There’s no denying
it; wireless headphones are all the rage these days. Whether it is premium over-ears or budget buds, cable-free devices seem to be all but ubiquitous. And with good reason. Apart from the convenience of not having to worry about a cable, wearers can enjoy good-quality sound along with a raft of other treats such as noise cancelling and lengthy battery life.
But that is not the whole story. Buck for buck, you will almost always enjoy better sound quality from a pair of wired headphones than from the wireless variety. In some cases you will even need to pay twice as much for your cable-free cans to get sonic equivalence. In a world where perceived convenience often holds sway over outright quality, that fact often gets overlooked; but for those of us who care about music as food for the soul rather than just a pleasant distraction, it is of critical importance.
Then there’s the advantage that wired headphones have over their wireless cousins when it comes to using domestic hi-fi kit. Not many home systems have a Bluetooth output, so in that scenario wireless headphones are largely redundant.
True, many smartphones lack the 3.5mm output needed for listening to wired headphones on the go, but adding a compact, affordable DAC such as the Audioquest DragonFly not only solves that problem, it also boosts sound quality still further.
So, to bring them out of the shadows, here’s our round-up of quality affordable wired headphones, ranging from AKG’s remarkable K92 to the excellent Meze Audi 99 Classics. Our advice? Follow these leads.
AKG K92
AKG strikes gold with these great value headphones
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision India.
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Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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The slim, not shady soundbar
Shaking up the category and its nomenclature, Sony is pulling no punches with the BRAVIA Theatre Bar 9.
New world charm
The Music System (Gen 2) doesn't mince words, does it? It does exactly what it says on the wrapper play music. Simple.
Singing the verse
One of the most hallowed Indian hi-fi brands, Sonodyne has been making speakers for virtually every kind of application for decades now.
Radio Ga Ga
FOR Build quality, retro design, natural sound, simple controls
Maximizing on Mini
FOR Bright panel, calibrated modes, great picture quality
Vertere Dark Sabre
Details matter in audio design.
INDOOR PLANTS IN FULL BOOM
These premium wireless speakers are designed for use in the home - where they will raise the roof
RAISING THE BAR
Elevate your home cinema sound with this trio of convenient soundbar packages
I SPENT 24 HOURS IMMERSED IN DOLBY ATMOS MUSIC - THESE ARE 8 KEY THINGS I LEARNED
What Hi-Fi? UK deputy editor Andy Madden gained some interesting insights from the world of immersive audio on a visit to a Dolby Atmos studio
TAKE TO THE FLOOR
From pumping dance music to grand orchestral heft, these pillars of strength will deliver in spades