To many people around the world,” Swiss” is a mark of quality. This label has come to be associated with excellence, precision, high-quality, and luxury. Some of the things that come to mind include chocolates, banks, knives and, of course, watches.

If you know your watches, you’re aware that the Swiss make excellent timepieces. Their reputation for producing many of the world’s finest watches has made them a strong contender for the title of the best watchmakers in the world, though many fans of Japanese watches will argue otherwise. But however strong the competition from the east, the Swiss have consistently proven that their rich history, high-precision workmanship, and overall sophistication have cemented their place as the unsurpassed masters in watchmaking.

Here are the 18 best swiss watches for men.

The word ‘levitation’ often conjures images of witches and wizards…maybe even exorcisms. However, magic isn’t the only way to make levitation happen! Opposing magnets can make items levitate as well — it’s aptly called magnetic levitation (or maglev). Today, we’re sharing a maglev gadget called the Volta Lightbulb with you.

It’s an exciting blend of science and contemporary design. Utilizing magnets, Volta creates an electromagnetic field that causes an LED shatter-proof lightbulb to levitate and spin above a wooden base. Volta makes an excellent gift; it is a beautiful adornment for your home office desk, office space, or home. It also provides warm and inviting light in whatever area it occupies.

Volta’s Design

Volta’s design is a blend of elegance and practicality. LED lights in the bulb itself will help keep electricity costs down — this device won’t skyrocket your electric bill.

The bulb is reinforced, durable, and shatter-proof, and it protects contact wires that are ten times stronger than that of a regular lightbulb.

Opposing magnets housed in the dark wooden base make the bulb float in midair and cause it to spin, putting on a mesmerizing show for any viewer.

Let’s Get Started

First, you’ll need to plug Volta into an outlet. A simple tap on the button in the corner of the wooden base turns it on. To get started, hold the lightbulb about an inch above the base until it feels balanced, then slowly release your grip.

It may take a few tries before you master the technique and maglev science takes over. But once it does, it’ll be the perfect distraction during boring phone meetings or a great way to procrastinate that dreaded report.

If you’ve got the ideal home for Volta, you can pick up yours for $99 (a massive discount off the regular MSRP of $349) via the Floately website. Reviewers rave about what a fun and unique housewarming gift this is. There’s bound to be someone on your list who’d love Volta — even if that person is you!

Purchase

You walk up to the coffee aisle of the grocery store, and your heart drops. Your choices are the same coffee grounds your grandpa runs through a coffee maker twice your age or a pound of boutique coffee that costs more than you make in an hour. All you want is a smooth, approachable coffee to start your morning off right, but you care about things like quality, environmentalism, and fair wages. Is it possible to put your money where your mouth is while catering to your tastebuds? Consider Onyx Coffee Lab’s Southern Weather coffee, which the roaster proclaims as its “house blend” due to its balance of citrusy acidity and full-bodied chocolate notes.

Onyx Coffee Lab brings sustainably-grown coffee to its solar-powered roasteries for a coffee process that will make the next generation proud. And although 10 ounces may run $16, Onyx brings such transparency and authenticity to the coffee scene that you’ll gladly hand over that cash for their goods.

Origins and Flavors of Southern Weather Coffee

The coffee beans in the Southern Weather blend hail from Columbia and Ethiopia. Onyx is unique in that it begins with a specific flavor profile and searches for its beans accordingly. Take Southern Weather, for instance — the taste of washed Columbian and Ethiopian beans, grown at 6,000 feet of elevation, brought Onyx just what it wanted.

Milk chocolate, plum, candied walnuts, and juicy citrus finish to leave you perky and ready to get on with your day. Columbian beans are known for their caramelly sweetness and nutty undertones, which brings forth the sweet and earthy notes in this wonderous blend. Ethiopian beans are notable for their sensitive notes — the delicate, floral, mild, and tranquil flavors bring forth Southern Weather’s plum-like character. Combined, sweet and silky flavors like chocolate spring forth, while the mixture of acidities brings on the bright finish.

What’s so great about this house blend is its ability to stand on its own or blend well with milk — dairy and non-dairy alike. Southern Weather is the sort of coffee you might find your local barista pulling from behind the bar. Balanced and capable, this is the coffee flavor your mornings have been missing.

Sustainability and Transparency

Incredible taste aside, Onyx is all about sustainability. The company’s environmentalism defines its own principles and contacts the coffee industry as a whole. It uses compostable, plant-based mailing bags that are durable enough to withstand the rigors of the postal service. Its entire roasting and production area is solar-powered and uses a roaster that reduces its natural gas usage by more than 60%. Finally, Onyx takes maximum precautions to source only sustainably-grown beans, believing that sustainable coffee is quality coffee.

Alongside sustainability, Onyx commits to transparency. Ever wonder why specialty coffee can seem so expensive? To make its price tags understandable to consumers, Onyx simply displays its balance sheet. Cost items include the Fair Trade price (which Onyx doubles), production expenses, and green coffee bean expenses (which cover ethical coffee purchases). For instance, a quick website review shows that a 10-ounce bag of Southern Weather costs Onyx a total of $8.47 and retails at $16.

 Get Your Own Bag of Southern Weather Coffee

Onyx offers four different purchase options for Southern Weather. A 4-ounce bag goes for $10, while 10 ounces costs $16. Two pounds will run you $42, or you can get 5 pounds for $90. And if you just can’t get enough of the balmy and brilliant Southern Weather, you can subscribe to a new delivery every week (or month) and save 5% on each order.

Occasionally a watch comes along that co-opts the mechanics or look from an adjacent world and totally changes the design landscape. Klokers has done such a thing with a slide-rule inspired timepiece, the Klok-01 Minimal Watch.

The Klok-01 Minimal Watch is an incredibly unique layout. This medium-width watch offers just timekeeping — no bells or whistles. However, it delivers the hours, minutes, and seconds in a way that you must see to appreciate. Some may find it hard to read. Others may rise to the challenge. Let’s take a closer look and see if this mathematically-inspired wristwatch adds up to your needs.

Klok-01 Watch: Minimal Meets Disc

Disc watches aren’t necessarily a new concept, we’ve seen plenty of timepieces utilizing the rotating disks that seem to float inside the watch face, intermixed with each other. The interplay between the disks is where the magic lies — at any given moment, their organization can appear unique.

A great watch designer using this principle has to be certain that no matter where the interlocking rings sit throughout a 24-hour period, the design is clean, pleasing to the eye, and of course, understandable.

Part Technical

On the Klok-01 the outermost ring of the face indicates the current hour on a 12-hour timescale. Three hash marks indicate 15-minute periods between the hours. This design is convenient: even if you don’t need the exact time, a quick glance at this ring will give you a ballpark idea of where you are within the hour. Hold your gaze a moment longer, and the minute hand appears in stark contrast.

One concentric ring further in, the minutes tick away. Every fifth minute, you encounter a numeral denominating the time. A medial hashmark indicates the precise minute. Much like the hour ring, the playful contrast between the minute numerals and hash marks makes for quick work of orienting yourself in time without having to study too long. But if you have that extra moment, the innermost wheel denoting the seconds comes into view.

Drilling down all the way to the second hand, you quickly notice that Klokers has gone so far as to include half-second marks throughout this ring. While it seems cool, you have to remember that this watch’s movement mechanism is quartz, so the second hand is not in continuous motion, only ticking to the next stop every second.

Part Playful

It takes a minute for your brain to latch onto this upside-down reality, but the disks in the interior of the Klok-01 rotate backward. It seems weird, but it makes a lot of sense when you think about it. Imagine a watch on your wrist with traditional hour and minute hands. Instead of those hands moving to indicate the time, the dial below them rotates to show the time of day. Obviously, the disk has to turn counterclockwise to meet the hands as the day wears on. So too do all of the interior disks of the KLOK-01, a rather cheeky little feature that helps this unique timepiece stand out beyond the rest of the normal watch types.

Totally Unique

Great minimalist watches typically do not have a design inspired by auto racing, aeronautics, or sports. Their sleek design and scant features attract suitors who know that one must remove and not add adornments to pursue a minimal aesthetic and high function.

As is the norm with watches the timepiece and strap are interchangeable. What’s unique about the Klok-01 in this regard is the watch itself slides on and off the strap via a little docking station. This tiny piece of the hardware remains on the strap full time, but the watch face slides off with the click of a button. The final effect resembles an old-timey pocket watch, only smaller.

Klok-01 Watch Recap

At just 44 millimeters in width, this minimalist watch is in the midrange for size, packs a lot of character, and surprises with a reasonable price point of $645 MSRP. Just make sure you know how to use a real slide rule. In case someone presents you with the challenge, you can’t have the watch inspired by math’s past processor without knowing how to use one. Just don’t ask us; we don’t know either.

Purchase

The Royal Line

The name ‘Tudor’ inspires majestic, royal thoughts almost instantaneously. As one of the most famous English rulers, the Tudors have secured their place in history with just their surname. Since 1926, Tudor watches have inspired the same admiration and awe with their beautiful, timeless designs. In the 1950s, Tudor began using the word royal to describe their upgraded watch designs.

Thankfully, the Tudor Royal offers a range of automatic sport-chic watches with integrated bracelets that are far more affordable than good ol’ Henry VIII is willing to admit. Tudor takes its characteristic notched polished-and-grooved bezel and adds beautiful luxury details that would impress a king — like diamond hour markers, woven gold with stainless steel, and striking metallic dials.

Options on Options

The Royal line comes in stainless steel or gold and stainless steel and is offered in 4 sizes with 9 possible dials. That means there’s a Royal dress watch out there for everyone. Blue, steel, silver, black, diamond-set, and yellow gold comprise your dial options, as well as the accents available around the clock face (aka, alternating bezel colors) and interwoven along with the stainless steel bracelet band. Classically, the Royal line uses Roman numerals to tell the hour, but other options inlay diamonds as hour markers or mother of pearl for a softer, more chic look.

