Emmanuel Macron waxwork ‘borrowed' from museum by French activists
A waxwork of Emmanuel Macron was removed from a French museum on Monday, 2 June, by activists who said they were "borrowing" the piece.
Greenpeace released footage of the figure being bundled in a blanket from its exhibit at the Grevin museum in Paris.
The group said the waxwork was "borrowed" as they believe that "he does not deserve to be exhibited... until he has terminated French contracts with Russia."
The figure was then seen outside the Russian embassy in the city alongside protesters.
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Telegraph
32 minutes ago
- Telegraph
‘Why should we have to downsize?': How boomers became the victim generation
We're looking for readers in different generations to talk about change within their families, such as a grandparent and grandchild's experiences of buying their first home. To get involved, email us at money@ Baby boomers have nothing to complain about. Bumper pensions. Free university education. House prices that have gone through the roof. Some of them even got to see The Beatles. This, at least, is the idea that's caught fire over the last 20 years, a period in which the debate about inequality in Britain has been reframed as a tug-of-war between generations. Boomers – the post-war cohort born between 1946 and 1965 – are blamed for hoarding wealth after winning the economic lottery. The losers are said to be Generation Z and millennials – born between 1980 and 2009 – who face sky-high mortgages and record-breaking rents, stagnating wages, massive student debt and outrageous student loan repayments, plus an unstable jobs market. There is a stigma attached to being a 'boomer', which has become shorthand for greedy, entitled and out of touch. Boomers have been accused of 'stealing their children's futures' by taking more than their fair share. Many believe they are unfairly victimised – pilloried for their wealth, and told to downsize out of their house to make way for younger families. But are they right to feel that way? 'Divisive and harmful tensions in society' A report by the House of Commons' Women and Equalities Committee in February confirmed what many older citizens have experienced first-hand. It found 'clear evidence' of ageist stereotyping across British media, with debates about intergenerational fairness tending to pit younger and older generations against each other in a 'perceived fight for limited resources'. The report went on: 'Older people are also frequently stereotyped as wealthy 'boomers' living comfortable lives in homes they own while younger generations struggle on low incomes, unable to afford to enter the housing market and struggling with high rents.' These 'narratives', the committee said, have fuelled 'divisive and harmful tensions in society'. This resentment doesn't come from nowhere. Recent figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that boomers are by far Britain's richest cohort. The average wealth of households aged 65 to 74 is £502,500 – more than 30 times that of Gen Zs aged 16 to 24, who typically have £15,200. Boomers' wealth is also 4.6 times greater than those aged 25 to 34, who are mainly younger millennials, with £109,800. This may not seem very surprising given older people have had a lifetime to accumulate savings, homes and pensions. 'There's an extremely strong life-cycle component to wealth,' says Simon Pittaway, a senior economist at The Resolution Foundation think tank. 'Most people start working lives with very little, build it up through peak working years then run it down in retirement. 'This has been the case for a long time. But we're seeing that profile getting starker.' The gap between the generations has grown since the financial crisis, which is often blamed on the boomers, who, the argument goes, were steering the ship at the time. A Resolution Foundation study found that between 2006-08 and 2018-20, median wealth among Britons in their 60s rose by 55pc in real terms, but median wealth for those in their 30s fell by 34pc. At the same time, the share of Britain's wealth held by the under-40s has fallen from 7.5pc in 2010 to 4pc today. It's statistics like these that mean boomers are often implored to give away their hoarded wealth, or downsize into smaller properties to make room for young families. 'Older people aren't hoarding – they're just afraid of change' John Griffiths, 80, insists his generation is in fact supremely generous – and shouldn't be discriminated against for having done well. 'It's a gimmick in the financial media to blame the boomers,' he says. 'It's not our fault property went up the way it did in the 60s and 70s. [The house price rises] drove most of us out of London.' Griffiths was born shortly after VE Day in May 1945, putting him right on the cusp of the boomer bracket. 