In my line of work as Tom’s Guide’s Audio Editor, I get my hands on a lot of headphones. In the last eight months, I’ve had the pleasure of fully testing out 18 pairs with probably another half-dozen more coming down the pipe before the end of the year.
I know that 18 pairs of headphones might not seem like all that many, but that averages out at about 2 and a half pairs of headphones every month. Considering most people buy a pair of headphones at most every year, I reckon I’m doing pretty well. It also paints me a lovely picture of what headphones are better than others.
There have been some big releases this year, including the Sony WH-1000XM6. Interestingly, though, despite their big name, I’d actually recommend different pairs of headphones instead — and some of them might surprise you.
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3
I just can’t stop talking about the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3. The old model was already excellent, with a whole host of good reasons to pick them up, but the new version completely blows them out of the water.
B&W has always been good at the sound bit, and the PX7 S3 cement the brand’s place in the annals of headphone history. When I was testing them earlier this summer, I thought they were the best-sounding pair of headphones before you start spending $1,000 or more, outperforming the competition from Bose and Sony.
They’re highly comfortable with some of the best premium padding around, and they look sleek thanks to Bowers & Wilkins’ design team. They’re the only headphones in the price point that actually look like they’re worth $449, something I really appreciate.
There’s a reason they recently took the crown at the Tom’s Guide audio awards — they’re really, really good, and if you can afford them, you should buy a pair ASAP.
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE
Perhaps this is recency bias speaking, seeing as I’m just coming off testing them, but I really like the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE. I loved the previous version so that’s probably unsurprising, but the minor improvements made here helped me find a greater appreciation for Cambridge Audio’s HiFi ANC headphones.
For example, the improvements to comfort have meant that I can now wear them for much longer periods of time without the headband pressing on the middle of my head. But it’s the sound where the P100 SE really excel and show off the full might of their sonic upgrades. They’ve got bass impact for days, very well-rounded mids, and some of the best clarity at this price point. Despite lacking spatial audio support, the soundstage is effortless in its width and immersion, so much so that you won’t miss the spatial audio implementations of some of the more expensive options.
Their battery life remains excellent, so you don’t have to worry about them running out at just the wrong minute. Plus, they look cool and they’re built incredibly well for their $300 price point. In short, they’ve done a great job standing up to the likes of Sony and Bose and their more expensive headsets.
Beyerdynamic Aventho 300
When I first tested the Aventho 300, I liked them. But since then, their sound has grown on me to the point where I’m picking them up despite having a dozen other options laying around on my desk.
I like to keep a selection of different headphones around me with unique sound profiles so that I can hop between them depending on the mood I find myself in. The Aventho and their excellent bass and fat mids somehow keep reappearing in the pile, and I keep coming back for them for one of my favorite genres of music — Grindcore.
Grindcore is not for the faint of heart. I’d say it’s possible one of the most unwelcoming genres of music ever — especially when you look at the names of the bands which write it. If you’re weak of stomach, don’t look it up. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
There’s a habit in Grindcore that emphasizes some of the higher frequencies, but that can make it sound overly harsh. The excellent mids and bass of the Aventho 300 take some of the edge off the highs, and let me enjoy the gore even more.
For the same price as the Sony WH-1000XM5, you get a more interesting sound signature, a better protective case, a simpler app, and a more premium feeling set of headphones. I liked them when they released — but now I love them.