Headphone Reviews

Headphones

Best High-End Headphones for Audiophiles of 2024

Sometimes, you need to take a step back, look at how you’re listening to music, and improve it. Sometimes, you just need to break the bank.

Best In-Ear Monitors (IEMs) of 2024

A good pair of in-ear monitors (IEMs) can be a revelation. They can take your music to truly incredible places, far beyond what regular earbuds can do.

Best Gaming Headsets of 2021

If you thought looks were everything, you must have heard it wrong. Until you’ve experienced a great gaming headset, you won’t understand the ceiling for immersive gameplay, and there's no turning back once you've found the one.

Best Headphones of 2021

One of the greatest pleasures we know is blocking out the world's distractions with good pair of headphones. Here are some of the best ones of this year.

Best Earbuds of 2021

There are, quite literally, tens of thousands of earbud models available to buy. Sifting through the ocean can be tricky, but fortunately, we’ve done the hard work for you. We’ve picked out 10 of the very best earbuds, at all budget levels.

Amps, DACs, & DAPs

Best Headphone Amps of 2024

You wouldn't expect headphones to need any special equipment to work. They are just about as simple as audio equipment gets.

Best DACs of 2024

A simple DAC upgrade can do wonders for your audio playback, as for example, a 4K-capable TV might change your movie viewing experience. So why not take the jump? We’ve gathered some of the most exciting converters currently on the market.

Best Digital Audio Players (DAPs) of 2024

Remember the very first iPod from seventeen years ago? No? Damn, we're old. Anyway, it sold around three hundred and sixty million units. It changed the way we listen to music forever - and today, Apple is no longer the market leader.

How-To Guides

How to Choose High-End Headphones

Imagine you’ve been sucked into the world of audio and you’re ready to spend a bit of money on a pair of high-end headphones. You’ll quickly discover that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of models available.

Headphone Impedance And Sensitivity Explained

Everything you need to know about headphone specs. if it doesn’t involve any of the following, you probably don’t need to worry about it. Consider this the ultimate explainer.

4 Tricks To Improve Your Headphone Sound

At The Master Switch, we spend an awful lot of time thinking about audio. More importantly, we spend an awful lot of time thinking about how to improve it. Everything we do is geared towards creating bigger, better sound.

WAV vs. FLAC vs. MP3: Audio File Formats Explained

FLAC, WAV, AIFF, DSD… There’s no denying that picking the right type of audio to listen to can be crazy confusing. Fortunately, we're here to help, with our full guide to this audio topic.

How To Tube Roll

There are three types of audiophiles: those that find tube amplifiers to be the bee’s knees; those that swear only solid-state amps can produce true-to-life audio; and those that haven’t tried tube amps and are simply missing out.

How to Choose a Headphone Amp

Chances are, buying a headphone amplifier is the first step you’re taking in your journey to great audio. Headphone amps are an easy, fun, and affordable way to boost your sound quality. But how do you choose the right one?

How to Choose a Digital Audio Player

Digital Audio Players - also known as DAPs - are a lot of fun. They’re sleek, well-made slabs of metal that can not only contain every music file you have, but usually stream the ones you don’t.

Best Gaming Headsets of 2021

1More Stylish True Wireless Review

True wireless earbuds are amazing technology, but can be tricky to get right. Details like pairing and controls can often defeat the best companies, even if they haven’t stumbled before. Which is why we were so excited to test the 1More Stylish.

Review: 1More Triple Driver In-Ears

It's not easy to create a best-selling pair of earbuds. Doing so without sacrificing sound quality is even harder. And keeping things affordable? That's the grand slam.

Review: 1More Triple Driver Over-Ear Headphones

Review: 1More Triple Driver Over-Ears

With very few flaws, and an almost endless number of positives, the TDOEs are among the best headphones you can buy for this price. If you're looking for something a little different, look no further.

Review: ADVANCED Alpha

We had never heard of ADVANCED. Before this year’s CANJAM New York event, they had flown completely under our radar. We have no idea why - normally, we’re pretty good with this kind of thing. Then we heard their Alphas.

