An In-Depth Guide to Headphones in 2024

Are you interested in getting a pair of headphones this year? The market for headphones is absolutely vast, and sometimes it might feel daunting trying to find the right ones for you – especially when there are so many different types available.  You might think of headphones are being primary for music, or other leisurely activities; but according to TechQuarters, they are also essential for working in 2024, as many people are working remotely – whether that’s from home or a co-working space, where headphones are a common courtesy.

So, if you’re looking for guidance on purchasing headphones for yourself, check out this in-depth guide on choosing the right pair.

What Is Your Headset For?

When choosing to purchase any kind of item, you really need to ascertain how and why you will use the item. Some products are designed for certain lifestyles, for example. Knowing what you need your headset for will help you look in the right places.

Say that you need a pair of these for business purposes. In that case, it’s probably likely that you will be wearing them for long periods of the day – possibly 8 hours a day, even. This means that you should look for headphones that are rated highly for comfort. In a business context, you’ll probably need headphones for video meetings – therefore, those that have a high-quality microphone would be suitable.

Then again, you might just want headphones for leisure time. There are lots of leisure activities that might require headphones. For instance, if you are an avid gamer, headphones provide a more immersive experience. Or perhaps you are a musician wanting to practice without disturbing anyone. In both of these cases, high-fidelity headphones that reproduce sounds in a balanced way will be most suitable.

Sport may be another scenario for this product. Many people like to listen to music or podcasts when they are running or working out in the gym. If you use music to motivate you during workouts, you’ll want headphones designed for maximizing the quality of music – such as ones that have high quality bass response.

Wireless vs. Wired

These days, technology enables us to transmit all sorts of information literally through the air, with the help of radio signals and other similar technologies. Wireless audio input is becoming more and more popular, but there may be some use-cases where wired still has its value.

Wireless for Personal

• Wired for Personal
• Wireless for Business
• Wired for Business

Headset Design

The design of headsets is yet another factor you should consider. What you choose will come down to both personal preference and fitness for purpose. We will look at the three broad categories of design for headsets: In-ear, on-ear, and over-ear. Read more on forthesound.com.

In-Ear

You are probably familiar with in-ear headphones. They are popular because they are lightweight, and they provide decent sound quality with minimal sound leakage (i.e. when people around you can hear when you’re listening to). In-ear headsets are usually called earphones, as they go directly in your ear.

1. Wired – Sennheiser CX 300S

Sennheiser are well known for the quality of their audio devices. They have a straightforward design; very balanced sound quality, but with a little bass boost; and best of all, they are not exceedingly expensive. For reliability and reputable quality, look no further.

2. Wireless – Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Another excellent product from Sennheister – this time, a wireless offering. This is the second in line of the company’s Momentum True Wireless series. The first met with lots of impressed reactions; and the successor only improves on the foundation.

3. Work – Jabra Elite 85t Wireless Earbuds

For a full day at your desk, the Jabra Elite 85t offer excellent sound quality, comfort, and convenience. You could leave these headphones in all day and go about your day as normal. These are especially good for work due to the 6 built-in mics that will ensure you are delivering superb sound quality when speaking on a video meeting.

4. Sport – Jaybird Vista 2 Truly Wireless

When running with in-ear headphones, you want to be sure that are secure and won’t fall out. The Jaybird Vista 2 headphones offer excellent stability due to the rubber fins that are built-into them. These headphone also have an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance (much better than most models on the market).

5. Budget – SoundMagic E11

Most would be very surprised to hear that these headphones, costing under $50 when you look in the right places, have sound quality that can compete with competitors several times the price. Their dynamics drivers, reinforced cable, and high sensitivity mean they deliver excellent sound quality and volume for the price.

6. Premium – Sennheiser IE 900

These flagship headphones from Sennheiser are actually worth every penny of their whopping price tag. They have been meticulously designed to deliver the most in-depth, clean sound quality that money can buy. They come with interchangeable wires for 3.5mm, 2.5mm, and 4.4mm connectors, and 6 options for rubber ear-tips.

Over-Ear

On the other hand, you can get headsets where the sound emitting components sit over your entire ear. These are called headphones, because they literally sit on your head. These types of headsets tend to offer the best sound quality, and superior sound isolation.

1. Wired – Audio-Technica ATH-M50x

Known in the music industry for their reliability and high-fidelity reproduction of sound, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50x are an excellent all-rounder when it comes to wired, over-ear headphones. The wire is replaceable, and guarantees consistent sound quality.

2. Wireless – Sony WH-1000XM4

Sony are well-known for leading the market when it comes to sound quality in their headphones. Many agree that the WH-1000XM4 are one of the best sounding wireless headphones on the market.

3. Work – Technics EAH-F70N

Providing balanced, inconspicuous sound quality that’s great for remaining in the flow of work, Technics EAH-F70N are another solid all-rounder that will last you upwards of 20 hours per charge – more than enough to see you through the average working day.

4. Sport – JLab Flex Sport

For sports headphones, you need lightweight stability, and if you don’t want to compromise immersive sound, then the JLab Flex Sport is the ideal headset for you. They feature controls, and washable cushioning and earpads.

5. Budget – Sony MDR-7506

Once again coming through with respectable sound quality, this low budget option from Sony offer highly accurate bass, mids, and treble. Sony’s technology means that, for under $100, you can get sound quality better than competitors twice the price.

6. Premium – Bang & Olufsen beoplay H95

Audiophiles with a considerable amount of expendable income should look no further for their over-ear headphones. Bang & Olufsen’s bioplay H95s are built with premium materials (including hard aluminium, lambskin leather, and titanium drivers). If you have the budget, you will be very hard-pressed to find better sounding ‘phones.