With 52 variations of watches, you’re sure to find the perfect combination that reflects your impeccable taste, your budget, and your style. The Royal line may be purchased in four sizes to fit a wide variety of aristocratic (or simply stylish) wrists. The larger, 41-millimeter diameter option also displays the day of the week and the date (but only the day number, not the month nor year). These watches are calibrated to a 2834 movement and are waterproof to 330 feet (or 100 meters).

The Tudor Royal Watch Price

Out of 52 possible variations, we couldn’t possibly list all of the prices in this streamlined article. However, we can tell you that each Tudor Royal watch ranges between $2,150 and $3,925. In the realm of luxury sport-chic watches, that’s a deal you won’t have to sell the castle to afford.

Tudor watches can be purchased at licensed shops across the nation. Find your closest retailer on the Tudor website, and feel like a king with your new Royal timepiece.

The future is fraught with risk, and the least of them is coming from the sky, piloted by someone who has a few hundred bucks and a bone to pick with you. Fortunately, Paladyne, a Silicon Valley-based tech firm has created the E1000MP drone jammer.

Many top security experts expect drones to play a significant role in warfare in the coming years. We’re not talking about the Predator drone-type sky stalkers; we’re talking about consumer-style rotary drones modified to fit a single-use purpose. In 2018 a swarm of drones shut down the runway at London’s Gatwick airport, grounding hundreds of flights that had ripple effects worldwide. Since then, a number of attacks have plagued private businesses, major transportation systems, and ground warfare.

Can the Paladyne E1000MP drone jammer help you blast the next incoming drone out of the sky? Let’s take a look.

How the Paladyne Drone Jammer Works

A drone is launched from an undisclosed location not far from the space you are trying to protect. You fire up the Paladyne E1000MP and if the offending air invader is within a kilometer of your current location you have a few options. The drone jammer’s omnidirectional antenna setting will allow you to scramble the reception the pilot is relying on simply.

But you want to take the protection a step further so you activate the ‘return home’ function. This tactic ensures that not only does the drone evacuate your airspace but you can track it as it returns to its pilot. Risk averted and offender safely detained, your airspace is now safe.

The Paladyne drone jammer system is small and portable. A base unit that measures slightly smaller than a briefcase sits next to you. In your hand is a gun-like device that you hold and point at the offending flying object. This pistol-style handheld is mountable to a riffle for added aiming leverage, or it can fly solo for easy transport.

Price and Availability

With the drone market currently valued at $42.8 billion dollars and estimated to double in the next 4 years, if you have private airspace it’s hard not to imagine needing something like the Paladyne E1000MP.

At the time of publishing, Drone Defence, maker of the Paladyne E1000MP drone jammer, has not released a price, but if you’re serious about your security, fill out the contact form on their site and they’ll follow up with more information.

Picture yourself screaming through England’s Lake District in the fastest SUV ever produced on the island. Rugged peaks fly by as you zoom down a winding road at 195 mph. The beautiful landscape becomes a blur of green, white, and blues as you mash the accelerator to the floor, and the supercharged v8 engine roars with vitality. Your dream can become a reality in the Lister Stealth — Britain’s fastest SUV.

A Brief History

Lister is Britain’s oldest racing company. In the mid-1950s, the company shared a fuel sponsor with Jaguar. When Jaguar ran into financial trouble and couldn’t field a car for the 1957 racing season, brilliant minds at Shell-Mex BP pitched a crazy idea: marry the power of a Jaguar engine and transmission to the performance and engineering of a Lister chassis. The car, dubbed the Lister-Jaguar, performed well, and history was made. Lister has been tuning Jaguars ever since.

Stealth Doesn’t Mean Quiet

The Jaguar F-Pace SVR is the platform for the Lister Stealth and is a powerful vehicle with clean lines and impressive chops in its own right. However, the two are distinctly different animals. Lister’s updates to the 5,000cc supercharged V8 deliver a staggering 666bhp — 22% more power than you’ll find under the SVR’s hood and plenty to wake up the neighbors!

Jaguar’s engines and transmissions are already renowned for their capability. Lister captures that tradition and adapts it to world-class performance. You want duel supercharged pulleys? You got ’em. Custom intercoolers? You bet. A performance air filtration system? But of course!

It all adds up to an incredible driving machine. Put the accelerator on the floor and hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. But why stop there? You can push this beast of a vehicle all the way up to 195 mph — just don’t call us when the British fuzz pulls you over. (Hopefully, they’ll just give you an admiring wave as you flash by on your way to the local pub for fish and chips.)

A 21-gallon gas tank ensures the Stealth will go the distance, from short jaunts down to the corner shop to cross-country road trips. But keep an eye on the fuel gauge — that supercharged v8 is going to guzzle some gas!

Exterior

Thoughtful exterior design elements add to a unique look and aid in crucial performance tuning. Observe the stainless steel quad-exhaust system, complete with carbon fiber tips. Check out the side skirts, the custom carbon diffuser, and the carbon front bumper. The bumper facilitates air cooling and aerodynamics, both of which are critical for such a large vehicle that reaches such impressive speeds.

The eye-catching 23-inch alloy wheels and standard lowered suspension are perfect for those evening street cruises. Need to explore roads less traveled? No problem. Lister’s got you covered with its promise to adjust your Stealth’s suspension according to your specific driving needs.

Interior

Just like the rest of the vehicle, the Stealth’s interior is designed to satisfy. Lister uses only the finest, most luxurious leathers, fabrics, and finishing materials to curate an impeccable experience. The racing-inspired bucket seats feature supple Bridge of Weir Nappa leather, as do the steering wheel, console, and dashboard. Tasteful stitching traces the contours. Lister shows off a palette in rich, glossy black with neon green stitching and accents on its website, but you don’t have to go neon-Batman if you don’t want to: Lister offers a choice between 36 leather colors and 90 stitching options.

With so much opportunity for customization, you can all but guarantee no one will be jetting around in a Lister Stealth quite like yours.

The Buy

The Lister Stealth starts at $143,435. Lister invites you to make a purchase inquiry on their website, but our advice is to hurry: the Stealth is on a limited production run. Only 100 of these exceptional machines will be built!

Purchase

An adventurous soul still needs to know the time; how better to keep track than with the heart of a recycled Land Rover sitting on your wrist? The RNR Collection from REC — which stands for “Road Not Required” — combines the British icon of freedom with the classic look of a beautiful Swiss-made watch. The idea came from the feeling every time you get behind the wheel of a rugged adventure vehicle and take off on roads untraveled.

REC worked with Land Rover aficionados, entrepreneurs, and artists to obtain old pieces of the vehicle model to create a limited run of beautiful, unique watch dials. There’s the Beachrunner, which brings ocean-side surfing vibes. The Defender-inspired R.O.C.K. Fighter brings about a desert-possessed aesthetic that makes you yearn for roadless adventures. Bring the soul of a classic British icon to the beauty of a REC watch and find your own adventure.

Beach Runner – $1795

The 2018-released RNR Beachrunner is REC’s first-ever Swiss-made watch with a dial hand-made from the roof of the classic Land Rover Series III owned by Daniel Espirito Santo out of Portugal. In an effort to combine the timelessness of REC watches with the classic spirit of Britain’s Icon, the RNR Beachrunner is a ruggedly beautiful representation of freedom on the road.

What we love about the design is the coordination between timepiece and over-land vehicle. The bezel took the aesthetic of the spare tire mount upon the hood (which the crown protector emanates). The powerful front end grill provides the crown protector with its stark horizontal lines. The inner bezel sports the same five-bolt pattern as the Land Rover uses for their wheels, while the color scheme reflects the heart of the 1981 Series III.

The body of the watch is made from 316L stainless steel with top glass sapphire crystal with multilayer anti-reflective coating. It comes with a laser-engraved and deeply-etched case, back, and crown, as well. The dial is handcrafted aluminum cut directly from Santo’s 1981 “Beachrunner,” a Land Rover Series III. The strap is constructed from black rubber with a 20-millimeter buckle.

The dial is controlled by a self-winding mechanical lever. It ticks at 4 Hz with an accuracy of ∓ 12 seconds and keeps 38 hours of power reserve. The crown measures 40 millimeters in diameter, stands 10 millimeters off of your wrist, and weighs only 110 grams.

This collection is limited to only 552 pieces worldwide, which speaks to its authenticity — that was exactly the amount of material that the Beachrunner roof could provide this design. Paying homage to the strict lines of the famous Land Rover body and curve of the classic tires,  the Beachrunner will impress whoever checks out your timepiece.

R.O.C.K. Fighter – $1795

The R.O.C.K. Fighter dial is handcrafted from the door of a 2003 Land Rover Defender owned by German off-road explorer, Michael Ortner. This specific Land Rover was Ortner’s tool to climb steep mountain ranges and cross vast creeks from Sardinia to Corsica, to Iceland and Morocco.

Rather than discarding the old left-hand door, Ortner worked with REC to recycle the aluminum into a rough-and-tumble watch design. The punched and lacquered recycled watch dials to showcase the dents and scrapes of  adventures absorbed in the Defender’s 17 years — more most Land Rovers see in their entire lifetimes.

As one of REC’s RNR watch designers, Thomas Funder, says, “Capturing the iconic design trademarks of the Land Rover while designing a timepiece that can completely stand on its own was no easy task.” The R.O.C.K. Fighter incorporates multiple aspects of the Defender design: the watch strap reflects the cargo-holding hood strap, the five-bolt pattern of the wheels are reflected in the stamped case back of the watch (which is directly taken from the checkered plates of the vehicle), and the dial is reminiscent of a navigational compass.

