The best wired headphones 2023: in-ear and over-ear options for premium sound

The best wired headphones and in-ears (often called IEMs, or in-ear monitors) are the ideal gateway to hi-res audio. They also provide comfort, security (no losing an earbud to a puddle here) and quality cables that will either snake around your ear and into their respective 'buds or attach easily to their padded ear cups.  

And the delicate truth is that the best wired headphones still sound better than wireless. Yes, Bluetooth bandwidth is improving and the best wireless earbuds and best wireless headphones offer the convenience of simply sticking them over (or in) your ears without a snag-prone cable. But streaming over Bluetooth adds its own compression, or 'loss' to the audio you hear. And that problem goes away if you'll only embrace the wind beneath your wires and attach a cable to your device when you listen to good quality music files. Want proof? Apple Music's Lossless and Hi-Res Lossless output: you cannot currently enjoy it in its full resolution without adding at least one physical connection to the source.

We've got options covering regular 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm and USB-C connections too – because very few phones these days sport the good old 3.5mm jack, unless you've got your eye on a Sony Xperia 1 V, which is arguably the best phone for sound ever. 

Of course, any list of the best wired headphones will include a couple of money-no-object sets – wired listening is the preserve of planar magnetic drivers, open-backed ear cups and audiophiles demanding clarity and nuance, after all – but there are affordable propositions in this guide too.

We always listen to each product in comparison against the class-leaders at the level, and we always review everything before it can even be considered for this buying guide. Not sure whether you want wired or wireless earbuds? We've got a dedicated best earbuds roundup that includes wire-free, true wireless and wired designs to help you choose. Otherwise, read on.

Written by

Written by

Becky Scarrott

Becky is a senior TechRadar writer (which she has been assured refers to expertise rather than age) focusing on all things audio. Before joining the team in early 2022, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Before all of that though, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a deep connection to music. She extols the virtues of listening (and dancing) to the best musical file quality you can stretch to, right now and always.  

The quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out which wired headphones are the best? Below, you’ll find a roundup of our choices. You can also jump to a more detailed write-up of every pick, and our price comparison tool helps you find the best deals.

The best wired headphones 2023

The best headphones overall

These talented wired headphones were made for the mixing booth, but they're also excellent for all-round music listening thanks to their neutral sound recreation, oodles of crisp bass response, plush cushioning and the rigid headband needed to prevent vibration while you listen to your favorite tracks. 

As open-backed headphones, do they leak sound? Actually, there isn’t a huge amount of sound leakage with the HD-660S, so you should be able to sit near someone without sharing your deepest and most niche music tastes. You won’t be able to use them on the subway, though – there’s little-to-no sound isolation here and thus, they will only really suit those who listen to their albums al desko at work (or lounging in a comfy listening chair when the working day is done). 

Unlike many of the best over-ear headphones we've tested, there's no Bluetooth or alternative wireless connectivity other than a detachable cable here but then, you came here for the best in wired listening, didn't you? 

Ultimately, the HD-660S2 are best for static listening, sound mixing, or nursing a favorite album in high quality sound at home without the fear of missing a doorbell. 

Read our full Sennehiser HD-660S2 review

• ^ Back to the top

The best budget headphones

We'll get straight to it: for the money, this is a very good set of wired over-ears. They're not the full-ticket audiophile option (for that you'd need to spend significantly more) but as a solid step up on the similarly-priced wireless earbuds you've got right now, you need to take them seriously.

The wooden cups, 50mm drivers (which is larger and more capable than those found in most of the best over-ear headphones within their price bracket), the lovely light 280g build, soft memory foam padding and high-gloss finish and specific voicing will have you hooked. 

For clarity, the Oriole feature a "balanced and wide tuning ideal for classical and jazz music", while the company's simultaneous Robin headphone release has a what the company described as a more "lively, forward sound" aimed at rock, pop, and dance music listeners.

The Oriole boast a non-taxing impedance of 32 ohms and a high sensitivity of 108dB, which is practically unheard of in this price bracket and sonically, they're very good of for this money – almost to the point you might think the $199 / £219 / AU$399 pricing on the box is a typo. 

Read our full Sivga Oriole review

• ^ Back to the top

The best high-end headphones

Now then. At nearly two grand’s-worth of wired headphone prowess, if you’re attaching these cans to a mediocre music source you simply won't be getting your money's worth – and that will be on you. This is audiophile territory. Spotify free-tier subscribers, owners of virtually all smartphones that still have a physical headphone connection and folks who want to hook them straight into the side of their laptop should all a) look elsewhere, and b) spend much less money on headphones. The Liric are unapologetically intolerant of all of this.

Extended functionality? Nope. Mainstream pricing? Again no. Adaptable or undemanding? Hardly. You don’t get pampered by the Meze Audio Liric wired over-ear headphones. Buy a pair and it's you who’ll be doing most of the pampering.

That said, a considerable amount of money put Meze Audio’s way buys big, hard-wired headphones fitted with esoteric planar magnetic drivers – and though their closed-back configuration and (laughably big) carry-case makes them a bit better for your commute than most Meze Audio over-ear headphones, they’re neither discreet nor especially portable.

What they are is beautifully made, from high-quality materials. And if there's anything you take away from this bit of text, it should be that they sound superb. If it’s detail you want, a proper reading of a recording as a performance, insight into tone and timbre and shape of individual notes, the Liric are a convincing and utterly musical listen, and ranking among the best over-ear headphones for sheer fidelity.

Read our full Meze Audio Liric review

• ^ Back to the top

The best earbuds for most people