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Top 10 headphones, headsets of 2023: Enjoy music, listen to clear conversation

Last Published on May 09, 2023 19:22 IST

Summary:

A good headphone, which brings good features and decent pricing together, is ideal for watching movies and listening to podcasts and music.


The best headphones in India are necessary for watching movies, podcasts, and listening to music. There are many different kinds of headphones, so it's crucial to take your preferences, finances, and features into account. Unwired options are also available, however, wired headphones have the finest sound quality. For traveling or working in open-concept offices, noise-canceling headphones are very useful. Additionally, over-ear headphones can reduce outside noise.

The most important details in this guide are the features of the best earbuds and headsets, such as comfortable design, class-leading audio performance, and extra features such as built-in voice assistants or wireless connectivity. If you're looking for gaming headphones online with built-in mics, check out our best PC gaming headset online guide.

Product list

1. Sony WH-1000XM4

We found the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones to be comfortable and lightweight throughout our testing, and they offer great noise-cancellation and sound quality. They share the same appearance as the Sony WH-1000XM3 models that came before them. The Sony 360 Reality Audio format, which sends spatial audio on stereo headphones, is also supported by the WH-1000XM4 headphones, as is the LDAC codec, which can transport data at a bandwidth of up to 990 kbps. Because aptX or aptX HD is no longer supported, your experience with high-resolution audio support may be different. Due to its excellent noise cancellation and state-of-the-art codec support, there is a superb pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones that provide what they guarantee and then some.

Specifications

  • Acoustic design: Closed
  • Weight: 253g
  • Frequency response: 4Hz to 40kHz
  • Drivers: 1.57-inch dome-type
  • Battery life: 30 hours

Pros

Cons

Dynamic multipoint pairing

Lacks water resistance

2. Sony WF-C500

The Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless In-Ear Earbuds let you enjoy listening to your favorite music. These earphones have a playback length of up to 20 hours and a handy charging case. Additionally, you can extend the playback time of your earphones by up to an hour with just 10 minutes of charging if you need to charge them rapidly due to a time crunch. They have a small size and a snug, secure fit in your ears. These rounded earphones are very easy to wear because they don't have any harsh edges.

Specifications

  • Brand: Sony
  • Model Name: WF-C500
  • Color: Black
  • Headphones form factor: In-Ear
  • Connector Type: Bluetooth

Pros

Cons

Small and lightweightMic quality is not good

3. Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

The Momentum 4 Wireless headphones from Sennheiser boast a 60-hour battery life, a sweet app, features, easy on-ear controls, adaptive noise cancellation, and a passionate sound. For the price, they sound fantastic. Sennheiser's Momentum 4 Wireless features Sidetone and Sound Zones to help callers hear your voice, but the sound is still the headline-grabber. But make no mistake, the sound continues to be the attention-getter. What a sound it makes, too! Words like wide, thorough, neutral, and sharp come to mind. Through the bass, it never gets too hot, crowded, or confusing. There is a new pair of cans in town that, in all honesty, are just a tiny bit better than the Sony XM5. Move over, Sony XM5. Oh, and they are somewhat less expensive than the XM5.

Specifications

  • Acoustic design: Closed
  • Weight: 293g
  • Frequency response: 6Hz-22,000Hz
  • Drivers: 42mm dynamic
  • Battery life: 60 hours

Pros

Cons

ANC and transparency are excellent.The design is not foldable inside the headband.
Exceptional battery life even with active ANC.Plain design

4. Cambridge Audio Melomania

Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus has a permanent price reduction. They already had the coveted five-star rating in our review, so they weren't even at their original price. These are a definite improvement over their predecessors, giving the great audio performance, a handy app, and simple controls. They provide a tonne of dynamism and character in terms of audio quality, with a vibrant presentation, good accuracy, and a lot of information, as we discovered during testing. Despite the absence of noise cancellation, the sound isolation is also very good. Finally, you should get up to nine hours of battery life on each earbud charge (up to 45 hours with the case), if you're okay using them in low-power mode.

