The Complete Headphone Buying Guide: Expert Picks for Every Need and Budget

TECH

The Complete Headphone Buying Guide: Expert Picks for Every Need and Budget

Compiled by Dennis Cavernelis

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to headphones. With seemingly endless varieties and combinations – wired, wireless, ANC, over-ear, on-ear -it’s not always easy finding one that’s perfect for you, and your budget.

Keep in mind . . .

What are you using them for – gaming, listening to music from your phone, listening to music from your home audio set-up, watching TV, for work or something for the kids? You’ll find a pair for just about every purpose, and some multifunctional ones too.
Comfort is important – if you’re going to be wearing headphones for hours on end, you’ll need to find a good fit that won’t leave your ears feeling squashed or sweaty, which won’t slip off your head either and which won’t muss your hair.
In or on? If you don’t like the feeling of something covering your ears, or in your ears, bone-conduction and other open-ear headphones might be a better option for you.
Wired or wireless? Generally, wired headphones have better sound because they don’t have features like Bluetooth connectivity or Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), but there are wireless headphones with superb sound quality too. Remember that while wireless headphones can provide several hours of use without charging, they are battery powered and will need recharging.
Features: For work and gaming, a headset with a mic or background-noise reduction will probably be preferable; for most other uses a mic isn’t necessary. ANC is another popular feature, and this one is better on some headphones than others but be aware that it’s rare to find a pair that will completely block all outside noise or higher-pitched sounds, like voices.
Control: When it comes to controlling the power, volume, track skip, and the like, do you prefer physical buttons or touch-sensitive pads? Try both kinds, if possible, before committing. Over-ear designs typically have larger surface areas for controls compared with true wireless earbuds.
App compatibility: Some, but not all wireless headphones, have a counterpart app which allows you to customise the sound output.

Best for Gaming

HYPERX CLOUD STINGER 2

The HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 wired headset checks all the boxes for gamers – it’s compatible with all gaming platforms, it offers clear and impressive sound quality, its soft memory foam and premium leatherette ear cushions are designed for all-day gaming and the earcups can rotate 90° to rest comfortably on your chest when they’re around your neck. An activation code included with the headset will provide two years of access to DTS Headphone: X Spatial Audio software, “for enhanced perception, awareness, and immersion”. The microphone can swivel-to-mute – push it up and out of the way and it automatically mutes itself – and the headphone and microphone controls are on the headset. This headset is lightweight only where it counts, weighing 275g.

R1 000, evetech.co.za, hpshop.co.za

Best for Work

LOGITECH ZONE WIRELESS 2

For an office headset, you need to be able to take and make calls from a laptop or cellphone while being able to hear and be heard comfortably amid distracting noise.

This wireless Bluetooth headset (which can also be used as a wired set) boasts AI noise suppression, four noise cancelling mics and active noise cancelling (ANC), enabling you to work without distractions by supressing surrounding sounds.

The ANC has a hybrid mode which lets you reduce background noise as needed – if you prefer, there’s also transparency mode which lets you hear more of what’s going on around you.

Its wireless range is a respectable 50m.

R6700, logitech.com/en-za, firstshop.co.za, pcinternational.co.za

Best for Wired

SONY MDR-7506

A professional studio standard for more than 30 years, this headset is known for accurate, detailed sound reproduction of bass, mids and trebles, as well as and high noise isolation. They’re perfect for professionals, audio fans, musicians who need headphones for recording, and podcasters.

R3000, takealot.com, orms.co.za

Best over-ear

JBL TOUR ONE M2

With its comfy fit and long battery life of between 30-50 hours these are the headphones you need for a long-lasting wireless listening experience. The JBL app lets you adjust the EQ settings to your preference and improves the already solid out the box sound. EQ – meaning equalisation – is a tool that lets you change the volume of sound frequencies like bass, treble and mids to your liking. It has voice control via the Siri and Google Assistant functions, accessible by a button push, and it’s great for taking phone calls as the built-in microphones effectively reduce background noise remarkably well. Being water resistant, they’re also beach and pool ready – they can take some splashing, but don’t go swimming with them.

R4 500, amazon.co.za, makro.co.za, incredible.co.za, takealot.com

Best noise cancelling

Sony WH-1000XM6

R10 000, istore.co.za, makro.co.za, incredible.co.za

It’s a pricey pair to be sure, but if you put a premium on performance and comfort, this is the set for you, especially as it provides the convenience of wireless without surrendering any sound quality. With a long battery life – 30 hours – and a comfortable and collapsible design, they’re great for travelling too, and feature a combination of buttons and touch controls which are easily accessed without looking.

Best for TV

Sennheiser RS 120-W

These are ideal for someone who wants to watch TV without disturbing others in the household, or for viewers who prefer listening at a higher volume. Unlike conventional Bluetooth headphones, this set has a base which plugs directly into your TV or TV audio output and connects automatically to the headphones. The headphones also recharge on the base station. They feature extremely low latency, which means unlike pairing Bluetooth headphones to your TV and getting a slight delay between the sound and image, there’s no noticeable lag here.

R3 000, marshallmusic.co.za, amazon.co.za, takealot.com

Best for Kids

JLAB JBUDDIES

Sure, regular headphones can fit on your kids’ heads, but these are designed for smaller heads – ages two to 12 – and they have a volume limiting feature for hearing safety, especially for those who use headphones often. They’re also ideal for young gamers, with a comfortable, cushioned fit, super-low latency, 22 hours of playtime plus a built-in and retractable microphone. An included Aux cord also makes it compatible with all gaming systems.

R750, takealot.com, picknpay.co.za, incredible.co.za

Best for Budget

SOUNDCORE SPACE ONE

These over-ear, Bluetooth headphones are great value for money for terrific sound. It has a compatible app to customise your sound preference, and the set is light, with soft, comfortable memory foam earcups and 40-plus hours of battery life. They also feature surprisingly good ANC for the price, and a trio of microphones work well for phone calls.