Best mid-range headphones in 2024

There’s no need to spend a fortune on high-end headphones when you can find amazing mind-range options with similar features and sound quality for a lower price. The best mid-range headphones come in stylish and durable designs from top brands like Sennheiser, Sony, and Jabra and include ANC, app control, and sturdy construction to rival more expensive models,

speakers-review-bose-soundbar-700-review

Best Bose soundbars: Expert tested and recommended

These are the best Bose Soundbars to help you get the best audio from for your home entertainment setup.

Our team tests audio products like speakers, headphones, and gaming headsets all year to experience the latest features and innovations and recommend the best options to buy. For this list, we picked the best mid-range headphones that impressed us with their features and quality after daily testing in our busy lives. Although most picks are within a similar price range, we added a mix of different brands and products to satisfy everyone.

Best mid-range headphones: Our top choices

Sennheiser Accentum

1. Best mid-range headphones overall

Premium sound for an attainable price

$150 $180 Save $30

The Sennheiser Accentums offer premium features like great sound and ANC for an unbeatable price that will attract new customers.

Pros

Lightweight
ANC
Great sound

Cons

No carry bag
No touch controls

Sennheiser is known for its premium audio products, and Accentums makes the brand accessible by offering the company’s trademark sound quality with mid-range pricing. They come in black or white with a business-like folding design and 37mm drivers. Comfort is fantastic with a well-padded headband and earpads, large tactile buttons on the right earcup, and a lightweight 7.83oz design that stays comfortable after hours of use.

Read our review

Sennheiser Accentum: Hitting the mid-range

The new mid-range Accentum headphones from Sennheiser offer ANC at a lower price, and knock it out the park.

Sound quality is balanced, with exceptional detail for the price, and you can fine-tune the EQ settings and activate the bass boost and ANC with the Smart Control app. The ANC is impressive for its price, making it an excellent travel companion for buses and noisy cafés. Using the Accentums the whole day isn’t a problem with the long, 50-hour battery life, and you can easily recharge them to five hours of playback on a ten-minute charge if you’re in a hurry to go somewhere.

The Sennheiser Accentums have a winning formula, offering the company’s fantastic sound quality at a more attainable price. There’s minimal sacrifice, and the lack of touch controls and a carry bag aren’t deal-breakers, considering the loud, clear sound and great battery life.

Jabra Elite 8 Active

2. Best mid-range headphones for exercise

For sun and sports

$180 $200 Save $20

The Jabra Elite 8s have an IP68 rating to protect them from dust and water and provide amazing sound for your workouts and adventures.

Pros

Excellent sound and voice quality
Durable
ANC

Cons

Rubbery feel isn’t for everyone
Significant battery drop with ANC on

Jabra’s Elite 8 Actives are the best headphones for athletes and outdoor adventurers because they offer exceptional sound quality while being tough enough to handle the elements. The grippy Shakegrip coating gives them a comfortable, rubberized texture, and the IP68 rating means they’re dustproof and can withstand being submerged in water for a short time. They have nifty programmable physical buttons to skip tracks, adjust the volume and more, and it’s easy to find the perfect fit with three sets of silicone ear tips included in the box.

Read our review

Jabra Elite 8 Active: Made of tougher stuff

Jabra’s solid-sounding truly wireless sports earbuds toughen up.

Performance is excellent for the price, with clear sound and voice quality from the 6mm drivers and six microphones, and Jabra’s Adaptive Hybrid ANC removes unwanted background noise while you’re out and about. Activating the ANC, customizing controls, and selecting custom EQs is a cinch with the intuitive Sound+ app. The eight hours of listening time with the ANC on and up to 14 with it off is decent, and it can be easily recharged with the IP54-rated case, providing a further 24 hours for the longest trips.

The Jabra Elite 8 earbuds are all-around performers with a tough exterior and charging case to handle hostile conditions, and they don’t skimp on sound quality either, with clear speakers and great ANC. They don’t have the most exciting design, and the ANC can be hard on the battery life, but they’re still one of the best options because they’ll bring out the best in your music in any environment.

Beats Studio Buds+

3. Best true wireless mid-range headphones

The best for the rest

The Beats Studio Buds+ come in four attractive colors and offer the best integration for Apple and Android users.

Pros

Comfortable fit and lightweight
Siri connectivity
ANC

Cons

No wireless charging
No wear sensor

Not everyone needs extreme toughness, and the Beats Studio Buds+ are the best true wireless mid-range headphones because of their brilliant price-to-performance ratio and enough features to satisfy most buyers. They come in Cosmic Silver, Ivory, Black, and Transparent with matching charging cases offering 27 hours of battery life to supplement the nine on the buds. Durability is decent, with an IPX4 sweat resistance rating, and using them in the rain or wet conditions isn’t advisable.