'I tend to count myself as one of them,' he says. After training as a chemical engineer, he spent 20 years in the gas industry and the North Sea designing and building offshore oil facilities. He went on to found his own marine energy consultancy, advising clean energy firms and governments on how to best harness the power of waves and tides. He retired five years ago at the age of 75. His successful career has allowed him to pass on lump sums totalling £500,000 to his three children, who are in their 40s and 50s and have children themselves. A large part of his financial security derives from property wealth. The house in Wimbledon that he bought with his wife Valerie in 2006 for £545,000 is now worth £1.3m. Homeowners aged 60 and over hold more than half of the nation's owner-occupied housing wealth, totalling an estimated £2.89 trillion, according to estate agents Savills. Two thirds (67pc) of homeowners aged 65 and over have two or more spare rooms in their property, even as a shortage of affordable housing prevents young families from buying their first home. The Tony Blair Institute think tank has called for larger properties to be taxed more to encourage owners to downsize. But Griffiths believes pressuring older people to vacate their homes is unfair. 'It doesn't sit well with me. I don't think older people are hoarding. They stay where they are because they're afraid of change. 'Many don't have supportive families to help them, and are stuck where they are.' The rise of boomer bashing Dr Jennie Bristow, a reader in sociology at Canterbury Christ Church University, traces boomer bashing back to the collapse of traditional political frameworks at the end of the 20th century. 'From the 1990s, we started trying to explain societal problems that went beyond Left and Right,' she says. 'It's still playing out now in the culture wars.' It was a time when demographic anxieties were spreading across the Western world. Ageing populations mean relatively fewer younger workers supporting the swelling ranks of elderly pensioners through the welfare system. Old-versus-young became the salient faultline. 'The narrative that emerged was that the 2008 financial crisis was due to policy decisions, and also cultural individualism, that was personified by the baby boomer generation. These are the people who are hoarding wealth and will benefit from big pensions. 'For the Right, it's an argument for restructuring the welfare state. And for the Left, it's used as a reason for more welfare and less Thatcherite individualism. It brought those two opposites together.' Bristow believes anti-boomer sentiment peaked in 2010, the year that David Willetts, a former Tory MP turned public intellectual, published an influential book called 'The Pinch: How the Baby Boomers Stole Their Children's Future'. She says the tendency to blame the boomers has turned into a 'frenzy' that ignores inequalities within generational cohorts. 'The boomers associated with the 1960s generation, born straight after the war, did reap a lot of the benefits of that time. There were a lot of possibilities, economic opportunities, and they ended up with good pensions. But not everyone was part of this. It was actually quite a narrow section of society. 'Younger boomers came of age in the far more pessimistic 1970s. Yes, people got grants for university, but only 7pc of the cohort went.' 'I get sick of boomers blaming young people' Richard Merry was born in 1955, putting him right in the middle of the boomer generation. After leaving school at 16, Merry joined the armed forces, eventually becoming a member of a special army unit that sent him all over the world during a 50-year career. He has worked hard to retire three years ago in relative comfort, but acknowledges that younger generations have a tougher ride in many ways. 'People just don't earn that sort of money any more,' the 69-year-old says. 'I get a little bit sick with the boomers saying that it's young people's own fault for not getting on the property ladder.' Merry bought a three-bedroom semi-detached house in south-east London for £77,000 in 1990. It is now worth over £1m. It was easily affordable on his salary of around £32,000, equivalent to £80,000 today. 'My children, both in their 30s, work incredibly hard and lead tough lives. You simply can't compare property prices and deposits now to what they were.' But it's not all plain sailing for his generation. Care costs, for instance, are 'crucifying' the boomers, he says. His own mother's old age care cost £320,000 over three years – money that would have gone to Merry and his sister. They had to sell their mother's home to pay for it. 'All the talk is that boomers are hoarding wealth, but we're going to be skinned alive when it comes to care costs.' On tax and earnings too, it hasn't been the easiest of rides. 'People at the bottom benefitted from increases in the minimum wage, but middle earners like me have had the stuffing kicked out of them.' Boomers have 'rigged the game in their favour' On the contrary, Angus Hanton, of the Intergenerational Foundation think tank, believes boomers have 'heavily rigged the game in their favour' over decades by repeatedly voting in governments that have given them a good deal. 