The Best Headphones of 2025: Wired, Wireless and Earbuds
Everybody needs a good pair of headphones. Whether for use on your phone or your home audio system, there’s nothing better than escaping into music and tuning out the outside world for 45 minutes at a time. Or longer—after all, wireless headphones today are lasting up to 30 hours on a single charge. Different situations call for different types of headphones, whether commuting to work via train, traveling cross country or simply enjoying a casual listen at home. To help make the choice a little easier, we’ve broken our gift guide to the best headphones into three categories: wired and wireless on-ear headphones, and wireless earbuds. We’ve also chosen our favorites for different budgets, whether you’re looking for a simple, entry-level set of headphones or ready to upgrade to some luxury cans. Check out our picks below.
And make sure to peruse our other gift guides, including the Best Record Players.
Note: When you buy something through our affiliate links, Treble receives a commission. All items included are independently chosen and evaluated by our editors.
This guide originally published in 2023 and has since been updated for 2025.
Wired Headphones
Sony MDR-7506
($85)
A longtime favorite of studio professionals and at-home listeners alike, the Sony MDR-7506 headphones have been a staple for nearly 30 years. Affordable and durable, they provide a high quality audio experience at an entry level price point, and they’re built to last. There’s a reason why they’ve lasted as long as they have on the market, which is remarkable considering how often new headphone technology is being introduced. But with their comfortable design and high accuracy of sound, you can’t go wrong with these.
Pioneer HDJ-X5-K
($99)
Pioneer points out that the HDJ-X5 headphones have passed the US Military Standard Shock test, which is an important quality to have for headphones intended for use by gigging DJs. They’re built to take a licking, but just as important, they’re comfortable, foldable and lightweight, all of which can come in handy for a four-hour spin session. Even when not put to gig or military testing, however, they hold their own sound-wise, offering great clarity and presence courtesy of its 40mm drivers. An adaptable and durable choice for those seeking headphones for both home and club use.
Audio Technica ATH-R30x
($99)
Audio Technica’s R series headphones are engineered and designed for detailed listening, from mastering and engineering to DJ mixing. But their versatility makes them equally appropriate for home use as well. The ATH-R30x headphones are the most affordable in the series, a studio-quality headphone at an entry level price, with its 40mm drivers providing immersive audio and an impressive level of depth. They also provide a custom fit for added comfort, an attractive feature whether in use for long nights of studio work or just listening for pleasure. (We also recommend the wireless Bluetooth headphones from Audio Technica as well!)
Grado SR225x
($225)
It’s hard not to be won over by Grado Labs’ backstory, the company founded in a home kitchen in Brooklyn in the 1950s, and their handmade headphones have a vintage aesthetic that still nods to that classic era—complete with leather headband. But the technology has advanced a bit since that era, its X Series driver with magnetic circuit and voice coil providing a more powerful listening experience that allows for more dynamic space between instruments on recordings. The SR325x provides an aesthetically pleasing experience in every possible aspect.
Wireless Over-Ear Headphones
Soundcore Space One
($99)
Some of the best noise canceling headphones for a lower budget, Soundcore’s Space One offers a top-notch sonic experience with up to 98 percent noise reduction. Their cushioned earpads are comfortable for over-the-ear wear, with a flexible floating axis design, and up to 40 hours of battery life with active noise canceling (55 with ANC off). And though there are higher resolution headphones at a similar price range, there aren’t many that offer a comparable pairing of sound quality to noise reduction.
Sennheiser Accentum Plus
($180)
One of the most attractive features of the Sennheiser Accentum Plus headphones is their fast-charge feature, which gets you up and running in just a matter of minutes—with up to five hours of playing time from just five minutes of charging. But once they’re fully charged, you won’t have to plug in again for a full 50 hours—and there’s a good chance you’ll make the most of that time, as the over-ear headphones are lightweight and comfortable, with active noise canceling that’s customizable via several different sound modes, and equalization via the Sennheiser app. The Accentum Plus provides a rich and detailed listening experience, distraction free—unless you want distractions, of course. That’s entirely up to you.
