everything to consider when choosing the best headphones for audiobooks. Plus, our best recommendations!
how to choose the best headphones for audiobooks
Audiobooks are gaining popularity. according to a US survey, each audiobook enthusiast listens to an average of 6.8 audiobooks in 2019 to 8.1 in 2020.
You are reading: Best headphones for audio books
And while you can listen to audiobooks through speakers, you can’t do it everywhere without disturbing those around you. this is why headphones are a must for a clear and private listening experience.
However, not all headphones work very well for audiobooks. in fact, choosing the right headphones for audiobooks requires some consideration. For example, if you listen to audiobooks during your commute, you may have a hard time hearing them clearly without the addition of noise-canceling technology.
Worse, if they feel uncomfortable, you’ll need to take regular breaks to listen to them. imagine that happening in the middle of an exciting part!
To avoid this, here are the factors to consider when shopping for the best audiobook headphones. read on!
bose quietcomfort 35 ii
Key features:
- form factor: supra-aural
- connectivity: wireless
- battery life: 20 hours
- anc: yes
- companion app: bose connect
- sound profile: neutral
the bose quietcomfort 35 ii headphones have everything you need to make your listening session a good one. their neutral sound profile draws attention to the speaker’s voice, making them perfect for audiobooks. the active eq also complements this by preserving audio quality and keeping it distortion-free, even at high volumes.
plus, you can choose from three levels of the headphones’ world-renowned noise-canceling technology. all by pressing a few buttons in the bose connect app.
The headphones are also well-built, made from a mix of impact-resistant materials, like fiberglass-reinforced nylon and stainless steel, to withstand daily travel. In addition, the soft cushions ensure maximum comfortduring listening sessions that last for hours.
compared to previous bose quietcomfort 35s, the only real difference is the newly added button on the left earcup for communicating with your phone’s personal assistant. holding it down allows you to issue voice commands using the built-in microphone.
However, bluetooth has to be the biggest drawback of these headphones, especially when trying to connect to more than one device at a time. the headphones seem to bounce between two devices if they are both in range.
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See Also: How Many Books Has Rl Stine Written? – Reading Book X
airpods pro
Key features:
- form factor: true wireless in-ear
- connectivity: wireless
- duration battery : 4.5
- anc: yes
- companion application: apple embedded software
- sound profile: neutral; slight emphasis on treble
apple airpods pro earphones are one of the popular true wireless earphones on the market.
Because they’re aimed at the average consumer, Apple has done a great job of ensuring they sound great when listening to just about anything. but they are particularly good for audiobooks.
For the most part, they have a fairly neutral sound signature, which increases slightly in the higher ranges to draw attention to vocals.
Another useful feature is anc. Unsurprisingly, they may not compete with ANC on headphones. but they do a surprisingly good job of countering the everyday noise you’d expect to hear when walking around town or going to work.
In addition, the earphones and the charging case are made of high-quality plastic. It’s nothing groundbreaking in terms of durability, but it can take the occasional drop if it slips out of your hand. in fact, you may worry about losing them rather than breaking them due to their small size.
a silicone tip was added to each earbud, a great improvement over the original airpods to improve passive noise isolation by creating a tighter seal on the ear. adaptive eq is another new addition, creating a personalized listening experience by adjusting the music according to the shape of your ear.
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apple is known for creating a seamless experience between its own devices. This is great if you’re an iPhone user, but the complete opposite if you’re not. Although the airpods work with android, some functions are simply not available. their silicone pads can also make them prone to falling off.
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See Also: How Many Books Has Rl Stine Written? – Reading Book X
anker life q30 sound core
Key features:
- form factor: supra-aural
- connectivity: wireless
- battery life: 40
- anc: yes
- companion application: soundcore
- sound profile: v-shaped; adjustable with eq
the soundcore by anker life q30 over-ear headphones offer exceptional quality sound through their 40 mm drivers. Out of the box, these headphones have a v-shaped sound profile, with an emphasis on bass. Luckily, you can use the equalizer available in the soundcore app to adjust the sound so that the bass doesn’t overwhelm the vocals.
The included transparency mode uses the built-in microphones to capture what’s happening around you and stream it directly to the speakers. this way you can have a conversation with someone without having to take off your headphones!
Other than that, comfort is good. The ear cups and headband feature soft memory foam padding to keep you comfortable during long listening sessions. The earphones are made primarily of plastic, which can make them feel and look cheap, but hopefully some cutbacks will hit an affordable price.
compared to the life q20, the life q30 includes nfc for easy connectivity and compatibility with the soundcore app. The charging port has also been upgraded from a micro-usb to usb-c, a smart move in terms of future-proofing.
The hybrid noise cancellation function is disappointing. it struggles to filter out some sounds, like the rumble of a distant highway or passing conversations. the ear cups are also quite loose, which takes away from the overall noise isolation.
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See Also: How Many Books Has Rl Stine Written? – Reading Book X
gonova g8
Key features:
- form factor: wireless mono in-ear
- connectivity: wireless
- battery life battery : 5.5
- anc: no
- sound profile: balanced
If you’re someone who wants to stay connected to the world around you while listening to your audiobooks, the Gonovate G8 True Wireless Mono In-Ear Headphone is for you. the frequency response is designed specifically for audiobooks and podcasts, allowing clear sound without the need for customization.
The design of the headset is very discreet, adopting a beige tone so that it is less noticeable when wearing it. As one of the smallest earbuds you’ll find, it fits comfortably and securely inside your ear. You also have the option to choose from one of three silicone tip sizes to improve fit and noise isolation.
the 55 +/- 5 mah lithium-ion battery provides up to 6 hours of playtime, depending on the volume you are listening to. such battery life is impressive for a headset of this size. in fact, this is the best battery life you can expect without compromising the size and design of the headset.
