The 8 Best Wired Headphones - Fall 2019
Reviews

The best wired headphones for casual use that we’ve tested so far are the Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25. They’re versatile over-ear headphones with excellent noise cancelling. They’re outstandingly comfortable, sound very good, are easy-to-use, and are quite reasonably priced compared to Bose’s other noise cancelling headsets.

These headphones have a balanced sound that lends itself well to music of a wide variety of genres as well as podcasts or audiobooks. They isolate a remarkable amount of noise across the board and will help block out everything from the deep rumble of bus and plane engines to the chatter of a lively office quite effectively. They use AAA batteries to power their noise cancelling system and can last for over 30 hours of playback before the batteries need to be changed.

On the downside, they leak quite a bit of sound, so they’re not the ideal headphones to use if you work in a noise-sensitive office since you might bother your colleagues with your music. Also, you can only purchase them in Apple or Android-specific variants, which can be frustrating if you have an Android phone but also an iPad, for example. That said, they’re still the most well-rounded wired headphones we’ve tested so far and are easy to recommend for casual use.

If there’s nothing you enjoy more than sitting back in a quiet room and listening to your favorite albums with a premium pair of headphones, get the Sennheiser HD 800 S. They’re not as versatile as the Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25, since they’re open-back headphones and don’t isolate noise at all, but they sound amazing. They’re the best audiophile headphones we’ve tested so far and are excellent for enjoying music in a quiet listening room.

These headphones have an expertly-balanced sound that caters well to all music. They also have a spacious soundstage that can help you feel like you’re listening to music on speakers instead of with headphones. Some may find them a little shy on bass, but with a proper EQ you can tweak them just to your liking.

They may offer an outstanding listening experience, but they’re very expensive. You’ll also need a powerful amplifier to drive these headphones, so they’re quite the investment. You may want to consider the HiFiMan Ananda if you’re looking for great-sounding open-back headphones that aren’t as costly, but they've been known to have some quality control issues. If the HD 800 S fall within your budget, then they're a safer bet.

The best wired earphones we've tested so far are the 1More Triple Driver. They’re lightweight, ultra-portable in-ear headphones that come with a great carrying case to help protect them on-the-go. They come with 9 tip options, including both silicone and foam tips to help you find your ideal fit, and feel like premium earbuds.

These earbuds have great audio reproduction and are well-suited for a variety of genres. Also, since they're wired, you don't have to worry about any latency, which makes them a solid choice if you like to watch videos on your phone.

Although they feel fairly durable overall, the section of their cable leading up to the earbuds feels thinner than the rest and prone to breakage. The cable is also not detachable, so if it ever breaks you would need to repurchase the earbuds entirely. Consider the KZ AS10 if you’re looking for better-built wired earbuds with a detachable cable, but some find they sound a bit bright.

The best wired headphones for gaming are the Astro A40 TR + MixAmp Pro 2019. They’re among the best Xbox One headphones we’ve tested so far, especially if you don’t like having to worry about battery life or latency. They’re comfortable, well-built headphones that you can get for the Xbox One or the PS4, and they work with PC as well.

They come with a physical control box they call the MixAmp Pro that helps provide a highly customizable gaming experience. When you connect the headphones to the Astro Command Center on your PC, you can create custom EQ presets and assign them to the MixAmp so you can tweak your sound even if you’re gaming on a console.

They're open-back headphones, so they don’t isolate any sound by design. Some gamers will appreciate the openness, but this can be disruptive if you have roommates or live with a partner and don’t want to disturb them while gaming. You can purchase a kit from Astro that transforms them into closed-back headphones, but it’s expensive. The SteelSeries Arctis Pro GameDAC are closed-back wired gaming headphones that are great for PC and PS4 but have limited compatibility with the Xbox One.