Specifications

  • Acoustic design: Closed
  • Weight: 4.6g each
  • Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
  • Drivers: 5.8mm Dynamic with Graphene-enhanced Diaphragm
  • Battery life: 9 hours (earbuds)

Pros

Cons

Quick controlsNo ANC
Incredible audio performance 

5. Sony WH-1000XM5

The best headphones in the world are the Sony WH-1000XM5, yet the WH-1000XM4 is still available and costs less while performing nearly the same functions. The new model is sleeker and has smaller speakers, yet it still has best-in-class noise cancellation and excellent sound quality. There is a 10-hour increase in battery life. The earlier model is nearly as good and a better value as these headphones, which are the best there is.

Specifications

  • Acoustic design: Closed
  • Weight: 250g
  • Frequency response: 4Hz to 40kHz
  • Drivers: 1.18-inch dome-type
  • Battery life: 40 hours

Pros

Cons

High-quality audio performanceExpensive
useful ambient characteristics 
Excellent noise cancellation 

6. Sony WF-1000XM4

With the Sony WF-1000XM4s, Sony has more successfully than ever brought performance, ergonomics, and build quality together in a noise-canceling true wireless package. In our testing, we discovered that even though they are slightly more expensive, the latest wireless earbuds offer enough improvements in quality of life over their predecessors, the Sony WF-1000XM3. Truly helpful features include the ability to adjust the earbuds to the shape of your ears and auto-pause. The Sony WF-1000XM4 is superior to competing true wireless earbuds in some areas, such as noise cancellation, but no other model comes close to providing as high quality around the board. Because of this, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is unquestionably the best true wireless earbuds currently on the market.

Specifications

  • Acoustic design: Closed
  • Weight: 7.3g
  • Frequency response: 20-40,000Hz
  • Drivers: 6mm
  • Battery life: 8 hours (earbuds)

Pros

Cons

Realistic advantagesLow battery life
Exceptional call qualityNot supporting aptx

7. Apple AirPods Pro 2

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 provides outstanding ANC and enhanced audio performance over the original AirPods Pro in a cozy, true wireless design. The AirPods Pro 2 is an upgrade over the original model. New drivers and amplifiers enhance audio quality while making small design changes. We found the Pro 2 to have great audio during our testing, with rich audio across genres and a large, open soundstage.ANC has improved performance and muffled noises. Also more beneficial is the transparency mode. The AirPods Pro 2 has improved battery life, IPX4 water resistance, and a speaker to help with misplacement. They are still the best wireless headphones, but an over-ear design is no longer necessary for immersive sound and superior ANC.

Specifications

  • Acoustic design: Closed
  • Weight: 5.3g each
  • Frequency response: Not listed
  • Drivers: Custom Apple design
  • Battery life: 6 hours (earbuds)

Pros

Cons

Smart features galore for iPhone usersAverage battery life
Amazing audio quality 

8. Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro

With the release of the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, Samsung has undoubtedly improved. These headphones forgo futuristic styling in favor of excellent 24-bit quality, head-tracked multidimensional music, and a form factor that is comfortable. Apple, Sony, Bose, Sennheiser, and other top manufacturers of wireless earbuds must now closely scrutinize what Samsung has accomplished with the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. They are great. No, they're really good. Recall the kidney-bean-shaped, rose-gold Galaxy Buds Live earbuds. They differ from these in size, comfort, and haughtiness. These (which are not those) have a tonne of helpful features including fantastic ANC, speech detection, wearer detection, and customizable on-ear controls, all of which function quite well, in addition to IPX7 water ingress protection. 360 audio with optional head-tracking allows users to use their phone as the focal point.

Specifications

  • Acoustic Design: Closed
  • Weight: 5.5g
  • Frequency Response: 20 - 20,000 Hz
  • Drivers: Custom Coaxial 2-way
  • Battery Life: 5 hours (earbuds)

Pros

Cons

Elegant, cozy design and finishAverage battery life

9. 1MORE Triple Driver

We're confident that the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones give amazing sound and equally fantastic value for money after testing them out for a few weeks. Because of this, we believe they are the top headphones for people who enjoy wired earphones. It's difficult to find a better-sounding and better-built pair of earphones for $100 / £100 (roughly AU$168) than the 1MORE Triple Drivers; however, if you want a little extra finesse and more opulent materials, the same company's 1MORE Quad Drivers are even more impressive, even though they cost twice as much. But it's difficult to find fault with the Triple Drivers at this pricing point given their great quality and design. The excellent sound quality given by these expensive-looking earphones more than makes up for the somewhat cheap-feeling included control. The Triple Driver in-ear headphones from 1MORE are the best option for the money.

