Finding the best headphones to suit your listening habits and style is really a daunting task. Getting your hands on the best headphones provides you the opportunity to go one step ahead when it comes to listening quality music.
Many people are currently working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the prevailing situation, a headphone comes in handy to listen to your favorite songs and communicate with your friends any time, anywhere.
With some of the best headphones available in the market, you are sure to get the best music listening experience of your lifetime.
Before buying a headphone, you must consider some factors, including the noise cancellation feature, the battery life, the availability of charging case, the sound quality it provides, the bass enhancement feature, and above all, the price tag attached to it. There are budget headphones available, so if you are tight on budget, you can opt for a budget-friendly headphone. If you can spend your bucks, you can opt for some of the most expensive headphones for yourself.
There are many types of headphones, including wireless, on-ear models, to over-ear headphones that you can choose from. Some of the headphones come with noise cancellation features. We have shortlisted 10 best headphones for 2021, making the task of choosing the right one easier for you.
Best Headphones for 2021
1. Apple AirPods Pro
Apple AirPods are the closest to perfection. They don’t entirely sound magical but they do manage to cancel out the noisy effects, giving you a seamless listening experience. Priced at $249, Apple AirPods Pro made it to the list due to its intricate design. The design aids in improving the bass performance and effectively cancels out any noise from outside.
If you are looking for headphones which can enhance your music listening experience while you work out or jog, this is the best choice for you. Consider the amount as a long-term investment. The Apple AirPods Pro will stay with you for years.
One of the unique features of Apple AirPods Pro is that it is water-resistant, making it last longer than any other headphones available in the market.
2. Jabra Elite 75t
Jabra Elite 75t is an upgraded version of Elite 65t. The shape hasn’t been changed a lot but the upgrade has been phenomenal. It costs between $180 to $200. The size is smaller than its predecessor 65t, but the boost in battery life and USB-C charging are significantly exceptional.
Jabra Elite 75t comes with a new charging case that has small magnets inside it, making it easier to open and close the case while keeping the earbuds safe. It gives a very clear sound, if you wear these buds correctly.
Another version of Jabra Elite 75t, Jabra Elite Active 75t has been released in the market as well. It is also water-resistant. The price is only $20 more than Elite 75t.
3. Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 works fittingly well just like its predecessor, Quiet Comfort 35 II. These wireless headphones offer excellent sound quality, call and noise-cancellation features. These over-ear headphones are priced at $400. It should be heavy on your pocket, but it’s quite justified, because this product comes with extraordinary features that will leave you drooling.
It’s one of the best headphones that offers a battery life of up to 20 hours. It is the best option for listening to music, podcasts and more. Some people do prefer over-ear headphones compared to earbuds due to noise-cancellation features. This headphone works better when giving the full cancelling coverage.
4. Sony WF-1000XM3
Sony, one of the leading tech companies, is known for manufacturing cutting-edge tech products, including headphones to cater to the needs of their customers. With these Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds, it intends to give Apple AirPods a tough competition. This pair of headphones is certainly not cheap but, when it comes to the sound quality, this is the best product you can get your hands on. It supports Bluetooth 5.0 with AAC, but does not support aptX compression.
The main competitors include: Beats, Sennheiser, Master & Dynamic and Bang & Olufsen. Sony WF-1000XM3 comes with an extraordinary noise cancellation feature that is second to none. The drawback is that the earbuds are not waterproof.
5. Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2
The best alternative of AirPods available in the market is Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2. It comes with diamond-inspired drivers that ensure you get clear sound, while increasing the frequency bandwidth by 15%, and providing you with 2X bass enhancement. It also comes with an excellent noise cancellation feature that minimizes the surrounding noises by up to 60%.
The HearID technology ensures that you have a truly personalized listening experience. It also supports Bluetooth 5.0 technology.
These wireless earbuds come with an excellent noise cancellation feature. You have to spend $100 to buy this product. It sports a sleek design.
6. EarFun Free Headphones
The EarFun free headphones are the most budget-friendly headphones available in the market.
It comes with dual graphene drivers to ensure superior sound quality. It has got all-in-one volume control. It also comes with 30-hour battery life and 6-hour playtime.
One of its exclusive features is its wireless charging. It also supports Bluetooth 5.0 technology. It is a water-proof product. You have to spend less than $49 to make this product your own.
