HOW WE TESTED

We tested each of the pairs of headphones with streaming audio, as well as high bitrate downloaded files with a set playlist of songs we were intimately familiar with, yet that still varied across many popular genres. We predominantly used a OnePlus 5 (Android) handset running Spotify, and a Windows desktop PC with an external audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett 6i6). HOUSE OF MARLEY SMILE JAMAICA $35 thehouseofmarley.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 9mm drivers; 2 x pairs of tips (silicon); 1-button remote and mic; braided cloth cable; wood

SOL REPUBLIC JAX $40 solrepublic.com CRITICAL SPECS 1-button remote and mic; 4x pairs of tips (silicon); plastic finish WRAPS NATURAL $40 mywraps.com CRITICAL SPECS 10mm drivers; 20–20,000Hz; 16 ohm impedance; 1-button remote with mic; 3 x tips (silicon) JAM TRANSIT EVO $50 jamaudio.com CRITICAL SPECS Bluetooth 4.0; 7-hour battery; 3-button remote with mic; 3 x tips (silicon)

BEYERDYNAMIC BYRON $60 www.beyerdynamic.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 9mm drivers; 10–23,000Hz; 23-ohm impedance; 3 x included tip sizes (silicon); in-line 3-button remote and microphone; soft case and shirt-clip

AUDIOFLY AF33W $60 www.audiofly.com CRITICAL SPECS 9mm drivers; 20–20,000Hz; 16-ohm impedance; IPX4 sweat-resistant; 3.5-hour battery life; Bluetooth 4.2; 3-button remote and mic; 3 x tip sizes (silicon); soft case

FIDUE A31S $60 fidue.com/brand/view?brand=fidue_en CRITICAL SPECS 8mm driver; 18–20,000 Hz; 19-ohm impedance; 1-button remote with mic; 4 x tips (silicon); ear hooks; clip and hard case

URBANEARS REIMERS $70 urbanears.com CRITICAL SPECS 4mm drivers; 32-ohm impedance; 3-button remote with mic; 3 x tips (variable wing size, silicon)

AUDIOFLY AF45C $70 audiofly.com CRITICAL SPECS 11mm drivers; 18–20,000 Hz; 16-ohm impedance; 4 x tips (silicon); 3-button remote with mic; soft case

SONY EX155 $70 www.sony.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 9mm drivers; 5–24,000Hz; 16-ohm impedance; 4 x pairs of tips (silicon); 1-button remote with mic; cable shortener

MARSHALL MODE $99 marshallheadphones.com CRITICAL SPECS 9mm driver; 20–20,000Hz; 34-ohm impedance; 1-button remote with integrated clip and separate mic; 4 x tips (silicon) AUDIO TECHNICA CKR50IS $99 audio-technica.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 12.5mm drivers; 5–25,000 Hz; 16-ohm impedance; 4 x tips (silicon); 1-button remote with mic; soft case SENNHEISER CX 3.00 $90 en-au.sennheiser.com CRITICAL SPECS 17–21,000Hz; 18-ohm impedance; 4 x tips (silicon); Hard-shelled carry case

1MORE IBFREE $99 1moreau.com CRITICAL SPECS 3-button remote with mic; Bluetooth 4.1; 8 hours battery life; 3 x tips, 3 x wings (silicon) JBL FOCUS 500 $95 www.jbl.com.au CRITICAL SPECS 15.4mm drivers; 20–20,000Hz; 32-ohm impedance; Bluetooth 4.1; 8 hours battery; 2 x tips (silicon); 3-button remote with mic; soft case and clip