'Boomers have fought tooth and nail to protect their interests,' he says. 'We can see that most starkly in how the tax system is structured – what's taxed heavily is earned income. Younger working people pay income tax at a high rate from a low level of earnings, plus National Insurance and student loan repayments, which is basically a tax. 'But unearned income is taxed very lightly – money in Isas and Sipps, and capital gains tax is half the rate of income tax.' Hanton, a boomer himself, rejects the idea that the focus on competing age groups squeezes out other factors from the conversation – like class, race or gender. 'Generational inequality is a really important lens and we shouldn't refuse to look through it just because there are other lenses available.' Evidence suggests that many younger people are looking at the world – and their claim on the material wealth of their elders – through this lens. Research by Moneyfarm, an investment platform, found that two in five millennials fear their parents were frittering away 'their' inheritance, while a fifth said their 'spendthrift' parents were selfish for failing to consider their children or grandchildren's economic wellbeing. Meanwhile, 61pc of Gen Z feel they have to work harder than their parents did, according to YouGov polling. The reality is that many young people will benefit indirectly from the economic success of their parents and grandparents. A much-cited report from estate agents Knight Frank found that millennials are set to become the 'richest generation in history', thanks to the steep rise in the value of property assets accumulated by the generations before them which will be passed on when they die. Yet Bristow points out that even if millennials as a group are in line for a huge windfall, the only ones who will actually benefit are those with well-off parents who rode the property wave. Boomers, too, all tend to be tarred with the same brush. 'You can look at it two ways, generationally,' she says. 'Not all older people are wealthy. So saying boomers have stolen their children's future doesn't stack up.'
Telegraph
44 minutes ago
- Telegraph
The best headphones of 2025, tested by an audio expert
We live in a golden era of headphones; they have never sounded better or come with more features, but they've never cost more, either. Navigating the choices available, including earbuds, over-ear and noise cancelling headphones, while still finding the best sound quality so you can blast out your favourite albums, can be a challenging task. I have reviewed headphones for decades and tested everything from the very first wireless earbuds to hand-crafted mahogany devices that cost thousands. I'm passionate about finding the best headphones for every situation that give you a high quality listening experience, effective noise cancellation, clear phone calls and value for money. Sony, Apple and Samsung dominate the market alongside traditional hi-fi brands like Bang and Olufsen or Bowers and Wilkins, with prices ranging anywhere from £50 up to £600. Paired with smartphones, tablets, laptops and other devices, the best headphones can give you the same sound quality you'd expect from your old hi-fi equipment, but it pays to choose carefully. This guide is regularly checked and updated to ensure the latest models have been fully tested and included. You can read my full reviews below, followed by the answers to some frequently asked questions. But if you're in a hurry, here's a quick look at the top five. Best headphones: At a glance JUMP TO REVIEWS How to choose the best headphones for you Most models are now completely wireless and take the form of either over-ear headphones or earbuds. Occasionally, you'll find on-ear devices that sit on top of your ears but these have dwindled in popularity in recent years. Most rely on Bluetooth technology to transmit the audio of your favourite tracks and podcasts from whatever device you're playing them on to your headphones. Be aware that some use different codecs (the software that transmits data to the headphones), which can make a big difference to the overall sound quality. Higher-resolution codecs such as Apt-X and LDAC sound sharper than the standard SBC and AAC codecs. It's also worth looking for headphones that have Bluetooth multipoint as this will let you connect them to more than one device at the same time, like your laptop and your phone, while a better battery life means you won't be left high and dry mid-way through a long commute. If you often forget to plug yours in, look for newer models with fast charge modes that can get you back up to 100 per cent in no time. Some on this list will give you 100 hours between charges, too. How we test headphones I tested each of these headphones in real-world listening conditions over several days. I wore them indoors at home and out and about on busy streets and public transport. I assessed their design and how comfortable each pair was to wear, the look and overall feel of each set of headphones and their battery life where applicable. Most importantly, I've tested the sound