The body of the watch is extremely similar to the Beachrunner, but with a few key differences: the stainless steel case is sandblasted with vertical brushes, polished surfaces, and a rubber bezel. The desert canvas and black leather strap offer a laid-back adventurous aesthetic to complement the Defender style. The metal dial of the Defender offers a different look than the Beachrunner.

The R.O.C.K. Fighter is limited to 463 pieces, as the door of the Defender offered a very finite amount of material with which to work.

The RNR Watch – Built to Last

Both RNR watches offer a 2-year, full warranty, and free worldwide shipping. You can also choose your serial number from the 552 or 463 pieces available, but you also have 30 days to return any watch if it doesn’t completely mesh with your adventurous spirit.

With the best headphones for travel and commute, you can shut off the world around you and listen to music in peace, whether you are traveling by airplane or commuting via bus or train. From over-ear headphones to truly wireless earphones, the products listed here are the best options if you are shopping for commute and travel headphones. Almost all of them feature active noise cancellation (ANC) technology for better noise isolation.

The Best Headphones for Travel and Commute

Best Over-ear Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM3

If you prefer the all-around usefulness of over-ear headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM3 are the best headphones for travel and commute. Regarded as some of the best noise-canceling headphones out on the market, they are perfect for blocking out ambient noise in crowded places like airports and public transport hubs. You can get them for around $350, which puts them in the same price range as the Bose QuietComfort 35 II and the Beats Studio3.

The WH-1000XM3 are wireless headphones with closed-back ear cups. They are lightweight and are comfortable to wear for long hours, though their bulky design might suggest otherwise. Their build quality is great and feels more premium than that of the QuietComfort 35 II. Their headband and ear cups are both well-padded and durable. Their overall aesthetic is clean and minimalist, allowing for a more low-profile look.

Although they are not as compact and portable as other types of headphones, the WH-1000XM3 are easy to carry for travel and commute. Like many modern headphones, they fold into a more compact form, allowing them to take less space in your bag. They also include a hard case, which offers better protection against physical damage than a soft pouch.

With the on-cup touch controls, you can easily manage your calls and music, adjust the volume, and activate your voice assistant while on the move. You can also toggle between ANC and ambient modes and quickly switch to attention mode – which automatically lowers the volume and disables the ANC – by covering the right ear cup with your hand. You can map the controls using the companion app if you prefer a custom control scheme.

For accessories, the WH-1000XM3 include an airplane adapter and a 3.5 mm analog audio cable for switching to wired mode, along with the charging cable and the aforementioned hard case. Both the airplane adapter and the audio cable are convenient for frequent travelers; the latter is useful if you forget to charge your headphones overnight before a particularly long flight.

The WH-1000XM3 are good-sounding headphones that sound consistent, with good bass and mid-range performance. Compared to their chief rival, the QuietComfort 35 II, they don’t sound as good out of the box. But on the plus side, their sound profile is more customizable using the companion app, allowing you to modify their sound to your liking. Their integrated mic is also decent and performs well even in moderately noisy places.

Whether you are traveling by airplane, bus, or train, you can count on the WH-1000XM3 for blocking out background noise. Their ANC is one of the best in the business and can effectively block ambient noise like the sound of airplane and bus engines and chatter in public transport. Furthermore, their sound leakage is low, allowing you to turn the music volume up without disturbing other commuters and travelers.

Regarding battery life, the WH-1000XM3 are impressive. They can last up to 30 hours per charge in wireless mode with ANC enabled. That’s more than good enough for long flights and commutes and extended layovers. They also charge fast, with 10 minutes of charging already providing five hours of playback, allowing for quick charges at the airport between flights. If the headphones run out of battery mid-flight or while commuting, you can simply switch to wired mode using the provided audio cable.

Overall, the WH-1000XM3 are well worth their $350 price. They are some of the best noise-canceling headphones for travel and commute. They are comfortable to wear continuously for long hours, feature user-friendly on-cup controls, and offer excellent noise isolation. Their build quality, battery life, and app support are all great, while their portability is decent for over-ear headphones.

$348

Best Truly Wireless Earphones: Apple AirPods Pro

Nothing beats truly wireless earphones in portability. They are a lot easier to carry than over-ear and on-ear headphones and are even more compact than neckband headphones. If truly wireless earphones are your preferred audio equipment for travel and commute, check out the Apple AirPods Pro.

They are more versatile than the AirPods 2, with their ANC making them more suitable for travel and commute. While they look similar to the AirPods 2, their design is notably different. They still have the familiar stem extending from the earbuds, but instead of open-back, they are closed-back earphones with a typical in-ear fit. They are comfortable to wear for long hours, with Apple including three different pairs of silicone ear tips to choose from.

A pair of IPX4-rated earphones, the AirPods Pro are extremely compact and lightweight, making them easy to carry in your pocket. Their build quality is great and feels premium. They stay securely in your ears despite their lack of ear hooks and stability fins. They are much more breathable than over-ear and on-ear headphones since they don’t cover or press on your ears at all.

The AirPods Pro have a responsive and user-friendly control scheme, with both earbuds featuring force sensors. You get essential functions like track skipping and call management. You can also activate Siri and disable the ANC. Unlike with some truly wireless earphones – like the Beats Powerbeats Pro and the Jaybird Vista – there are no physical buttons on each earbud.

Like the earphones themselves, the included charging case is extremely compact and looks premium. It measures 2.4 inches wide, 1.8 inches tall, and 0.9 inches thin, making it more compact than most charging cases. It is just as lightweight and portable as the earphones and has a secure lid. It supports Qi wireless charging and holds additional charges to extend the total battery life, which is useful for long flights.

While their sound quality is inconsistent and varies among users, the AirPods Pro are decent-sounding earphones that are suitable for listening to music, audiobooks, and podcasts. They have an excellent wireless range and seamlessly pair with Apple devices. You don’t get a dedicated app for customizing the earphones, though, which is disappointing but not a deal-breaker.

Compared to the open-back AirPods 2, the AirPods Pro are much better at noise isolation. Their passive in-ear seal and ANC allow them to block a significant amount of ambient noise like the sound of bus and airplane engines. They are great at canceling the sound of chatter at airports and public transport hubs. Their sound leakage is also minimal even at higher volumes, which is beneficial for your fellow commuters.

One of the most notable weaknesses of the AirPods Pro is their mediocre single-charge battery life, which is a common issue among truly wireless earphones. They can run up to only four hours and 30 minutes per charge with ANC enabled and the volume set to 50 percent. The good news is that the charging case, as mentioned, holds additional charges. With the additional charges, you can get more than 24 hours of total battery life, which is great.

If you prefer truly wireless earphones due to their unmatched portability, the AirPods Pro are the best headphones for travel and commute. They have a comfortable in-ear fit, a decent control scheme, an extremely compact charging case, and an IPX4 rating for sweat resistance. Their noise isolation is one of the best for their type of headphones, but on the other hand, they are not as customizable as some competing products.

$249

Best Neckband Headphones: Sony WI-1000X

Of the best neckband headphones on the market, the Sony WI-1000X are the most suitable for travel and commute, edging out the more popular Bose QuietControl 30 by a slim margin. They are better-built and more customizable and include an airplane adapter and an audio cable. They are just as pricey as the Bose headphones, though, normally selling for almost $300.

The WI-1000X are noise-canceling headphones with a typical in-ear fit and an actual solid neckband, which separates them from other behind-the-neck headphones like the Jaybird Tarah Pro. They are available in two colors (black and gold) and include multiple ear tip sizes, allowing you to choose the best fit for your ears. They have thin audio cables that extend from the neckband, with their smart cable management making for a cleaner setup.

Like other in-ear headphones and earbuds, the WI-1000X have a breathable design that makes them comfortable to use for long hours. They are quite stable and don’t easily pop out of your ears despite lacking stability fins. They are easy to carry due to their compact and lightweight design and can be simply worn around your neck when not in use, which is convenient.

An airplane adapter and an analog audio cable are included in the box, along with a soft pouch and the charging cable. The audio cable is especially notable, as neckband headphones usually can’t be used in wired mode. You can connect the audio cable to pretty much any device that supports a 3.5 mm analog plug, either natively or with an adapter.

The controls are located on the neckband itself. They are easy to use, with the buttons providing decent tactile feedback. Using the neckband controls, you can easily manage your calls and music, adjust the volume, and disable the ANC while walking, with no need to take out your smartphone.

Optimized for Google Assistant, the WI-1000X are good-sounding for neckband headphones, with their companion app allowing you to customize their sound profile. They support NFC for faster pairing and are compatible with both iOS and Android devices. While their integrated mic is surprisingly decent, there are neckband headphones that offer better mic performance.

From the sound of airplane engines to ambient chatter in public transport, the WI-1000X are great at blocking out unwanted noise. Their noise isolation performance is one of the best among neckband headphones. Their sound leakage is also low even at higher volumes, preventing your loud music from disturbing your fellow commuters and travelers.

The WI-1000X have a much longer battery life per charge than the Apple AirPods Pro – one of the most notable advantages of neckband headphones over truly wireless earphones. They can last up to 10 hours in wireless mode with ANC enabled and up to 13 hours with ANC disabled. Their battery life with ANC increases to 14 hours while in wired mode, which is great for particularly long flights and road trips. On the other hand, their fast-charge feature is not as good as that of other wireless headphones, with 15 minutes of charging only providing 70 minutes of playback.

On the whole, the WI-1000X are recommended noise-canceling headphones if you prefer neckband headphones for travel and commute. Their noise isolation, build quality, app support, and battery life are all great. Their controls and sound quality are both good, while their integrated mic is decent. They are not the most budget-friendly neckband headphones, though.

$298

Best On-ear Headphones: Beats Solo Pro

The Beats Solo Pro are more suitable for travel and commute than the older Solo3, with their ANC and better noise isolation being the biggest reason for that. They are wireless on-ear headphones that are available in different colors, including black, red, and light blue. They are significantly more expensive than the Solo3, selling for $300.

