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Tom's Guide
25-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
Forget AirPods Max — here's the 5 headphones I recommend for every budget
When your headphones die, it can often be a mission to try and work out what new pair you should pick up. One of the best ways to narrow down the search is to nail down your budget — that way, you can maximise the value of your headphone purchase, without spending too much. Sometimes that budget stretches to the $499 sticker price of the AirPods Max. Sometimes it doesn't. And sometimes, you're looking to go all-out for the crème de la crème of audio gear and the AirPods Max simply won't cut it. Whether your budget is tight or large, there are plenty of options to spend your money on. To make life even easier, I've got here 5 budgets and 5 pairs of the best headphones to fit them. JLab is well known for making some excellent headphones at bargain prices — and the JBuds Lux sit pretty close to the top of the pile. They forgo some luxuries like a protective case, but they more than make up for it with some solid battery life, good comfort, and extra features that outperform headphones that are even twice the price. For $79 they're something of a steal. Our reviewer, Erin, particularly liked the sound quality of the JBuds Lux, thanks to some lovely detail to the sound. ANC is excellent for the price, and they're built much better than you might expect. They more than prove that you don't have to spend hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to net yourself a great pair of headphones. For just $79 you're getting a pretty special pair of headphones. They're comfortable, feature ANC and other premium amenities, and they sound good too. For the price, they're a fantastic option. The $100-200 price range is jam-packed with excellent headphone options — but our review Erin was bowled away by the Soundcore Space One Pro when she got the opportunity to give them a test. They step up the design and the features from the previous model — the only thing missing in the package is a carrying case. They're very comfortable, with great padding on the earcups and headband. They fold up super small, so you can fit them in even the tightest of bags and packs. Sound is very good, and the ANC does a great job at silencing the outside world for long-haul flights or quick bus trips to work. Soundcore's second try at the Space One brought a "Pro" moniker along with some excellent features. They feature brilliant sound, classy looks, and very good ANC for the price. We loved them in our 4.5-star review, especially for their comfort that lasts all day. I love every second I spend with the Marshall Monitor III. I love the way that they look, I love the way that they sound, and I've found I can wear them for super long periods of time without any problems at all. ANC is good too, and I think they're some of the coolest looking headphones that you can buy today. Most people are going to be interested in their incredibly impressive battery life, however. They last for 100 hours if you leave ANC turned off, and if you turn noise canceling on they last for 70 hours. They are, in fact, the current battery life Tom's Guide record holders. For $150 less than the AirPods Max, they're a spectacular option. The Marshall Monitor III pack rock star looks and style into a great headphone package. They sound excellent, and they're extremely comfortable. It's the 100-hour battery life that really impresses though, especially when it only drops to 70 with ANC turned on. Now we're in the AirPods Max's price territory, and yet, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 are the most impressive headphone launch of the year in my mind. They take a winning formula, and then slim it down and improve in some key areas to make a set of cans that take the fight to the more established competition. When I tested them earlier this year, I was incredibly impressed. The ANC is now comparable to similarly priced headphones, they're incredibly comfortable, and the battery life is more than enough for most of your daily applications. It's the sound that really wins the day here though. They've got plenty of detail, but they also manage to be a lovely warm listen as well. The Px7 S3 are currently my pick for the best headphones at the moment, with excellent sound quality, plenty of battery, and a comfortable fit. They might not be the cheapest pair on the list, but they likely tick the most boxes for largest amount of people. When I tested these headphones last year they just about fit into the budget — although since then there have been... happenings which have jacked up the price. The Dali IO-8 are still a pretty special pair of headphones if you've got a bit more money to spend. They sound sublime, with one of the best sound signatures I've heard in a pair of wireless headphones. They're comfortable too, and their physical controls are top notch. They're not for vegans — all of the padding is leather and there are no alternative options — but they are spectacular for the price. Dali's IO-8 are some of the best wireless headphones I've ever tested — they're also incredibly expensive. UK shoppers are in for the deal of the century when they only pay £500, while US buyers pay a more premium price. They sound incredible and offer excellent comfort.
