The best and best selling headphones of 2022
According to JBQ, Maximize your audio enjoyment with our best selection of headphones to suit all budgets and style preferences.
Choosing the best headphones from the countless options available can be a daunting task.
First, you need to choose the type of headphones you want. Next, you’ll need to set a budget for yourself and determine which features you need before looking at pairs that fit your brief. Or, you can ask us to do the hard work for you.
We’ve tested tons of headphones in every price bracket and compiled a list of our favorites across a range of popular categories. Below this list is a comprehensive buying guide that explains the pros and cons of different styles of headphones and their key features.
You can jump to that guide using the link below or keep scrolling to discover the best headphones the industry has to offer. Whether you’re looking for headphones with lovely sound quality or headphones that will help keep you awake at night, we’ve got you covered.
- Best wired headphones: SoundMagic E11
- Best true wireless headphones: Sony WF-1000XM4
- Best on-ear headphones: Beats Solo 3
- Best wireless headphones: NuraLoop
- Best on-ear headphones: Sony WH-1000XM5
- The best headphones to buy in 2022
1. Sony WF-1000XM4: The best true wireless headphones
Price: 219 pounds Shop now on Amazon
Just like their on-ear counterparts, the WH-1000XM4, Sony’s latest pair of wireless headphones deliver in all the important areas. Sound quality is superb – there’s now support for high-res audio if you’re using Sony’s proprietary LDAC codec – and noise cancellation is very effective thanks to Ambient Sound Control, which automatically adjusts ANC based on your location and actions. .
Both the buds and body are more compact than its predecessor, the WF-1000XM3, but battery life remains unchanged at up to 24 hours of playback. With hands-free support for Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, useful features like wear detection and Speak-to-Chat, and an IPX4 rating for water resistance, the Sony WF-1000XM4 is an exceptional all-rounder and our recommendation if you’re looking for one. They have wireless headphones and a healthy budget.
Key Specifications – Type: True Wireless Headphones. Connections: Bluetooth 5.0; Weight: 6 grams per headphone, charging case 41 grams. Cable length: N/A
2. Anker Soundcore Life Q30: Best budget noise canceling headphones
Price: 80 pounds Shop now on Amazon
When it comes to budget headphones, the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 can’t be beat. They offer three levels of effective active noise cancellation that outperform many of their more expensive competitors, have great battery life, and are comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
Their default sound signature is too quiet to the point where the earbuds vibrate noticeably on lower volume tracks, but pop into the companion Soundcore app and you can customize the sound to suit your content. There are no less than 22 different EQ presets covering almost every genre imaginable along with an eight-band graphic equalizer that lets you create your own sound profiles.
With a little fiddling around, you can find a sound that suits your listening preferences and easily enjoy hours of distraction-free audio.
Key Features – Type: On-Ear, Wireless; Connections: Bluetooth; Weight: 265 grams; Cable length: 1.2 meters
3. Sony WH-1000XM5: The best on-ear headphones
Price: 379 pounds Shop now on Amazon
The WH-1000XM5 cost a little more than its predecessors at launch, but it’s a superior product, with improved noise cancellation, more accurate sound, and a new design that’s more comfortable and helps reduce the effect of wind on noise cancellation performance. It’s a design that means the headphones are no longer collapsible, but on balance, it’s a value sacrifice.
The various convenience features that made their predecessors so successful, including Speak-to-Chat, Quick Attention Mode and Wear Detection, make a return. These, along with Sony’s Adaptive Sound Control, which automatically adjusts settings based on where you are and what you’re doing, ensure that Sony stays ahead of the pack when it comes to over-the-ear noise canceling headphones.
Key Features – Type: On-Ear, Wireless; Connections: Bluetooth; Weight: 250 grams; Cable length: 1.2 meters
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4. SoundMagic E11: The best wired headphones
Price: £40 Buy now on Amazon
JBQ says, The SoundMagic E11 is the successor to the excellent SoundMagic E10 headphones. They’re a little more expensive, but they’re superior in terms of sound and aesthetics. These headphones have a better soundstage, more energetic treble and lower tamper, and deliver a balanced sound throughout. There are better-sounding wired in-ear headphones, including the much more expensive Creative SXFI Trio linked below, but the E11 can’t be beat.
Key Specifications – Type: In-Ear, Wired. Connections: 3.5 mm jack plug; Weight: unknown; Cable length: 1.2 meters
5. Sennheiser HD560S: The best headphones for listening at home
Price: 170 pounds Shop now on Amazon
Open-back headphones are perfect for those who enjoy wide, expansive soundstages, and the HD560S are perfect for sitting back and enjoying a long listening session at home.
They’re very comfortable, with large, plush earcups that feel snug but not too stiff, and a soft, padded headband that distributes the weight of the headphones nicely on your head. Sound quality is also excellent. Instrument isolation is top-notch, making them ideal for professional use or critical listening.