A pair of closed-back headphones, the Solo Pro have a stylish design that stands out, similar to the Solo3 and the Studio3. Their build quality is great and feels premium. They are noticeably bulkier than most on-ear headphones, appearing to be over-ear headphones at first glance. They are lightweight and breathable and have well-padded ear cups, but they are not as comfortable for long listening sessions as other on-ear headphones due to their very tight fit.

Like the Solo3, the Solo Pro fold into a more compact form, allowing them to take less space when stored in your bag. While they are not as compact and portable as other on-ear headphones, they are not too cumbersome to carry for daily commute despite their bulkier design. A soft case is included in the box for storage, which is a bit disappointing since many similarly priced headphones come with a sturdier hard case instead.

The Solo Pro have a user-friendly on-cup control scheme featuring the essential functions. You get controls for calls, music, and volume, along with a dedicated ANC button. You can turn on/off the headphones by unfolding/folding them, allowing you to quickly switch them on/off without fumbling for a small button on the ear cups.

Although they are not recommended for professional use, the Solo Pro are good-sounding headphones with a fairly balanced audio reproduction. They are consistent and are suitable for different music genres, including punk rock, reggae, hip hop, and heavy metal. They seamlessly pair with Apple devices and boast an excellent wireless range. However, unlike many other wireless headphones, they lack a full-fledged companion app for customization.

As mentioned, the Solo Pro are better than the Solo3 regarding noise isolation. They do a decent job blocking out the sound of airplane and bus engines. Moreover, they block a great amount of ambient chatter, whether you are at the airport or in a public transport terminal. Their sound leakage is also low, which is notable for on-ear headphones and is beneficial for people around you.

Regarding battery life, the Solo Pro are just as good as the Studio3. They can last up to 22 hours per charge while in wireless mode with ANC enabled and up to 40 hours with both ANC and transparency mode disabled. Their fast-charge feature allows them to gain three hours of playback after just 10 minutes of charging. Sadly, they don’t include an audio cable for switching to wired mode when the battery is low, which is disappointing for $300 headphones.

The Solo Pro are some of the most expensive on-ear headphones on the market. But if you prefer noise-canceling on-ear headphones for commute and travel, they are the best option currently out. Their build quality, control scheme, battery life, and noise isolation are all great. They are good for all-around use, but they are not as comfortable to wear for long hours as other on-ear headphones.

$300

Best Budget Headphones Under $100: Anker SoundCore Space NC

Selling for less than $100, the Anker SoundCore Space NC are a more affordable alternative to the popular Sony WH-1000XM3. They are wireless over-ear headphones featuring a closed-back design and ANC for better noise isolation. While not as customizable and good-sounding as the Sony product, they offer good value for the money and are suitable for commute and travel.

The Space NC are well-built headphones with memory foam padding and a nice metallic finish on their plastic ear cups. They are lightweight and are comfortable to wear despite their bulky design and tight clamp. While they are not as breathable, they are much better for long listening sessions than the Beats Solo Pro, making them more suitable for long flights.

For a pair of bulky over-ear headphones, the Space NC are quite portable and not too cumbersome to carry for commute and travel. They fold into a more compact form for easy storage and include a hard case, embarrassing some high-end headphones that merely include a soft case or pouch. Their ear cups also swivel, which makes them easy to wear around your neck when not in use.

With their responsive and user-friendly on-cup controls, the Space NC allow for easy call and music management and volume adjustment while on the go. The control scheme is composed of a touch surface and physical buttons. In addition to the essential functions, you can also disable the ANC and activate your voice assistant using the on-cup controls.

Regarding audio reproduction, the Space NC are not bad, but they have a bass-heavy sound profile than some will not like. You can’t modify the sound profile to your liking, as there is no companion app for customization. On the bright side, they have a decent integrated mic and a good wireless range and easily pair with both iOS and Android smartphones.

Their battery life is also good. With both Bluetooth and ANC enabled, they can last up to 20 hours per charge, which is good enough for long flights and commutes. When in wired mode, their battery lasts up to an incredible 50 hours with ANC enabled, according to Anker. You can also still use them as regular wired over-ear headphones when the battery is fully depleted, which can’t be said for some wireless headphones.

The Space NC have good noise isolation, blocking out the sound of chatter and airplane engines in an effective manner. You can increase the music volume to further reduce background noise at particularly crowded or very noisy environments. You don’t need to worry about disturbing nearby people with your loud music because the headphones also have low sound leakage.

If you are limited to a $100 budget for noise-canceling headphones, check out the Space NC. They are easy to use and are comfortable to wear for long flights and commutes. They have good noise isolation, on-cup controls, build quality, and battery life, and their mic performance and portability are both decent. They offer good value for the money and are some of the best noise-canceling headphones under $100.

$99

Best Cheap Headphones: Aukey Latitude

The Aukey Latitude are sports headphones that are also great for travel and commute. They are wireless in-ear headphones with a behind-the-neck cable and an inline remote. They sell for around $30, making them even more affordable than the Anker SoundCore Space NC. While their build quality is not as rugged and premium as more high-end sports headphones, their noise isolation is great, which is impressive for headphones without ANC.

Featuring stability fins for a more secure fit, the Latitude have an all-black color scheme that makes for a more discreet look. Their overall build quality is decent for budget headphones, with their IPX4 rating meaning they are protected against sweat. Their earpieces are magnetic, which allows for easy cable management. There are different ear tip and stability fin sizes included in the box, giving you the chance to mix and match individual units for the best fit for your ears.

Like other types of in-ear headphones, the Latitude are very compact and lightweight and are much more portable than regular over-ear and on-ear headphones. Unlike the Sony WI-1000X, which have a less flexible neckband, they will easily fit in most pockets due to their extremely compact design. A soft pouch is included in the box, which is a plus since cheap headphones don’t usually come with any form of container.

The Latitude have a small inline remote for controls. You can use the remote for managing your calls and music and adjusting the volume. You can also use the multi-function button to cycle between the three preset sound profiles. Unlike with some budget headphones, the control scheme is easy to use and doesn’t feel cheaply implemented, with the buttons providing decent tactile feedback.

Performance-wise, the Latitude are decent overall. Their audio reproduction is surprisingly decent for cheap headphones, with good bass performance. You can use them for listening to music, audiobooks, podcasts, and other media. Their inline mic is also decent for phone calls even in a moderately loud environment, which is a big plus for some people. On the other hand, they lack a dedicated app for customization.

With their incredibly effective in-ear seal, the Latitude are good at passively blocking out ambient noise like airport chatter and the sound of bus engines. They are even better than some noise-canceling headphones selling for a much higher price. Their sound leakage is also minimal, allowing you to increase the volume to further block background noise without disturbing people around you.

The Latitude can run up to eight hours on a single charge, which should be good enough for most people for daily commuting. However, compared to some of the best neckband headphones, their battery life is a bit shorter. On the plus side, they charge fast, only requiring around one hour and 30 minutes to be fully recharged.

All in all, the Latitude are highly recommended if you are in the market for cheap headphones that are suitable for travel and commute. They are surprisingly versatile headphones that are also good for office use and sports, which increases their value even more. Their sound quality, mic performance, controls, and build quality are all decent, while their noise isolation and portability are both great.

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More Options

If none of our top picks above are to your liking, check out the products below. All of them are also good headphones for commute and travel. The products include several Bose noise-canceling headphones, which are some of the best in their respective categories. Mpow H10

The Mpow H10 are wireless over-ear headphones featuring ANC for better noise isolation. They are even more affordable than the Anker SoundCore Space NC, selling for around $50-60. They have a bland aesthetic and don’t really stand out. They are comfortable to wear for long hours due to their soft earpads and lightweight frame. Their on-cup controls are decent and include essential functions like call and music management.

While they are not the most portable headphones, the H10 are good for travel and commute. They have an advertised battery life of 30 hours, which is especially beneficial for long flights and layovers. Their noise isolation with ANC enabled is also surprisingly good for budget headphones. They block a good amount of background noise like the sound of chatter and airplane engines. However, they are mediocre are preventing sound from bleeding out, so you’ll need to keep the volume at moderate levels to avoid disturbing fellow commuters and airplane passengers.

PurchaseBose QuietComfort 25

If you don’t really care about wireless connectivity, the Bose QuietComfort 25 are a better buy than the popular QuietComfort 35 II and the Sony WH-1000XM3. They are significantly more affordable and can be bought for less than $150. These headphones under $200 are just as comfortable to wear continuously for long hours as the QuietComfort 35 II, featuring a lightweight frame and soft earpads. Their noise isolation with ANC enabled is also excellent, making them suitable for blocking out ambient noise while commuting and traveling.

A pair of wired over-ear headphones, the QuietComfort 25 are not as big as some over-ear headphones and are quite portable. They are lightweight, fold into a more compact form, and include a hard carry case for a more secure container. Their audio cable ends with a regular 3.5 mm analog plug for universal compatibility with most mobile devices. An airplane adapter is also included in the box, along with an AAA battery for the ANC.

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Amazon Echo Buds

The Amazon Echo Buds are some of the most affordable truly wireless headphones with ANC, selling for $130, which puts them in the same price range as the Samsung Galaxy Buds. They have a stable and breathable in-ear fit, with multiple ear tips and stability fins to choose from. Their build quality is good, with their IPX4 rating meaning they are protected against sweat. Like many other truly wireless headphones, their control scheme is rather limited, but it offers essential functions like call and music management, along with ANC control.

Although these headphones under $150 are not as good as the more premium Apple AirPods Pro, the Echo Buds are great at blocking out background noise – with or without ANC. They will allow you to listen to your music in peace during flights and commutes. And with their minimal sound leakage, you don’t need to worry about disturbing other people with your loud music. Their battery life per charge is short, though, which is a common issue among truly wireless headphones. They can run up to five hours per charge, but with the additional charges in the charging case, you get up to 20 hours of total battery life.

