Headphone Reviews

PRICE $749 (Hadenys, open-back); $599 (Azurys, closed-back)

AT A GLANCE
Plus
• Shared aluminum/magnesium “M-shaped” driver keeps voicing consistent
• Comfortable, lightweight build with replaceable cables and pads
• Hadenys delivers a wide, open stage; Azurys isolates well without obvious colorations
• Both offer deeper-than-expected bass extension for single-ended dynamic designs
Minus
• Azurys’ cups can warm up during long sessions
• Asking price edges above most feature-rich wireless competition

THE VERDICT
Focal’s Hadenys (open-back) and Azurys (closed-back) are fraternal twins that make the case for sticking with a proven mechanical recipe and letting enclosure design dictate personality. By removing wireless frills and matching every other component—driver, yoke, pads, cabling—Focal spotlights the audible trade-offs between ventilation and isolation. If you own one, you will immediately “get” the other; if you own both, you’ll rarely worry about choosing the wrong headphone for the occasion.

PRICE $399

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Sleek ergonomics
Works independently of Sonos ecosystem
Dolby Atmos
Balanced, natural sound
Minus
WiFi only available in TV Audio Switch
Bright Aware Mode
Expensive

THE VERDICT
The Ace headphones, first headphones from Sonos, ace music playback and break out of the Sonos ecosystem, giving non-Sonos users and Sonos fans something to celebrate.

Sonos created quite the buzz when they announced their first headphones, the Sonos Ace. The appeal was instantaneous, especially when people realized that they could be used independently from the Sonos ecosystem. Hello, world! The wireless Ace was released and I can’t begin to describe how excited I was.

PRICE $299

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Refined sound quality
Exceptional comfort
Top tier noise canceling
Small and discrete Long battery life
Minus
Cost more than AirPods Pro

THE VERDICT
Sony’s latest earbuds are state-of-the-art listening devices that deliver unparalleled comfort and noise-canceling capability in a truly wireless earbud style.

The new WF-1000XM5 ($299 MSRP) is the successor to the popular and highly regarded WF-1000XM4, true wireless earbuds that already had a reputation for some of the best noise canceling in the business. With the WF-1000XM5 Sony focused on improving performance while shrinking their size.

While there are seemingly an endless number of headphone Brands and models, Sony’s WF-1000 series stands as one of the most popular premium options. This is especially the case for Android users who are feature-limited when using AirPods Pro.

PRICE $699

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Excellent sound quality
Beautiful fit and finish
Very good noise-cancellation algorithms
High-quality streaming codec
Minus
Expensive, and even more expensive for the James Bond special edition
Very snug fit might not be comfortable while wearing glasses
Increased bass boost in noise-cancellation mode

THE VERDICT
I tried, honestly, I did. I closed my eyes; I listened in the dark. However, try as I might, I could not separate the absolutely stunning fit and finish of the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 headphones from their sound quality. That initial feeling that this would be something special pervaded throughout my review experience. Bottom line: the Px8 sounds exactly as good as you would expect from something that looks and feels so luxurious.

There's a certain expectation when you pay up for a product. Buy a premium car, and you'll expect a certain feel, fit and finish to every aspect, from the dashboard to the tailpipe. Buy a luxury watch and every component—the links, clasp, and crown—feels deluxe. The Px8 gives you that instantaneous expectation of quality. The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 headphones are the newest flagship over-ear noise-canceling headphones, firmly placed at the top of their "reference" quality lineup. While the price is a gut-punching $699, the build and sound quality just might be worth it.

PRICE $129

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Good overall sound quality
Dirac Virtuo improves and expands the sound
Super comfortable for long listening
Minus
App is glitchy

THE VERDICT
Dirac’s Virtuo processing makes the affordable and already good sounding Sudio E2 earbuds sound even better.

We get pitched on new "true wireless earbuds" every few days from brands we know and don't know. In a sea of sameness, or at least perceived sameness, it's a category that begs for differentiation so our ears perked up when Dirac, the Swedish company known for its high level of expertise in audio processing, reached out with an offer to review earbuds from Sudio, a Swedish brand we never heard of. Turns out the Sudio E2 earphones are among the first to include Dirac Virtuo, a new type of spatial processing that aims to create "an immersive sound experience with enhanced sound quality."

PRICE $230

AT A GLANCE
Plus
Great sound quality
Impressive noise cancellation
Compact form factor
Long battery life
Minus
Somewhat pricey compared to other true wireless earbud options

THE VERDICT
Technics’ AZ60 earbuds pack useful features plus advanced ergonomics, and they’re extremely easy on the ears when listening to music.

My first stereo system was a full-on Technics rig, right down to the turntable and cassette deck, so I've always harbored a fondness for the brand. And while the recent comeback of Technics to the hi-fi scene has had a decidedly high-end spin—its SU-R1000 Digital Integrated Amplifier costs $9,499—they've also branched out into accessible gear like wireless all-in-one speakers and headphones.

What the world needs now is active noise-canceling (ANC) true wireless earbuds. ANC buds meet the needs of the moment by providing a way to boost audio quality during Zoom calls while simultaneously isolating us against intrusive environmental factors (remote-schooled kids, other work-from-home adults, etc.). And fortunately for us all, they are getting better-sounding, more feature-packed, and less expensive.