
“I don’t Pull on my cord, make me fidget or frown…” You wonder, isn’t it, if it’s good enough for Pinocchio, it should be good enough for the rest of us? Indeed, for basic convenience ( In general) and losing strings (in particular), there’s a lot to be said for the flexibility of movement and the absence of tripping or ding hazards if you’re using wireless earbuds on the go, or focused listening at home with wireless headphones It makes sense.
Wireless headphones come with some key compromises, though: the range over which they can work, the risk of interference from external elements, and the potential shrinkage of high-resolution files. So if sound quality is your thing, good old wired headphones are starting to look very attractive. We selected a pair of 16 wired headphones to support us—a combination of on-ear and on-ear headphones ranging in price from the very affordable to the out-of-reach. Because let’s face it: the sound is what matters, right?
Check out WIRED’s other audio guides, including our best noise-cancelling headphones, best wireless headphones, best cheap headphones, best earbuds, and best phones with headphone jacks.
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