The lack of a microphone means they won’t be used during meetings when working from home, but if you’re looking for a pair of headphones that sound great, they feel great and allow you to have them on when your doorbell rings. hear just a trick
Key specifications – Headphone type: Over-ear; Connections: Weight: 240 grams; Cable length: 3 meters
6. Beats Solo 3: The best headphones on the phone
Price: 199 pounds Shop now on Amazon
The Beats Solo 3 has been around for a while, but if you’re looking for on-ear headphones, they’re still the best choice. They’re light and comfortable, pair seamlessly with Apple devices, and a 40-hour battery life means they have more than enough endurance for most uses.
Physical buttons simplify control of the Solo 3, and the headphones are available in a range of attractive colors including red, white, silver and gold. Sound quality will be controversial, as like many Beats headphones, the Solo 3 favors more bass response than a subtle delivery. If you listen to a lot of pop and hip-hop, you’ll probably like them, but those with classical leanings would be better served elsewhere.
Key specifications – Headphone type: On-ear Connections: Bluetooth, 3.5 mm jack; Weight: 215 grams; Cable length: 1.5 meters
7. NuraLoop: The best wireless headphones
Price: 149 pounds Shop now on Amazon
To make this list, a pair of headphones has to be something special – and the NuraLoop is just that. These wireless headphones analyze your hearing and create a unique sound profile that takes into account your sensitivity to different frequencies. The result is a personalized EQ that sounds emotional. However, the NuraLoop is not a one-trick pony. Active noise cancellation is very effective, there’s a useful social mode to let ambient sound in, an immersion mode to boost bass, intuitive touch controls and sweat resistance.
On top of all that, the NuraLoop offers a secure, comfortable fit and a whopping 16 hours of battery life at half the volume. The traditional ones can be convenient: these headphones can be used wired with the analog cable included in the box. If you’re an audiophile who hasn’t yet experienced Nura’s patented technology, you should try the NuraLoop, Nuraphone, or NuraTrue.
Key Specifications – Type: In-ear, wireless/wired; Connections: Bluetooth, 3.5 mm analog cable; Weight: 27 grams; Cable length: 1.3 meters
8. Apple Airpods 3: The best wireless headphones with an open fit
Price: 169 pounds Shop now on Amazon
Best headphones – Apple AirPods 3
The third generation of Apple AirPods are true wireless headphones and are absolutely exciting. They deliver the best sound quality over non-Pro AirPods in almost every area and support Apple’s incredible spatial audio technology.
As with its predecessors, the AirPods 3 provide seamless integration with Apple products in addition to premium build quality, making them a go-to option for iPhone users. If you don’t have an iPhone, you can still enjoy its great design and solid sound, but you’ll miss out on voice-activated Siri, near-instant Bluetooth pairing, and battery-level pop-ups.
New for the third-generation model is a contoured design that makes them more comfortable than ever, cases that support Apple’s MagSafe charging technology, and force sensors built into the base through which you operate the controls.
These significant changes, along with better-than-ever sound, put the AirPods 3 well above the second-generation model, which may be tempting at just £119, but we’d strongly recommend shelling out the extra cash for a much superior model. .
Key Specifications – Type: True Wireless Headphones. Connections: Bluetooth; Weight: 4 grams per headphone, charging case 40 grams; Cable length: N/A
9. Oppo Enco Free 2: The best wireless headphones under £100
Price: 89 pounds Shop now on Amazon
There are plenty of wireless headphones available under £100, but none balance sound quality and features as well as the Oppo Enco Free 2. Their sound signature is tuned by Oppo and Danish audio experts, Dynaudio and the result. Instrument separation and midrange detail are impressive.
Active noise cancellation works as effectively as transparency mode, although you’ll need to turn your music down a bit if you want to have a decent conversation when using the latter. The Enco Free 2’s touch controls are fairly limited by current standards, but they’re well-implemented, with the ability to adjust volume by swiping along the back of the buds handy.
Key Specifications – Type: True Wireless Headphones. Connections: Bluetooth 5.2; Weight: 47.6 grams (phone and charging case); Cable length: N/A
10. Shokz OpenRun Pro: The best bone conduction headphones
Price: 160 pounds Shop now on Amazon
Shokz (formerly AfterShokz) may have changed its name, but it’s still the market leader in bone conduction headphones.
Bone-conduction headphones are a great choice if you’re not into in-ear, on-ear, or on-ear headphones, as they deliver sound through vibrations on your cheekbones, leaving your ears completely free. This allows you to be aware of your surroundings while enjoying the sound, and as a result, bone conduction headphones are the only headphones approved under UK Athletics rules for road racing.
The OpenRun Pro is Shokz’s flagship option and offers the best sound quality among the bone conduction headphones we’ve tested. They also vibrate less, leak less noise, and have class-leading battery life along with IP55 rating for water resistance. They’re the most expensive bone-conduction headphones on the market, but in terms of performance, you definitely get what you pay for.
Key Features – Type: Bone Conduction. Connections: Bluetooth 5.1; Weight: 29 grams; Cable length: N/A
