WIRED Test: Pros Prefer Cheaper Headphones

In a blind listening test published on September 30, 2025, WIRED reported that four audio professionals favored lower-priced headphones over more expensive, premium models. The test, conducted in an East London recording studio, involved six popular over-ear headphones from brands including Apple, Sony, Bose, and Soundcore. The panel of producers and engineers listened to a single track on Spotify to judge the headphones on sound quality alone, without knowledge of brand, design, or price.

The results challenged the correlation between cost and performance. The least expensive model, the $200 Soundcore Space One Pro, was ranked as the favorite and described as balanced and vibrant. [1, 3] The second-cheapest, the Nothing Headphone (1), placed second. [1, 3] Meanwhile, highly-regarded models from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins received criticism for having sound that was "thin" or "flat." [1, 3] The outcome suggests brand perception and features may influence user experience more than pure audio quality.