Read our review

Beats Studio Buds+: The best Beats buds for most people

The Beats Studio Buds+ are promising a better fit, better sound and better noise cancellation. Should you buy them? Here’s our full review.

The energetic and punchy sound makes you smile when the beat drops, and the excellent ANC and microphones ensure clear calls on the street or in restaurants or bars. One of the best things about the Beats Studio Buds+ is that they cater to most smartphones with one-touch Apple and Android pairing and include multipoint connectivity and a find function, so they’ll never get lost.

These earbuds are the best for most buyers because they’re lightweight and comfortable and offer great sound and voice quality. It’s easy to forgive their low IP rating and lack of wireless charging, considering their fantastic price and how well they integrate with most smartphones and tablets.

HyperX Cloud III Wireless Gaming Headset

4. Best gaming mid-range headphones

Great model for gaming upgrade

$150 $170 Save $20

The HyperX Cloud III offers a lightweight and comfortable shape for hours of gaming and has amazing battery life.

Pros

Amazing battery
Very comfortable
Sturdy

Cons

No ANC
Detachable mic can get lost

The HyperX’s Cloud IIIs see more of an evolution than a revolution over its predecessor and maintains its distinct design language with the iconic oval black earcups, steel headband, and tough aluminum forks in a lightweight 11.64oz design. The new version has slightly bigger and thicker earpads and replaces the stitching on the headband with memory foam to improve comfort.

Read our review

HyperX Cloud III Wireless: Third time’s another charm

HyperX’s latest gaming headset refines an already superb formula with great success.

The sound is courtesy of 53mm drivers with a 10-21kHz response that offers a heavy and balanced listening experience with great detail. There’s no ANC, but the volume can get extremely loud without losing clarity, and the voice quality from the detachable pop-filter microphone is good enough to communicate with teammates in competitive games. The amazing 120-hour battery life is better than most of the competition and will last multiple gaming sessions before needing a charge.

HyperX’s Cloud line has always been popular, and the latest iteration offers the same impressive sound and voice quality with improved comfort due to thicker padding. It also has an amazing battery life that surpasses many expensive rivals. The easy-to-lose detachable microphone and lack of ANC are minor drawbacks and won’t stress most buyers because of the competitive price and overall quality.

Shokz OpenFit

5. Best open-ear mid-range headphones

Safer in the street

The Shokz OpenFits offer an open-air experience that improves safety for runners and cyclists, and it has an IP54 rating for working in most conditions.

Pros

Lightweight
Safe
IP54 rating

Cons

Open-ear sound won’t match true earbuds
Ear-hook system isn’t secure enough for some users

Shokz OpenFits deliver a different listening experience than most earbuds because the ear canal isn’t sealed, and you can still hear the world around you. Their system offers less punch, but they still sound good for music or podcasts and safer for running on the road or places where you’re worried about safety.

Read our review

Shokz OpenFit: Changing gear

Shokz finally goes true wireless, but does a change of approach work for the OpenFit?

The lightweight OpenFits weigh just 0.29 oz each and come in black or beige, with flexible hooks fitting over the ear to keep them in place. Durability is decent, with an IP54 rating to withstand water and dust. They also have a long, seven-hour battery life and another 21 from the USB-C case. Sound and voice quality is great for calls, and you can customize the EQ settings and more with the companion app.

The Shokz OpenFits are a safer alternative to conventional earbuds for people who walk or ride their bikes in unfamiliar areas. They provide a decent open-air listening experience and are quite durable, although some users might prefer more oomph to their sound and a tighter fit for the ear-hook system.

Sennheiser IE 200

6. Best wired mid-range headphones

Accessible to Audiophiles

$120 $150 Save $30

Audiophile sound goes mainstream with Sennheiser’s IE 200 wired headphones, which offer amazing sound in a sturdy and user-friendly device.

Pros

Brilliant sound
Simple plug-and-play design
Detachable earbuds

Cons

No water-resistance
Wired connection only

Sennheiser’s IE 200 wired headphones keep things simple, offering audiophile-level performance for a mid-range price from the 7mm transducers. There’s no app, ANC, charging, or EQs to worry about, and they have a straightforward plug-and-play design that will work with any 3.5mm audio port. Wired earbuds are harder to lose, and in the case of the IE 200s, the sturdy braided cable should be durable for long-term use and can be easily replaced if it gets damaged because of the L-shaped detachable earbuds.

Read our review

Sennheiser IE 200: Clean as a whistle

These wired in-ears promise audiophile sound for less.

The earbuds are comfortable for hours of use because of their lightweight design, and the included ear tips help to find the perfect fit. The ear tips also affect functionality and can be mounted in two positions, depending on whether you want more bass or not. The IE 200s are all about sound quality and deliver a balanced and neutral sound signature, performing equally among most frequencies for all music genres.