Review: Apple AirPods

The Apple AirPods created a wave of truly wireless earbuds, but they never quite made our review list. Until today. They managed to snag a spot in our most recent wireless headphones roundup, and we’d like to go further into why we chose them.

Audeara A-01 Review

Perhaps it’s something in the water. For whatever reason, Australia has become the center of personalized sound – audio which customises itself to your hearing. On that note, meet the Audeara A-01s...

Review: AUDEZE EL-8 Titanium

There were plenty of manufacturers ready to capitalise on the new Lightning standard, and Audeze, predictably, were one of them. The EL-8 Titanium is their attempt to create a pair of planar magnetic cans that can operate off an iPhone 7.

AUDEZE LCD-2 Classic Headphone Review

If you’re an audio company, thinking of sending us (or anybody else) product for review, here’s a super handy pro tip for how to catch our attention, and make whatever you’re sending stand out from the massive pile of gadgets we have...

Review: AUDEZE Mobius

When AUDEZE told us they had a secret project in the works, our first thought was not ‘gaming headset’. Why would it be? AUDEZE are known for stellar headphones, but not for gaming. Then they sent us the Mobius.

Review: Audiofly AF1120

If it weren’t for the fact that the Audiofly AF1120 in-ear monitors are in the conversation for the best we’ve ever listened to, we would have chucked it in long ago. Because there are so. Many. Tangles.

Review: AudioQuest NightHawk Carbon

It’s always a bit of a gamble, calling something cool. Cool is such an ephemeral term. After all, Limp Bizkit were once cool. So were Capri pants, ironic T-shirts, Blackberries. The Audioquest NightHawk Carbons are cool, and always will be.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 2.0 Review

Bang & Olufsen have always felt like a dark horse in the headphone world. The company makes excellent stuff, but we’ve always associated the Danish audio wizards with speakers, first and foremost.

Review: Beats by Dre BeatsX

The BeatsX wireless earbuds have become stupidly popular. Despite the upsurge in true wireless headphones - in other words, ones without any cable at all - they've managed to sell extremely well.

Beats by Dre Powerbeats Pro Review

Beats by Dre certainly don’t have a great reputation. Despite their purchase by Apple, the headphones they’ve released have been almost universally terrible. But boy, did the Powerbeats Pro surprise us...

Review: Beats by Dre Solo3 Wireless

We recently reviewed the Beats by Dre Studio3 Wireless, and awarded them the title of worst headphones ever made. A little harsh? Not quite. Maybe the Solo3 Wireless can avenge them.

Beats by Dre Studio3 Wireless Review

Beats by Dre are arguably the easiest brand to pick out of a crowd. The infamous “b” located on any earcup, bud, or case can be spotted from a mile away.

Beats by Dre urBeats3 Review

The urBeats3 in-ear headphones are among the company's top-sellers, and we recently spent a month with a pair to find out why. It is a month we will regret until the end of time.

Review: Beyerdynamic Amiron Home

With headphones, it’s not just about the sound quality. There is so much more that makes a good pair, and it starts the moment you open the box. To be truly excellent, a pair of headphones has to impress from the very start.

Review: Beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless

Beyerdynamic make some of the best headphones on the planet. They’ve been doing it for quite a long time, so they know a thing or two about sound. But they have surprisingly few Bluetooth models...

Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Review

The Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones are meant to be Bose’s secret weapon. They are the next salvo in the noise-canceling wars, one designed to take out Sony for good.

Review: Bose QuietComfort 35 II

The Bose QuietComfort 35 IIs are the best wireless travel headphones available. We have absolutely no doubt about this. After spending a month with them, including two international trips, we concluded that, in this regard, they are simply unbeatable.

Review: Bose SoundLink II

Bose made their name with noise-canceling tech. They’ve earned their reputation for it - it’s among the best in the world - but how do they fare when they create a pair of headphones that don’t have any noise-canceling capabilities?

Review: Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless

The wireless headphones market is getting pretty crowded these days. Ever since Apple dropped the stink bomb about removing the headphone jack from the new iPhone models, manufacturers have been falling over themselves to issue Bluetooth headsets.

