My favourite pair of headphones to buy right now

I've reviewed 26 pairs of headphones in the past two and a half years since I launched BTTR. I've tested in-ear, over-ear and noise cancelling models. I've tested cheap headphones and premium audiophile pairs of headphones.

Most of the headphones I've tested in this time are really good. Honestly, it's actually not that hard to go wrong with headphones if you buy from a reputable brand.

But if I had to go and spend my own money on a new pair of headphones, there are only a couple of pairs I would really consider. The Sony WH-1000 XM6 offers world-class noise cancellation and truly impressive audio quality. But it lacks proper spatial audio support.

The Sonos Ace, meanwhile, is perfect for spatial audio, and will easily partner with a Sonos soundbar so you can immerse yourself in your favourite TV show, movie or videogame and enjoy an incredible surround sound experience.

If you aren't interested in either of these, then consider subscribing to BTTR to read every review as it's sent.

The best pairs of headphones I've tested

For noise cancellation: Sony WH-1000 XM6

Speaking as objectively as I can, the Sony WH-1000 XM6 are the best headphones I've ever used.

The noise cancellation is ridiculously good. Mind-blowingly good. In situations I can barely hear myself think, popping on the XM6 headphones would give me the joy of silence...

Until I hit play on my music. Then it would give me incredibly balanced sound at all volumes. You get deep, thumping bass that doesn't threaten to overthrow the vocals, even at higher volumes.

Transparency mode works exceptionally well, and Sony even has features you can switch on and off to automatically detect when you're talking in order to effectively silence the background music.

The XM6 are comfortable to wear for extended periods, and while they are a bit plasticky, it means they are lightweight for extended periods.

The biggest downside with these headphones is the lack of proper surround sound support. Technically, they do support surround sound with Sony's 360 Reality Audio format, but no service I use supports that, which is the problem, right?

These also aren't cheap, at almost $700 RRP. It's an investment, to be sure, but it's difficult not to argue the investment is worth it.

Sony WH-1000 XM6 review: You’ll have to speak up, I’m wearing the XM6

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For immersive spatial audio: Sonos Ace

In order to support a bunch of features for its first pair of headphones, Sonos made some tough decisions about the Sonos app. Unfortunately, it was a major misstep, and severely damaged the entire Sonos brand for months and months.

The biggest downside to this was that it completely overshadowed the fact Sonos had created one of the best pairs of headphones on the market with the Sonos Ace.

The Sonos Ace have a stunning clarity of sound. There is incredible depth, with brilliant bass filling your ears without sounding muddy partnered with impressive mid and high end sounds.

I have listened to a lot of music through the headphones in the months since they launched, and it never disappoints.

But it's made better by its brilliant noise cancellation. I won't say it is the best noise cancellation I've heard in a pair of headphones, but it's definitely towards the top. It blocks out external sounds impressively well, even in really noisey environments.

If you do want to listen to the outside world while wearing the Ace, these headphones also have the best audio passthrough I've heard. I find that with most passthrough modes, you still have to turn music right down to hear anyone talking to you.

That's still true at the highest volumes, but for most listening volumes, you can listen to both your music and someone talking to you.

The Sonos Ace are comfortable while wearing glasses for an extended period, which is something Apple's AirPods Max really struggle with.

But the secret sauce is the Ace's support of the Sonos ecosystem. If you use a Sonos Soundbar, one long press of the headphones' button lets you transfer the sound from the soundbar to the headphones, complete with Dolby Atmos support and head tracking for an immersive audio experience.

It's even better now, as you can do that with two pairs of Sonos Ace, so you and your partner can enjoy a blockbuster movie nice and loud without disturbing the kids while they sleep.

If you don't own a Sonos soundbar, these are still great. But if you do, these are superb. A brilliant purchase.

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For the active type: Shokz OpenDots One

In-ear headphones are great for being lightweight and convenient, but I have this thing with almost every pair I review where the right earbud spends a lot of time falling to the ground.

The Shokz OpenDots are a clip on, earring style that is quite different to most earbuds on the market. It wraps around your ear and securely holds itself in place without putting a huge amount of pressure on your ear. Because it doesn't wrap behind your ear, it's perfect for wearing with glasses or sunnies.

Shokz is a brand that designs its products about letting you listen to music without blocking the outside world. That makes it a great option for active types, as you aren't going to not hear a car honking its horn at you before it runs you over.

