Introduction to Headphone and Earphone Reviews

From the days of the huge, over-the-ear headgear, with the coiled phone cable, that we used with our parents’ home hi-fi, to the latest wireless Bluetooth earbuds, headphones have been with us forever. In fact, without them, the category of “Personal Audio” couldn't properly exist.

In recent years, a spate of technological and material advances has increased both the sound quality one can expect and the available types and sizes of headphones to choose from. From the lowliest cell phone earbuds to reference quality electrostatic headphones, as consumers and audiophiles today, we are spoiled for choice. Closed-backed, open-backed, dynamic drivers, planar magnetic, electrostatic, balanced armature drivers, noise cancelling, Bluetooth, and that's just the tip of the iceberg! We haven't even touched on the available styles and aesthetics of these products we wear as well as listen to.

Typically, of course, the most cutting edge models command higher prices. Truly eye watering sums can be spent by committed souls who want “the best” out there. But we also have seen those same technologies that make the best headphones so special, gradually trickle their way down to genuinely improve the models that reside a little closer to Earth for most of us.

While we don't typically bench test headphones, we do rely on extended critical listening combined with our experience to provide honest feedback that will help you wade through the seemingly endless headphone and earphone choices out there.