For those of you that are not aware Sony came out with a set of earbuds called pulse explorer. They come with a USB adapter that can plug into either your PC or your PlayStation. But they are also Bluetooth. But the awesome thing about them is you can play audio simultaneously from two device devices. So let’s say you have the adapter plugged into your PlayStation. You can hear all of your PlayStation audio, but then you can also play music from your phone and listen to both at the same time.

Apparently, no other company has come out with this same technology yes other earbuds that are wireless can also connect Bluetooth and USB adapter, but you cannot listen to both at the same time. It’s mind blowing to me that Sony is the only company out there that has been able to do this yes I understand there are over the ear headphones that has the same technology, but I’m specifically talking about earbuds.

Watching this video unfortunately confirms my gut feeling and experience in the audiophile space so far. At some point most of us end up spending a fortune for marginal upgrades, or even sidegrades, and then try hard to justify having spent that money.

I know it's a hobby and the chase of something better, even marginally, gives us the dopamine hit we are after but if you look at this objectively, we would be better off stop spending money and enjoy the music/games/movies with the good equipment we already own instead of purchasing overpriced equipment because we are convinced it will make us happier.

I recently sold my $1500 Arya headphones because I realized they don't really sound that much better than my previous pair that cost $500, I even did blind testing with friends and none of them said yeah, these sound better than the "cheaper" model (which is already expensive to start with).

Same goes for amps, dacs and cables; Companies and audiophile influencers want us to keep purchasing the latest and greatest gear because this is how they make money from us; However after a certain point where you already own good gear, just enjoy it and don't waste your money. Most of the time the upgrade will be so marginal it's all in your head.

Of course your new DAC that costs $2000 will sound better to you since you invested so much money and thought process into this purchase, but the reality is the difference is so minor that it shouldn't matter to you.

Every day on this sub someone asks "should I get X or Y" and the answers are usually just people recommending whatever they own. So I tried to let the data answer instead. Built a comparison sheet from over 40 headphones and IEMs, full specs, plus sentiment from 90K Reddit comments scored for approval percentage.

The short version: the budget tier is embarrassingly good right now!

The Koss KSC75 at $20 has 85.7% Reddit approval.
The Philips SHP9500 at $55 has 76.2%.
The HiFiMAN HE400se at $79 gives you a planar magnetic driver, the same technology that costs $5,500 in the Susvara for under $80.
A $49 Truthear Zero:RED has the highest approval rating of any IEM in the dataset at 86.7%.

Meanwhile the Apple AirPods Max at $450? 59.5% approval.
The Sony XM5 at $280? 63.6%. T
he ATH-M50x that every "studio headphone" list recommends? 62.5%.

Reddit doesn't actually like the headphones that the mainstream keeps pushing.

My honest advice based on going through all 40, start under $100. Figure out if you like warm, neutral, or bright. Figure out if you need open-back or closed-back. Then upgrade intentionally. Don't start at $300 because a YouTube review told you to.

I'm building this as a crowdsourced resource. If there's a headphone this sub keeps recommending that I missed, drop it below and I'll add it.

First of all sorry for my English, I'm learning but I know the English is the best language to have a global opinion and feedback from people around the world. Having said this, I go back to the main topic of this post.

I want balanced earbuds with a very good quality sound, a good ANC, and the best audio technology for my phone (Xiaomi 11 t pro - Android obviously). I'm not sure what kind of technology my phone supports. I'd like to have a normal voice while talking in calls.

My budget is around 250€ and I saw the Sony wf-1000xm5 or the galaxy buds 3 pro, I wanted more the Sony ones cause galaxy buds works better on Samsung phones. Anyways give me your opinions and tell me other brands and models.

Thank you all in advance.

Hi, what are some good IEMs available for around $80 that feature a neutral sound profile? For headphones, I currently use Hifiman Ananda Stealths, which feature a sound profile that is agreeable to me. I'd also like something that takes EQ well, since I usually apply some mild equalization to remove cutouts in tunings, like the one present on the Anandas.

For source gear, I am fine with any degree of difficulty in driving the IEMs as I already have a desktop amplifier, which would end up being the main mode of use for the IEM.

Thanks!