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Microsoft Surface Headphones

Featuring a minimalist but appealing aesthetic, the Microsoft Surface Headphones are a solid pair of wireless over-ear headphones for travel and commute. They are not the most portable, which can be said for many other over-ear headphones, but they are comfortable to wear for long hours and boast good noise isolation performance and low sound leakage. Their battery life is 15 hours per charge, which is decent but not on par with that of other noise-canceling over-ear headphones.

The Microsoft Surface Headphones are well-built headphones that are lightweight and durable. Their tight clamp makes for a more secure fit. One of their highlights is their excellent on-cup control scheme composed of buttons, dials, and touchpads. With the on-cup controls, you can manage your calls and music, adjust the volume and ANC, and mute the mic. They have the most complete control scheme among the best headphones for travel and commute listed in this guide.

For more quality audio devices, check out our selection of the best studio headphones.

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Bose QuietComfort 20

If you still prefer the straightforward design of wired earbuds, check out the Bose QuietComfort 20, which sell for around $250. They are some of the best wired earbuds for travel and commute, with their ANC feature allowing them to block a great deal of ambient noise. They are more comfortable to wear for long hours than typical in-ear headphones and can last up to 16 hours per charge.

With their compact and lightweight design, the QuietComfort 20 are very portable and easy to carry for everyday use. Similar to other Bose earbuds, they have stability fins for a more secure fit. Their audio cable ends with a regular 3.5 mm analog plug for universal compatibility with most devices. A small remote and a separate control module for the ANC are integrated into the long audio cable – both of which are user-friendly and don’t feel cheaply built.

If you would prefer more affordable options, check out our selection of the top cheap earbuds under $20.

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Bose QuietControl 30

The Bose QuietControl 30 are wireless neckband headphones that are great for all-around use. They are more comfortable to use for long hours than typical in-ear headphones, making them more suitable for long flights. They have stability fins for a more secure fit, but the ear tips and the stability fins are a single unit, which means you can’t mix and match different sizes for a customized fit.

Although their neckband is not as flexible as that of other neckband headphones, they are portable and easy to carry for travel and commute, with their hard case protecting them from physical damage when not in use. Their noise isolation with ANC is great and can be easily adjusted using the inline remote, which also allows for basic functions like call and music management. They can last up to 10 hours per charge – a good mark for noise-canceling neckband headphones.

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Sennheiser PXC 550-II

The Sennheiser PXC 550-II are wireless over-ear headphones featuring closed-back ear cups with soft padding. Like all the other over-ear headphones on this list, they are equipped with ANC technology for better noise isolation. They are lightweight and more breathable than most over-ear headphones, making them comfortable to wear for long flights and commutes. They have an efficient and user-friendly control scheme that allows for easy call and music management while on the go.

For commute and travel, the PXC 550-II are better headphones than the original PXC 550. Their noise isolation performance is better, which is important for blocking out ambient noise in crowded places and when traveling by plane or bus. They are also good-sounding headphones that are suitable for most music genres. Their battery life is 30 hours per charge, with the option to switch to wired mode when the battery is low.

You may also be interested in some of these reliable planar magnetic headphones from our list. Check them out.

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Bose QuietComfort 35 II

If you like the Bose QuietComfort 25 but want the convenience of wireless connectivity, consider the QuietComfort 35 II instead. They are wireless over-ear headphones that are just as expensive as the Sony WH-1000XM3, selling for around $350. They are some of the best and most popular noise-canceling headphones on the market, not only for commute and travel but also for office use.

Compared to the WH-1000XM3, the QuietComfort 35 II are better-sounding out of the box and are more comfortable to use continuously for long hours. Their on-cup control scheme is also simpler and easier to use. On the other hand, they are less customizable and have a shorter battery life of 20 hours per charge in wireless mode with ANC enabled. They also leak more sound at higher volumes, so you’ll need to be mindful of your music volume if there are people sitting beside you during flights and train or bus rides.

Here are some of the best-rated semi-open headphones on the market. Check them out.

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Bowers & Wilkins PX

A pair of wireless over-ear headphones, the Bowers & Wilkins PX are premium noise-canceling headphones with excellent noise isolation performance and build quality. With their ANC enabled, they block an incredible amount of ambient noise, from the sound of bus and airplane engines to chatter in crowded places. They have a simple on-cup control scheme and can last up 22 hours per charge in wireless mode with ANC enabled. When used in wired mode with ANC enabled, the battery life increases to 33 hours.

The PX, however, are not the most comfortable headphones for long listening sessions. They have a very tight clamp, especially out of the box. Moreover, they are the least portable among the over-ear headphones in this guide, mainly because they don’t fold into a more compact form. Their soft pouch is also disappointing for such an expensive pair of headphones. But despite their flaws, they are still some of the best headphones for travel and commute and are the best-built among the noise-canceling over-ear headphones listed here.

For long days at work, be sure to check out our selection of the best headphones for office use and pick your favorite pair.

With a $500 budget, you’ll have more options to choose from when shopping for headphones. But it can get confusing real fast due to the number of products on the market, not to mention there are different kinds of headphones to consider, with multiple types in the wireless category alone.

If you are shopping for the best headphones under $500, we got you covered with this guide. In this product guide, you’ll find the top options in different categories, including truly wireless headphones, neckband headphones, and open-back headphones. All the products listed here normally sell for at least $200, with many of them sitting in the $300-400 range.

In case you change your mind about your budget and want to look into more affordable headphones instead, you can check out our separate product guides for the best headphones under $200 and the best budget headphones under $50.

The Best Headphones Under $500

Best Wireless Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM3

The Sony WH-1000XM3 are all-around headphones that are good for commuting, traveling, and office use. In addition to being the best wireless headphones under $500, they are also some of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market. Their overall design and performance are great and better than the similarly priced and popular Bose QuietComfort 35 II, often regarded as their main competition.

A pair of over-ear headphones, the WH-1000XM3 are well-designed headphones featuring closed ear cups and a padded headband. Their build quality is great, though their folding design includes more moving parts that are vulnerable to wear and tear. With their soft earpads and flexible headband that doesn’t feel too tight, they are comfortable to wear for long hours.

For controls, the WH-1000XM3 have a touch-sensitive surface on the right ear cup that recognizes tap and swipe gestures. Using the touchpad, you can manage your calls and music, adjust the volume, and activate your voice assistant. The left ear cup, meanwhile, includes a power button and a dedicated button for switching between active noise cancellation (ANC) and ambient modes. You can customize the on-cup controls using the companion app.

With their lightweight build and foldable ear cups, the WH-1000XM3 are easy to carry for everyday use. They include a hard case for storage, which adds to their overall portability. An airplane adapter and an audio cable are also included, with the former accessory being especially beneficial for frequent travelers. The audio cable, which allows you to still use the headphones passively when their battery is depleted, terminates in a 3.5 mm analog plug for universal compatibility with most mobile devices.

The WH-1000XM3 are good-sounding headphones for general media consumption, with their deep and powerful bass making them suitable for listening to bass-heavy music genres. They support NFC for seamless pairing with compatible devices. Their integrated mic is decent enough for phone calls while their wireless range is great, but they don’t support low-latency codecs. Using the Sony companion app, you can modify some aspects of the headphones, including the sound and the on-cup controls.

From ambient chatter to the sound of airplane engines and air conditioning units, the WH-1000XM3 are excellent at blocking out background noise. This makes them ideal for listening to music at the office and while commuting or traveling. Their sound leakage is also low at moderate volume, which means you won’t disturb nearby people with your loud music. They can last up to 30 hours per charge in wireless mode with ANC enabled and include a modern USB-C charging cable.

Overall, the WH-1000XM3 are excellent headphones for travel and commute that stand out as the best wireless headphones under $500. Their sound quality, on-cup controls, build quality, and app support are good while their battery life and noise isolation are superb. They are highly versatile headphones that are suitable for everyday use, with their lightweight build, foldable ear cups, and hard case making them more portable than many other over-ear headphones.

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Best Truly Wireless Headphones: Sony WF-1000XM3

If you find wireless over-ear headphones too cumbersome to carry for everyday use – even the foldable ones – get the Sony WF-1000XM3 instead. They are truly wireless headphones that are significantly more portable than over-ear and on-ear headphones. Like the WH-1000XM3, which are basically their over-ear counterpart, they are noise-canceling headphones that are suitable for listening to music in the office and while traveling.

The WF-1000XM3 are extremely compact and lightweight headphones with a typical in-ear fit that some might find uncomfortable at first. Their build quality is good and feels premium despite being mostly made of plastic, but they are not as sweat-resistant as sports-oriented truly wireless headphones like the Beats Powerbeats Pro and the Jaybird Vista. While they lack stability fins or hooks, they stay securely in your ears. There are different sizes of silicone and foam ear tips included in the box.

Compared to wired earphones, the WF-1000XM3 are more portable, with their totally cable-free design saving you from having to deal with tangled cables. Their earpieces are compact and will easily fit into most pockets. The included charging case is similarly compact and easy to carry every day and holds additional charges for longer total battery life. A short USB-C cable is also provided for connecting the case to a power source.

Like their over-ear counterpart, the WF-1000XM3 feature touch controls, with the circular panels on the back of their earpieces serving as the touchpads. But considering their smaller touch-sensitive surfaces, their touch controls are more limited. You can use the touch controls to manage your calls and music, activate your voice assistant, and quickly switch between ANC and ambient modes. Unlike with physical buttons, using the touch controls does not cause the ear tips to go further in your ear canals, which can be uncomfortable.