Review: Brainwavz B200

Meet Brainwavz: a company with a slightly strange name, based out of Vancouver, Canada, who make some fun stuff. Most of it is of the portable audio variety, and their B200s are a good example.

Review: Brainwavz B400

Every so often, companies will send us multiple bits of gear to review. We love this – it plays merry hell with our review schedule, but it gives us a chance to compare and contrast, and really get an insight into their strengths and weaknesses...

Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch Review: True Wireless Brilliance

Up until now, if we were to advise someone about the best true wireless earbuds (as in, earbuds that have no wires at all) we would have talked about Sony, Bose, Apple, maybe even Samsung. Now, we think we can add Cambridge Audio to that rarefied list.

Campfire Audio Polaris 2 Review

In-ear technology has come a long way in just a few short years. While wireless earbuds increase in popularity, companies like Campfire Audio keep pounding away with new wired designs, focusing purely on high quality audio.

Focal Clear Review

To more established headphone companies like Sennheiser and AUDEZE, it must have felt like getting hit with a freight train. When French speaker manufacturer Focal made the decision to push deep into the market, few would have predicted their success.

Review: Focal Elegia

When you make the best headphones on the planet, you can afford to sit back and enjoy the acclaim. And yet Focal, a French company who produce the astounding Utopia headphones, refuse to settle.

Review: Focal Listen Wireless

The French company Focal are primarily known as speaker makers – but at the moment, they are enormously keen to get the word out about their headphones. Their Listen Wireless is an interesting attempt to hit the budget wireless market...

Review: Focal Utopia

The Focal Utopia are the best headphones on the planet. That’s not hyperbole. It’s not shilling. It’s just the truth. Of all the hundreds of headphone models available today, these are the best. End of discussion.

Review: Focal Spark

Earbuds and in-ear monitors can be a really weird market. Its devotees are legion, and they’re often prepared to give these often very affordable and seemingly inconsequential devices a huge amount of love and attention and analysis.

Review: Focal Spark Wireless

Last year, we reviewed the Focal Spark, an excellent pair of buds that retail for a little under $70. When they were shipped to us, they also included the wireless version, unsurprisingly called the Focal Spark Wireless.

Review: Fostex TH610

If you love headphones like we do, one of the most annoying things is trying to convince others that they can be objects of beauty. Where we see smooth curves, perfect headband design, and clever use of materials, others only see bulky plastic...

Review: Grado SR325e

Grado's SR325e headphones might not be the newest model, but the company recently shared a little bit of their cachet with us at The Master Switch, and since these headphones are still very much available, we decided we’d give them a full review.

Review: HiFiMan Edition S

The HiFiMan Edition S. You might call them Schrodinger’s Headphones: they’re both closed and open back until you decide which one you want. They are also, just in case you were wondering, bloody brilliant.

HyperX Cloud Orbit S Review

Gamers have officially been blessed with the industry’s newest gaming headset: the HyperX Cloud Orbit S. If you’ve been keeping an ear to the ground, you’ll have heard the buzz about this team-up between HyperX and AUDEZE.

Jabra Elite 85H Review

If you want an example of an arms race in the audio world, check out the drive to create the best wireless noise-canceling headphones. Now a new challenger has entered the race, in the form of the Elite 85H headphones from Jabra.

Jabra Elite Active 65t Review

Spoiler alert: we think the Jabra Elite Active 65t are best earbuds currently available. They aren't perfect, but they do so many things so well that it would be crazy to put anything else above them.

Review: Jaybird Freedom Wireless

Although they can initially be bewildering, they’re a real gem, and it’s clear that Jaybird put a lot of thought into the way they work.

Review: Master & Dynamic MW07

We're big fans of New York's Master & Dynamic. They've got a knack for creating headphones with a distinctive look and feel, which also happen to sound fantastic.

Review: Master & Dynamic MH40

New York’s Master & Dynamic remain one of the most underrated headphone companies around. They produce some absolutely phenomenal gear – such as the wireless MW50s – and it all started with the MH40s.

Review: Master & Dynamic MW50

The world of on-ear Bluetooth headphones isn’t exactly known being a luxury market. One manufacturer looking to buck that particular trend is New York's Master & Dynamic.