quality across a range of music genres, recorded how clear wireless phone calls are, how well the noise cancelling features work and other staples like EQ adjustments (where you can fiddle with bass and treble) and spatial audio to see if you can get a true surround-sound experience. We used each pair of headphones below throughout the day to test out their battery life and recorded how long they take to recharge. Why you can trust Telegraph Recommended Our tech experts continuously conduct in-depth, independent, real-world tests, scoring devices against pre-set testing metrics and industry benchmarks, so we can deliver definitive and comprehensive buying advice. Telegraph Recommended reviews are never shared with product manufacturers before publication, we don't accept payment in exchange for positive reviews, nor do we allow brands to pay for placement in our articles. Visit our Who We Are page to learn more. The best headphones of 2025 1. Best Buy Headphones: Sony WH-1000XM6 Over the years, Sony has built a well-deserved reputation for unbeatable performance in the headphone sector and this particular pair have become a cult item, with Sony wearers exchanging nods to show they are part of the high-end audio cognoscenti. The latest update (the first since 2022) is a proper overhaul, delivering massively improved noise cancelling and boosted sound and calls. The actual look, sadly, is the worst aspect here, with a cheap plastic finish that hardly screams sophistication. However, the Japanese company's expertise in noise cancelling headphones means that just about every other part of these is spot-on. They're a delight to wear, offering what is now sadly a bonus extra in the form of a headphone jack for wired connection. The noise cancelling is simply superb, with twelve microphones on the outside isolating everything from the rumbles of buses to people talking nearby. It used to be that these headphones lagged behind Bose on the noise cancelling front, but Sony has worked hard to catch up and there's barely anything in it. For audio purists with an Android smartphone, you can switch to Sony's LDAC codec, which sounds extra crisp. There's Bluetooth Multipoint here, too, so you can remain connected to two devices at once, jumping near-instantly between listening on a laptop and a phone. Adaptive Sound Control learns your behaviour to adjust the noise cancelling up or down on the fly: this works superbly and ensures you're never over-cooking the noise cancellation. Yet it's the sound that is the star of the show here. With some songs, these sound so magnificent that you almost feel they should be in a category of their own. Audio is incredibly precise with loads of depth, especially during frantic instrumentals and soft vocal sections of tracks. I had zero qualms with the call quality, too, even in high winds. Key specifications 2. Best Value Over-Ear Headphones: Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 British brand Cambridge Audio is well known for its high-quality hi-fi equipment, and excels in making headphones and earbuds that package up that top technical performance at a lower price than you'd expect. These headphones produce excellent sound, have an excessive 100-hour battery life and give you the dulcet tones of British actor Matt Berry to let you know whenever you've connected to your phone or laptop. No bones about it, the finish here isn't as glamorous as pricier rivals like Bowers and Wilkins, but that is of little issue once you turn them on. You get a big, enveloping sound when playing music, which is particularly flattering for anything with acoustic instruments, with strong noise cancellation (which you can control through the app and on the headphones themselves) and clear voice calls. And while the battery life might sound like a gimmick, it means you barely ever need to think about it. There's also a fast charge mode, which gets you hours of playback with just five minutes of charging. Key specifications Type: Over-ear Battery life: 60 hours with ANC, 100 hours without Charging time: Five minutes for up to four hours playback (ANC off), up to two hours with ANC on; full charge in under 160 minutes. Connections: Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C audio and charging, 3.5mm mini jack Codecs supported: aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive, AAC, SBC Accompanying app: Yes, Melomania Connect app 3. Best Headphones for Sound: Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S3 These stylish Bowers and Wilkins headphones are built with a metal construction, a soft headband, and real metal buttons to round off their classic look. This pair is made with vegan leather, but other models (like the flagship Px8s) are made with sheep leather if you want the premium option. Either way, the style and quality live up to the price. These are easily among the best noise-cancelling headphones available. B&W is a British brand known for producing professional speakers and headphones and wearing a pair of these will instantly mark you out as an