The WF-1000XM3 are some of the best-sounding truly wireless headphones on the market, with their companion app allowing you to modify the sound if their default tuning is not to your liking. They support NFC technology and have a decent integrated mic. They last up to six hours on a single charge, which is decent for truly wireless headphones. Their case holds three additional charges to increase the total battery life to 24 hours.

Regarding sound isolation, the WF-1000XM3 are good. With their ANC and in-ear fit, they are good at blocking out ambient noise, especially if you can get a tight seal with the included ear tips. You can use them for blocking out ambient noise in airports, public transport, and busy offices. Their sound leakage is also low even at high volume, allowing you to listen to loud music without disturbing or annoying the people around you.

All in all, the WF-1000XM3 are the best truly wireless headphones under $500, with their good sound quality and noise isolation and excellent app support separating them from the competition. While they are not the best for sports, they are good for commuting, traveling, and office use. Their build quality, controls, and total battery life are good while their portability even with their charging case factored in is terrific.

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Best Closed Headphones: Shure SRH1540

Suitable for listening to music at home and recording tracks in the studio, the Shure SRH1540 are an excellent pair of closed-back headphones. They are wired over-ear headphones that are recommended for both audiophiles and professionals, with their premium build and good sound quality making them stand out. They are the most expensive product in this guide, selling for almost $500, but they are well worth the money, especially if you want durable headphones that can last several years.

The SRH1540 are good-looking headphones featuring a sturdy metal frame and carbon-fiber-reinforced ear cups. Their sturdy headband, which is connected to the ear cups with metal yokes, has a thin layer of padding coated with artificial leather. Their large ear cups include soft cushions covered with perforated fabric that feels nicer on the skin than artificial leather material. The default audio cable, which ends in a 3.5 mm plug, is detachable, with Shure including an extra audio cable in the box.

Although their bulky design might suggest otherwise, the SRH1540 are comfortable to wear for long hours, which is especially beneficial for studio use. They are surprisingly lightweight despite all their metal parts and don’t feel too tight on the head. Their earpads are spacious and breathable, with enough room to accommodate most ear sizes, while their headband is flexible.

Unlike the Sony WH-1000XM3, the SRH1540 don’t fold into a more compact format, hurting their overall portability. But they do come with a hard case for storage, which makes them a bit easier to carry from one place to another. In addition to the case and the aforementioned extra audio cable, they also include extra earpads and a gold-plated 6.3 mm adapter. Unfortunately, Shure opted for identical audio cables instead of including a shorter cable for mobile use or a coiled cable for studio use.

Enjoyable to use for a variety of music genres, the SRH1540 are good-sounding headphones that sound clear and detailed, with good instrument separation and an impressive soundstage for closed-back headphones. Their bass is controlled, deep, and not too emphasized while their treble is clean and never harsh. Their mid-range is pleasant but slightly recessed while their imaging is good.

The SRH1540 are not ideal for sound mixing and mastering, though. They are better used for recording tracks in the studio. Their sealed ear cups are decent at blocking out background noise passively and prevent the sound leakage from being picked up by your mic while recording. Their lightweight build and comfortable over-ear fit make them suitable for long hours in the studio.

While they are not as versatile as the WH-1000XM3, the SRH1540 are better-built and better-sounding closed headphones that are great for listening to music. They are comfortable to wear for long hours and allow for easy connectivity with most devices with no latency issues. They come with a nice set of accessories that include extra earpads and a hard case for storage.

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Best Open Headphones: Sennheiser HD 600

The Sennheiser HD 600 are some of the best and most popular open-back headphones on the market, with their excellent sound quality being the biggest reason for that. They are wired headphones with an over-ear fit, featuring large ear cups that will easily fit around most ears. With their neutral sound, they are suitable for sound mixing in the studio and simply listening to music at home. You can get them for around $300-400, offering better value for the money than the similarly popular HD 650.

Featuring a detachable audio cable, the HD 600 are bulky headphones with oval ear cups and a padded headband. Their overall build quality is solid but not as good as that of the Shure SRH1540, with their less durable headband being the weak spot in their construction. Like other open headphones, their ear cups have grilles on the back, showing the dynamic drivers within. The audio cable connects to both ear cups and measures roughly 10 feet long.

Compared to the Shure headphones, the HD 600 are much less comfortable to wear for long listening sessions. While their ear cups are well-padded and breathable, their headband has a very tight clamp, which makes them more fatiguing to use for long hours, especially if you have a large head. Their thick earpads help mitigate the tight clamp, but not by much. The silver lining here is that the tight clamp makes for a more stable fit, with the headphones staying securely in your head, allowing you to move more freely without worrying about them sliding off.

The HD 600 are not the most portable headphones. In addition to their bulky frame, they don’t fold into a more compact format and lack any form of storage, which is disappointing for headphones normally selling for $400. Aside from the stock audio cable – which terminates in a 3.5 mm analog plug – the only item included in the box is a 6.3 mm plug adapter.

What makes the HD 600 shine despite their design flaws is their sound quality. They are some of the best-sounding open headphones under $500. They have a balanced treble, a tight bass, and a flat mid-range. They sound neutral, clean, and detailed, with a wide soundstage and minimal distortion at high volume, but they are not the easiest to drive. You can also use them for sound mixing and mastering in the studio, with their neutral sound allowing you to discern flaws and inconsistencies in the recording.

If you prefer open headphones because of their more natural sound, the HD 600 are the best option under $500. They are great-sounding headphones that are recommended for audiophiles, professionals, and headphone enthusiasts interested in modding. However, their open design means they are best used in a quiet environment, as their noise isolation is non-existent.

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Best Semi-open Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro

Semi-open headphones sit between closed-back and open-back headphones. They provide a bit of noise isolation and don’t leak as much as open headphones, but they are not as good as closed headphones in both categories. Compared to the other two types of headphones, there are much fewer semi-open headphones on the market. The best one under $500 is the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro, which are the semi-open counterpart of the popular DT 770 Pro and DT 990 Pro.

The DT 880 Pro are wired headphones with a non-detachable audio cable, a padded headband, and circular ear cups. Their build quality is great and better than some headphones selling for a higher price, with their metal headband, hinges, and ear cup grilles making for a sturdier and more durable build. And with their non-foldable ear cup design, there are fewer moving parts that are vulnerable to wear and tear.

However, their non-detachable coiled cable hurts their overall durability. The audio cable terminates in an analog mini-plug for universal compatibility with most devices, with Beyerdynamic also including a stereo jack adapter. A soft pouch is provided for protecting the headphones against dust, scratches, and minor water spills, but not against hard impact.

With their relatively lightweight build and well-padded ear cups, the DT 880 Pro are comfortable to wear for long hours. Their large ear cups are breathable and feature velour-coated cushions that feel soft and nice on the skin. On the other hand, their headband clamp is rather tight, but not on the same level as the Sennheiser HD 600. Their soft and thick earpads do a good job mitigating the tight fit, making them less fatiguing to use for long listening sessions at home or in the studio.

The DT 880 Pro are great-sounding headphones that sound more neutral than their closed and open counterparts, making them the most suitable for sound mixing and mastering. They sound detailed and clear, with a fantastic mid-range and a wide soundstage, but their bass will not impress fans of bass-heavy music genres. Although they are designed for studio use and listening to music at home, they are also good headphones for gaming, especially if you mainly play single-player games.

Like fully open headphones, the DT 880 Pro are best used in a quiet environment, as they are not much better at reducing background noise. Even in a moderately noisy place, their passive noise isolation is mediocre, making them a poor choice for listening to music in a busy office and while traveling. While not as bad as that of the HD 600, their sound leakage is still quite high, which makes them unsuitable for recording tracks in the studio.

On the whole, the DT 880 Pro are a great pair of headphones that are worth the money, especially if you prefer neutral-sounding headphones. Their sound quality and build quality are great while their comfortable over-ear fit is suitable for long listening sessions at home and in the studio. They normally sell for around $250, but you can get them for less than $200 on some days.

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Best Noise-canceling Earphones: Apple AirPods Pro

For commuting, traveling, and office use, the Sony WH-1000XM3 are still the best noise-canceling headphones on the market. But if you prefer headphones in a much more portable format for everyday use, check out the Apple AirPods Pro instead. They are noise-canceling truly wireless headphones with a more consistent noise isolation performance than the Sony WF-1000XM3.

The AirPods Pro are well-designed headphones featuring a comfortable in-ear fit that makes them suitable for long listening sessions, with Apple including three pairs of ear tips. Their build quality is good and feels premium, with their IPX4 rating meaning they are protected against sweat, which is beneficial if you intend to use them for running. They are extremely lightweight and compact and stay securely in your ears despite lacking stability fins and ear hooks. Their earpieces include force sensors on the stems for the controls.

Like the earphones themselves, the included charging case feels premium. It is more compact than most charging cases and will easily fit into small pockets, further adding to the already excellent portability of the AirPods Pro. It supports Qi wireless charging (which is a big plus for some people) and connects using a Lightning cable. In addition to serving as a secure container for the earphones, it also holds additional charges for longer total battery life.

Capable of pairing seamlessly with iOS devices, the AirPods Pro are good-sounding truly wireless headphones that sound detailed and balanced. Their wireless range is good while their latency is not too high even when connected to an Android device. Unfortunately, their app support is disappointing, with limited customization options when connected to an iOS device. In fact, they don’t even have a full-fledged companion app as of this writing, unlike the WF-1000XM3 and other competing products.

On the other hand, their noise isolation is better than most in-ear headphones and earbuds, wireless or otherwise. Compared to the WF-1000XM3, they are just as good at blocking out ambient chatter and high-frequency noises, but they are better at reducing low-frequency noises. Their noise isolation with ANC enabled is more consistent.

Their talk-through mode is also better, with the background noise filtered in by their integrated mics sounding more natural. They can last up to four hours and 30 minutes per charge with ANC enabled and the volume set to 50 percent, with the additional charges in the case increasing the total battery life to more than 24 hours.