Review: MEE audio Pinnacle P1

Reviewing the MEE audio Pinnacle P1 earbuds is quite a challenge. They are both an almost reference-grade high-end set of monitors...

MEZE 99 Classics Headphone Review

Exquisite. That’s the word that came to mind when we first pulled the Romanian-made MEZE 99 Classics out of their carrier case. It’s not a reaction that most audio equipment inspires, and definitely not a reaction inspired by most headphones.

Review: MEZE 11 Neo

We make no bones about being huge fans of MEZE Headphones here at The Master Switch. Why wouldn’t we be? The Romanian company blew our minds with the gorgeous 99 Classics over-ear model, which is probably our favorite pair of this year.

Review: Monoprice Monolith M1060

How would you like to read a review of the most hyped headphones on the planet? That’s no exaggeration. In the past year, no other pair of headphones has caused as much intrigue...

Review: Nuraphone

Despite what headphone makers would have you believe, major leaps forward have been few and far between. We’re talking tweaks, new materials, advanced tuning. Actual innovations don’t come along all that often. Until Nuraphone.

Review: OPPO PM-2

It’s not often that a company known for making Blu-ray players creates waves in the audio world. And it’s a little sad that no matter how big OPPO gets, they will always inevitably be introduced with those words.

Review: Optoma NuForce BE2

We were curious to try out Optoma NuForce's Be2 earbuds - while the company may be boring, in terms of corporate identity, their equipment has impressed us before.

Review: Optoma Nuforce BE Sport3

We’ll admit: it was a little bit surprising when we got a pair of sports earbuds from Optoma. It may have even been a bit of a “Wait, what?” moment. Optoma? The really good but slightly square company who make projectors, DACs, professional-grade...

Review: Parrot Zik 3 Wireless

Never before has one pair of cans offered so much. It’s as if the designers of Parrot’s new Zik 3 headphones decided to see just how many things they could pack into its slender frame.

Review: Periodic Audio Titanium

We weren’t too familiar with Periodic Audio before. Yes, we know, perhaps we should be, but there are a lot of audio companies out there and we aren’t omniscient. We should have been paying closer attention...

Review: Phiaton BT 460

When you test as much all your equipment as we do, it’s actually quite amazing how impatient you can get. Time and again, we find ourselves getting frustrated...

Review: Pioneer C8

We are professional audio journalists, and even we struggle to keep up with the sheer deluge of true wireless earbuds. Several hit the market every week. The latest company to try their luck is Pioneer...

Review: PSB M4U 8 Wireless

PSB Speakers is a household name. The head honcho, Paul Barton, really wanted to recreate the same PSB sound that we all know and love, and put that tech into something a little more portable.

Review: Puro Sound Labs BT5200

One of the things that we, and just about everybody who loves music, are not very good at is looking after our hearing. When there are so many fantastic headphones and speakers to listen to, who cares about resting your ears?

Review: RHA T20i

Through its precision engineering and already acclaimed audio performance, RHA - a Glasgow-based company specialising in in-ear tech - has already managed to attract plenty of attention...

Review: Rock Jaw Alfa Genus V2

Rock Jaw Audio is an independent headphone manufacturer that was founded in June 2012 from a humble bedroom in leafy Leicestershire, England. Focusing exclusively on the earbud headphone market...

Review: Sennheiser HD630VB

Whether you’re just getting into the world of audiophile headphones, or you’re an established geek looking for something new, you need to hear these.

Review: Sennheiser HD1 Wireless

Some things in this world just work. Bacon sandwiches. Very cold beer. Dre and Pac on California Love. The relationship between Supergirl and The Flash. And the Sennheiser HD1s.

Review: Sennheiser PXC 550

The Sennheiser PXC 550s are simultaneously one of the most convenient, enjoyable pairs of headphones we’ve ever used, and also the most infuriating.

Review: Shinola Canfield In-Ears

If you’ve heard the name Shinola, you’re probably familiar with the luxury watches, accessories, or even bicycles that they make.

