Whether you are in the home stretch of your record five-kilometre run or have an assignment due in five minutes, headphones always seem to help our mind and body’s ability to lock in.
They can also really annoy us – there are few things more annoying than an uncomfortable pair of headphones on a long flight, or ones that don’t block out the obnoxious typing of your desk neighbour.
Or, if you’re a bit of an audiophile, you might be looking to better experience that one part of A Day in the Life by The Beatles where the vocals pan from left to right. No matter your need, everybody deserves a good pair of headphones that suits their lifestyle. Let’s dive into some of the best headphones on the market right now.
THE EIGHT BEST HEADPHONES IN AUSTRALIA
1. Best headphones overall: Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
Combining comfort, sound and convenience in a well-priced package, the Sony WH-1000XM4 delivers on all fronts.
In terms of fit, these things are like a travel pillow for your ears. Well-padded but still nice and lightweight, they’re great for long-duration listening. A full charge gives you up to 30 hours of battery life, and the headphones come with a travel case which they fit into thanks to their foldable design.
The WH1000XM4’s use adaptive noise cancelling and when used with the Sony Headphones Connect app, you can adjust the volume of background sound. Sony also gives you the option of listening with a wired connection thanks to a headphone jack, something a lot of modern headsets don’t include.
Compared to other top-of-the-line headphones, these are also not too hard on the budget.
2. Best headphones for pure noise-cancelling: Dyson Zone Absolute+ Noise Cancelling Headphones
For some, these may be a little excessive.
But if you are truly looking for the best noise-cancelling headphones out, Dyson may just have it with the Absolute+.
The active noise-cancelling technology in these is incredibly thorough, with eight noise-cancelling microphones monitoring surrounding noise at all times.
The battery life on these is phenomenal too, with a full charge giving you up to 50 hours of listening.
Also included in the pack is an attachable travel visor, which magnetically attaches to the headset to act as your own personal air purifier. It also makes you look like a character from Mortal Kombat. The future is now.
If the price tag seems a little garish at first, note that the Absolute+ Noise Cancelling Headphones are currently $300 off on the Dyson website.
3. Best headphones for comfort: BOSE QuietComfort SE Headphones
It’s in the name really. They keep things quiet and they’re comfy.
These were a close second for best overall – they’re comfortable, travel well and are budget-friendly.
You get a decent 22 hours of battery life, and you can always trust BOSE to deliver some really crisp sound quality. One thing that’s really great about the QuietComfort is the Bluetooth on/off function being a switch on the earcup. There’s no holding down the button and waiting for pairing, just a quick flick of the switch and you’re straight into things.
4. Best low-budget headphones: JBL Tune 710 BT Headphones
If you’re not worried about top-of-the-line sound quality, noise-cancelling or your headphones being built out of spaceship parts, you can’t go wrong with something like the JBL Tune 710.
For under $150, JBL packs some really good features into this headset.
A wireless listening life of 50 hours is up there with some of the best headphones on the market and a multi-point connection allows you to seamlessly switch between devices.
If noise cancellation isn’t a priority for you, this is just a really solid pair of comfortable, functional Bluetooth headphones.
5. Best headphones for sound quality: Sennheiser HD 800 S
Now, these are for the real audiophiles.
Sennheiser is a standard bearer for audio quality – you’d be hard-pressed to visit a music or film studio and not find a pair like the HD 880 S.
Some of their technology is patented, including Sennheiser’s frequency absorber, which reduces reverb and makes hidden sounds as clear as day. Parts of these headphones use aerospace-grade material. Aerospace-grade. How many things do you own that are aerospace-grade?
They are by no means cheap, but if you are looking for the absolute in sound quality, Sennheiser’s HD 800 S is the way to go.
6. Best headphones for fitness: Beats Fit Pro True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds
Everybody calm down. Yes, we’re cheating a little bit here. These are wireless, noise-cancelling earbuds and not overhead headphones.
But unless you enjoy the sensation of a sweaty strip of headphone padding on the top of your head for an entire workout, or fancy constantly readjusting your headset on the run, wireless earbuds are the way to go for fitness.
You can enjoy a full range of motion while still getting some serious sound quality and active noise cancellation, which is where the Beat Fit Pros have the edge over other earbuds.
These can also come in clutch in the charge department. With their quick charge feature, five minutes of charge gives you an hour of playback, perfect for if you forgot to charge them up before the gym.
Plus, you can grab them from Kogan for $100 off during their current birthday sale.
7. Best headphones for gaming: JBL Quantum 610 Wireless Gaming Headset
Good sound, good comfort, and longevity. That’s all you can ask for out of gaming headphones.
The JBL QUANTUM 610 headset gives you quality, immersive sound while gaming, as well as a really impressive 40-plus hours of wireless battery life.
These are also perfect for online calls, being certified for Discord and compatible with Skype, Zoom, Twitch and TeamSpeak.
Unlike a lot of gaming headsets on the market, these give you the option of wireless listening, giving you way more freedom of movement.
It’s also pretty standard for damage to the cabling being the reason a wired headset stops working, so wireless use just completely cuts out that problem.
These JBLs are also really affordable compared to some of the bigger gaming brands out and frankly, there’s not a whole lot of difference.
8. Best headphones for travel: Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless
The MOMENTUM 4 from Sennheiser is basically designed for travel.
On top of Sennheiser’s signature audiophile-inspired acoustic system, there’s a host of features that make these ready-made for long-distance adventures.
If you need to listen to the in-flight safety briefing or hear the next stop on the train, just activate the Transparency Mode at a touch to hear outside sounds without removing your headphones. The cushioned earpads and low-friction hinge ensure comfort and minimal pressure on your head for extended wearing.
A whopping up to 60-hour battery life will last you more than your flight, even when it’s inevitably delayed.
The MOMENTUM 4 is designed to be brought on the road, with a lightweight design and a carry case.
You also score them for 14% off right now at Sennheiser.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF NOISE CANCELLING?
There are three forms of noise-cancelling headphones.
Passive noise cancellation is essentially, covering your ears. Headphones, earmuffs, or the classic hands over your ears screaming ‘la la la’ – anything that physically blocks outside sound is considered passive noise cancellation.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) uses microphones to detect and cancel out incoming sound waves from the noise around you. Once the microphones detect the sound, they create sound waves that counteract the noise and block it out.
Adaptive noise cancellation also uses microphones to detect exterior noise but is constantly adjusting audio blocking in real time based on your environment.