When it comes to headphones, you tend to get what you pay for – to a point.
Factors like sound quality, ease of use and battery life typically reflect the cost of the product when you're looking at entry-level and mid-range models.
But that doesn't mean good quality audio is reserved for consumers with deep pockets. There are plenty of affordable options that earned very good results in our tests, and you can even score a good deal on mid-range and high-end headphones with a little research.
You don't need to break the bank when shopping for a pair of standard or noise-cancelling headphones. Here are our best cheap picks.
On this page:
- Are expensive headphones better?
- How to improve sound quality with apps
- Passive vs active noise-cancelling headphones
- How to get a good deal on headphones
- What do we mean by 'best' headphones
- The best cheap headphones
Are expensive headphones better?
Expensive headphones don't always deliver the high performance results you'd expect in our expert tests.
In fact, most of the top rated models are priced in the mid-range, alongside plenty of more expensive options. In other words, why pay $1000 when $500 can get you something in a very similar ballpark?
All that said, the key differentiator between headphones is sound quality and that is a subjective preference. Each manufacturer brings different sound profiles to the table – the way they fine tune the headphones means your favourite song may sound slightly different across various brands.
So, if a $1000 pair sounds better to your ears then that's the pair for you (if you can afford it).
So what sets expensive headphones apart?
Expensive headphones tend to have more bells and whistles than you would find in cheaper models. For example, you may be more likely to get active noise-cancellation (ANC), which isn't as common on less expensive models.Build quality and feel of the materials may also be better for expensive models.
How to improve sound quality with apps
Almost all Bluetooth headphones have an associated app for smartphones and tablets. These are used to adjust a range of settings and usually include an equaliser (EQ) of some kind. This essentially lets you adjust the volume of various audio frequencies to suit your ears.
You may want to increase the mid-levels, for example, which can help amplify vocals. Or maybe the bass is too heavy and you want to pull it down a touch. Most apps have a range of pre-sets suited to various genres and one or two free slots to set your own EQ.
It's worth installing the official app and playing with the EQ as your headphones will more than likely sound better
We test headphones on the default EQ out of the box in order to maintain a level playing field. But it's worth installing the official app and playing with the EQ as your headphones will more than likely sound better if you tweak the settings to your liking. You can find all of the information in the instruction manual.
Don't expect miracles, of course. This won't turn a poor performing pair of headphones around, but it can help you fine tune things with just a little bit of work.
Adjustable and pre-set equalisers can help you tweak sound quality to suit your listening preferences.
Manufacturer apps
While these apps are mostly available in the iOS App Store or Android Play Store, some manufacturers bake these settings into their operating systems and devices. This occurs when, say, a smartphone manufacturer also makes headphones.
For example, when you connect a pair of Google Pixel Buds to a Pixel smartphone, the equalizer and other options are in the Bluetooth settings rather than a separate app. Apple does something similar when you connect AirPods to an iOS device.
Passive vs active noise-cancelling headphones
There are two types of noise-cancelling headphones: passive and active. Passive noise-cancellation blocks noise from getting in by forming a snug fit in or around your ear which doesn't require battery power.
Active noise-cancellation (ANC) captures noise from your surroundings using built-in microphones, then cancels it out on the fly. The results are usually much better than passive models but the hardware and software need power to operate. That's why ANC increases battery use when active.
Models without ANC are typically called 'standard headphones'. Most standard headphones have some degree of passive noise-cancellation but some are specifically designed to enhance this feature, such as different-sized silicon tips included with earbuds.
How to get a good deal on headphones
Our round-up is based on RRP, but it's not too hard to get a good deal on some higher-quality headphones. Sales occur pretty regularly across almost all retailers and some, such as JB Hi-Fi or Harvey Norman, may even be open to haggling.
Also, older models often receive heavy discounts when new ones are released. Turnover can be as often as 12–18 months and sound quality is often more of less unchanged. Battery life tends to be the main difference so check our test results to see if an older, cheaper pair still provides enough charge for your needs.
What do we mean by 'best' headphones
When people ask about the 'best headphones' they're usually talking about the headphones with the best sound quality. This is the most important part of our test but we also look at other aspects including comfort, battery life and durability.
Our selection of best cheap headphones is based on our CHOICE Expert Rating, which factors in various performance tests. Some models with a lower sound quality score may have a higher Expert Rating for other reasons, for example, they could have performed better in the battery life or durability tests.
So, when you're looking through this list, remember to look at all of the included scores, no just the CHOICE Expert Rating. That way you can find a pair of headphones that truly suits your needs.
The best cheap headphones
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Below are the best headphones from our test that cost $250 or less. These are broken down into four categories.
- Active noise-cancelling headphones: In-ear
- Active noise-cancelling headphones: On-ear/over-ear
- Standard headphones: In-ear
- Standard headphones: On-ear/over ear
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