7. Anker Soundcore Life Q20
Anker Soundcore Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones is one of the best options for you, if you are looking for a seamless sound listening experience. This product comes with a $60 price tag. It’s one of the budget-friendly headphones included in this list.
Why this product was included in this list. Just because of the quality of sound it transmits. It comes with excellent voice clarity and offers plump bass which at no point sounds bloaty or thick. It also comes with a BassUp mode that you can use to increase the bass if you desire. The headphones are very comfortable to wear. The noise cancellation feature is also available.
This headphone comes with a long battery life of 40 hours. What more can you ask for at this price? It is a totally win-win situation.
8. V-Moda M-200
V-Moda M 200 is the only wired headphones that has made it to the list. It was first released in 2019. It is a perfect studio headphone. This over-ear headphone is known for its sleek design. The sound quality is excellent with an amazing bass response. It comes with two cords. One of the cords comprises a built-in microphone which you can use while making phone calls.
There is a 50mm driver available with neodymium magnets along with fine-tuning and CCAW voice coils by Roland Engineers. It is no surprise that V-Moda is owned by Roland – the M-200 Hi-Res Audio specifically certified by Japan Audio Society (JAS).
V-Moda M-200 is priced as $350. The cost is worthy of all the features it offers. The only thing lacking in this model is the USB-C headphone cables that would have enabled it to be used without headphone jacks.
9. Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro
Anker is slowly making its mark in an already competitive industry. It has launched some of the best headphones in the market recently. The headphones are not cheap replicas of the market leaders; they actually comply with the latest technologies and are embedded with them.
With its Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro earbuds, Anker has won the trust of its loyal customer base all around the world. The price of this headphone is merely $150. The design is quite similar to the Sony’s Wf-1000XM3, but it doesn’t come with the feature of noise cancellation.
These headphones offer eight hours of battery life with a single charge. This corresponds to a total of 32 hours of playtime with the case. The built-in microphones are accentuated with the noise cancellation feature. It has a sharp distinction in reducing the ambient sound so that the caller receives a quality voice at the other end. These headphones are charged by wireless charging and also with the aid of a USB-C cable.
A drawback of these headphones Is that in terms of sound quality they might not be anywhere near Sony WF-1000XM3, but they can give other brands a good run for their money. If you want to listen to your favorite songs non-stop, this product is the best one for you.
As far as comparison between Anker’s Soundcore Liberty Air 2 and Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro, is concerned, the latter one offers a good value for money. They both are comfortable in design, but Soundcore Liberty 2 Pro does have an edge over the other one. It is best to be used while travelling or working out. These headphones tend to remain at their place and give you an exceptional music listening experience.
These headphones come with Bluetooth 5.0 for aptX and AAC support.
10. Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 is one of the best earbuds you can get your hands on. The price is set at $249. These earbuds are easy to carry, and you can keep them as your travel buddy. These earbuds come with noise cancellation feature, thus giving you the much-needed relief from echoing sounds of the surroundings. It’s available in two colors: white and black.
It has got a battery life of up to seven hours. The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 offers stellar sound quality with excellent bass enhancement. As far as the sound quality is concerned, these earbuds are at par with Apple AirPods Pro.
Momentum True Wireless 2 supports Bluetooth 5.1 technology along with the support for AAC and AptX codec compression. These are specifically manufactured for those devices which have built-in AptX compression functionality, such as Samsung’s Galaxy smartphone series.
They are without any doubt the best earbuds available in the market today. Not everybody can afford these earbuds, because they come with a heavy price tag. Being small in size, they fit in your ear quite well. You can carry these smart earbuds anywhere, at the office, at gym, at picnic spots, etc.
These earbuds come with an amazing sound quality and noise-cancellation feature.
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 offers a total of 28 hours of playtime on the go. These earbuds also offer a deep sleep mode.
These earbuds come with smooth touch controls unlike Apple’s stem squeezing controls. It is a good feature, as not everyone is comfortable with using Siri.
These earbuds are water-proof. They come with customizable touchpad controls to help you control volume, sound, and calls with ease.
It also comes with a smart pause feature that automatically stops when you remove the earbuds, and resumes seamlessly when you put them back.
Conclusion
For all the above-mentioned features, Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 makes the list of the best headphones available in 2021.
We have enlisted the best available headphones according to different prices and features. Some are better than others but, in the end, you should opt for the one that best suits your needs. Remember to keep your budget in check.