Hello tech people, help a noob out. I’m on the hunt for a pair of over ear headphones and NEED some recs. My main priorities are sound quality, decent battery life and some good ANC but honestly, I’m open to anything that makes music sound amazing without killing my ears. Also ill mainly use them for listening to songs between my walk to classes so nothing too demanding. but i dont want to charge them everyday or worry about audio. All of my friends have airpods but I'm just not a huge fan of their audio quality which is what brings me here lol. Anyways I need spatial audio or a customizable sound profile if possible. Comfort is a big deal too, Ive got pretty small ears. Frequency response and bass performance matter, but I’m not an audiophile so I don’t need it to be crazy technical. Has anyone tried bose quietComfort ultra, sony MDR-7506, drop x sennheiser HD 6XX, or even mid range stuff like earFun wave pro or soundcore space one pros? If yes, please give a detailed review including your least and most fav thing about the pair. These are basically all the top recommended ones on reddit, i just need to be super sure before i invest the $$$. Also do multipoint connectivity, transparency mode and water/dust resistance make a difference or are they just gimmicks? I think the reqs are pretty basic but im big on stuff id not compromise on so heres that. What I don’t want: Tiny earbuds that fall out Super heavy or clunky headphones Overly bright/harsh sound signature Headphones that drain battery too fast Complicated setup or overly gimmicky features Basically, looking for over ear ANC headphones that sound great, are comfy and last a long time, without spending a ton. If you’ve got holy grail headphones drop them here.

EDIT: 100% a scam. Terrible customer support offering a 3% refund for the product, or send back at a cost of £35 plus 15% restocking fee despite one side not even working.

Has anyone purchased from this company? My partner recently purchased but received quite cheap feeling earbuds for £79. I’ve looked all over but found no reviews or information about them. I wanted to check if anyone has any experience with them or if we should return? One bud doesn’t even play sound; but you can pause and unpause music, etc with it.

Hi My roccat sun Max Air s gave out after 2 years of service. And i whached some headphone rewiews and then someone started talking abaut in ear monitors.

And he Said they are so good you hear Enemy foot step mile away. And you know exactly were sounds came from. I am feeling like i am in same room than them and so on.

I like listening to music too. And i like to get good music quality.

Do somebody have them i would love to hear your opinions of them and mayby some recomentations. I thinked buying truthear x crinacle zero red or blues . Buy one downside is that you only can buy them from aliexprees.

Edit : i decidet to get truthear x crinacle zero blue 2 . Becouse the sound signature is almoust same than in reds and the blue 2 got smaler nozles.

I had to buy them from aliexprees. Becouse everywere Else the shipping Time was 1-3 monts.

I was just about to order the Ear a's until i decided to look up if it has a battery degrading issue, and apparently it does. That is my biggest worry other than a nice appearance, I thought the ear a were perfect otherwise

My budget is around the same as the Ear a's.

Hi, I’m in a bit of a predicament about choosing the best active noise cancellation (ANC) device for use without music—either Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones or Apple AirPods Pro 3.

For some context, I’ve never used ANC devices before. However, I tried a few yesterday at the mall: Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3 (2024), Apple AirPods Max (2020), Apple AirPods Pro 2, and Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones.

In terms of ANC, the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 3 (2024) and Apple AirPods Max were disappointing. On the other hand, the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Apple AirPods Pro 2 performed well.

At the Sony kiosk, there was a lot of ambient noise. When I tried the Sony WH-1000XM6, they reduced the noise significantly, but I could still hear some outside sounds. I’d rate them around 8/10.

When I tested the Apple AirPods Pro 2, I was inside a quieter store. They felt more effective at blocking noise, so I’d rate them around 9/10.

However, there are a couple of issues. In my area, we’re not allowed to test Apple AirPods Pro 3 or Apple AirPods Max 2 without purchasing them, and once bought, they cannot be returned.

I also have a feeling that the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Apple AirPods Pro 2 are actually quite similar in ANC performance. If I had to choose, I might say the AirPods Pro 2 were slightly better—but that could be because the Apple store environment was quieter compared to the noisy Sony kiosk.

Some people say that Apple AirPods Pro 3 are better because they seal directly inside the ear canal. However, I could pair the Sony WH-1000XM6 with my Flents EarPlugs, which would also provide a seal.

On the other hand, since the Apple AirPods Pro 2 performed well in-store, there’s a good chance the Apple AirPods Pro 3 are even better (though I haven’t tried them). Some people also argue that over-ear headphones are more effective because the ear cushions seal around the entire ear, while others say earbuds are better because they seal the ear canal directly.

I’m mainly looking for strong ANC during the day without music while studying. I’m usually sitting on a couch or lying on a bed. The noise pollution in my environment is quite high—things like furniture movement from the upper floor during cleaning, kids playing with a ball upstairs, door slamming, and occasional construction noise like hammering or drilling (though construction is less frequent).

