best headphones

The Fostex TH600 full-size headphones' sound is downright addicting. They take you inside the sound of a recording like few other headphones can. Unfortunately, Fostex's U.S. distribution of its high-end headphones is very limited (it's a Japanese company), but Fostex dealer Moon Audio was kind enough to send over a sample pair of TH600 headphones ($1,299) fitted with an extra-cost Black Dragon V2 cable. Fostex also offers much less expensive models, including the $129 T50RP, but the company mostly caters to the pro sound market.

The TH600 has large 50mm drivers, matched with an unusually powerful … Read more

All of the best sounding in-ear headphones I've tested over the years have been custom-molded to my ears models. Prices vary, but the $399 UE-4 was the least expensive, and most of the top-of-the-line models are more than $1,000. Those prices don't include the fee the audiologist charges to make molds of your ear canals, and the fees add $100 to the price of the headphones. Customs ensure a perfect fit, and the best isolation from external noise. Plus they can't fall out of your ears,

The FitEar ToGo 334 in-ear headphone is made in Japan … Read more

The great thing about headphones is that you can, with a bit of effort, find great-sounding models in every price range. True, the best expensive models definitely sound better, but my picks for the cheapest ones are still pretty awesome. In fact, the $89 Velodyne vPulse headphones are the ones I regularly used long after I wrote the review! There was something about the sound of the vPulse that had me coming back for more. I cover audiophile, in-ear, full-size, wireless, and noise-canceling headphones, and prices run from dirt-cheap to insanely expensive.

Audiophiliac readers have strong opinions about the gear I cover in this blog, so last month I asked for Readers' Choice nominations in a variety of categories, including headphones, speakers, receivers, etc.. I've sorted through all the comments, and here's what I found: there's a wide range of gear you love, but it was in the headphone category where the clearest winners stood out.

The Klipsch Image S4 in-ear headphones were the single most popular product in the survey, you people really love 'em! Grado SR60, SR80, and SR225 full-size headphones also drew raves, and Koss' PortaPro … Read more

First it was iPod docks. Then it was computer speakers and over-the-ear headphones. Now, Bowers & Wilkins, a brand once known for expensive high-end speakers, expands its product offering into the mainstream with the $179.95 C5 in-ear headphones.

Along with touting the C5s' "pristine, natural audio," B&W is highlighting its signature Secure Loop, "an ingenious innovation where a cushioned loop fixes quickly and comfortably in the inner ridge of the user's ear." The company adds that the Loop is "infinitely adjustable, so it works perfectly with anyone's ears."

That … Read more

"I love going to the beach, but hate getting sand on my iPhone. #FirstWorldProblems"

If that tweet sounds familiar, you'll want to add the Grace Digital Audio Eco Pod to your shopping list.

The Eco Pod is an outdoor case for your phone or MP3 player that wraps the device in an airtight valve for complete protection against the elements. It comes with a pair of Grace's Sonar Premium Waterproof Headphones so you can jam without worrying about damaging your gear.

The case features a waterproof IPX7 headset jack that can also pair with any standard … Read more

Impressive sound performance, an affordable price tag, and a "Back to the Future" aesthetic keep the $49 Porta Pro headphones in the modern Koss stable of products.

Well into their 26th production year, we're proud to include them in our list of the Best Portable Headphones for more than just those reasons--they also happen to carry a lifetime warranty, no questions asked.

A clear statement on the warranty page reads:

Stereophones that were purchased after July of 1989 are covered by our No-Questions-Asked Lifetime warranty.

No need to include the original receipt, nor do you have to wait for an RMA. In fact, Koss actually encourages customers to visit its Milwaukee location for those in the area to make an exchange--if not, all they ask is that you include $6 in the box to cover the return shipping fees.… Read more

In the headphone realm, Bose is probably best known for its noise-canceling (NC) line of QuietComfort models. But it's long made some non-NC models, including an around-the-ear design as well as an on-ear design. Bose has shortened those names to AE and OE, respectively, and now the AE model reviewed here is up to version 2.

Formerly known as the TriPort, the AE2 still uses the same basic design, but Bose has implemented some significant design improvements. For starters, these headphones, like the noise-canceling models, now fold flat. Also, Bose has moved from a double- (running to each earcup) … Read more

Whether you consider the Apple iPad to be a milestone of magical technology, or just an over-hyped iPod, there's one thing we can all agree on: the damn thing doesn't include headphones.

Maybe we're spoiled, but we've come to expect Apple to bundle its ubiquitous white earbuds with all its mobile products. Then again, for all the complaints we've made about the sound quality of those cursed 'buds, perhaps Apple is doing us all a favor by forcing us to invest in a proper pair.

Now, you can use any of our top-rated headphones to … Read more