Shop for portable audio devices

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.5 stars Spectacular

  Overall score: 9.0 (4.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 3 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, Stereo, 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 8 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Samsung P3 is an excellent multimedia device that packs a grand amount of features into an impressively compact package with one of the best screens available. Plus, it sounds superb, making this a top contender for audio enthusiasts. Read review

Specs: Digital player / radio, 8 GB, MP3, WMA, Lithium polymer Rechargeable Player battery

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 102 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Zune 120, with a unique focus on music discovery, is a fierce competitor to the iPod Classic. The Zune's substantial storage capacity combined with its Zune Pass music subscription makes it an ideal solution for restless music fans with large appetites. Read review

Specs: Digital player / radio, AAC, MP3, WMA, WMAPro, Audible, 120 GB, Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 15 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, 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: 4.0 stars out of 53 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:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 55 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:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.5 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 62 reviews

The Bottom Line: The fourth-generation iPod Nano is easy on the eyes and the wallet, and you can't beat its hardware and user interface design. Just be sure to give iTunes 8 a spin before committing. Read review

Specs: Digital player, 8 GB, AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple Lossless, Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.7 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 54 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: 8.5 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 25 reviews

The Bottom Line: The fourth-generation iPod Nano is easy on the eyes and the wallet, and you can't beat its hardware and user interface design. Just be sure to give iTunes 8 a spin before committing. Read review

Specs: Digital player, 16 GB, AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple Lossless, Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 6 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: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 17 reviews

The Bottom Line: The SanDisk Sansa Fuze is a great value--a slim design, simple interface, plentiful features, memory expansion capability, and solid sound quality all come with an easy-to-swallow price tag. Read review

Specs: Digital player / radio, 2 GB, WMA, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, MP3, FLAC, Audible, Rechargeable Player batteryInternal

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 93 reviews

The Bottom Line: We're hard-pressed to find anything not to like about the Creative Zen. It's a great option for anyone looking for a great-sounding, pocketable MP3 player with an excellent, video-capable screen and plenty of extra features. Read review

Specs: Digital player / radio, 16 GB, AAC, MP3, WAV, WMA, ADPCM, Audible, 1 x Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 15 reviews

The Bottom Line: The iPod Classic refines the formula that put the iPod on the map. Few can match its combination of storage capacity, battery life, and intuitive user interface. Read review

Specs: Digital player, AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple Lossless, 120 GB, Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.4 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 92 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:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 58 reviews

The Bottom Line: The SanDisk Sansa Clip is an incredible value that's set to edge out the competition with a user-friendly interface, gym-worthy design, and great sound quality. Read review

Specs: Digital player / radio, 1 GB, WMA DRM, Rechargeable Player batteryInternal

• CNET Editor rating:
  2.5 stars Average

  Overall score: 5.7 (2.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 234 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: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 81 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Zune has blossomed from an ugly duckling into a worthy iPod alternative. Read review

Specs: Digital player / radio, AAC, MP3, WMA, WMAPro, Audible, 80 GB, Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 8 reviews

The Bottom Line: Klipsch's entry-level iGroove SXT iPod speaker system may be short on features, but it delivers a big, muscular sound considering its compact size. Read review

Specs: portable speakers with digital player dock, 12 in x 4.6 in x 4.8 in, Black, 2-way Active

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.3 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 138 reviews

The Bottom Line: The amazingly low priced updated Apple iPod gets many under-the-hood improvements, but it's still not a true video player. Read review

Specs: Digital player, AAC, MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, Apple Lossless, 80 GB, Lithium ion Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 32 reviews

The Bottom Line: The SanDisk Sansa Fuze is a great value--a slim design, simple interface, plentiful features, memory expansion capability, and solid sound quality all come with an easy-to-swallow price tag. Read review

Specs: Digital player / radio, 8 GB, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, Audible, WAV, WMA, MP3, Rechargeable Player batteryInternal

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 174 reviews

The Bottom Line: Bose's standard-setting noise-canceling headphones have just upped the ante. Read review

Specs: Headphones, Ear-cup, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Noise canceling circuit, Battery level indication

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 18 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: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 36 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Samsung YP-P2 is an excellent-sounding MP3 player that will appeal to those looking for a cool touch-screen interface and stereo Bluetooth capability. Read review

Specs: Digital player / radio, 8 GB, AAC, MP3, WMA, Lithium polymer Rechargeable Player battery

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 118 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

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 14 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