An often overlooked aspect of this headset is the charger. You’ll get two chargers, and both plug directly into an outlet. to charge, you magnetically attach the headset to the charger. if you’re someone who hates the clutter associated with cables, you’ll like the wireless approach that gonovate has chosen.
The sad thing is that this headset does not stand the test of time well. after a few months it just stops turning on. the total amount of charge it can hold also gradually reduces the more it is charged. while it comes with a one year warranty, it would be nice to see gonovate fix some of the durability issues.
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See Also: How Many Books Has Rl Stine Written? – Reading Book X
sony wh-1000xm4
Key features:
- form factor: supra-aural
- connectivity: wireless
- battery life: 30
- anc: yes
- companion app: sony headphone connection
- sound profile: balanced; with tight bottoms, adjustable with eq
the sony wh-1000xm4 headphones offer high quality sound through the two 40mm drivers. With a frequency response of 4hz to 40khz, you’ll be able to hear and feel every sound that’s played. If you’re looking for headphones that work well with music and audiobooks, these are a great option.
the wh-1000xm4 are among the best noise canceling headphones you can get. use dual noise sensors to capture ambient noise and filter it out using an advanced algorithm. they also include adaptive sound control that automatically optimizes your sound based on the environment you’re in.
The headphones have a very elegant minimalist design. Made of durable plastic, they have a premium soft feel. the ear cushions are finished with soft urethane foam to cushion the ears when in use.
while both the wh-1000xm4 and wh-1000xm3 share a 30-hour battery life, the wh-1000xm4 does a little better thanks to the usage detection feature that stops the music when you remove and resumes when you put them back on. Although small, this saves battery life over time and eliminates the hassle of manually pausing and resuming your audiobook.
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For the high price, I’d expect overall high quality performance. however, the touch controls on these headphones are very sensitive and take some getting used to. The inside of the earphones can also get quite hot if you use them for hours and would benefit from a more airflow-oriented design.
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See Also: How Many Books Has Rl Stine Written? – Reading Book X
cozyphones headband headphones
Key features:
- form factor: headband
- connectivity: cable
- anc: no
- sound profile: bright; Shallow bass, emphasis on treble
Like listening to audiobooks in bed but hate trying to find a comfortable position with your headphones on? headband headphones from cosyphones can solve that problem. they wrap around your head and stay comfortable even when sleeping on your side thanks to their unique design.
While they may not have ANC, they offer good quality sound. removable speakers sit inside the thin 1/8″ padded headband to deliver sound directly to your ear. you can use your audiobook or the sweet sound of white noise to fall asleep comfortably.
Because they are wired, you must be careful not to get tangled up as you move. however, the 52-inch-long braided cable offers some freedom. however, if these were wireless, this is a concern I could cross off.
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See Also: How Many Books Has Rl Stine Written? – Reading Book X
audio-technica ath-m50x
Key features:
- form factor: supraaural
- connectivity: wired
- anc: without
- sound profile: v-shaped; warm bass
With a frequency response range of 15hz to 28khz, your audio will sound crystal clear when played through the 45mm drivers on the audio- technica ath-m50x. they also have a v-shaped sound profile with a slight emphasis on low and high frequencies.
The headphones are mainly made of a thick, dense plastic that offers great protection and can be folded for easy transport. however, the weakest parts of the headset are the joints, a trait shared with previous ath-m40xs.
Compared to the previous version, the ath-m50xs have significantly improved their sound quality. in addition to the increased supported frequencies from 20khz to 28khz, one improvement the ath-m50x has over the ath-m40x is the slightly larger earbuds to fit larger ears and improve breathability.
The ear cups can now also rotate 90° in both directions instead of 15° and allow a better fit according to the shape of the head.
however, it is necessary to remove some points for comfort. the holding force of these headphones is quite high. the pads are also insufficiently padded, which worsens the pressure felt by the clamping force. As a result, you may need to take breaks when listening to audiobooks.
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See Also: How Many Books Has Rl Stine Written? – Reading Book X
jabra elite active 75t
Key features:
- form factor: true wireless in-ear
- connectivity: wireless
- duration battery : 5.5
- anc: yes
- companion app: jabra sound+
- sound profile: v-shaped; rich bass, bright mids and highs
If you plan on listening to audiobooks while on the go, the jabra elite active 75t is a great option. they sound great and offer considerable noise isolation thanks to the silicone that molds to the shape of the ear.
jabra elite active 75t’sanc works fine. Four microphones (two on each earbud) work with the Qualcomm chipset to effectively block out ambient noise so you can focus on your audiobook, whether you’re running outside or just distracted in the living room break from work. .
In addition, the fast charge function gives you 1 hour of battery life with a 15-minute charge. and the total battery life increases from 5.5 hours to 24 hours if you include the charge provided by the case.
The earphones are lightweight, each earphone weighs 5.5g each. this is lighter than the jabra elite active 65t which has an unequal weight of 6.5g for the right and 5.8g for the left. They are now IP57 rated too, which protects them from water, sweat and dust. however, the biggest difference between the two has to be the lack of anc found on the 65t.
However, the touch controls are quite responsive and you’ll often find yourself accidentally pausing your audiobook or enabling listen when adjusting them. in addition, connectivity can be somewhat sporadic, leading to occasional outages.
see latest price on amazon
See Also: How Many Books Has Rl Stine Written? – Reading Book X