Headphone Reviews
Detailed reviews of all the latest models, from earbuds to over-ears.
Latest
Beats Solo Pro review
Both Apple and Beats have benefited greatly from their relationship over the last five years. Since Apple bought the headphone company in 2014, Beats has improved its gear on all fronts, from design to audio quality and even adding useful features. There's no doubting the Apple influence, especially since the latest Beats headphones pack the same chip that powers AirPods. With the Solo Pro ($299.95), we get the best intersection of the two companies yet, in a set of headphones that look good, sound great and pack in powerful features.
Billy Steele11.08.2019
AirPods Pro review: Apple’s latest earbuds can hang with the best
As true wireless earbuds continue to evolve, companies are making them smaller and adding powerful features like active noise cancellation (ANC). They're more reliable and offer better battery life than when they first burst on to the scene, and they're becoming increasingly popular. Apple clearly knows all of this. The company's AirPods have been the most popular true wireless earbuds for a while now, despite their polarizing design. And even though the company just debuted version 2.0 back in the spring, it held something back for the holidays. The AirPods Pro were hardly a surprise. We'd heard rumors about a refined design and ANC for months. Perhaps the only real surprise is that they weren't announced at the big iPhone event in September, but instead, they quietly revealed in a press release on a Monday afternoon. The Pro model introduces a host of new features, but that comes at a cost. And the question is: Are the AirPods Pro ($249) worth the extra $50?
Billy Steele11.06.2019
Echo Buds review: Alexa smarts packed into a mediocre AirPods rival
By the time Amazon got around to announcing its Alexa-powered earbuds in September, the rumors had already been swirling for months. They were hardly a surprise. The online retail giant has a solid track record of keeping upcoming products under lock and key, but word of these voice-controlled true wireless earbuds first surfaced way back in April. Now that they're here, the Echo Buds ($129.99) are poised to take on Apple's AirPods with hands-free Alexa, touch controls, Bose's active noise reduction and more.
Billy Steele10.29.2019
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless review
Sennheiser's Momentum line has been a popular headphone choice for years now. It first debuted in 2012, then went wireless in 2015. Despite stumbling out of the gate with some connectivity issues, the Momentum Wireless is still a solid choice. At IFA 2019, the company debuted the third generation of the headphones. And while this new $399.95 over-ear model is improved, there are still some headaches that could've been avoided.
Billy Steele09.12.2019
Bose 700 headphones review: The pursuit of perfection
Bose once dominated the world of noise-canceling headphones. For years, the company's QuietComfort line was the industry standard, mostly due to it's best-in-class ANC (active noise cancellation). At the time, it was a game-changer for frequent fliers and people trying to block out noisy work environments. Enter Sony's WH-1000X line. Now in its third iteration, the WH-1000XM3 has taken over the top spot with a stellar blend of sound, features and the ability to block out the world. Bose is playing second fiddle, but its 700 headphones pack in a lot of features for $399 in a bid to retake the crown.
Billy Steele08.16.2019
Klipsch T5 True Wireless review: Great-sounding, but flawed earbuds
Klipsch has been making high quality audio gear since 1946, mostly catering to the audiophile and HiFi crowd. It makes plenty of speakers, soundbars and headphones for casual listeners too, and back at CES, the company debuted its first true wireless earbuds. At $199, the T5 True Wireless offer most of what you need in a pair of true wireless earbuds -- including a pretty cool Zippo-like charging case. But,they're far from perfect, and a few of their flaws could be deal breakers for you, even if they do cost $100 less than much of the competition.
Billy Steele08.06.2019
Sony WF-1000XM3 review: Simply the best true wireless earbuds
Sony is no stranger to the true wireless-earbud craze. The company introduced the WF-1000X almost two years ago and followed with the WF-SP700N in 2018. However, even with that experience, Sony hasn't really seemed to hit its stride. There are always issues holding the products back from making the leap. Sony has perfected its over-ear noise-canceling headphones, the WH-1000XM3, and now it's leveraging some of that technology to improve its true wireless buds. Enter the $230 WF-1000XM3, Sony's best true-wireless product and a new contender for the top spot overall.
Billy Steele07.31.2019
Sony XB900N review: Solid noise cancellation for under $300
Since the debut of its 1000X line, Sony has given Bose a run for its money when it comes to noise-canceling headphones. In fact, the 1000XM2 and 1000XM3 are arguably better than the QuietComfort 35 II Bose introduced in 2017. Now Sony wants to offer a worthy alternative to Bose in its more affordable Extra Bass line with the WH-XB900N. While this new model doesn't have the same level of noise-canceling power as the 1000XM3, there's a lot to like for $250.
Billy Steele06.25.2019
Jabra Elite 85h review: Noise cancellation to rival Bose and Sony
Jabra shocked the world (OK, maybe just me) in 2018 when it unveiled the Elite 65t true-wireless earbuds. Those headphones quickly shot to the top of a lot of "best of" lists, including a couple of Engadget Buyers Guides. The Elite 65t have dependable controls, solid audio and cost less than much of the competition. For 2019, Jabra is tackling over-ear noise-canceling headphones with the Elite 85h. However, no matter how good they are, they're not as good of a deal at $300.
Billy Steele06.13.2019
Master & Dynamic MW65 review: Almost the perfect headphones
Master & Dynamic has been making some of the world's best-looking headphones since 2014. The company uses premium materials like leather and anodized aluminum for its high-end products, while the competition settles for cheaper plastic even on flagship models. Despite a lineup that boasts on-ear, over-ear, in-ear, wired, wireless and true-wireless options, M&D still hadn't entered a key category: active noise-cancellation. With the $499 MW65 introduced earlier this month, the company is making a belated debut, all while maintaining its premium style -- and premium price.
