Ratings: 5/5
Price: $135
Audio-Technica
ATH-ES55
These rather stylish on-ears require a good
day or so of running in before they sound their best. Give them that time and
they’ll reward you with an open, natural sound, despite the commute-friendly
closed-back design. They’re detailed, transparent and dynamic, too.
Best for universal smartphone use – Beyerdynamic MMX 101
iE
Ratings: 5/5
Price: $142.5
Beyerdynamic
MMX 101 iE
You’d be forgiven for thinking these are
the DTX 101 iEs with the addition of a mic, but these sound better than their
impressive siblings, with greater weight, detail and dynamics. They lack volume
buttons on the remote, but that makes them compatible with more phones.
Best for proven ability – Goldring NS-1000
Ratings: 5/5
Price: $135
Goldring
NS-1000
They’ve been around for years, but the
NS-1000 noise-cancellers continue to impress with a clean, crisp and open
sound, and their effectiveness at blocking unwanted background noise. We loved
them at $225 so they’re something of a bargain now. Keep your eyes peeled and
you might even find them cheaper.
Best for weighty bass – Audio-Technica ATH-WS55i
Ratings: 5/5
Price: $120
Audio-Technica
ATH-WS55i
The original ATH-WS55 headphones boasted
lots of bass, but it was rather bloated and overbearing. Audio-Technica did
some tweaking, and came back with the 55i, which keeped the weight and depth
but adds tautness and control to deliver a full-bodied and rich, but also
punchy and exciting soundstage.
The famous ‘sonic colanders’ – Grado iGrado
Ratings: 5/5
Price: $67.5
Grado
iGrado
If sound quality really is all that maters
and you’re after a portable pair of headphones, the iGrados are the way to go.
Detail levels, cohesion, authority and refinement are simply outstanding for
the money. But please do bear in mind that the open design means they leak
sound and your music will be clear to everyone around you.
Best for bass-loving iPhone owners – Audio-Technica
ATH-CKS55i
Ratings: 4/5
Price: $90
Audio-Technica
ATH-CKS55i
Got an iPhone? Like your bass big and
chunky? These are for you! They don’t master on detail or definition, but they
know their way around a dynamic shift and deliver warm, textured bass that’ll
have you grinning from ear to ear.
Best for keeping it lean – Etymotic MC5
Ratings: 4/5
Price: $90
Etymotic
MC5
The opposite of the Audio-Technicas above,
these Etymotics offer a supremely energetic, detailed and precise sound that’s
lean in the bass but big on rhythm and agility. There are plenty of eartips in
the box to ensure a snug fit, and there’s even an optional custom-fitting
service to get them tailored for your ears only.
Best for a balanced delivery – Beyerdynamic DTX 101 iE
Ratings: 5/5
Price: $82.5
Beyerdynamic
DTX 101 iE
From subtle dynamics and fine detail to
punchy rhythms and twinkly treble, the DTX 101 iEs have the range and balance
to turn their hand to just about any style of music. Of particular note is a
bass delivery that while not the deepest, is authoritative, solid and great at
filling out the vocals. Make sure you run the cable over your ears to reduce
wire noise.
Bluetooth on a budget – Slick Distributions SD50
Ratings: 4/5
Price: $45
Slick
Distributions SD50
$45 is cheap for any pair of headphones, so
it’s an amazing price for a pair of Bluetooth on-ears with full controls for
your smartphone. True, the SD50s have sonic flaws in the form of little
muddiness in the bass and some vocal muffling, but they’re still very
listenable, and given the price and features that’s an achievement all of its
own.