The IE 200s offer amazing sound for the price, but they are more for home listening than exercise because they lack any water resistance and could be susceptible to moisture damage if exposed to sweat or water. Some buyers might not like the wired design in the wireless age, and others will love its simplicity.

RODE NTH-100

7. Best professional mid-range headphones

Home and studio headphones

The Rode NTH-100 headphones offer professional sound and fantastic built quality at a mid-range price most people can afford.

Pros

Great sound
Excellent build quality
Detachable cable

Cons

Wired
Short cable costs extra

Rode is mainly known for its studio microphones and knocks it out of the park with the NTH-100s, which blur the line between lifestyle and professional headphones. They have awesome sound quality and a sturdy design for an amazing price despite sacrificing wireless connectivity for a 3.5mm port on each earcup to plug in the detachable 7.9-ft cable. Luxury features include plush Alcantara on the headband and soft gel-infused earpads to keep you cool.

They are the best mid-range headphones for pros and work just as well for gaming, podcasts, and almost everything else.

The NTH-100 oozes class with its subtle all-black appearance and includes the company’s FitLok system to prevent movement once you’ve found the perfect fit. As professional headphones for streamers and studio production, the NTH-100s are built to last, and it’s easy to find replacement cables and an optional external microphone on most online retailers. When it comes to sound, the 40mm drivers offer rich and detailed sound with a vast soundstage.

Casual users might not be into the NTH-100’s simple wired design, but it’s practical with no battery or charging to worry about. They are the best mid-range headphones for pros because of their stellar performance for the price, and they work just as well for gaming, podcasts, and almost everything else.

Sony WF-C700N

8. Best mid-range headphones for budget-friendly ANC

Comfort, great sounding earbuds for everyone

Sony makes ANC accessible to everyone with its WF-C700Ns, which also have a comfortable design with IPX water resistance at a low price.

Pros

IPX4 rating
ANC
Attractive colour options

Cons

Mediocre battery life
Plastic construction

Budget-conscious buyers or anyone looking for affordable earbuds with ANC can check out the Sony WF-C700Ns. They come in Black, White, Lavender, and Sage Green, and each bud weighs just 0.15 oz because of the all-plastic design that emulates the comfortable shape of Sony’s pricier offerings. Despite their affordable price, they include IPX4 sweat resistance, making them ideal for training, and large, responsive buttons that can be programmed to pause or play track and activate the ANC.

Read our review

Sony WF-C700N: A great budget noise-cancelling option

Are Sony’s WF-C700N noise-cancelling in-ears as good value as they seem?

Performance-wise, they have a stable yet lively sound with high volume for the price. The ANC is one of the Sony WF-C700N’s biggest selling points, and they work well despite not matching the same insulation of their more premium siblings. Battery life averages 7.5 hours, and you get another 7.5 hours from the pill-shaped USB-C charging case.

The WF-C700Ns have decent sound quality, and it’s great to see ANC trickling down to a lower price point, becoming more accessible to buyers. Their plastic construction and middling battery life are minor drawbacks, and they are still worth it because of their competitive pricing.

The bottom line: Which are the best mid-range headphones?

The Sennheiser Accentums are the best mid-range headphones because they tick most boxes with fantastic sound and long battery life in a premium-feeling package. Jabra’s Elite 8 Actives are the best for exercise and outdoor activities because of their ruggedness and comfortable fit. Anyone looking for the best value can check out the Beats Studio Buds+ because of their brilliant sound and smartphone integration for a low price.

Sennheiser Accentum

Editor’s Choice

How do we choose the best mid-range headphones?

We test all kinds of headphones and audio equipment, from the budget-friendly JLab JBuds to the premium Bose QuietComfort Ultras at Pocket-lint.

Hands-ons testing: For this list, we picked the best mid-range headphones after exhaustive hands-on testing to see their performance, construction, and value.
Price and value: All our mid-range picks offer acceptable performance for the price, and many surpassed our expectations when it came to sound and voice quality. Value is always a critical factor because of how much it influences buying decisions. For this list, we only picked options that offer decent value and most punch above their weight, offering excellent features for a low price.
IP rating: Most mid-range headphones listed here have some IP rating to protect them from water and dust. Even the ones that aren’t durable enough for daily use should offer decent service if you take care of them.

1:02

Water and dust IP ratings: What does IP68 actually mean?

Your phones and devices come with a code to tell you how waterproof it is – but what do these codes mean?

What qualifies as mid-range headphones?

Mid-range headphones like the Sennheiser Accentum and Beats Studio Buds+ are usually priced at around $200, and offer improved sound and build quality over the entry-level models on the tier below.

How much is a decent pair of headphones?

Decent headphones come at many price points, but mid-range options like the HyperX Cloud III and the Sennheiser’s IE 200 wired headphones offer the best value because they offer premium features without costing much. A good deal should cost you between $120 to $180.