1. Phonak Audeo PFE 012
Price: $85
Website: www.phonak.com
Ratings: 5/5
Phonak
Audeo PFE 012
It's not easy creating the perfect
headphone. Music is so subjective that one human's perfect pitch is a little
lacking in bass for another, and too bright-sounding for pedant no.3. The PFE
012s do about as good a job of satisfying disparate tastes as any in-ears we've
tried. Building on the success of the pricier 111s, they dig up bags of detail,
deliver sweet vocals and a palpable soundstage, and up the bass to party-worthy
levels. They're also barely-there lightweight and subtly attractive. They could
easily sell for twice the price.
Killer feature
Their tiny 14g heft makes the 012s fine for
exercise
Verdict
Fantastic sound, noise blocking and comfort
at an excellent price, they’re the perfect PMP upgrade
2. Bowers & Wilkins P3
Price: $285
Ratings: 5/5
Bowers
& Wilkins P3
Superb sound and a very solid and achingly
stylish design make these the best portable on-ears around. The fact that two
cables come in the box - one with a mic and remote for iPhones and one without
- only sweetens the already candy floss-like deal,
3. Sony MDR-570LP
Price: $55
Ratings: 5/5
Sony
MDR-570LP
If you're after a pair of great-sounding
on-ears at a bargain price, look no further. With decent bass, bags of detail
and a musical balance that embarrasses more expensive designs, they’re better
than they have any right to be. And they look great, too
4. Klipsch Image X10i
Price: $220
Ratings: 5/5
Klipsch
Image X10i
A perennial favorite at Stuff
Towers, these tiny, mic-toting buds sound superb and are much more comfortable
than they look. The listed price is MRR but you can get them for a hint less if
you look around, making them a real bargain now.
5. PSB M4U 2
Price: $487
Ratings: 5/5
PSB
M4U 2
After three decades of making audiophile
loudspeakers, Canadian audio specialists PSB make their foray into personal
audio with the M4U 2 headphones. We're pleased to say they've done a brilliant
job; these cans are superior and worth every rupee.
6. Focal Spirit One
Price: $460
Ratings: 5/5
Focal
Spirit One
French speaker company Focal has hit the
nail on the head with its first ever set of headphones. Beautifully made and
superbly stylish with aircraft-grade aluminum, the real success is the sound -
all natural detail and punch, especially on heftier tracks.
7. Bose QuietComfort 15
Price: $325
Ratings: 5/5
Bose
QuietComfort 15
Bose's latest long-haul headphones are its
finest yet. Wearing a pair is as comfortable as binding pillows to your head
with silken thread, and both sound and noise cancelling are superb. The price
is a bit high, but they're worth it
8. Sennheiser IE 80
Price: $460
Ratings: 5/5
Sennheiser
IE 80
Although $460 might sound like a lot of
money for in-ears, there's no denying the build or sound quality of these
top-notch Sennheisers. They're both punchy and clear, but leave the bass
adjuster at the lowest level for the most balanced delivery.
9. Skullcandy Lowrider
Price: $40
Ratings: 5/5
Skullcandy
Lowrider
Skullcandy's try-hard product styling and
marketing might rub anyone other than teenage surf-wannabes the wrong way, but
the Lowriders are surprisingly good. Actually, they're better than good - crisp,
clear and detailed. Well worth the price.
10. Sennheiser MM 450-X
Price: $533
Ratings: 5/5
Sennheiser
MM 450-X
With hi-fi quality apt-X Bluetooth,
noise-cancelling, great sound and a mic for use with smartphones, the awesomely
portable MM 450-X cans might be the only pair of headphones you ever need. Now
we're just hoping the next iPhone has apt-X built in.
Instant expert
Deaf to criticism
We once mused to nobody in particular that
if the Sennheiser PXC 310 BT headphones had a mic for taking calls, they could
well be the only cans we'd ever need. Well, our wish has finally come true with
the launch of the Sennheiser MM 450-X (^28,990, sennheiserindia.com). Like the
previous model, this is a light, foldable pair of Bluetooth cans with the
hi-fi-standard aptX codec, noise-cancelling tech and controls built into the
right-hand earcup, but they've also got a microphone, making them as good for
phone use as for normal listening. Partner them with an aptX-enabled phone such
as the Samsung Galaxy S III or HTC One X and they sound even better. If they
didn’t need recharging we’d never take them off.
Partner these Bluetooth cans with an aptX
phone like the S III
What to look for
1. Anti-noise
Headphones dampen background kerfuffle in
two ways: noise cancelling and sound isolating. The former uses powered
electronics to monitor the outside world and generate a neutralizing sound
wave. It's normally integrated into comfy over-ear cans, great for long-haul
travel. The latter creates a physical barrier, often in the form of tiny but
invasive ‘in-ear monitors' (lEMs), jammed into your lungs.
2. Open day?
Open-backed cans let noise in (and out).
The plus side is they're less claustrophobic and have a pleasing, airy sound.
3. Drivers/armatures
These create the music. Most headphones have
one per ear, but IEMs have up to three. The main benefit of extra drivers is
usually increased frequency response.
4. At the gym
Avoid in-line volume controls if you're
working out as they bounce around. Look for lightweight, water-resistant
designs.