Tom's Guide
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
I'm a tough critic when it comes to audio gear, but these $199 headphones still have me hooked
I spend a lot of my life reviewing some of the best headphones... and I also spend a lot of my life reviewing some of the worst headphones. Charles Dickens, who? I think I just rewrote "Great Expectations" for the audiophile crowd. Anyhoo, I reviewed the Soundcore Space One Pro back in February, and I still can't believe how good these headphones are. I gave them a near-perfect 4.5 stars and struggled to fault them. And the best part? They're just $199. (Well, they're often on sale for $169, which makes them like a 4.75 star product.) I've tested my fair share of headphones, and I think the Space One Pros absolutely blow the Bose QuietComforts out of the water in terms of value, and I'll tell you why. What makes the Space One Pro headphones so good? For starters, they're a fraction of the cost of other headphones of this caliber. But my favorite part is the personalized EQ (HearID), which I'll get into in full in 3...2...1... I know some headphone brands offer personalized EQs now (Denon, JBL, Jabra, etc), but the Soundcore version is straight-up entertainment. I've never been so enthralled by a silly little game on my silly little phone before. Let me walk you through it. The Soundcore app runs you through a game (called HearID), where you select which EQ sounds better. Have you ever been to the opticians for a vision test, and they ask you which lens is better? It's like that, but with the same song under different EQ styles. After you complete the game, the headphones generate your perfect EQ, based on what you like. So if you choose the bassier songs, it'll create a bass-heavy EQ. Similarly, if you choose the enhanced vocal (treble) track, it'll provide you with treble-focused EQ. I found this way more effective and fun than a manual EQ slider. Sure, I'm more than capable of adjusting my own frequency volumes — that's all an EQ is, after all — but this made it so much more fun. I was immediately enamored with these headphones. Kind of ironic, but I think the Soundcore Space One Pros are more comfy than the Bose QuietComforts. The soft cups felt like clouds against my ears, and I couldn't feel the plastic driver casing through the mesh. As soon as I put the Space One Pro headphones on, I was shocked at how cheap they are. Usually, even mid-range headphones have thin mesh between the cups and the drivers, but not the Space One Pros. Look at that! So flexible! I feel like a little kid when they say "Mommy! Look at me!" and do some wild contortion that only kids under five are capable of. (I used to be a kindergarten teacher, and that happened to me about 10 times a day. They also used to ask me if I, too, could put my foot over my head. I can't.) The Space One Pros are comfy and flexible, so they can easily be stowed away in a bag or even in a jacket pocket without being too bulky. I'd definitely grab these right before leaving the house and not worry about accidentally breaking them while stuffing them in my bag, running after the bus. As much as I love the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones, they're not perfect. The ANC is good, don't get me wrong. But it's not great. They won't be the best noise-canceling headphones any time soon. When I was testing them, I could still hear traffic noise when I was walking around the city. However, when I was in the office, my colleagues had to wave their hands in front of my face to get my attention. So, swings and roundabouts. If you want to be aware of your surroundings on city walks, then the ANC might not be a negative. All that being said, if you need mind-blowing ANC, then you have to spend $$$ and go for the $349 Bose QuietComfort headphones. Bose is renowned for its industry-leading ANC, and the QuietComforts are no different. My colleague Nikita says that Bose's ANC is "so good you feel lonely", which I think is the best way to describe it. So if you want to save some dough and get mind-blowingly good value headphones? The Space One Pros are calling your name. But if you need ANC that will block out the world? The Bose QuietComforts might just steal the crown here. Me? I'm more than happy with my $150 saving and my Space One Pros.