audio connoisseur. And you will feel like one too; the headphones make it sound like you've conjured up a live band to play directly into your ears when you hit play. They create a liveliness and sense of space that, in my opinion, puts them ever-so-slightly ahead of the Sony pair above, but it's a matter of personal taste. Pairing with your phone or laptop is effortless and done through the simple B&W Music app. Everything from their noise-cancelling capabilities, which shut out traffic noise and the rumble of everyday life, to the amount you get out of the battery (30 hours with ANC switched on) is stellar. Overall, these headphones give you a killer mix of a classic design, amped up sound and unobtrusive but cutting-edge tech that is hard to match. B&W also makes earbuds if you want a smaller option. Read our Bowers and Wilkins Pi8 review for more. Key specifications Type: Over-ear Battery life: Up to 30 hours with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) on Charging time: 15 minutes for up to seven hours playback Connections: Bluetooth 5.2, USB-C audio, 3.5mm mini jack Codecs supported: SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX HD, aptX Accompanying app: Yes, Bowers & Wilkins Music App 4. Best Noise Cancelling Headphones: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds When it comes to noise cancelling headphones, Bose has long been the brand to beat. This pair creates a level of silence that other brands simply can't match. Someone could be talking directly at you and it will be hard to register anything other than their mouth moving. It's honestly as though you've discovered a mute button for the world. You could use these headphones just to block out sounds when you need some silence at work, while travelling, or even when you misplace your earplugs at night. The sound performance is great here too. You can fiddle with the equalisers in the app if you want to but the audio is so well balanced whatever genre you play that there's no real need to. I found the headphones made anything played on acoustic instruments really sing, however. Phone calls sound clear and crisp, and I could switch between the different ANC modes in the Bose app. 'Quiet' blocks out all noise and 'Aware' drops the level of noise cancelling so you can hear chatter around you. The design is slightly odd looking, although they fit comfortably and stay in your ears. They never once fell out during testing. Key specifications 5. Best Headphones for iPhone Users: Apple AirPods Pro 2 Apple has shifted over half a billion sets of AirPods since they launched, making CEO Tim Cook's 'cultural phenomenon' description of these white earbuds pretty reasonable. The first AirPods, and in fact several generations after, did not sound great, but newer generations, including these AirPods Pro 2, are among the best wireless earbuds and work superbly. That's particularly true if you're an iPhone user, with settings integrated seamlessly into the iOS operating system. These are, effortlessly, the best wireless earbuds for Apple users, and now match the latest iPhones with a switch to USB-C charging. That means they can be charged with the same cable that everything else has, rather than the special Lightning cable that only Apple gadgets used to have. They're compact, well-designed and sit beautifully in the ear. They're the best AirPods out there at present (although read our Apple AirPods 4 review for another decent and cheaper challenger). The sound quality is splendid, despite being pipped to the post by some Sony and Bowers and Wilkins earbuds, while the full package of on-ear control (you can adjust the volume directly on the sticks) and great noise cancelling means these are excellent everyday headphones. A new Adaptive Audio mode cleverly mixes the Transparency mode and Active Noise Cancellation mode, adjusting the noise control in real-time and it works well to cut repetitive noise like the chatter of an office. The physical appearance of AirPods is always going to be a little divisive, but if you can stomach the gleaming white toothbrush-heads, these are a fantastic listen. Read our full AirPods Pro 2 review. Key specifications 6. Best Headphones for Android: Nothing Ear 3 Smartphone brand Nothing is based in London and was founded by Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, offering devices with transparent-plastic designs and a focus on delivering performance without gimmicks and extras (hence 'Nothing'). These are great value for the money, with big bold sounds and noise cancellation for far less money than rival brands. The only downsides are a relatively low battery life of five hours and a finish that hovers somewhere between minimal and cheap. If you're using Nothing, you expect clear plastic, but they're not as tactile as many rivals. For the money however, the Nothing Ear 3 headphones are great, with the app offering extras such as sound detection to adjust music levels on the fly, and far better sound than you have the right to expect for this money. Codecs such as LDAC offer