Overall, the AirPods Pro are the best truly wireless headphones if noise isolation is the most important aspect for you. They are remarkably versatile headphones that are good for commuting, traveling, office use, and running. Their sound quality, build quality, total battery life, and wireless range are good while their noise isolation performance, sound leakage, and portability are great. While their app support is disappointing, they pair seamlessly with Apple devices.

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Best Sports Headphones: Beats Powerbeats Pro

The Beats Powerbeats Pro are the best headphones under $500 for all-around sports use, with their truly wireless format and ear hooks being big reasons for that. They are just as expensive as the Apple AirPods Pro, but they lack ANC, which is either a good thing or a bad thing depending on your preferences when running or working out.

Available in four color options, the Powerbeats Pro are compact and lightweight in-ear headphones with a good plastic build. They include ear hooks for a more secure fit and are rated IPX4 for water resistance. They are comfortable to wear due to their breathable design and their ear tips not entering your ear canals too deeply, but you might find them awkward if you wear glasses. There are four pairs of ear tips to choose from; all of them are made of silicone.

While they are bulkier than other truly wireless headphones due to their ear hooks, the Powerbeats Pro are still very portable. They are easy to carry for daily runs and gym sessions, with their charging case serving as a secure container to protect them against physical damage when they are stored in your gym bag. The case also holds an additional charge and connects using a Lightning cable, which is already included in the box.

Unlike the Sony WF-1000XM3 and the AirPods Pro, the control scheme of the Powerbeats Pro is simpler and easier to use for most people. Each earpiece includes a multi-function button and a small volume rocker. You can use either earpiece for managing your calls and music, adjusting the volume, and activating your voice assistant. The earphones also have a smart pause feature, which automatically pauses the audio when you remove them from your ears, conserving power.

The Powerbeats Pro are not going to impress some audiophiles like the Sony and Apple truly wireless headphones, but they are good-sounding sports headphones nonetheless. With their emphasized bass, they are suitable for mainstream genres like hip hop and electronic dance music. They are compatible with both iOS and Android devices and their wireless range is good. Their noise isolation is mediocre, though, which is actually a good thing if you prefer better situational awareness when running and working out, especially outdoors.

Among the three truly wireless headphones in this product guide, the Powerbeats Pro have the best battery performance overall. They can run up to nine hours per charge, which is impressive for truly wireless headphones and puts them in the same league as the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ (11 hours) and the Creative Outlier Air (10 hours) regarding single-charge battery life. With the extra charge in the case, you get a total battery life of around 24 hours.

For all-around sports use, the Powerbeats Pro are the best option under $500, with their ear hooks, comfortable and breathable in-ear fit, cable-free design, and good sweat protection being the chief reasons for that. They are suitable for both light exercises and rigorous training and are recommended for athletes, gym rats, and fitness enthusiasts.

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Best Studio Headphones for Sound Mixing: AKG K702

Although the Sennheiser HD 600 and the Beyerdynamic DT 880 Pro are both good options, the AKG K702 are the best headphones for sound mixing and mastering in the studio. Their soundstage is better and they are more comfortable to wear for long studio sessions, especially compared to the Sennheiser headphones. You can get them for $350, putting them in the same price range as the HD 600, but you can find them selling for much less on some days.

The K702 are wired studio headphones with an over-ear fit and an open-back design, which means their sound isolation is non-existent. They are bulky headphones that are not the most portable, considering their non-folding design and lack of a case or pouch for storage. Their overall build quality is decent but a bit disappointing for the price. Unlike the DT 880 Pro, their default audio cable is detachable, allowing for easy replacement. The 10-foot straight audio cable terminates in a 3.5 mm analog plug, with AKG also providing a 6.3 mm plug adapter.

For long hours in the studio, the K702 are very comfortable to wear, with their lightweight build being one of the reasons. Their ear cups are spacious, breathable, and well-padded and will easily go around most ears. They have a sturdy dual headband design: the outer headband arc is flexible and effortlessly adjusts to large heads while the inner leather strap does a decent job at cushioning your head. Their headband clamp is also a lot looser compared to both the DT 880 Pro and the HD 600, making them less fatiguing to wear.

With their neutral sound, the K702 are ideal for sound mixing and mastering in the studio. They sound clear and detailed and boast a spacious soundstage. They will allow you to discern inconsistencies and flaws in the recording, but they are not the best for bass reference. You can also use them for listening to music at home and for gaming, with their wide soundstage being an advantage in some games.

As mentioned, the sound isolation of the K702 is non-existent due to their open-back design. They will hardly block any ambient noise and have high sound leakage, with the latter making them unsuitable for recording tracks in the studio and preventing them from being all-around studio headphones. For sound mixing in a studio environment, their poor noise isolation is not a big deal. But for other usages, you may find it undesirable.

If you are shopping for the best headphones for sound mixing and mastering in the studio, the K702 are the best option under $500. They are neutral-sounding open headphones that are comfortable to use for long hours in the studio and include a long cable for more freedom of movement. Their overall build quality is decent, with their large ear cups appearing sturdy and durable.

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Best On-ear Headphones: Beats Solo Pro

The Beats Solo Pro are the best on-ear headphones under $500, with their wireless design, portability, and good noise isolation making them suitable for commuting and traveling. They are better-built and more versatile than the cheaper Solo3. They are some of the few on-ear headphones that feature ANC, making them better at reducing ambient noise than regular on-ear headphones. You can get them for around $300, with Beats offering multiple color options to choose from.

Featuring a stylish design that easily stands out, the Solo Pro are closed-back headphones featuring circular ear cups with on-cup controls for call and music management and volume control. Their build quality is great, with a sturdier frame than the Solo3, but they are quite bulky for on-ear headphones and can be mistaken for over-ear headphones. They fold into a more compact form for better portability and include a soft case for storage.

Since their ear cups simply rest on your ears instead of going around them, the Solo Pro are more breathable than over-ear headphones. They are lightweight and comfortable to wear, but their headband clamp is rather tight, similar to the Solo3. On the bright side, their tight clamp allows for a more secure fit, which is especially beneficial when using the headphones while walking.

Suitable for most mainstream music genres, the Solo Pro are good-sounding headphones, with their emphasized and powerful bass standing out. They can clearly reproduce vocals and instruments with good detail, but their treble can be piercing in some tracks. They pair easily with iOS devices and boast an excellent wireless range, but they lack a dedicated app for customization.

The Solo Pro are good at blocking out background noise. They are especially effective at blocking out ambient chatter and high-frequency noises. They also reduce a decent amount of low-frequency noises, making them a solid all-rounder for blocking out background noise in the office and while commuting and traveling. Their sound leakage is low, too.

With their ANC enabled, they can run up to 22 hours per charge, which is good. With both the ANC and the talk-through mode disabled, their battery life jumps to an incredible 40 hours. Sadly, they don’t come with an audio cable for switching to wired mode when the battery is depleted, which is ridiculous for a pair of headphones selling for $300. If you want to use them in wired mode, you’ll need to buy a separate audio cable.

All in all, the Solo Pro are great on-ear headphones that are suitable for casual everyday use, with their good noise isolation allowing you to enjoy your music in peace in noisy places. Their build quality and sound quality are good while their wireless range and battery performance are great. While they are bulkier than most on-ear headphones, they are easy to carry for everyday use due to their lightweight build and foldable design.

You may also like some of these quality headphones for office use from our list. Check them out.

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Best Wired Earphones: Etymotic Research ER4XR

Selling for $350, the Etymotic Research ER4XR are the best wired earphones under $500, with their durable build and excellent sound quality being their most notable aspects. They are recommended for audiophiles and offer better value for the money than other wired earphones in the same price range. You can use them for listening to music at home and while traveling, with their passive noise isolation being especially beneficial for the latter.

The ER4XR are closed-back earphones that look a bit different from most in-ear headphones. Their earpieces are slimmer and tube-like and don’t fit on your ear conchae, which makes for a more discreet look that some might prefer. Their build quality is great, with both their mostly metal earpieces and braided audio cable appearing sturdy and durable. The audio cable is detachable and terminates in a 3.5 mm analog plug for universal compatibility with most devices, including smartphones.

Compared to other earphones, the ER4XR are less comfortable to wear for long listening sessions due to their ear tip design. Their ear tips need to enter your ear canals deeply for the best sound quality and noise isolation, which can be uncomfortable even for fans of in-ear headphones. There are two types of ear tips included in the box: triple-flange silicone ear tips and foam ear tips, with the former usually the one seen in marketing materials. In addition to the multiple ear tips and the audio cable, the earphones also come with a 6.3 mm plug adapter, a shirt clip, a hard case, a small pouch, and maintenance tools.

Smooth and detailed, the ER4XR are some of the best-sounding earphones, with few other products in the same price range coming close to their overall sound quality. Their bass is deep, tight, and precise while their mid-range is neutral and clean, with balanced reproduction of vocals and instruments. Their treble is detailed and smooth while their imaging is excellent. They are suitable for a variety of music genres, but you’ll need to get a tight seal with their ear tips for the best sound quality.

With their deep in-ear design, the ER4XR provide outstanding noise isolation and are even better than some noise-canceling headphones. They block a significant amount of ambient noise, from the sound of airplane engines to background chatter at the office and in public transport. This makes them suitable for listening to music in the office and while traveling, especially considering their portable design. In addition, their sound leakage is minimal even at high volume, which means you won’t disturb or annoy the people around you with your loud music.

Although they are not as versatile as some products, the ER4XR are the best wired earphones under $500. They are hard to beat due to their combination of excellent sound quality, great build quality, and good accessorization. Their passive noise isolation is outstanding while their detachable audio cable adds to their overall durability. While they are not the most comfortable in-ear headphones, they stay securely in your ears and are easy to carry for everyday use.

