With the holidays coming up, it can be hard to know what to buy for your friends and family. And even when you do decide on which of the best headphones to buy, how do you know what to look for?
It’s easy to fall into the trap of looking for the best brand names and not looking at what features they can offer. Sometimes the best headphones are some of the cheapest and from lesser-known brands. I’ve put together a list of all the things I look for when testing new headphones, so you can be sure you’ll be happy with whatever you buy this holiday season.
Comfort
One of the most important things to remember when buying headphones is that sound isn’t necessarily everything. Now, I’m not saying completely ditch the prospect of crisp tunes and deep bass. But if you can’t wear headphones for prolonged periods, you won’t care how good the sound is, you’ll just want to take them off.
This is where deciding on the type of headphone you want comes into play. I personally prefer over-ear headphones as they encompass your whole ear and sit on your head, rather than sitting on top of your ears like on-ear headphones.
If you’re buying for yourself, this will be easy. You can just try a few different styles and see which works best for you. However, if you’re shopping for headphones to gift this holiday season, you can have a look at what kind of headphones they already own.
Sound quality
When we asked what you look for when buying a new pair of headphones, 57% of you said that incredible sound was most important. If you are a professional who needs headphones for mixing tracks, having open-back headphones will be advantageous for a more spacious sound.
But for everyday listening, I would recommend closed-back headphones, which can provide a more immersive experience, putting you in your own bubble. Opting for headphones with a companion app is the best way to go, as it gives you scope to customize your listening experience.
EQ presets can also help to enhance the audio of the headphones you have and can improve particular genres, based on what the drivers are capable of. EQ personalization is something I always look for when buying audio gear from speakers to earbuds; it can really make or break your experience.
Noise cancelling
Active noise cancellation is an essential feature for anyone working in an office setting that can be filled with noisy distractions, or anyone who appreciates complete silence during their alone time. Good ANC can completely block out the world around you and can make it easier to appreciate the music you’re listening to as well. See our best noise cancelling headphones guide for our top picks.
Waterproofing
It may not be your number one priority if you only tend to use headphones indoors. But if you go walking or commute or run with headphones on, you will need to ensure they have some sort of waterproof rating.
You can find this by looking for an IP rating. This number indicates the level of protection in the cans, and higher numbers mean more protection. I would recommend a minimum protection of IPX4 as this protects from water splashing in any direction, including sweat and light rain. That’s right, even your sweat can cause damage, so it’s best to get waterproofing.
Connectivity and streaming capabilities
Having the right connectivity to suit how you use your headphones is super important. If you’re old school and love wired headphones, you’ll need to check your phone’s connectivity and ensure that the headphone jack is compatible, or get a dongle. But like with most things these days, it’s probably much easier to go wireless.
But wireless headphone shopping opens up its own can of worms with daunting talk of audio codecs. This can seem like a lot to understand, but all that matters is newer codecs with provide superior audio quality with the right equipment.
If sound quality is one of your main concerns, then this is going to be important for you. If you need a pair of headphones to listen to music in detail, though, you’re going to want to circle right back around to wired headphones, as this will give you the lowest latency possible.
My top picks
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