap, the JVC Flats are lightweight, comfortable on-ear headphones that sound surprisingly good for sub-$15 headphones.
Price: $9.89 - $18.97 (check prices)
Read full review
Best bass headphones
Sony MDR1R (Black)
It's true that Sony's MDR-1R headphones come with a lofty price tag, but if you're searching for highly accurate-sounding headphones with style and substance, they deserve your attention.
Price: $298.00 - $299.99 (check prices)
Read full review
Best budget earbud headphone
MEElectronics A151 (Black)
At around $50 online, the MEElectronics A151s are among the most affordable balanced-armature earphones out there and deliver very good sound for the money.
Price: $97.80 (check prices)
Read full review
Best earbud for athletes
Monster iSport Immersion (Blue)
The iSport Immersion headphones rank among the best wired in-ear sports headphone models out there in terms of fit and sound quality.
Price: $149.95 (check prices)
Read full review
Best Bluetooth wireless headphone
Parrot Zik
Despite some issues, Parrot can make a case for its Ziks being the Porsche of Bluetooth headphones.
Price: $359.98 - $399.99 (check prices)
Read full review
Best wireless home theater headphone
Sennheiser RS 180
The Sennheiser RS 180's sound is competitive with similarly priced wired headphones, which should make the RS 180 irresistible to audiophiles seeking to cut the cord.
Price: $240.30 - $329.99 (check prices)
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