Mark Levinson No. 5909: These are the first headphones from premium audio brand Mark Levinson, and yes, they are expensive at $999. They are also really good. They have a sturdy design without feeling heavy on your head (read: they’re substantial but not too heavy), and they’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time, thanks to their nicely padded and replaceable leather-wrapped earcups and headbands. Read our Mark Levinson No. 5909 hands-on.
Soundcore by Anker Space One: The Space One is a solid buy at around $100, with a strong feature set along with good sound quality and performance. They can’t quite compete sonically with many of the premium noise-cancelling models, but you don’t feel like you’re giving up all that much in the way of sound to save a bunch of money. They lack a little of that natural, refined quality you look for in a great set of headphones, but the Space One sounds respectable, with decent clarity and bass definition, and can hold its own against the more expensive Soundcore Space 45.
Technology EAH-A800: There’s a bit of an old-school vibe to the Technics EAH-A800, and that’s not just the Technics brand, which Panasonic has revived in recent years. The design is a bit of a throwback, but these headphones are comfortable and can be folded or flat. They have a big, energetic sound with punchy bass and good detail, though they do take a day or two to break in.
Status between 3ANC: The Status earbuds aren’t exactly the sleekest or most attractive earbuds you can buy, but if you don’t mind their utilitarian looks and giant stems, you’ll get a great-sounding set of earbuds. The Between 3ANC, the company’s first noise-canceling earbuds, also do a good job of blocking out ambient noise, but they’re not quite as good as the Bose QuietComfort 2 earbuds in the noise-canceling department. They performed very well in my voice-call test, reducing much of the background noise around me on the streets of New York City and picking up my voice clearly, callers told me.