improved sound for Android users too, though Android fans should also read our Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 review for an alternative. Key specifications 7. Best Budget Headphones: Anker Soundcore Space One Pro Audio upstart Anker Soundcore offers a great variety of low-priced earphones and in a market where there is a lot of rubbish, they are a mostly reliable low- and mid-priced choice. The Soundcore Space One Pro are more expensive than all other Anker headphones, but they are often available at steep discounts, and they cost a fraction of the price of the leaders in this sector. If you're on a budget, it's worth looking at other Anker Soundcore cans and buds. The sound won't trouble the likes of Sony and Bowers with the bass a bit muddy and the separation of the sound into different instruments iffy too, but it's pretty reasonable for the money. Battery life is great with up to 55 hours with the ANC off and the noise cancellation is very good for the price, with a combination of decent blocking by the large ear cups and creditable ANC from the headphones. Extras include Bluetooth multipoint so you can stay connected to multiple devices and an Easy Chat mode for conversing without having to switch everything off. The one downside is they look and feel reasonably cheap: they fold up for transport, which is nice, but they feel flimsy and don't have a particularly polished finish. That won't be a deal breaker for some, but others will feel tempted to flee to plusher brands. Key specifications 8. Best Budget Earbuds: JBL Live TWS Pro 2 If you're looking for value for money in audio, JBL is the brand to go for whether you're talking speakers, headphones or in-ears. JBL does cheaper earbuds than the Live TWS Pro 2, but for us, the Pro 2s strike the perfect balance between affordability, features and sound. Earbuds that come in under £130 (and which can often be found discounted for less than £100) simply have no right to sound this good. They're not short on features either. The app offers a Find My Buds feature and there's also an option to ensure the three supplied tips fit your ear perfectly and optimise the great noise-cancelling. Speaking of which, the noise cancelling reacts to the environment and works equally well on traffic rumbles as it does on less predictable sounds such as crowds. There's Bluetooth multipoint so you can keep the headphones connected to both a laptop and a smartphone at the same time, and other extras include auto-pause when you take an earbud out, voice assistance and a talk through mode. Not bad for something half the price of some rivals. The only (slight) fly in the ointment is the lack of sharper Android-friendly codecs such as Apt-X. The Live TWS Pro 2 sound is big and bold with bass amply ladled on, though not garishly so, and a decent, realistic performance with vocals. Audiophiles might want to opt for more premium brands, but for most people, these sound great, perform well and have longer battery life than more expensive rivals. For another sportier JBL earbud option, read our JBL Reflect Aero TWS review. Key specifications 9. Best On-Ear Headphones: Beats Solo 4 Audio purists will occasionally still sniff at Dr Dre's Beats brand, which began life with cartoonishly bassy headsets in garish colours that sat somewhere between proper hi-fi kit and fashion accessories. Over time, the sound quality of Beats has evolved from its murky, bass-heavy beginnings to offering clearer, more solid sounds and the cans have a big following. The Beats Solo 4 stand out from the crowd and might be very desirable to some purchasers because they are not over ears (i.e. big headphones that go right over your ears), they are on ears, which perch daintily on top. The on ear format has always been a little Marmite but while it has been abandoned by most brands in recent years, these new Solos still rock the look. The ear cushions are soft and comfortable enough that you'll forget you have something clamped over your ears. Sound-wise these won't trouble the leaders in this category, but they're decent, with clean, nicely separated sounds that are a world away from the muffled woofs of early Beats. They're well-built and fold neatly for travel, though the plastic finish isn't the classiest in this guide. They'll deliver 50 hours off one charge, and (in an upgrade from their predecessor) have a standard USB-C charger rather than the irritating old USB Micro-B one. Pleasing extras include a 3.5mm jack (sadly now a rarity) and these headphones are far easier to use with Android devices than they once were. Apple owns Beats, so iPhone owners get integrated Apple features like Hey Siri and Find My. So what's missing? Noise cancelling, basically. If you want ANC you'll have to splash out for the more expensive Solo Pro cans, or read our Beats Powerbeats Pro review for another Beats option. Key specifications 10. Best Headphones for Outdoors: Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven Danish brand Bang & Olufsen brings the same design panache to its wireless