Different headphones are designed for different tasks. Some are supposed to work well when you’re heading to work, keeping out the annoying noise of your commute. Others are aimed at making your music sound as good as possible, but suffer when there’s noise around you. Then there are models that are going to make long-distance travel more comfortable.
There’s very rarely a one-size-fits-all solution. There are some that get close — one of which is featured below — but nothing fills every bill completely. As a result, I’ve created what I call the “three headphone garage.” That way, you’ve got a pair of headphones for every use case.
Each one is excellent in their own right, so even if you’re looking for one pair of headphones, there’s an option here for a specific use case. These are some of the best headphones around, but here’s why you need to grab three pairs of headphones.
The comfortable travel pair — Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3
When you sit on a train for hours and hours or you find yourself often travelling by air, you want something that not only sounds good but features solid ANC as well.
You don’t need this pair to be quite as budget-conscious, and there’s less worry about loss, given the more secure travel methods. There are loads of options out there to choose from, but it’s the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 that make the final cut for me.
They’re effortlessly comfortable thanks to a thick, plush headband and well-judged clamping force. The ANC is vastly improved over the previous model, so airplane engines and train sounds melt away into nothing. Unruly travel companions become but a whisper, and that inevitable child in row 4 won’t be bothering you while you try to enjoy your playlist.
The best thing about the headphones is the way they sound. They outperform the similarly priced rivals from Sony and Bose with a well-balanced and impactful sound profile. There’s nothing better if you’re an audiophile looking for something to take on the go.
The commuter heroes — Sony WF-C710N
Commuting comes with its own quirks. You don’t want something too expensive, given how busy buses, trains, and metro systems can make it easy to lose your headphones.
To that end, you’re looking for something relatively inexpensive that still offers good ANC to keep the sound of your fellow passengers and screaming brakes out. Excellent sound is something of a bonus here — but I’ve got just the thing to get you sorted.
The Sony WF-C710N bring a whole range of great features to the table, while not costing an absolute fortune. The ANC is top-shelf, blocking out the noise of whatever form of public transport you might wear them on. Transparency mode is natural sounding for when you order your morning coffee.
They sound pretty good as well, with plenty of richness and body to their sonic profile. But the price is what lands them here. They’re not “toss them in your bag and forget them” cheap, but they’re inexpensive enough that you won’t worry as much about them disappearing. Perfect for your morning and evening commute.
The at home listening pair — Meze 105 AER
When you’re listening at home, you want something that sounds excellent. Wireless connections don’t matter because you’ll be much closer to your music source, and you don’t need ANC to keep the noise of the world away.
Your mileage may vary slightly there, of course, particularly if you have kids who need watching or, like, a particularly unruly pooch. But, for the most part, a pair of wired, open-backed headphones are going to give you the audio experience you’re looking for in your bedroom or living room.
My pick this time around are the excellent Meze Audio 105 AER. They’re open-backed, which means they make your music sound much more open and airy. You’ll be more easily immersed in your music as a result, something that has to be experienced before it can be explained. The 105 AER are spectacular for soundstage and instrument separation, so you can place each member of a band with ease.
They don’t block out any sound at all, and to help them sound their best you’ll want some form of digital audio player or a high-quality DAC that you can plug into your phone.
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