Choosing the right headphones could seem like a daunting task with the plethora of options available out there in the market. Apart from the most commonly known factors like price range, brand, noise cancellation, etc., another factor to consider is the size of the headphone driver. Technically, a headphone driver contains elements to convert an electrical signal into sound. The size of the diaphragm inside determines the driver diameter. They are mostly in the 30-53mm range and yes, bigger is better in this case. While there are several options available, if you do settle on investing in a 40mm driver headphone, here are our suggestions.
The Sony WH-1000XM3 comes with Alexa-enabled voice-assist that gives you seamless access to everything from information to music and much more – all of which can be activated with a simple touch. It also boasts of industry-leading ANC for a virtually soundproof experience; whether you are travelling in local transport or are trying to drown out the Netflix series your roomie is watching. The quick attention mode on these babies helps you turn down the volume on your music just by covering the right earcup with your palm, while the super-soft earpads make for a comfortable listening experience. The WH-1000XM3 is intelligent enough to adjust the ambient sound based on your activity. One of our favourite features is the lightning-quick charging: five hours of playback with a 10-minute charge. If you get the chance to charge it up fully, you can expect this beauty to be your companion for a good 30 hours of playtime. This is a good choice regardless of whether you use Android or iOS devices since it is compatible with both.
The P5 S2 comes from a lineage of award-winning on-ear headphones. The leather and aluminium blended exterior make this a sturdy piece while keeping it lightweight (a mere 195g). Bowers & Wilkins, with their P5 Series 2s, have managed once again to give us a pair of headphones brilliantly combining design with excellent sound quality. The fun bit – your bass notes sound deep and muscular without being overbearing and the vocals also remain crystal clear. The earpads on the P5 S2 are held in place by magnets, allowing them to be easily removed for replacement or changing the cable. The removable earpads are an interesting design choice because they let you quickly plug in the back-up cable on a need-be basis. The luxury case housing this headphone is definitely one of the swankiest we have seen around.
The Momentum 2.0 comes equipped with NFC connectivity to give you the real ‘wireless freedom’ experience. The 4 microphones used by the NoiseGard hybrid active noise cancellation help in dramatically improving the sound quality, especially in extremely high noise environments. The bass boost on the Momentum 2.0 gives you a deep bass effect without making it sound forced (much like what you’re promised with other headphones like Apple Beats). If battery life is a critical factor for you, Momentum 2.0 has you covered: even with both NoiseGard and Bluetooth activated, it lasts a whopping 22 hours; the perfect companion on long commutes. The cable supplied with this headphone has jack plugs on both ends making it completely detachable.
The 40mm drivers used in the Audio Technica ATH-M30X are custom-made drivers using copper-coated aluminium voice coils and rare-earth magnets. The result: you can distinguish clearly between the vocals and the instrumentals in a track. While the body of the ATH-M30X is primarily made of plastic, the textured matte look and construction give it durability and sturdiness. The huge earcups literally gobble up your ears putting them inside a safe cocoon that feels both plush and comfortable. This also helps with the noise-cancellation feature on these beauties. The one distinct differentiation is that this headphone comes with a long cable (1.5 metres) attached permanently to the left earcup. The design idea makes it a convenient choice for studio-mixing, tracking and field-recording.