Shop for headphones/headsets

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.5 stars Spectacular

  Overall score: 9.0 (4.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 36 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Klipsch Image S4 earphones offer up sound quality on par with and better than sets that cost many times as much; they are a spectacular choice for anyone looking for new earbuds. Read review

Specs: Headphones, In-ear canalphone, 0.4 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold-plated plug

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.5 stars out of 72 reviews

The Bottom Line: Koss hit a home run with the PortaPros. Love or hate the design, there's no denying the sound quality here: they're the ideal companion for mobile audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Semi-open, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Foldable, Lifetime Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 27 reviews

The Bottom Line: The unique and stylish Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones offer solid audio, useful accessories, and a look that's anything but copycat. For fashion-forward folks with cash to spare, they're a great option. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, Black, 9.2 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Foldable, 1 year Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 81 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Plantronics Voyager Pro might not look like much, but it has the best sound quality of any Bluetooth headset we've ever tried. Read review

Specs: Microphone Built-in Boom, Headset, In-ear ear-bud (with over-the-ear mount), 0.6 oz, AudioIQ, QuickPair, 20 band EQ, Mute button, Volume control, Answer/end button, Noise canceling circuit, 1 year Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 17 reviews

The Bottom Line: While they're no bargain, the Bose QuietComfort 15s currently offer the best sound and silencing capabilities in a pair of noise-canceling headphones. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, Silver, 7.3 oz, Stereo, Noise cancelling circuit, Foam ear cushions, Active equalization

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 22 reviews

The Bottom Line: Despite its finicky controls, the Plantronics Discovery 975 is a stylish headset with a comfortable fit, a great feature set, and excellent call quality. Read review

Specs: Microphone Built-in, Headset, In-ear ear-bud, 0.3 oz, Mono, AudioIQ, QuickPair, WindSmart, Volume control, Answer/end button, Multipoint technology, 1 year Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 7 reviews

The Bottom Line: The JVC HA-NC250 Noise Canceling Headphones make a great travel companion for those who demand quality sound. And they may not be cheap, but they seem that way next to the Bose QuietComfort 3. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, 5.3 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Foldable, Noise canceling circuit, Noise-Cancelling Switch

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 76 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Aliph Jawbone Prime is a great Bluetooth headset that combines high style with high performance. Read review

Specs: Microphone Built-in, Headset, In-ear ear-bud (with over-the-ear mount), NoiseAssasin 2.0, Acoustic voice activity detector, 1 year Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 5 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Denon AH-C551 In-Ear Headphones offer mostly great sound quality and a compact, understated design. They're a solid choice for an everyday earbud. Read review

Specs: Headphones, In-ear ear-bud, Black, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold-plated plug

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.7 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 63 reviews

The Bottom Line: Travel-happy audiophiles will be infinitely pleased with the Shure SE530s, but these earbuds should also be a consideration for anyone who has half a grand to drop on some sweet headphones. Read review

Specs: Headphones, In-ear ear-bud, 1.1 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold-plated plug, 2 years Limited warranty Parts and labor

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.2 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 96 reviews

The Bottom Line: Sennheiser's versatile headphones sound great on DVDs and all kinds of music. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, Black, 10.1 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 2 years Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 26 reviews

The Bottom Line: Monster's Turbine in-ear headphone looks, feels, and sounds like a much more expensive model. Read review

Specs: Headphones, In-ear ear-bud, Black chrome, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold plated connectors

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 19 reviews

The Bottom Line: Sennheiser's featherweight noise-canceling headphones are supercomfy and produce sound quality approaching that of some full-size models. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Semi-open, Black, 2.3 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Foldable, NoiseGard active noise compensation, 2 years Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 61 reviews

The Bottom Line: Despite a few minor issues, the BlueAnt Q1's voice controls and good audio quality sets this apart from other headsets. Read review

Specs: Microphone Built-in, Headset, 0.4 oz, Mono, Built-in DSP, Volume control, Echo cancellation, Noise canceling circuit, Voice Isolation Technology, BlueGenie voice user interface, 2 years Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 23 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Tour In-Ear Headphones offer much in the way of style and sound, but the extra-long earpieces my cause comfort and fit issues for some users. Read review

Specs: Headphones, In-ear ear-bud, 0.7 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, MicroStrand conductors, Patented magnetic FluxTube, 24K gold contacts, In-ear noise isolation, 1 year Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 60 reviews

The Bottom Line: With the QuietComfort 3s, Bose has done a remarkable job of shrinking its popular noise-canceling headphones while achieving similarly impressive sound quality--but that engineering feat doesn't come cheap. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, 5.6 oz, Stereo, Noise canceling circuit

• CNET Editor rating:
  2.5 stars Average

  Overall score: 5.7 (2.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 246 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Bose In-Ear Headphones are a hybrid set, falling right between regular earbuds and canalphones. They don't block out noise, but they do provide much more bass than stock earbuds--almost too much, in fact. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-bud, Black, 0.6 oz, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, TriPort acoustic headphone structure

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.7 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 376 reviews

The Bottom Line: Despite its quirks, the Aliph Jawbone 2 is quite possibly the ultimate Bluetooth headset in terms of design and sound quality. Read review

Specs: Microphone Built-in, Headset, Over-the-ear, Built-in DSP, Voice activated, 1 year Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.4 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The AKG K 702 Open Back Dynamic Reference Headphones offer an ultracomfortable way to enjoy sound that is remarkably more open than most sets; they're like personal speakers for your head. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, 8.3 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold plated connectors, 2 years Limited warranty Parts and labor

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 167 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Motorola S9 Bluetooth Active Headphones offer a worthy choice for wireless cell phone sound. Read review

Specs: Microphone Built-in, Headset, Behind-the-neck, 1.1 oz, Stereo, Mute button, Volume control, Sweat resistant, Water resistant, Track select buttons

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 26 reviews

The Bottom Line: Sennheiser's affordable, comfortable wireless headphones sound almost as good as corded 'phones. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, 8.1 oz, Stereo, 2 years Limited warranty

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 17 reviews

The Bottom Line: The solid-sounding Sony Ericsson HBH-IS800 Wireless Stereo Headphones are an excellent option for anyone looking for the very smallest Bluetooth headset money can buy to use with an A2DP-compatible music phone or MP3 player. Read review

Specs: Microphone Built-in, Headset, In-ear ear-bud, Stereo, Voice dialing, Auto volume adjustment

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 38 reviews

The Bottom Line: If you're looking for the best value in Bose headphones, the company's On-Ear models makes a strong case--even if they're not cheap. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, Black, 5.2 oz, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Foldable

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 22 reviews

The Bottom Line: The RS130s are Sennheiser's best wireless headphones to date. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, 9.9 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Phone stereo 6.25 mm, SRS Headphone

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 120 reviews

The Bottom Line: If you're looking for an affordable, decent-sounding pair of earbuds, start with the Sennheiser CX 300. Sennheiser's first in-ear design sounds like a winner to us. Read review

Specs: Headphones, In-ear canalphone, Black, 0.1 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 2 years Limited warranty