I’m a music editor and these are the headphones I recommend

I’m a sucker for Sennheiser – the brand’s headphones tick all my boxes in terms of style and sound. The momentum 4s put my loyalty to the test, however, with their simple (harsher critics might say “boring”) design, which goes for the kind of plain white and grey look you’d associate more with Beats or Airpods max (there are other colour options available, including denim-blue).

Still, Sennheiser remains hard to beat when it comes to sound quality – even more so if you’re technologically adept enough to play with the brand’s Smart Control app, which enables you to adjust active noise cancelling (ANC), select a preferred sound (A, B or C), or even pick when specific preferences (such as noise isolation levels) kick in, depending on if you’re entering your office building or leaving the house. Pretty impressive.

For the technologically fearful (the app is actually very straightforward), these babies still come with a cable (though, you should try out the 60-hour battery life) and a conveniently slim fabric hardshell case.

Songs I enjoyed with the Sennheiser momentum 4 wireless included “Crystal Tears” by Elmiene, “awe” by Pem and “I Guess” by Lizzy McAlpine.

These dinky cans from one of the most respected music brands around are an absolute bargain. They’re extremely compact and lightweight but also highly durable, thanks to the reinforced rubber dampers and faux-leather headband.

Small but mighty, Marshall’s major IV pair boasts 80+ hours of wireless playing time (I tried, I tested, I triumphed), and their ergonomic design means they’re still comfortable by the fifth or even 15th hour (maybe give your ears a rest before then, though).

Meanwhile, the multi-directional knob is a nice change from touch-sensitive controls, and feels more like you’re operating one of Marshall’s classic amps. Marshall loves rock ’n’ roll, so, expect a good thump on the bass and plenty of oomph everywhere else. Overall, you get a lovely resonance to the sound and a quality that feels remarkable for the price.

Songs I enjoyed on the Marshall Major IV wireless included “I Love Rock ‘N Roll” by Joan Jett, “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks, and “Nutbush City Limits” by Tina Turner.

At the very top end of the price bracket comes the Bose quietcomfort ultras. Yes, they’re hardly cheap but, once you slip them on, you’ll realise they’re worth every penny.

First, let’s talk about the comfort: these are by far the most agreeable pair I’ve tried. In fact, I could barely tell I was wearing them. They’re incredibly light and suitable for wearing for long periods of time – they’re great for long-haul flights as well as the daily commute. The plastic earcups and headband have a smart matte finish, and are connected by solid aluminium hinges that rotate smoothly and enable them to fit into their extraordinarily compact hard-shell carrying case.

In terms of sound quality, these are second to none. I love the resonance you get, especially when listening to bass-heavy R&B or hip-hop tracks. They’re also amazingly responsive – flitting between tracks spanning all manner of genres does nothing to dent the sound experience. If you’re looking for a particularly immersive experience, you can’t do better. Switch on the active noise cancellation and prepare to be transported.

Songs I enjoyed listening to with the Bose quietcomfort ultra wireless included “People” by Libianca, “Kill Bill” by SZA and “Hey Mami” by Sylvan Esso.

I hadn’t heard of Meze until I started looking around at different headphone brands, but I was enchanted by the striking design of its 99 classics. This pair isn’t Bluetooth compatible but it’s ideal for home or studio use, whether you want to plug them into your laptop, speakers or record player, and will also work with a phone that has a headphone jack.

The cans come in a smart, felt-lined leatherette hardcase bearing a classy black and gold metal button with the Meze logo, along with two cables of varying lengths, a quarter-inch jack and a plane adaptor.

The headphones themselves are gorgeous – matte walnut earcups (there are different colour options) with buttery soft protein leather earpads complemented perfectly by gold accents. The sleek and stylish cans are completed with two black running rails over the imitation-leather headband.

The sound is excellent, and you’ll find yourself falling down a rabbit hole of music just to see how it sounds with the 99 classics. There’s a great balance between the highs, lows and midrange (the bass isn’t outstanding, but still pretty good), and even the most auto-tuned of pop stars seems to gain an added grit to their vocals, thanks to these cans.

Songs I enjoyed with the 99 classics included “Cardinal” by Kacey Musgraves, “Gears” by Divorce, “Stand Tall” by Rapsody and “Oh Well” by Caity Baser.

Sony’s smart pair of in-ears are super discreet in their little pebble case, and the earbuds are tiny as well, with strong magnets that make sure they stay securely in their case until you need them.

While I was a little iffy about the price, considering they’re in-ears, the sound is sparkling clean with little to no distortion. There was also no discernible drop in quality while using the ANC, although, it’s not the best I’ve tried – it can just about cover a strong breeze or the buzz of traffic. Meanwhile, there’s a pleasing punch to the bass, and vocals stand out wonderfully against the instrumentation.

In terms of comfort, I didn’t get on as well with these ones as with other in-ears. To create a “seal”, it felt as though they needed to be pushed relatively far into the ear, which soon became uncomfortable, making them less suitable for longer periods of use. The earbuds themselves are also incredibly sensitive, meaning, on occasions, it seemed like even my hair brushing against them managed to pause or skip a track.

Songs I enjoyed listening to on the Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless included “Like a Prayer” by Madonna, “Motivation” by Normani and “The Passenger” by Iggy Pop.

Sitting near the top end of our price bracket is the Bower and Wilkins PX7 S2, with their sleek redesign that offers a suitably more upmarket look, compared with some of the other models out there. I love the metallic accents between the shell and the memory foam cups (super comfy, by the way, fitting snugly over my ears), and the moisture-repellent fabric over the headband that matches the hard material case.

The bass really packs a punch here, thanks, in part, to the angled drivers that also offer a greater sense of intimacy on the vocals. It also picks out all the details, from the subtle vibrations on the strum of a guitar to the brassy parp of a saxophone. Perfect if you want substance to match your sense of style.

Songs I enjoyed listening to on the Bowers and Wilkins PX7 S2s included “Body Was Made” by Ezra Furman, “I Don’t Want to Know” by Fleetwood Mac, and “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas & The Papas.

This is an ideal pair for when you’re out and about and don’t fancy carting a more cumbersome (and expensive) set of over-ear headphones with you. Sennheiser’s CX plus true wireless earbuds are compact, comfortable and don’t compromise on quality. I’ve had mine for more than a year and still find myself impressed by the battery life – rarely have I been caught needing to charge them mid-journey.

The buds come with a range of ear adaptor sizes, and you can customise them through Sennheiser’s Smart Control app for iOS/Android, which also lets you to enable smooth pairing, calls and voice assistant. There’s also a pre-set that allows for a more intense bass, although, personally, I enjoy the excellent midrange offered by the CX plus model as standard. Caught in the rain? No problem – these bad boys are IPX4 splash-resistant.

Songs I enjoyed listening to on the Sennheiser CX plus true wireless earbuds included “Training Season” by Dua Lipa, “Down Bad” by Taylor Swift, and “Bodyguard” by Beyoncé.