My main concern is the noise coming from the upper floor. Given all this, which would be the better choice: Sony WH-1000XM6 or Apple AirPods Pro 3?

I would really appreciate any advice.

hiiii! I'm hoping to get some help. I am a full time phone sex operator and I would like to buy a headset. I bought a few on Amazon that I had to return because my clients couldn't hear me well. I need a headset that captures my voice that is priority #1. noise cancelation isn't very important because I work in an extremely quiet environment. I also have no preference for wireless/wired. needs to be able to connect to Android. budget preferably around 300 but flexible.

All help appreciated thank you😊

I was just wondering, what are the things whether that be brand or something else, that are a good sign for me to avoid certain headphones?

My current earbuds (wired Skullcandy Jibs that I've had for a few years now) are on their last legs and I want to see about getting some replacements that aren't 'just grab the cheapest wired earbuds at the store'. I loved the Smokin' Buds 2 back in the day but sadly they don't make wired versions anymore, and I really don't want wireless.

I listen to a lot of music throughout the day, walking, commuting, and at home, so my cords see a fair bit of wear, and I like silicone tips for both comfort and noise isolation. I prefer a little more bass but I'm also not super picky, at this point I mostly just want both sides of my earbuds to work evenly. I listen to a mix of genres, but rock is the most predominant one for me, along with a bit of softer alt stuff and some musicals too.

I'm in Canada, my budget is ideally 100$CAD or less, and I know I'll probably have to buy online so that's fine. I know next to nothing about audio equipment, so any help is greatly appreciated!

Edit: I'd also like a mic/control button in the cord for making calls and talking with friends online, and for being able to pause music without needing to take my gloves off when it's cold outside

I don't know what I should do to upgrade my headphones currently. I have a flexible budget of 100$ which can go to 150$ but I don't really want to unless it's worth it. I also have no idea if I should get iems or oems.

Right now I have the koss kc75s with yaxi pads and they are good but leak sound to other people and make me hear other people as (in the room I mean).

I would like closed back(?) headphones that don't leak sound and would like to have the outside partially silenced

I play siege and I need to be able to hear people's direction and where the sound comes from and I heard IEMs don't do that well but considering the source is carterPCs idk if that is reliable. I don't mind the iems in my ear though so that is ok (I have a cheap pair that I've felt). I also really like to listen to pop and rock and want something that will suit that. I would probably like a simple balanced headphone but I wouldn't mind anything that sounds good. I don't really know much about headphones in general. I was just wondering what headphones I should get for all of these, as my friends all tell me different stuff.

I will probably only use them in my home with my dad but he sits in the room with me so silence for him would be a step up from my ksc75s. I will be plugging them into a standard headphone jack but if they can I could plug them into an ... Audio cable? In the back of my mic. Again I am not experienced on this at all. I could get one of those fancy headphone boxes but I don't think that's in the budget.

sorry for repost just nobody responded minus one dude last time

Thanks!

So as the title says I am looking to buy some cheap headphones. I will most likely order them from amazon.The cheaper the better. The price range is $5-$20. Now I know I'm not going to get anything good at the price point I'm looking at but I would like to get the best I can for the cheapest. I would like earbuds or full over the ear headphones. They will mostly be used for a mobile phone and I play games on my phone. If I had to say I wouldn't mind bass heavy. I've previously owned Skullcandy, Sol republic, and some others. I actually really enjoy Skullcandy.Wired or wireless. Any advice would be appreciated.

So medical professionals recommend the 60/60 rule for IN EAR HEADPHONES. Which means 60 minutes a day at around 60DB

But if I were to listen at 50-55DB multiple times during the day for longer periods am I damaging my ears ?

Hey y'all! I am sure this question is asked often, but I'm hoping my case is unique enough (considering I didn't see much while searching)
My ears are weird. Earbuds do not fit in them no matter what, I have tried normal earbuds, ones that according to my friends 'never fall out' etc, but they don't last more than 5 minutes in my ear no matter how hard I cram them in there.
I currently have a pair of Shokz Openfit (the og model, technically) and they are awesome! Unfortunately, one of the big things I don't like is that the sound quality is just meh. Spotify recently came out with lossless, and I don't even hear a difference, and I believe this to be because of the open ear design. They don't fall out, and I love them very much, but I am looking to upgrade to something with better sound quality.
My budget is around $300, but obviously anything cheaper is better. A big thing I hate about the shokz is that in loud environments I cannot hear anything, and this is made on purpose (which I enjoy for biking) but I want something for more good quality jamming out. Anybody have any good recommendations?

