The best...headphones

Bose QuietComfort 3

Previous QuietComfort models “set the standard for premium noise-canceling headphones.” These, the most compact yet, use a “cushy memory foam” that coddles your ears.

$350, bose.com

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Source: CNET.com

AKG Q 460

Legendary producer Quincy Jones developed these stylish headphones, which fold neatly for travel. They “deliver loads of punchy bass” without ignoring a track’s “finer details.”

$169, akg.com

Source: Wall Street Journal

Monster Beats Detox Pro

It’s no surprise that the top model in Dr. Dre’s headphone line delivers an “overcooked” bottom. Fortunately, they also “give highs and mids their due.”

$500, bestbuy.com

Source: Wired.com

Sol Republic Tracks HD

Some headphones bring out music’s subtleties, but these are “as instantly satisfying as an oozing cheeseburger.” They offer “clear highs, “big, booming lows, and everything in between.”

$130, solrepublic.com

Source: Wall Street Journal

Beyerdynamic T 70 p

It’s a cliché to say great headphones let you rediscover music, “but these do just that.” Their “crisp” sound reveals as if by magic such details as the tiny inhales of a favorite vocalist.

$570, brookstone.com

Source: Wall Street Journal