The 7 Best Headphones Under $200 - Fall 2019
Reviews

The best over-ear headphones under $200 we have tested so far are the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2. They’re well-built wireless over-ears with active noise cancelling. They're comfortable, have an efficient tactile control scheme, and are all-around versatile headphones.

They have a bass-rich sound that is deep and thumpy without drowning out the clarity of lead instruments or vocals. They’re particularly well-suited for bass-heavy hip-hop, EDM, or dubstep, and are balanced enough to be suitable for a wide range of music genres, including rock or pop music. They also have an outstanding battery that lasts for 30 hours and only takes about 2 hours to charge.

Unfortunately, their active noise cancelling feature isn’t very strong, so they’re not the best option for very noisy conditions. Consider the Skullcandy Venue if you prefer stronger noise cancelling in the lower frequencies, like the rumbling engine of a long bus ride. However, the Skullcandy don’t isolate very much in the treble range and don’t feel as durable as the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2.

The best on-ear headphones under $200 that we’ve tested so far are the Marshall MID ANC. They sport Marshall’s signature black and gold color scheme and have a stylish design that not only looks and feels great but is also very practical. They have one of the easiest to use control schemes we’ve tested and can fold up into a more compact format that fits in their provided carrying case.

These headphones sound very good and have a balanced frequency response that caters well to music of nearly all genres. They have a good 17-hour battery life and can be used while charging or even passively with their provided audio cable when the battery runs out. The cable is coiled and even comes with an in-line microphone, which is great if you need to take calls on-the-go without using the integrated Bluetooth mic.

These are noise cancelling headphones that isolate a decent amount of noise, but their ANC feature doesn’t perform as well as that of the AKG N60NC. However, the AKG sound more boomy and cluttered, so fans of a more neutral sound will likely prefer the Marshall. Their treble is noticeably bright, though, so fans of classical or jazz may find they sound a bit sharp at times. The wired Beats EP sound less bright, but they don’t feel as well-built and don’t support Bluetooth like the Marshall.

The best wireless earbuds under $200 that we’ve tested so far are the Jaybird Tarah Pro. They’re well-designed, wireless in-ears that are easy-to-use and have a secure, stable earbud-like fit. Although we don’t test for waterproofing, they’re rated IPX7 for advanced water and sweat resistance, which is great for sports, and are versatile enough to be a decent choice for most uses.

These wireless earbuds sound decent out of the box, but what sets them apart from the competition is their great compatibility with the Jaybird MySound app, which features an impressive parametric EQ that lets you fine-tune your sound your way. Their 13-hour battery life is pretty good, especially for wireless in-ears, and they have magnetic earbuds that snap together when not in use, triggering an auto-off timer that helps save power too.

On the downside, they use a proprietary charging cradle that is a bit inconvenient. The cable of the charger is rather short, and you have to make sure to keep the charger on you if you intend on charging the headphones throughout the day. The JBL Reflect Mini 2 perform similarly and use a regular micro-USB cable, but they don’t feel as well-built. Overall, these are some of the best wireless headphones under $200 that are likely to please not only fitness enthusiasts but most people who like in-ear headphones.