Make your listening experience luxurious, buy these premium headphones

These devices give the best sound quality and are soft to wear even for hours

It was Navika Mehta's birthday in August and as a gift she asked her parents to give her a pair of Apple AirPods worth Rs 60,000. Mehta, a Class XI student in Delhi, says the device "floored" her friends with its sound quality and noise-cancelling feature and it is useful in online tuitions.

 

For the pleasure of listening to music or as an aid at work, headphones, earbuds or neckbands have become indispensable.

 

At Amazon.in, premium headphones are one of the fastest-growing segments in e-commerce website's audio business. “Premium brands such as Apple, Sony, Bose, JBL are growing 2.5X faster than the larger headphones category," said a spokesperson for Amazon India.

 

"We are witnessing a wave of upgrades where an increasing number of customers are searching for premium features like active-noise-cancellation, spatial audio, multi-device connectivity and clear call quality. We define premium headphones with branded selection starting from Rs 5,000 all the way to Rs 70,000+,” she said. "From a demographic view, the audience for these products are young and aspirational Indians aged between 18 to 28."

 

 

India will have 887.4 million smartphones by 2030 and such growth will boost the adoption of earphones and headphones, according to India Brand Equity Foundation, a trust established by a department of the commerce ministry.

 

“India is expected to exhibit noteworthy growth (in ear and headphones) owing to some major players like Sennheiser, BoAt, Noise and JBL who are making significant developments in their offerings by conducting research and development," according to Mordor Intelligence, a market research agency.

 

“Choose a product that delivers rich, balanced sound with clear bass, midrange, and treble. Comfort is another critical factor, especially for long periods of use; ergonomic designs that fit well and do not cause discomfort are ideal," says Mandeep Arora, managing director and co-founder of UBON.

 

 

"Noise cancellation features, such as active noise cancellation or noise reduction, are valuable for reducing background noise in various environments. Additionally, battery life should be considered. Connectivity should be stable, particularly for wireless devices, and controls should be user-friendly. Build quality and durability are crucial, as a well-constructed device will withstand regular use.”

 

But be careful about sound exposure and hearing damage. “Safety guidelines consistently emphasise the need to minimize both the duration of headphone use and exposure to very loud noises. For example, exposure to sounds at 100 decibels, even for just a minute, can lead to significant hearing loss. For casual listeners, it is advisable to keep sound levels below 80 decibels. Newer technologies, such as bone conduction headphones, noise-canceling headphones, and hybrid headphones, tend to cause less damage compared to traditional in-ear models,” according to Dr Shashidhar T B, Head - Surgery (ENT), Artemis Hospitals.

 

"Headphones aren't just about sound; they're about creating your own world, a sanctuary where music, podcasts, or even silence becomes your companion," says Amit Duggar, a 27-year-old technology enthusiast who lives in Gurgaon.

 

Here are three premium headphones to know about.

 

Focal Clear MG headphone: Magnesium drivers provide precise, dynamic sound. Handcrafted in France, it uses premium materials like microfibre earpads and leather, ensuring comfort and durability. (Price Rs 270,000)

 

 

 

Audeze LCD-5: Incorporates planar magnetic drivers that deliver highly accurate and detailed sound. The ultra-light carbon fibre frame ensures comfort during extended listening sessions. This model offers an improved midrange response, providing richer, more immersive sound. (Rs 380,000)

 

 

 

Sennheiser HD 820: Closed-back design with glass transducers that minimise resonance and deliver a unique, natural sound for a closed system. It provides an audiophile-grade soundstage with great depth, typically found in open-back headphones. (Rs 1,65,000)

 

Brand	Product	Price in Rs
Bose	QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth headphone with mic	35,900
Sennheiser	HD 120, IE 900	1,65,000. 90,000
Sony	MDR-MV1 Open Back Studio monitor headphones	60,000
Apple	AirPods Max	60,000
Focal	Clear MG Open-Back High-Fidelity over-ear headphones	2,70,000
Shure	Shure KSE1500 Electrostatic earphone system	251,616