Welcome to our round-up of 18 of the top headphones of 2013. We've collected together some of the best headphones we've seen over the past year, with a variety of different strengths to suit your particular needs. Here, you'll find sports headphones, fashionable headphones, headphones for audiophiles, headphones for cash-strapped consumers and more.
We'll be updating this article when we come across new headphones that are wishlist-worthy, so check back regularly to stay up-to-date with the latest new headphones to hit the shelves.
If you're not yet sure what type of headphones are right for you, you can check out our headphone buying advice article.
Logitech UE 6000
Price: £169.99
Logitech Ultimate Ears (UE) 6000 are a stylish set of DJ headphones. We liked these headphones a lot. They combine stunning bass and treble audio with nice styling and the noise cancellation technology makes them ideal for long journeys on the tube.
AKG K712 PRO
Price: £349
Aimed at users who are looking for a set of headphones for precise listening, mixing and mastering, the K712 PROs are open, reference headphones that AKG promises provides spacious and airy sound.
The headphones are made from genuine soft leather and have been designed to be worn for lengths of time, with a comfortable and lightweight fit.
An additional coiled cable and a carrying bag are also included.
Klipsch Image X10i
Price: From £149.99
The Klipsch Image X10i are actually a couple of years old, but we tested them this year and were really impressed by them. They're incredibly light, and are a joy to wear and listen to. They create a great acoustic seal, too, so outside noise shouldn't be a problem.
Logitech UE 9000
Price: £299
The Logitech UE 9000 Bluetooth and noise-cancelling headphones are very well constructed, and provide plenty of detail across all frequencies.
Despite being wireless, we were satisfied with the sound quality of the Logitech UE 9000 headphones, and they performed well at any volume. Unfortunately, the noise-cancelling is a bit of a let-down, here, but with 20 hour battery life, we think the pros outweigh the cons.
WeSC Piston
Price: £40
Swedish apparel and headphone brand WeSC's Piston headphones include new Autumn/Winter 2013 collection, which feature eye-catching and stylish prints. The headphones have a music-sharing functionality, too. Each pair can be plugged in to a friends' pair of WeSC Pistons so you can listen to the same music if you choose to. Just don't move too far away from one another
SuperTooth Freedom
Price: £97
SuperTooth's wireless over-ear headphones connect to your device via Bluetooth. They're also NFC compatible, which could come in handy if the rumour that the next-generation iPhone will have NFC proves to be true. Users can control the volume, play, pause and skip tracks using the built-in buttons. Plus, the headphones can be used as a hands-free kit to make calls.
AfterShockz Sportz M2
Price: £69.95
The AfterShockz Sportz M2s are bone-conduction headphones, which means small, rubbery pads sit on your cheekbones, pulsating music through the bones of your face into your inner ear. The result: decent-sounding tunes without having to worry about anything covering, or plugging, your ears.
There's a nice bass beat to the M2s, but the quality is otherwise on par with £20 supermarket headphones. That said, these aren't really designed for sound quality - they're designed for people who are interested in maintaining audio contact with the outside world.
Find out more in our full review
AKG K67 Tisto
Price: £99
The K67's fashionably chunky padded earpieces do a good job of blocking out background noise; the closed-back design should keep most of the sound in, too, so hopefully you won't annoy those nearby. The earpieces fold flat and easily slip into a backpack.
The K67s have a strong fashion element, but that doesn't detract from their ability to provide very good sound quality for dance, rock and pop music in a portable unit.
Find out more in our full review
Cavallino T350
Price: £299
Logic3's Ferrari audio collection includes the Cavallino T350 headphones. With a luxurious design inspired by Ferrari's cars, the Cavallino T350s are made with lambskin leather and crafted metal arms. The headphones feature active noise-cancelling technology to keep out background noise and prevent sound leakage, an in-line remote can be found on the anti-tangle cable, and the earpads are designed with comfort in mind. A carry case helps protect the T350s while not being used.
The Cavallino T350s, which come complete with the Ferrari logo on the side, could be ideal if you're looking for super-stylish sound.
Scosche Realm RH656
Price: £89.99
The RH656s are good-looking, big sounding headphones that can be quite enjoyable if audio fidelity isn't your highest priority. Test the headphones that can be quite enjoyable if audio fidelity isn't your highest priority. Test the headband to make sure it doesn't rub you the wrong way, though.
Find out more in our full review
Sony MDR-1RBT Prestige
Price: £339
Sony's MDR-1RBTs sound great, and using Bluetooth gives a bump to bass and treble too. They're a nearly perfect-looking pair of headphones, and are just the right size to be worn comfortably in the office, but small enough to be quickly thrown into a bag when travelling or commuting. The battery life is perfectly acceptable too. They have an NFC chip, but iOS users won't be able to use this feature until Apple makes its iPhone compatible with the technology.
Find out more in our full review
Price: £99.99
Launched by former Aston Villa footballer Ian Taylor, the iT7S headphones are designed for sporty users. With Bluetooth built-in, athletes won't need to worry about getting tangled in wires and a 10m listening range means you could leave your iPhone or iPod in your bag while exercising.
Stay motivated during your workout without worrying about wires or dropping your device.
PowerJax +Remote
Price: £99
Atomic Floyd's new PowerJax earphones are made with steel, which is designed to produce better sound. They have two-way noise isolation, meaning you can focus on the music while those nearby won't know your song choice. The cable are anti-tangle, and have a built-in stainless steel remote control and microphone for taking calls and changing tracks.
For under £100, the PowerJax could provide a big step up from Apple's earphones for your iOS device.
Parrot Zik
Price: £349.99
Parrot's Zik headphones boast a stylish design by Philippe Starck, sound great, and cost a small fortune. To be fair, they work hard to justify the price tag.
Find out more in our full review
Onkyo ES-FC300
Price: £149
Audio company Onkyo's first range of headphones include the ES-FC300 on-ear model, which is available in black and red, white or violet. Onkyo has designed the headphones to be portable and durable by including a detachable anti-tangle cable and foldable earcups. It's also added padding to the headband and earpads for extra comfort. As for sound, Onkyo promises maximum fidelity from the headphones' wide-range titanium drivers and optimised bass sub-chamber.
The ES-FC300's portability, combined with the padded headband and earpads, could be an ideal treat to liven up the daily commute.
Griffin WoodTones Over-The-Ear Headphones
Price: £79.99
Available in beech, sapele and walnut, the Griffin WoodTones Headphones have noise-isolating over-ear pads that aim to ensure comfortable listening for long periods of time. The headphones come with a remote control and microphone on the detachable cable. For extra portability, the WoodTones have foldable earcups.
The Griffin WoodTones Headphones bring a touch of nature to audio technology.
Crystal Acoustics i-40-EN
Price: £29
The new Crystal Acoustics i-40-EN in-ear headphones aim to make good-quality audio affordable. At just £29, the i-40s are made from aluminium, and include a microphone and three-button remote on the anti-tangle flat cable. Crystal Acoustics provides three sizes of soft silicon ear tips and extra double- and triple-stage dip ear canal tips for added noise cancellation. A carrying case is included.
You get lots for your cash with the Crystal Acoustics i-40 in-ear headphones.
i-box Flats
Another pair of headphones that give you lots for your money are the i-box Flats. They're cheap, at £24.99, but they provide better than basic audio, decent build, stylish design and excellent noise isolation. They're also comfortable and keep what you're listening to from your fellow commuters.
Find out more in our full review