Specifications

  • Acoustic design: Closed
  • Weight: 18g
  • Frequency response: 20-40,000Hz
  • Drivers: Dynamic

Pros

Cons

Superb construction and designThe plastic remote feels cheap.

10. SoundMagic E11BT

Given their low cost, it's really hard to find anything wrong with the SoundMagic E11BTs, a pair of extremely capable wireless in-ear headphones. The audio quality of these headphones is excellent, with smooth and clear vocals and sharp treble frequencies. Because of the ergonomic ear-tips, we found these headphones to be comfortable to wear. We also thought they had a classy appearance. They are a great alternative as a second set of training headphones because they have an IPX4 rating, which means they should tolerate sweaty workouts.

Specifications

  • Acoustic design: Closed
  • Weight: 24.7g
  • Frequency response: 20 - 20,000Hz
  • Drivers: 10mm dynamic
  • Battery life: 20 hours

Pros

Cons

Ergonomically sound and comfortable

 

Top 3 features for you

ProductFeature 1Feature 2Feature 3
Sony WH-1000XM4Sony WH-1000XM4High-resolution audioNoise cancellationMultipoint pairing
Sony WF-C500SmallFast chargingLightweight
Sennheiser Momentum 4 WirelessExcellent transparencyActive ANCGood battery life
Cambridge Audio MelomaniaAmazing audio performanceQuick controlNoise cancellation
Sony WH-1000XM5Good designValue for moneySmall and useful
Sony WF-1000XM4Call receive quality availableLong-lasting batteryRealistic advantages
Apple AirPods Pro 2Quick chargingGood sound qualitySuperior ANC
Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 ProCustomizable on-ear controlsElegantCozy
1More Triple DriverExcellent sound qualitySuperb designBetter-built pair

Best overall product

From this selection of top-notch headphones and headsets, it can be difficult to choose the ideal ones. So, if you're seeking Headphones and Headsets that combine performance, fashion, and affordability, the Sony WF-C500 is the finest option.

Best value for money

We've already covered some of the most well-known Headphones And Headsets models, but there are many additional types as well. The best choice is the Sony WH-1000XM5.

How to find the perfect Headphones And Headsets?

When purchasing a new set of headphones, there are many factors to take into account. The design, however, is the most crucial. This determines not only how they appear, but also the features they offer, how they feel to wear, and how you'll utilize them daily. The cheapest and simplest way to get audio into your ears is typically using in-ear headphones, also known as earbuds or earphones. They provide a tight seal to keep sound in and air out as they lie in or just outside the ear canal. These are the stealthiest designs you'll come across, which makes them great for portability and the top option for athletes. While on-ear headphones surround the ear with a light, breathable seal, over-ear headphones surround the ear with richness and depth of sound. Bone-conducting headphones are excellent for swimming and jogging because they transmit vibrations via your cheekbones and jaw.

FAQs on Headphones And Headsets of 2023

Wireless headphones can still deliver better sound quality than wired headphones, but it's up to personal preference and a good quality pair.

We focus on sound quality, budget, features, usability, design, and value for money when choosing the best headphones. Wired and wireless cans and earbuds appeal to audiophiles and professionals, while budget headphones perform admirably for the price.

With the use of a headset, speaking can be done without the use of an earpiece or a microphone. It can be used to chat and listen at the same time and takes the place of, say a telephone handset. Other frequent uses for headsets include video chat or gaming on a computer.

The earbud tips should be inserted into your ear canal before you put on the headphones; then, gently pull up on the top of your ears. Making ensuring the headphones are in the ear canal correctly and firmly is made simple by doing this.

Disclaimer: At Hindustan Times, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Hindustan Times has an affiliate partnership, so ... we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority. Read more

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