Simgot EK3 Review

If you want the best in-ear headphones on the market, you have to look to China. Nowhere else matches stunning audio quality with excellent build standards like Chinese audio designers do, and Simgot are a perfect example of expert craftsmanship.

Review: Sol Republic Master Tracks

Most headphone companies probably wouldn’t dare attempt what Sol Republic does with their Master Tracks. Put a pair of Sony headphones out the box, and all you have to do is plug them in and put them on. Not these.

Sony WF-1000XM3 Review

Incorporating noise-canceling technology in a pair of earbuds is incredibly difficult. Doing it well is almost impossible. Fortunately, nobody discouraged Sony from trying.

Sony WH-1000XM3 Headphone Review

Sony may not be able to come up with snappy names, but they make some seriously snappy headphones. The WH-1000XM3 are wireless, noise-canceling headphones that we believe are the best pair currently available. No doubt, no question.

Status Audio BT Structure Review

While true wireless earbuds are increasing in popularity, traditional wireless earbuds are still being made. Recently, we’ve had a chance to test a new pair from Status Audio. But in a world where earbud tech is advancing faster than we can keep up with/

Turtle Beach Elite Atlas Review

In the world of gaming audio, words like alpha, ultimate, elite get thrown around more readily than insults in Gordan Ramsay’s kitchen. Today, we’re going to unpack a set of Turtle Beach’s Elite Atlas gaming heasset to find out if it deserves the name.

Review: Thinksound On2

Very few audio designers are as accomplished as Aaron Fournier. After stints at Tivoli Audio and V-Moda, the Boston-based engineer started his own company, Thinksound, with the goal of making environmentally-friendly headphones that sounded fantastic.

Review: V-MODA Crossfade 2 Wireless

You’re not going to believe us when we tell you this, but you can get everything you need to know about V-MODA by taking one look at their warranty program. See, they don’t call it a warranty. They call it the Immortal Life Guarantee.

ZMF Aeolus Review

Zach Mehrbach is the closest thing the headphone world has to a rockstar. He is one of the most highly regarded engineers in the business – at audio shows, his stall is always heaving with fans wanting to check out his latest creation.

Headphone Amp Reviews

Review: Bluewave GET

On a recent trip to Toronto for the TAVES audio show, we got chatting to two guys from Montreal, Pierre and Stéphane, who owned a company called Bluewave. What they were showing was a single product: a tiny little portable headphone amp called the GET.

Review: Burson Audio PLAY

Headphone amps, for the most part, break down into two categories: ones that you plug in and forget about, and ones that invite you to tinker - messing with the settings, switching out various bits, and generally getting your hands dirty.

Review: Feliks Elise MkII

Feliks Audio is a Polish boutique headphone amplifier manufacturer that specializes in tube circuit designs. Their Elise MkII model has been making waves on tube amp forums and trade shows

Review: FiiO A5

Portable amps are tricky little things. While they unquestionably make your sound better, they don’t have the luxuries that desktop models do. They can’t be heavy, or feature cool-looking tubes, or have loads of connections.

Review: FiiO Q5

Convincing people to carry around a portable amplifier in addition to a phone is a bit like asking Usain Bolt to strap rockets to his feet. Yes, it will technically make him faster, but it’s also cumbersome and annoying, and will probably explode.

Review: Goldmund Telos 2

We’ll be honest: we never expected to review a product from Goldmund on this site. They’re not just a high-end audio brand; they’re floating somewhere above the very concept of high end. And yet: here we are.

Review: H2 Designs MIYO

We flatter ourselves that we know most, if not all, of the audio industry players, and what they do. But we hadn’t heard of H2 Designs. They recently got in touch to ask if we’d like to try out their new MIYO audio interface.

Review: Hafler HA75

There’s no denying that high-end headphones and headphone amps can be amazingly nerdy. Wade into even the shallow end, and you’ll find yourself swamped by a discussion of whether a 12AX7 tube is better than a 6S7L, or an endless debates about...

Review: iFi Audio micro iCAN SE

It can often be a challenge to go for an audio company that prizes rigorous engineering over marketing flair. Judging by their website and their staid, sober presence on social media, you might be forgiven for bypassing iFi Audio. Don't.