JBL Tour One M2
($267)
JBL’s Tour One M2 is a great all-around choice for wireless over-the-ear headphones at a slightly higher—but only slightly higher—price point. Standard sound out of the box is already great, but its accompanying app allows for custom EQ, while its 30-50 hour battery life means not having to recharge even during lengthy international travel. It comes with an automatic noise canceling feature that’s dynamic to specific environments, though it can be turned off if the changes aren’t to your liking, not to mention it’s water resistant with an IPX5 rating.
Bose QuietComfort 45 Wireless Headphones
($299)
Before most other brands began adopting noise cancellation, Bose was known for that attractive feature with their advanced headphone designs, which remain among the best in the industry. Price-wise, they tend to run a little higher, but the quality speaks for itself. An ideal choice for frequent travelers, the QuietComfort headphones are lightweight and comfortable with different noise cancellation modes, including Quiet Mode for full noise cancelling, or Aware Mode to allow more outside sound in. The design is intuitive, and the usability offers more flexibility than most noise cancelling headphones on the market.
Zildjian Alchem-E Perfect Tune Headphones
($399)
The long-running Zildjian company is famous for its cymbals, but it recently got into the headphone game with the Alchem-E Perfect Tune headphones. An over-the-ear, high-end headphone set with both Bluetooth and wired connectivity, these headphones feature customizable EQ settings to the individual’s own preferred mode of listening—including the Perfect Tune setting, which tests the listener’s own hearing using a series of tones and then adjusts accordingly. With that focus on precision sound, they’re ideal for both closer listening for your own enjoyment as well as for in-studio use. (Especially if you’re a drummer—it’s kinda their thing.) There’s two levels of noise cancellation as well as up to 45 hours of battery life. Not to mention the design and sturdiness of the headphones makes them even more attractive.
Wireless Earbuds
Soundcore Space A40
($99)
Bringing the noise cancelling capabilities of the Space One headphones to their wireless earbud line, Soundcore’s Space A40 offers a similarly noise-free sanctuary to a more compact package. The Space A40 earbuds feature high quality sound with advanced detail, and battery life lasts up to 50 hours. They’re also lightweight and fit comfortably, the smallest of Soundcore’s line of earbuds—designed for hours of use without fatigue.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
($299)
We’ve previously recommended Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds, which paired outstanding audio quality with comfort and customizability. They’ve since updated those already strong earbuds with their fourth generation model, which provides a wide range of personalized sound profiles, lossless audio support, active noise cancellation, up to 30 hours of battery life with charging case and—much like their over-ear headphones—quick charging so you can get to listening with little delay. More of a good thing from an already excellent pair of buds.
Apple Airpods Pro 2
($235)
Since first introducing their Airpods back in 2016, Apple has been regularly upgrading and adding to the consumer-favorite wireless earbuds. The Airpods Pro 2 are some of the best sounding to date, in addition to boasting numerous features like adaptive noise cancellation and longer battery life. Though they look much like the previous Airpods Pro generation, they’re better waterproof and engineered for optimum sound, with excellent bass and midrange. They’ve also kept it within the same price range as the previous generation, offering a better product without a higher asking price.
Sony WF-1000XM5
($298)
Sony’s WF-1000XM5 headphones provide a hard-to-beat combination of sound clarity, noise cancellation and comfort in a pair of wireless earbuds. Their two processors improve noise cancellation at both high and low frequencies, are compatible with both iPhones and Androids. Assisting in noise cancellation are several different included memory foam tips that mold to the ears—plus the Headphones Connect app will help you determine if you’ve chosen the right ones to fit your own ear shape. The sound quality is excellent, and the earbuds are both durable and versatile, along with up to eight hours of battery life on a single charge.