It means that there's no noise cancellation, obviously, but it also means it can be hard to hear your music or podcasts when walking or running past noisy traffic.

But with about 10 hours of playback in the earbuds themselves, you get all day listening, really solid audio quality and a comfortable fit all in a compact package.

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For a more audiophile audio experience: Sennheiser HD 505

If you've never listened to a pair of open-style audiophile headphones, you haven't really listened to music. It's a completely different experience, allowing you to hear things you would never notice with your regular headphones.

I'm pretty sure the HD 505 is a far cry from Sennheiser's best pair of audiophile headphones, but the audio quality is balanced with a more affordable price.

I can't understate just how impressive these headphones sound. The clarity of music playback is a completely different level to most of the headphones I've tested, even the Sonos Ace I love so much.

But the HD 505 makes a lot of compromises for that audio quality. For a start, that open design means that the sound isn't really contained. There's a good chance anyone in your immediate vicinity will be able to hear what you're listening to (almost) as clearly as you.

These are also wired headphones, You need to plug them in. That's a real pain in almost every situartion you can imagine.

So I wouldn't recommend these for most people – only those who really want to spend time connecting with their music.

For those people, these headphones are great.

Sennheiser HD 505 review: Sensational sound, compromised convenience

The Sennheiser HD 505 offer a fairly easy ramp into more expensive audiophile headphones, giving you a chance to see if the experience is worth the cost.

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For the Apple fans: Apple AirPods Max

Apple originally launched its AirPods products as the true wireless models that became an icon. But for its flagship, it went back to the more classic over ear design.

I love the AirPods Max. They have fantastic sound quality and noise cancellation, and the design is stunning. The anodised aluminium cups are truly unique on the market, and the blue pair I reviewed are really unlike anything else I've tested, immediately reminiscent of the finish of a MacBook.

Apple's AirPods always work best if you're invested in the Apple ecosystem. Being able to seamlessly switch between your iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro and Apple TV is a really effortless experience, though it's probably not worth the price of entry on its own.

The noise cancellation on the AirPods Max is probably in the top three of the headphones' I've tested, and the passthrough is almost as good as the Sonos.

But it's the audio quality, particularly when listening to spatial sound on Apple Music, that make the AirPods Max shine. It's a brilliant immersive experience that everyone should experience at least once in their life.

There are a few downsides with these headphones though. They clamp quite tightly, and so extended listening sessions can feel a bit too tight. It's even worse if you wear glasses.

Apple also opted to not include a power button, instead dropping them into an ultra-low power mode when they are in the weird case. I don't love that, particularly as I find the case a bit annoying to actually use.

But on the whole, these are brilliant headphones.

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For those on a tight budget: Belkin Soundform Isolate

When you decide to spend under $100 on a pair of noise cancelling headphones, you go in understanding that performance isn't going to match that of a pair of premium headphones.

But the Belkin Soundform Isolate is evidence that you can get good quality headphones at a really affordable price.

These over-ear headphones offer noise cancellation, despite having an RRP of just $89.95. They also have a dedicated meditation track of crashing waves you can listen to on a loop if you need to focus, but honestly that's not the selling point here.

The Isolate are a bit plasticky in build, but they don't feel cheap. They aren't the most comfortable pair of headphones you'll ever wear, but they are quite comfortable.

Audio quality is fairly balanced, if a little light on the bass, but you still get a well balanced reproduction of music when you're listening.

The battery will last for about 40 hours with the noise cancellation switched on, and there's both fast charging and a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you can use them easily even when the battery runs dry.

Honestly, for $90 these are a steal. They're a particularly good choice if you need a low-cost pair of headphones for kids with additional needs as a way to manage their sensory input.

But even if they are for you, these are a great low-cost pair of headphones.

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How I chose the best headphones

I've reviewed a lot of headphones in my 20+ career as a technology writer and journalist. It's hard to put my finger on an exact number, but easily more than 50, probably more than 100.

In that time, I've realised that there's no single "best" product for anything. Individual tastes and opinions matter.

So this guide is purely based on my personal opinions and hands on experience with headphones. I've tested a whole heap of models for BTTR, so you know that this guide is based on documented experience, not just what I think you want to read.

As I review more headphones over time, I'll update this accordingly.

What to look for when choosing new headphones

Whether you're after one of the models listed above or something completely different, the decision factors you need to consider when buying a pair of headphones is the same.