Review: JDS Labs The Element

One of the biggest debates in the audio world is whether an amplifier should change the quality of the music, or simply present it as objectively as possible. The JDS Labs The Element can help with that.

Review: JDS Labs Objective2

Quick question. How much color do you like in your music? Do you like your bass to be fat, your mids to be warm, your soundstage to be wide of the hills? Or do you prefer no color at all, with an aggressively analytical sound?

Review: Linear Tube Audio MZ2-S

The MZ2-S is that something. It’s expensive, and specialised, and not for everyone. But if you’re willing to give yourself over to it, you’ll be in for one of the greatest musical experiences a human being can have.

Review: Mayflower ARC

It’s actually quite rare to find dedicated amplifiers for gaming headphones. If a gamer does spend money on amp – as opposed to splurging on screen, mouse, and headset – it’s not likely to be a specialised one.

Monoprice Monolith Liquid Platinum Review

Headphone lovers like to talk about what they call the endgame: a magical combination of amp, DAC, and headphones that delivers the perfect sound, meaning they’ll never need to buy another piece of equipment. But endgame us a myth.

Schiit Magni 3 Review

It’s almost a right of passage for anybody looking to get into the world of audio. For many, the first stop in upgrading their headphones sound is a little outfit out of Valencia, California: Schiit Audio, pronounced exactly like you think it is.

Schiit Magnius Review: The Perfect Balance

Schiit Audio—it’s pronounced exactly like you think it is—make some of the best and most affordable hi-fi gear you can buy. We go out of our way not to show favoritism on this site, but Schiit make it incredibly difficult.

Review: Schiit Lyr 3

Rule number one when writing a Schiit review: don’t make jokes about the name. They’ve not only heard them all before, they probably wrote most of them. Rule number two: don’t expect a newer version of a product to even be close to what the old one was.

Review: Sony TA-ZH1ES

Dear Sony marketing department: can we talk? Can we be real for a sec? Thank you. We’re just trying to understand, you see. We want to figure out how your minds work. How do you name something the TA-ZH1ES with a straight face?

Woo Audio WA11 Topaz Review

Jack Wu is one of the most creative audio designers around. His company, Woo Audio, is the place to go for incredible tube amps. But this time, he’s released something a little different.

DAC Reviews

Review: AudioQuest Beetle

It’s often easy to forget in the seemingly endless mission for better and better sound, but the role of a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) isn’t just to improve the audio quality. It’s also there to make it easy to send the audio where you need it.

Review: Benchmark DAC3 HGC

If you like to tinker, if you like to go deep into your equipment, and if you like to have your efforts rewarded, then you are going to want to hear this. It’s spectacular.

Chord Mojo Review

Chord Electronics, the purveyors of handmade British hi-fi have been - since the eighties, no less - making waves with their innovative DACs and headphone amplifiers. The Mojo is one of them.

Review: iFi Audio micro iDAC2

No piece of audio equipment is more contentious than the humble DAC. It can cause some pretty major arguments. iFi Audio’s Micro iDAC2 isn’t going to help either side work out their differences with the other – but in our opinion, it’s solid.

Review: iFi Audio nano iOne

iFi Audio are nothing if not consistent. That’s the kind of first review sentence that normally has most readers rolling their eyes - don’t lie, we saw you do it - but we use it deliberately. But in the Nano iOne, there is a surprising spark of life

Review: JDS Labs OL DAC

The debate about whether DACs (Digital-to-Analog Converters) actually make a difference to your sound is still one that has yet to be resolved. As good as it is, the OL DAC from JDS Labs isn’t going to convince the doubters.

Review: Meridian Audio Explorer2

That shelf at Meridian Audio’s HQs displaying their hifi innovation awards must be a substantial one - they’ve come up with plenty of firsts since their formation back in 1977. With the Explorer2, they're hoping to do it again.

Review: Optoma NuForce uDAC5

It’s not often that you can call a piece of audio equipment cute. You can with the Optoma uDAC5. When we took it out the box, our first thought was that someone was pranking us. This thing costs $200?