Really smart headphones

Let’s admit it — headphones make us feel really hip and that’s the basic driving force behind their popularity. If you crave headphones that deliver great quality sound and are really good to look at, here is a list of ten top headphones chosen on account of sound quality and design.

1. Sennheiser: It was founded by a German manufacturer, Fritz Sennheiser, in 1945. They offer different studio equipment from headphones to microphones etc. The headset is used by disc jockeys (DJs), recording artists, gamers, sound/beat producers etc. Sennheiser headphones come in a wide range of price options, which make them affordable for different kind of people, from the low to high-income earners. So, regardless of your level of income, you are assured of getting a quality sound. For instance, the new Orpheus goes for $55,000, while the HD202 is sold for $125, and can be bought from Gopandy, Sennheiser, Amazon and Cousins Nigeria Limited,.

2.  Audio-Technica: This is another top-notch headphone, well-known among audio equipment manufacturers in the world. It was founded by Hideo Matsushita, a Japanese man in 1962. The company holds various awards in the production of quality headphones. Audio-Technica offers a different range of budget-friendly, mid-range, and high-end headphones. The Japanese company makes it a point to produce nothing but the best-sounding and most comfortable headphones for professionals and other consumers. The company produces various models of headphones but the ATH-M50x stands out among the rest. The price ranges from $149 – $200 and above and can be gotten from Audio-Technica, Amazon and Cousins Nigeria Limited.

3.  BeyerDynamic: This is a German company which specialises in the production of headphones and earphones of  various kinds for both professional and personal users. The company was founded in 1942 in Berlin, Germany, by Edgar van Velzen. Among the company’s best headphones are the BeyerDynamic-Audiophile Stereo 250 OHM which costs about $500, and BeyerDynamic DT 990 Pro, which costs about $150. Their products can be ordered from Beyerdynamic  and Amazon. 

4.  Shure: This is one of the most popular companies that produce different sound equipment, including microphones, speakers and other sound equipment. The company was founded in Chicago, Illinois by Sidney Shure in 1925. However, it dabbled into the production of headphones and earpiece in 2009 and has since produced high-quality headphones for both sound engineers and music lovers. Shure is one of the best in the business when it comes to sound quality, making it a popular choice among audiophiles who want nothing but the best for their ears. Among its high-class headphones is the Shure SRH490-A Professional Studio headphone which costs about $320 and can be bought from Shure and Amazon.

5. Grado : This is one of the classiest high-end headphones you can ever find. One would wonder why the master watchmaker, Joseph Grado, would venture into the production of headphones if not to show-off the unique quality sounds its offers its users. The company is based in Brooklyn, USA and was founded in 1953. Grado is known for producing some of the more high-end headphones in the market, though the company also has a good lineup of models under $200. One of its high-grade headphones is the GRADO RS1e reference series wired open-Back stereo headphone, which costs about $695 and can be bought from Grado and Amazon.

6. Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature: The Bowers & Wilkins P9 Signature is a high-fly, sophisticated and classy design headphone with the use of luxurious Italian leather. They are quite expensive but utterly fantastic for both professional and personal users. They are of high quality and are quite pricy. They are available on Bowers and Wilkins and Amazon.

7. Sony WH-1000XM3: The WH-1000XM3 is the latest headphone by Sony. It’s a sophisticated and noise-cancellation headphone which fends off background noise with great skill. Sony offers a wide selection of affordable headphones. But its uniqueness is in its ability to consistently produce quality and competitive headphones for its lovers. The Japanese company which was founded in 1946, caters to both audiophiles and casuals users. It’s available on Sony and Amazon.

8. AKG: AKG is best known for producing top-notch, open-back and highly durable headphones. This is hardly surprising, though, considering this is the company which created the AKG K50, the world’s first ever supra-aural and open-back pair of cans, way back in 1959. You get an extra injection of bass for a fun sound, plus it’s detailed, smooth and very easy on the ear.  Based in Vienna, Austria, AKG is a manufacturer of audio equipment for both professional and personal use. It is now owned by Samsung after the South Korean electronics giant bought Harman, AKG’s parent company, in 2016. AKG produces different price range headphones, from the budget-friendly (AKG Y50 costing about $86) to the fairly expensive (ARK K712 costing about $613). Amazon and AKG.

9. Panasonic: One would rarely think of Panasonic when it comes to headphone production because the company has majored in household appliances. Founded in Osaka, Japan in 1918, Panasonic is one of the biggest electronics manufacturing company in the world. However, Panasonic is also best known for producing high-quality and cost-effective headphones, which typically come in colourful variations to appeal to a wider audience. Their prices vary depending on the type and what you want to use it for. But the Panasonic HD605N-K goes for $134 while the Panasonic HTX80B-K is $35. They are also available on Panasonic and Amazon.

10. Philips: Just like Panasonic, the name Philips brings to mind home appliances. Surprisingly, the company also specialises in the production of quality headphones. The Dutch company founded by a father and son, Frederik and Gerard Philips, in 1891, has a reputation for having produced innovative and groundbreaking electronics for over 100 years. Philips prefers to keep it simple, focusing more on function over style and aimed at both audiophiles and non-audiophiles. The Philips SHP9500 costs about $100 while the Philips X2/27 Fidelio costs about $290 . Philips headphones are available at Philips and Amazon.

In conclusion, music lovers, sound engineers and DJs have the choice of a wide variety of headphones depending on their budget, style preference and functions.

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