2022 Gift Guide: Headphones

Do you love headphones as much as I do? Maybe, maybe not, but one thing is certain - I am extremely confident in my ability to help you find the perfect pair of headphones or earbuds based on your needs & budget. You can be certain that anything listed here has the DMGT seal of approval. No rando poorly built items here. Don’t worry, not everything will bust the bank. Some will, but some are definitely much more affordable.

Wireless Ear Buds

Jabra Elite 7 Pro - $119 Amazon

I don’t generally recommend cheaping out on wireless ear buds. Cheaper ones that fall under $100 tend to have poor build quality and you end up paying more in the long run. These could be considered the best value on the market right now if you don’t need perfect symmetry with Apple devices and aren’t an audiophile. Spencer recommends. If you must go cheaper, opt for the Elite 3s ($49).

AirPods Pro 2 - $199 Amazon

Hands down the best earbuds on the market. The reviews reflect this and while you may get better Android compatibility with the Google buds, the price to performance here especially on the audio front. Everything has been cranked to 10 feature wise and a no brainer for those with multiple Apple devices and even the most obnoxious (it’s me) audiophiles. That’s even at full price ($250) so $199 just 2 months after launch is an absolute steal and worth the $20-$30 up-charge from standard AirPods.

Google Pixel Buds Pro - $149 Amazon

For those on Android that want a bit of an upgrade from the Jabras, the Pixel Buds Pro are the way to go. The noise cancellation is slightly better on the AirPods but you get better integration with your Android devices in return. The transparency mode is also pretty close so for a whole $50 cheaper, this is a good choice. Like the Jabras, if you MUST go cheaper, the Pixel Buds A-Series are $64 but I don’t really recommend them. Get the Elite 3s linked aboved instead if you really want to go sub $100 (and they’re cheaper).

Wireless Headphones

This market is SATURATED, so I’m going to keep it short with the top choices you’ll likely see everywhere, along with any accompanying cheaper models. Sorry, I won’t be recommending the AirPods Max here. It’s linked because we gotta eat too, but honestly the recommended below are better overall. It’s not that the AirPods Max are “bad”, they just are not $449 “good”, even at that discount.

Sony XM5 - $348 Amazon

No surprises here, these are the most popular and best reviewed over ear headphones on the market for a reason. Best ANC, improved call quality, improved design. The build quality is strong even if still mostly plastic. And if you want to save some money, the still very good previous model in the XM4s are definitely viable at $230.

Don’t worry, if you need a sub $100 option, grab the 710Ns for $68.

Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 - $233 Amazon

In one of the most interesting developments of the last year or 2, is Microsoft basically eating Bose’s lunch and sliding in with these Surface Headphones that are now widely considered the runner up (and in some cases real competitor considering it’s price) to Sony’s reign. The improvements over the first gen aren’t quite as impressive as some hoped, but still good nonetheless.

On Ear Wireless

The rest of the categories here are generally good deals I’ve found with solid reviews, but they won’t really have personal notes on them. We haven’t tried EVERYTHING but will note the ones we have.

Jabra Elite 45h - $69 Amazon

AKG N60NC - $129 Amazon - Best deal although the Jabra Elite 45hs are slightly better for calls for you work from homers.

Wired

Some of these definitely benefit from a headphone amplifier, so make sure to come back for the Production guide for options if you opt for one of those. The upside here is that wired headphones will give you the BEST audio fidelity for the price point, so this is more of the audiophile entry point.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X - $169 Amazon - Absolute classics. Daily at home drivers and my choice for production due to their flat audio profile. Doesn’t need an amp (I used them straight into iPhone for years) but they definitely benefit from one.

Hifiman HE4XX - $189 Amazon - Needs amplifier. Technically works without one but they don’t sound great without an amp. However, a fantastic price for entry into real audiophile world as these are planar magnetic, they punch well above their price class. Sound profile leans a bit warm but I love them. Open back so there will be sound leakage, something to keep in mind.

Beyerdynamic Amiron - $329 Amazon - Needs amp, high end. Diminishing returns at price points above this.

Sony MDR7506 - $89 Amazon - Audio reproduction not quite on par with the M50Xs but at $90 these are amazing value.