Audio and calls

Audio gear for a desk is bought for two different jobs: not disturbing anyone else, and being understood on a call. Convenience and ownership are the trade: wireless buds disappear into a case, while a wired pair can be repaired for years.

Two features do the real work indoors: isolation and a microphone that rejects the room. Comfort follows from clamping force and weight, which are easy to compare and hard to fix afterwards, so the fit is worth more attention than the numbers.

Ears are shaped differently, so no earpiece suits everyone and a replacement set of tips is a cheap way to improve almost any pair of in-ears. Over-ear pads and headbands are replaceable on most studio models and sealed on most consumer ones.

What actually decides a purchase here

Whether the microphone is on a boom or built into the earcup, which decides how you sound in a shared room.
Latency and codec support if the headphones will also be used for games or video editing.
Comfort: clamping force and weight in grams, not the marketing picture.
Whether batteries, pads and cables can be replaced, or whether the whole unit is sealed.

Our picks in this category

Audio and calls

Sony WH series noise cancelling over-ear headphones

Over-ear headphones with active noise cancelling for work and travel.

Best for: Anyone working in a noisy room, or flying and wanting the engine rumble gone.
Watch out for: Noise cancelling is strongest on steady low-frequency noise and much weaker on speech.

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Audio and calls

Anker Soundcore wireless earbuds

Small in-ear buds with a case that recharges them several times over.

Best for: Commuting, calls on the move, and anyone who dislikes a headband.
Watch out for: The buds themselves hold only a few hours, and the case does the rest of the work.

Check price and availability