Tom's Guide
17-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
I test headphones for a living — here's what you need to do before you buy a pair
Don't be fooled — the headphones I'm wearing in that image are some of the worst headphones I've ever used. They're proof that you need to do your research when buying new headphones. I test headphones every single day — it's my job. Yes, it's a real job. I absolutely adore finding the best headphones in a very oversaturated market. Equally, I cruelly love finding the worst headphones and rightfully warning people against buying them in my reviews. I come to you with this knowledge: this is everything I've learned from testing loads of headphones. I'll tell you exactly what you need to look for (and stay away from), and help you understand marketing jargon from real audio specifications. There are so many headphones on the market right now. You could even say... too many. I'll run through some features you'll need to think about now. That list doesn't include everything, but it's the main information you need to figure out. I'll use myself as an example. I need excellent audio quality. I'm not too fussed about call quality. ANC is a must for public transport. I will almost certainly not use headphones during workouts. I need customizable EQ, but don't care about game mode or spatial audio. I do have a hi-res streaming service (shoutout Qobuz), so I'd like it to come with a wired cable, but it also needs to be wireless. Budget? As low as possible. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. That gives me a few options: realistically, the Bose QuietComfort headphones, Sony WH-MX10005, or the Soundcore Space One Pro. When I tested these headphones back in February, I couldn't believe my ears. Considering they're just $199 (cheap compared to others these days), the sound quality is excellent, and they have a range of premium features like personalized EQs, confident ANC, and a wired connection. I don't mean to ruffle any feathers, but sometimes promises aren't exactly followed through. Phrases like "8K sound", "Hi-res wireless audio" and capitalized phrases like "[brand name] Proprietary Cotton Pillow Cushions" are worthy of a raised eyebrow and a chin scratch. Don't be gullible — make sure specs and reviews corroborate these claims. There's little point in a manufacturer claiming its headphones have "SilentSoundAIMic" if the actual mics are just... the same as everyone else's. Companies may also claim things like "amazing 20Hz-20KHz frequency range". This is just the normal frequency range. If it's 5Hz-30KHz, that's more impressive (and very rare). Similarly, "dynamic driver" is the standard. More impressive is "magnetic planar driver", but even so, that doesn't guarantee good sound quality if the hardware itself doesn't match up. If you want higher-quality streams, you'll need to make sure headphones are compatible with the following Bluetooth codecs: LDAC, ALAC (Apple only), and the many variants of aptX. Even so, compatibility with these codecs doesn't guarantee good sound, which brings me onto my next point... A review is just one person's opinion. Therefore, you need to read a variety of reviews — but make sure they're from reputable publications. It's worth reading a bunch of that author's reviews to make sure they don't just praise every single piece of gear under their byline. I would read a minimum of five. Once you know exactly what you need (as we discussed in point 1), you know what to look for. Are you a massive bass lover? Make sure the reviewer discusses bass in the article. Do you need the headphones for work calls? Make sure the reviewer positively rates the microphones and call quality. Do you value comfort over all? Make sure the reviewer says the headphones are comfortable. The brand-new Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones have universal positive ratings. We gave them 4-stars, but I've seen reviews with 5-stars too. Another unanimously-lauded option is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, not to mention the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3. All of these headphones have two things in common: a big brand name and a plethora of fantastic reviews. While reviews aren't everything (everyone has different opinions), if you go into a review knowing exactly what you're looking for, they are the most helpful part of pre-purchase research. Even so, I think reading reviews is most important for budget gear. Because budget gear tends to have a lot of bold claims, as I discussed in the "Don't fall for good marketing" section above, I think checking out reviews for cheap headphones is the most important thing you can do. There are loads of affordable headphones with terrible sound quality — I know, I've reviewed enough of them. So if your budget is on the smaller side, I would read every single review humanly possible. There's more room for error here, as truly good budget gear can be hard to come by. I always recommend the JLab JBuds Lux ANC headphones for epic headphones under $80. Hopefully now you can cut through the noise and figure out exactly which headphones will suit your needs. Remember: do your research, and don't fall for good marketing. Then you should be golden.