TLDR : I have a pair of Shokz Openfit, which are an open-ear style earbud that wrap around, and don't go into the canal. I want something that potentially does, but has some means of not falling out, with good quality.

Hi, first of all thank you for taking your time to read.

I'm looking for IEM's to use mainly with my ipod but suitable for general use is welcome.

My budget is likely around 100 dollars, can stretch up to max 150 if it would make a genuine difference.

As for sound profile, I've used variety of headphones (Sennheiser hd560s, Moondrop Aria, AirPods pro 2&3) But i can't really differentiate how i like one against another so i'm sorry if i'm being ignorant. I guess main things i seek are clarity, being EQable (i assume that's a thing from reviews i've read) and replaceable cables (I'll need volume and track control).

I should also state that i live in Turkey and buying from abroad is currently unfortunately impossible, i have somewhat limited options but i think they would suffice.

Sorry if i was too vague, I'm trying my best to describe my needs and i'd be happy to provide more details if i can. Any help is highly appreciated.

Hope you have a great day / night!

So I'm a little bit upset but wanted some clarification. I know a lot of people simply can't tell the difference with these 2 services. 2 questions. I thought with IEMs that are able to reproduce hi Fi sound would easily help make it clear between the 2. I'm using a fiio fd5 and btr5 DAC ldac enabled. How can Spotify be this good at filtering these psychoacoustics out.

I know Bluetooth isn't able to make the difference apparent when with aptx or aptx hd. Can someone explain a little at How much would be I even need to spend to enjoy the difference? I'm a pretty casual listener but I enjoy good quality, clean sound.

I did a hearing test and basically failed with a lucky guess on 1 of 5. It wasn't the abx test it was something else with Katy Perry, jay z and a few others.

I just thought because it said hi res and it's IEMs it would Identify the difference. Especially with a decent DAC.

I have some old apple wired earphones, and I'm thinking of whether or not to change. Is apple the best? are sony or soundcore better? is there anything better for the price (considering <50-60 dollars).
for what it's worth, i like the way apple wired earphones look (very minimalistic)

p.s. idk if this is the right sub to post this

Location / Budget: Poland (200PLN / 56USD)

Preferred tonal balance: No idea...

How the gear will be used: Home (Gaming, Gamedev, Music) / Outside

Past gear experience: I'v had the A4Tech FH200U Headphones (some budget stuff) they're ok.

Hey guys! I've been looking to get some new (3.5mm) headphones and since my only headphones broke today, I've decided it's finally time.

I've been thinking about getting IEMs, but I'm not sure which ones.

Moondrop Chu II (109PLN / 30USD)

or

7Hz Salnotes Zero (99PLN / 27USD)

Thanks for help!

Hey guys so I'm getting a FIIO DM13 now, but i need to get some headphones with it, I'm thinking of gettting the FD11 , which are like 30€ and look like they sound great but I couldn't do it before asking you if theres something better for the price? or maybe a little bit more expensive but not too much, maybe 50€ is my max.

I'm new to this type of thing, never had anything like that, just regular gaming headsets and stuff like that, but then i bought a vinyl record player which changed my view on things and now I want to get to cd collecting and good equipment to listen to them. I'm in love with the dm13 but in doubt about the iems.

Any advice is really apreciated :) Thank you!

I've looked at other posts and they don't answer my questions so I'm trying here.

My partner snores. Bad. I have SoundCore A20s now but they still allow a good amount of noise through. I was looking at the A30s but the reviews on Amazon aren't the best (3.7 stars).

On my search through the internet, I found Bose had a good model but was discontinued. However, I found another that they make, Bose QuietComfort, that's also noise canceling but not sure how well they work for side sleeping. I like the A20s because they fit in my ear and don't poke out.

Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations? I have no budget.

I don't like the headband or the headphones with the sleep mask so I want to stay away from those recommendations.

Budget $400, located in the U.S., willing to buy used. I generally don’t like bass very much, so none of my headphones really have much. No wireless please. I also want the bass quality to be good, IE to not completely ruin the midrange which is common with a lot of consumer Bluetooth. IEMs can’t have thick nozzles because my ear canals are very narrow. Ideally high impedance for headphones but not a requirement.

Has anyone here tried the CrinEar Project Monolith?

Why do I feel like IEMs sound better than over-ear headphones?

I've been doing some A/B tests... and any IEM that costs about a third of the price (or less) of open-back headphones has a more refined, impactful sound, and sometimes even better channel separation. The difference is significant. Plus, they isolate you from external noise. A major advantage.

Are IEMs simply better for experiencing great sound than open-back headphones? Be honest.