Billy Steele05.22.2019
Powerbeats Pro review: The best-sounding Beats headphones yet
Despite being a hugely popular headphone brand, Beats has had one glaring hole in its wireless headphone lineup: true wireless earbuds. Thanks to a hint in iOS code, the Powerbeats Pro weren't exactly a well-kept secret, and as expected, they carry the latest Apple tech that's also found inside version 2.0 of the AirPods. At $249.95, the Powerbeats Pro is near the top end of the true wireless spectrum price-wise, and its over-the-ear hook design isn't for everyone. However, the combination of features and sound quality makes quite the impression.
Billy Steele05.16.2019
Grado Labs GW100 review: A blessing and a curse
Grado Labs was late to the wireless game. The company knows it, and it has good reasons for not jumping in sooner. "Wireless technology has never been very good, so just like closed-back, we could make them, but people would expect them to sound like our wired headphones," John Grado told me in 2017. "And they won't." Grado did say that the technology was improving and that the company planned to dabble in wireless soon. Fast forward to October 2018. Grado Labs announced its first wireless model: the GW100. The $249 headphones look similar to the company's Prestige Series, with a mostly black design and silver accents. What's most intriguing about the GW100, though, is not only the trademark Grado sound, but that these are supposedly the first open-back wireless headphones which can deliver great audio quality, but has its drawbacks.
Billy Steele03.20.2019
Samsung Galaxy Buds review: A waste of good design
Apple has the AirPods for the iPhone, and now Samsung has a true wireless headphone made specifically for its Galaxy lineup. The Galaxy Buds offer a lot of the same features as most other true wireless earbuds: charging case, on-board controls, audio transparency, easy access to virtual assistants and more. There's one major caveat though: Unless you own one of Samsung's recent Galaxy handsets or an Android device, key features on the $130 Galaxy Buds won't be available to you.
Billy Steele03.14.2019
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless review
Not every audio company was quick to jump on the true wireless bandwagon. Some of the big names in headphones took their time crafting a set of earbuds before making a debut. Sennheiser was one of those, and its Momentum True Wireless model didn't arrive until late 2018. Thankfully, the wait was mostly worth it. They have some of the best audio quality I've heard on a set of earbuds like these. But there are a few complaints, and given the nearly $300 price tag, those caveats become major issues.
Billy Steele02.15.2019
Bose Frames review: These might be smart sunglasses, one day
If a pair of shades had intercourse with a set of headphones, you'd get the Bose Frames. However, they're more like sunglasses that are pregnant with baby speakers rather than a proper blend of the two. The idea behind the Bose Frames is to offer wireless audio without completely obscuring your ears while providing your eyes some sun protection. Because these days, it's no longer enough for gadgets to just be one thing, I guess. The Bose Frames are already available for $200, but whether you should drop that money on them depends how badly you need to hear your surroundings and your music at the same time.
Cherlynn Low02.02.2019
Dolby Dimension review: Excellent sound, exorbitant price
Dolby has been delivering 3D sound to people's living rooms through other companies' Atmos-equipped soundbars and systems for years. So it's no surprise the company is harnessing some of that expertise for its first piece of consumer hardware. Its first product is aimed at two very popular activities: binge watching and listening to music. The Dolby Dimension headphones pack in a lot of features and tech to power your marathon Netflix sessions, but at $599, they're a serious investment.
Billy Steele11.28.2018
Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones review: Goodbye, Bose
Sony's WH-1000XM3 headphones are the sort of dream gadget I can review succinctly in one sentence: They're incredibly comfortable, and they sound amazing. That's it. End review. When the first 1000XM pair debuted in 2016, they weren't just another set of premium cans -- they were a sign that Sony was ready to take on Bose for the high-end noise-canceling crown. The company managed to deliver something that sounded better than Bose's best headsets while matching them at their own game. Now, with its third version, Sony is giving us little reason to look elsewhere. The $350 WH-1000XM3s are basically the ideal pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones.
Devindra Hardawar09.19.2018
Master & Dynamic MW07 review: Premium sound, premium price
For about a year now, the true wireless earbud craze has been in full swing. Even the holdouts introduced sets this month. At IFA, both Audio-Technica and Sennheiser debuted their belated entries in this audio arms race. Now there's another company entering the fray: Master & Dynamic. The company revealed its $299 MW07 true wireless earphones today -- a set that exhibits the company's affinity for premium materials and stellar sound. In fact, these may be the best-sounding wireless earbuds I've tested, but crafting the perfect pair takes more than audio prowess.
Billy Steele09.13.2018
Jabra Elite 65t review: Put down your AirPods
Whether you like it or not, true wireless earbuds are having a moment. They actually have for a while now, and Apple's introduction of AirPods only added fuel to the fire. Most of the big names in audio have introduced models, following the path Bragi forged with the Dash back in 2016. While Bluetooth issues still plague some of the current options, the devices as a whole have come a long way since their infancy. It should come as no surprise that Jabra, a company with a solid track record for Bluetooth headsets and audio gear, has one of the best, if not the best, sets with the Elite 65t.
Billy Steele05.18.2018
B&O Beoplay H8i and H9i headphones review: Diminishing returns
B&O is a name that typically evokes an image of premium audio gear. Of course, those high-end materials and typically solid sound quality almost always come with a steep price, even if the device is part of the more consumer-friendly B&O Play line. Back at CES, the company announced updated versions of its high-end wireless headphones, the on-ear H8i and the over-ear H9i, with a handful of new features. The new additions are certainly improvements, but the total package here isn't more compelling than the best Bose, Sony and others have to offer.
Billy Steele04.28.2018