earbuds as it does to its exotic looking home hi-fi equipment, and the same careless bravado when it comes to pricing. These latest Beoplay Eleven are excellent, a worthy successor to the superb Beoplay EX. They are pricey, but they have an air of quality and style that few in this market can match. With a case that resembles an antique snuff box, and a metallic finish on the earphones themselves, these headphones look and feel absolutely lovely. The sound performance is similarly impressive: the bass is bigger than the previous Beoplay buds and it all feels realistic, sharp and crisp. The headphones are neatly designed and stay in your ears even when running. Noise-cancelling is similarly splendid, with Bang and Olufsen claiming to have doubled it since the last Beoplays. These are lovely earbuds, a delight to use and the IP57 rating means they can be immersed temporarily in water. Many customers might baulk at the price, but the stylish finish, great sounds and rock-solid fit will make these worth the price for some. Key specifications 11. Best Headphones for Running: Technics EAH-AZ100E-K Depending on discounts available, these come in a tiny bit beneath the price of the leaders in the earbud sector. Made by Technics, the 'serious' audio wing of Panasonic, these offer great performance for the money, feel great and have a solid, well-made design. You get five adjustable ear tips here compared to the three offered by many rivals in order to help you find a perfect fit. Getting just the 'right' fit and thus a good 'seal' inside your ear can make an enormous difference not just to the sounds that get in and out, but also to the musicality of the sound overall. It also helps if you're jogging, making these among the best running headphones under test here. The sounds are great too and while they are not quite as gloriously musical as rivals from B&W, they are cracking performers. You can also twiddle with the sound in the app, adding a bass boost if that is your thing, but it's not really necessary. The ANC is highly adjustable, with a 'dial' interface that lets you turn it up and down, although in most cases, you either want 'on' or 'off'. On the whole, these look good, sound good and are a delight to use. Key specifications 12. Best Headphones for Rockers: Marshall Monitor III Hard rockers will instantly feel at home with the branding here. The Marshall signature on the walls of black amps is the visually recognisable look of rock gigs, particularly those at the hairier, sweatier end of the rock spectrum. Naturally, these cans (endorsed by Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong, no less) make a guitar sound effect when they connect to your smartphone. Of course they do. Marshall has been bold with these: with a price of £299, they're squarely aiming at the higher end of the headphone market and thankfully, these are no rock-themed gimmicks. They sound excellent, feel high-quality and have incredible battery life. There's up to 100 hours with the noise cancelling turned off, so you rarely have to think of plugging these in to charge. The heavy cups offer natural noise cancelling, and a welcome transparency mode which turns people's voices up so you can hear them over the music. The ANC is also great. Another welcome trick is adaptive loudness, which tunes your music to the noise around you. The soundstage tool adjusts music to offer a more spacious live sound, offering a great experience with rock and other genres with an actual band playing. Overall, these sound big, enveloping and bold, and they work well with genres where you tend to turn things up to eleven, with rock and metal sounding pleasingly real. Key specifications 13. Best for Home Listening: Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 German headphone veterans Beyerdynamic are best known for big, high-quality headphones verging towards the professional end of the market. The company is dipping a toe into the wireless Bluetooth market, however, with these big, nicely engineered cans. The sound from the Aventho 300 is pleasingly neutral and makes music feel real and grown up, although it doesn't quite have the sparkle of leaders in this sector like Sony's brilliant noise cancelling headphones. These are still excellent, however, and offer plenty of functions like a voice that tells you which codec you're using so you can ensure you're getting the best audio quality possible. Beyerdynamic is relatively new to this market and the noise cancelling is a little wishy-washy, although the large, solid cups do a decent job of blocking sounds even without electronic assistance. There's touch control via the right ear cup (stroke up to raise the volume, for example, and tap twice to pause), which generally works well. Sometimes lags very slightly, which means that you can face a delay in informing someone that, no, you do not have a supermarket loyalty card. Extras such as Bluetooth multipoint round out the package, and overall, these are very good headphones that just miss out on being truly great. Key specifications: Headphone FAQs How do noise-cancelling headphones work? Noise cancelling headphones use a microphone (or multiple microphones) to listen to ambient noise and generate an opposing sound wave to cancel out sounds, such as aeroplane engines and office chatter. Can you wear headphones while driving? It's not illegal to wear headphones while driving in the UK, but you can be charged for careless or dangerous driving if a police officer believes your use of them was affecting your driving. What does ANC mean on headphones? ANC stands for active noise cancelling, which means it is done electronically – as opposed to passive noise cancelling, where the ear cups block out sound. How do you connect Bluetooth headphones? To connect Bluetooth headphones, open the Bluetooth menu on your device (i.e. a phone or PC) and then put your headphones or earbuds into Bluetooth pairing mode. Pairing mode varies by device, but with earbuds in particular, often simply opening the case puts them in pairing mode the first time. They should appear under available devices on your phone or computer, after which you choose them from the list to connect. Can you use Bluetooth headphones on a plane? You can use Bluetooth headphones on planes, although connecting them to the in-flight entertainment can be difficult and may require a Bluetooth transmitter like AirFly. What are bone conduction headphones? Bone conduction headphones are a less common technology, transmitting sound waves through your skull to your ear instead of through your ear canal. This leaves your ear canal unblocked, allowing you to stay more aware. How do you clean headphones? Carefully. Use a soft cloth to wipe them, if necessary making it slightly damp, and if needed, use a small amount of soap.
Telegraph
44 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Physician associates to be renamed
Physician associates are to be renamed by the NHS to clarify their role as doctors' assistants following widespread public confusion. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, ordered a review into the role following a series of patient safety incidents involving physician associates (PAs), which included the deaths of people who thought they had been treated by a doctor. Prof Gillian Leng, the president of the Royal Society of Medicine, is yet to write her report but it is understood changing the PA title will be a key recommendation when it is finalised later this month. Doctors have been raising concerns about the growing number of PAs in the workforce for a number of years with around 3,500 currently employed and the NHS planning to treble this within the decade. Unlike doctors, PAs have no medical degree and must only undergo a two-year postgraduate course following a non-medical undergraduate degree. They are paid more than resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors – at the beginning of their careers, which has been a key argument from the British Medical Association (BMA) as they reballot members on strike action over pay. Mr Streeting is expected to accept Prof Leng's recommendation for a title change, with it likely to revert to a 'physician assistant', which is what the role was called when it first emerged more than 20 years ago and more accurately describes the job of assisting doctors. Mistaken identity The Telegraph has revealed a series of scandals involving PAs either causing patient harm, acting beyond what they are qualified to do or being used in place of doctors. Earlier this year, a dossier of more than 600 incidents compiled by the BMA revealed egregious examples of PAs and anaesthetist associates (AAs) misdiagnosing cancer, impersonating doctors and illegally prescribing medication and ordering scans. PAs have also been implicated in several high-profile patient deaths. Emily Chesterton, a 30-year-old actress, died in 2022 after she was misdiagnosed twice by a PA whom she thought was a GP. She was told she had an ankle sprain when she had a blood clot that later travelled from her leg to her lung and killed her. Her parents recently began a legal challenge against the General Medical Council, which regulates doctors and now associates, alongside a group called Anaesthetists United. Earlier this year, a coroner said the PA who diagnosed Pamela Marking with a nosebleed, before she died aged 77 at East Surrey Hospital in 2024, 'had a lack of understanding of the significance of abdominal pain and vomiting, and had undertaken an incomplete abdominal examination'. A Department of Health and Social Care source told the Guardian: 'It's clear there's a legitimate problem of patients not knowing who they are seen by, which is their basic right. It is likely the review will make recommendations to address this problem, including changing the titles of PAs.' A spokesman for the department said: 'The Secretary of State asked Professor Gillian Leng to produce an independent review into PAs and AAs that will provide certainty to patients and staff across the NHS. 'We will consider its findings in full once it has been completed.'
