Best headphones to take back to school

The Bose QuietComfort 35 combines top-of-the-line active-noise canceling with wireless Bluetooth operation in an extra-comfortable, fold-up design. Most importantly, sound quality is excellent for a set of wireless headphones. They sell Down Under for AU$499.

Are Apple's AirPods the future of earbuds. Probably -- and if so, the future is lightweight and comfortable, if a little weird looking. They provide good, wireless sound for AU$229. Just try not to lose them. 

If you're looking for a more traditional wireless alternative to the AirPods, the BeatsX is a fresh take on the neckband-style Bluetooth headphone.  

The BoseSound Sport Wireless is wireless, sweat-resistant and sounds great. They sell for AU$249. 

Sweat-resistant and sturdy, you'll find V-Moda's Forza Metallo earphones at David Jones for AU$249. These great-sounding earphones will last a full school day, running up to 10 hours long.

The new Beats Ep, a wired model, is the company's most affordable on-ear headphone. It sounds surprisingly good for the price of AU$139.

Sennheiser's PXC 550 Wireless, at AU$630, is about as premium as wireless headphones get. It's comfortable, relatively lightweight, sounds very good and features impressive noise-cancellation.

Beats Solo 3 Wireless uses Apple's new custom Bluetooth chip, the W1, for easy pairing and excellent battery life (40 hours). It costs AU$399.

Sennheiser's Momentum Wireless is arguably the best-sounding wireless Bluetooth headphone. You'll pay AU$699 for that sonic quality, though.

The AU$399 Bose QuietControl 30 is essentially the wireless version of the company's QuietComfort 20 headphone -- an in-ear model that also features active noise cancellation.  

The AU$329 SoundLink Around-Ear Wireless Headphone II is very comfortable to wear, sounds excellent for a Bluetooth headphone, and offers good battery life (15 hours).  

Not all headphones need to cost a pretty penny. Plantronics' BackBeat 500 series starts at AU$119, for which you'll get attractively designed, wireless headphones that are comfy and produce good sound for its price.

There are two versions of this in-ear headphone, a SoundTrue Ultra for Apple devices, and another for Samsung/Android devices. Both sets are AU$179, highly recommended to audiophiles, and also ideal for anyone who usually finds in-ear headphones uncomfortable.

Selling for AU$249, Bose's SoundSport is one of the most popular in-ear headphones. While it sounds good, its biggest selling point is how comfortable it is to wear.

Plantronics also has the in-ear goods. The BackBeat Fit is a lightweight wireless stereo headset (with integrated microphone) that features a sweatproof design and decent sound for AU$179. 

The Jaybird X3 offers an improved design, better battery life and lower price tag than its predecessor, the X2. You can snag it for AU$199. 

The AU$259 Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless offers an improved fit, very good sound for Bluetooth sports headphone, reliable operation, and strong battery life (12 hours), thanks to Apple's W1 chip.

The Beats Studio Wireless, now AU$449, has been around for a couple of years (and is due for an update), but it's still one of the best Bluetooth headphone and also features light active noise cancellation.

The Skullcandy Grind sounds surprisingly good for its modest price of AU$89. 

The BackBeat Pro 2 is an excellent full-size wireless noise-cancelling headphone -- and at AU$299 it costs much less than comparable models from Bose, Sony or Sennheiser.

JBL's AU$149 E55BT isn't a total bargain, but it's a midpriced over-ear model that delivers solid performance and decent comfort.  

Skullcandy's Ink'd Wireless is an affordable (AU$79), lightweight neckband-style headphone that sounds surprisingly good.

The water-resistant Plantronics BackBeat Sense SE is a comfortable, AU$280 on-ear wireless headphone that delivers very good sound for Bluetooth.  

Sony's H.ear On Wireless NC comes in several eye-catching colors and features wireless Bluetooth streaming, as well as active noise cancellation. At AU$499, it delivers excellent performance for Bluetooth.

The AU$399 AKG N60NC Wireless on-ear headphones are compact, comfortable and well-designed, and sound excellent for a model with active noise cancellation and Bluetooth.  

Jabra's Elite Sport earbuds are an AirPod alternative: They're wireless, waterproof and even have a heartrate monitor. They're more pricey though, at AU$349.

It may seem weird to use a Samsung headphone with an iPhone, but the AU$100 Level U is a likeable neckband-style Bluetooth headphone that doesn't costs too much. The step-up Level U Pro sounds better, but it has a noise-isolating design and isn't as comfortable as this model.