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Best Neckband Headphones: Bose QuietControl 30

If you prefer wireless earphones or earbuds in a neckband format instead of truly wireless, the best option is the Bose QuietControl 30. They are versatile headphones that are good for traveling and office use, with their ANC helping them reduce background noise in noisy places. Compared to most truly wireless headphones, their battery life per charge is better and they are not easy to lose or misplace.

The QuietControl 30 are neckband headphones with an earbud fit, which is more comfortable for most people than an in-ear fit. Instead of entering your ear canals, their ear tips simply rest outside them, with their integrated stability fins helping keep them in place. There are three pairs of ear tips included in the box. The earbuds are connected to audio cables extending out from both arms of the flexible neckband, with an in-line remote on the right side for call and music management and volume control.

While they are not as portable as truly wireless headphones due to their neckband, the QuietControl 30 are still very portable. They are much lighter and more compact than over-ear headphones and include a travel case for storage. When not in use, you can simply wear them around your neck with their earbuds hanging, which is especially convenient while traveling.

Capable of connecting with two devices at the same time, the QuietControl 30 are decent-sounding neckband headphones that are suitable for general media consumption. They support NFC technology for faster pairing with compatible devices and have a great wireless range. Their mic performance and app support are disappointing, though, with the latter being typical for Bose headphones.

The QuietControl 30 are some of the best noise-canceling headphones in an earbud or in-ear format, with their ANC and passive seal reducing a good amount of background noise. This makes them a good choice for commuting, traveling, and office use, especially considering their portable design. You can easily adjust the ANC level using the smaller buttons on the side of the in-line remote.

With their 10-hour battery life per charge, the QuietControl 30 are more suitable for very long flights and extended hours at the office than truly wireless headphones. They take less than three hours for a full recharge and include a micro USB charging cable. Unlike some neckband headphones, they can’t be used passively when the battery is depleted since they lack an audio cable.

Portable and versatile, the QuietControl 30 are the best neckband headphones under $500. They are recommended if you want wireless earbuds or earphones but don’t like truly wireless headphones for whatever reason. Their build quality, in-line controls, battery life, and noise isolation performance are good while their sound quality is decent. They are more comfortable to wear for long hours than most earphones and are easy to carry for everyday use.

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Best Planar Magnetic Headphones: HiFiMan Sundara

Planar magnetic headphones are usually more expensive than dynamic headphones, not to mention there are fewer options on the market. If you prefer planar magnetic headphones due to their precision and better bass response, the best option under $500 is the HiFiMan Sundara. They are recommended for audiophiles and sell for around $350, offering good value for the money.

The Sundara are wired over-ear headphones with an open design and a detachable audio cable that connects to both ear cups and terminates in a 3.5 mm analog plug. Their build quality is good and looks high-end, especially with their matte black finish. They are mostly made of metal and have sturdy ear cup grilles and hinges. They have a dual headband design composed of a metal headband and a pleather strap below it.

Despite their tight headband clamp and heavier frame, the Sundara are comfortable to wear for long listening sessions. Their generously padded, circular ear cups have soft cushions and will easily wrap around large ears while their headband strap feels nice on the head. But on the other hand, they are not as breathable as open-back dynamic headphones.

Compared to some headphones in the same price range, the Sundara have significantly fewer accessories included in the box. Aside from the audio cable, the only other item included with the headphones is the usual 6.3 mm plug adapter. There is no extra cable or any form of storage provided, which is a bit disappointing considering the price but hardly a deal-breaker. The default audio cable is around five feet long and lacks an in-line remote for music management.

The Sundara are some of the best-sounding headphones under $500, regardless of headphone type or form factor. They sound clean and precise, with a spacious soundstage and minimal distortion at high volume, and are thoroughly enjoyable to use for different music genres. Their bass is tight and punchy while their treble is detailed, balanced, and rarely harsh. Their mid-range is also magnificent, with a balanced reproduction of vocals and instruments. Whether you are an audiophile or a professional, the Sundara will impress you with their sound quality.

You can also use them for gaming at home. Their wide soundstage is especially beneficial for first-person shooters while their overall sound quality will allow you to appreciate games with an excellent soundtrack even more. However, they are best used in a quiet room, as their noise isolation is poor, which can be said for all other open-back headphones. Their sound leakage is also very high, which is undesirable in some situations.

On the whole, the Sundara are terrific planar magnetic headphones that make a strong case for the best-sounding headphones in this guide. Their build quality is good while their sound quality is outstanding when paired with the right equipment. They are relatively easy to drive and are comfortable to wear for long listening sessions despite their tight fit and subpar breathability for open headphones.

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Best Gaming Headset: SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless

One of the best gaming headsets on the market, the SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless is a highly versatile headset that can be used for different gaming platforms, including last-gen consoles and even mobile devices. It’s an over-ear headset that includes a separate wireless transmitter and two swappable batteries and features a retractable boom mic. It sells for around $350, making it one of the most expensive gaming headsets, but you can get it at a significantly lower price on some days.

The Arctis Pro Wireless is a closed-back headset with a more discreet aesthetic than typical gaming headsets, with minimal cosmetics on the ear cups and headband. Its build quality is great, with its metal headband and large ear cups both appearing durable. It’s comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions despite its tight fit and less breathable design. It has convenient on-cup controls that allow for quick adjustments on the fly while gaming.

Featuring a small OLED screen, the included wireless transmitter has analog and digital connection options. Using the small knob, you can adjust the audio settings of the headset, with the option to adjust the balance between chat and game volumes. It also serves as a charging dock for the batteries, which you insert on the side like a cartridge. Since there are two batteries included, you can always keep one battery charging in the transmitter while the other is in the headset.

Capable of running up to 10 hours per battery, the Arctis Pro Wireless is a great-sounding headset with a clear mid-range and an emphasized bass. You can use it for different kinds of games, including role-playing games, first-person shooters, and rhythm games. Using the SteelSeries desktop software, you can modify the sound and other aspects of the headset, with the option to enable surround sound on PC.

The retractable boom mic of the Arctis Pro Wireless is excellent, with good noise reduction and recording quality. This is especially beneficial if you regularly play online multiplayer games and actually use a mic for talking to other players, teammates or otherwise. On the other hand, the headset itself has mediocre noise isolation. But since it has low sound leakage, you can increase the volume to reduce background noise without worrying about disturbing other people in the room with your game audio.

Unlike most gaming headsets, the Arctis Pro Wireless offers three connection options. If you want to go wireless, you can connect using either Bluetooth or the included wireless transmitter, with the latter offering significantly lower latency. While the headset doesn’t support actual multi-device pairing, you can connect to two different devices using both wireless connection options. For example, you can use the wireless transmitter to connect to your console while the headset is connected to your smartphone through Bluetooth. With the included audio cable – which terminates in a mini-plug – you can also use the headset in wired mode.

Compatible with different gaming platforms, the Arctis Pro Wireless is the best gaming headset that you can get under $500. It’s a wireless gaming headset packed with features, including dual wireless connection options. Its sound quality, build quality, battery life, mic performance, and latency with the wireless transmitter are great while its on-cup control scheme and customizability are good.

Best TV Headphones: Sennheiser RS 185

If you want dedicated TV headphones, the two best options on the market are the Sennheiser RS 185 and the RS 165. The RS 165 are more affordable and provide better passive noise isolation because of their closed-back design, but the open-back RS 185 are the better headphones overall. In addition to including more features and more input options, they are better-built and better-sounding, but they are much more expensive, selling for almost double the price.

The RS 185 are over-ear headphones that are comfortable to wear for long hours due to their more breathable open design and soft, fabric-covered earpads. They are lightweight despite their bulky frame and don’t feel tight on the head. Their build quality is good and feels more premium than the RS 165, with a sturdy, metal-reinforced headband and durable ear cup grilles.

Like other wireless over-ear headphones, the RS 185 have on-cup controls for convenience, located on the backplate of the right ear cup and composed of physical buttons. The on-cup controls allow you to adjust the general volume, switch between automatic and manual level controls, and balance the left and right volumes. The latter function is especially useful if one of your ears has a hearing problem while the automatic level control, when enabled, protects you from sudden volume jumps.

Offering both analog and digital input options, the included wireless transmitter acts as a charging dock and stand for the RS 185. It has a separate button for switching between automatic and manual level controls and a knob for manual adjustment when manual level control is enabled. Moreover, it has a switch at the back for toggling between inputs.

The RS 185 are good for watching TV and listening to music at home. They are good-sounding open-back headphones that sound clear and balanced, with the right amount of bass. They are more neutral and better-sounding than their cheaper closed-back counterpart, but their noise isolation and sound leakage are mediocre, which can be undesirable in some situations.

With their wireless transmitter, the RS 185 have lower latency than most Bluetooth headphones, which eliminates lip-sync issues when watching TV. Their wireless range is good, allowing you to sit further back if you own a massive TV without worrying about the signal dropping. They last up to 18 hours from a fresh set of AAA batteries, but they can’t be used passively in wired mode when the batteries are depleted, as they lack an audio cable for that.

Since they need the wireless transmitter to work, with no other connection options, the RS 185 are the least portable, not to mention the least versatile, among the headphones in this guide. Unlike the SteelSeries gaming headset, which is still usable without its wireless transmitter, these Sennheiser headphones are only good for home entertainment, especially considering their open design.

For strictly watching TV at home, the RS 185 are the best dedicated TV headphones under $500. They are good-sounding headphones that are comfortable to wear for long hours and have convenient on-cup controls. They include a separate transmitter for a low-latency wireless connection, with the option to use analog and digital inputs. Their build quality, wireless range, and battery life are good, but their sound isolation is mediocre.

And for even more affordable options, check out our guide to the top headphones under $150.