Here are three different headphones you can buy for under $200

THERE’S no need to spend upwards of $600 on new headphones, with these budget models all serving different needs.

ARE you in the market for a new pair of headphones, but don’t want to break the bank?

We’ve recently put three different styles under the microscope to help you make an informed decision. Oh and the best part is they are all less than $200.

SENNHEISER CX SPORT — $199

True wireless earbuds are not really my thing. If I don’t lose one of them at home, I am constantly forced to readjust them during my runs.

Neither of these problems are an issue with Sennheiser’s Bluetooth CX Sport headphones, which adopt the popular over-neck wire design and ear-fin adaptors to offer extra protection when working out.

Weighing just 15 grams, offering the ability to tailor the length of the neck cable and including an integrated clip to fix the headphones to your collar further ensure stability.

Comfort is also increased by the inclusion of three different fin sizes and four ear tips — these also help to offer some noise reduction.

And while the bright yellow fins might be a little too much for some people, I loved them because they make the headphones much easier to find.

The product also offers splash and sweat resistance for peace of mind during even the most gruelling workouts.

On the cable you will find the volume rocker, power button and micro-USB charging port, with the CX Sport delivering an outstanding six hour battery life.

Impressively the headphones can offer an hour of playback after just 10 minutes of charging, while the battery will ready to go after just 1.5 hours.

The headphones also include a USB charging cable and storage pouch.

I found the product to produce clear, detailed sound with no dropouts during my runs.

Sennheiser also claim it has a proprietary speaker system to deliver more dynamic bass than you ordinarily see in sports headphones and while it’s not going to change the world anytime soon, it’s noticeable and impressive nonetheless.

Another great feature is the multi-connection capability of the headphones, which lets you pair the product with up to two devices simultaneously.

All in all, these are a great product and well worth the investment for anyone needed new headphones to use during workouts.

Six hours of battery life and great sound.

CYGNETT FREEPLAY BLUETOOTH EARBUDS — $129.95

The fast-growing demand for true wireless earbuds is creating healthy competition, with brands looking to set themselves apart from the pack.

When it comes to Cygnett’s FreePlay Bluetooth Earbuds, the difference can be found in the product’s very affordable price tag.

While most earbuds will set you back over $300, this product can be purchased for under half the price. But did this mean they lack quality? That answer is complicated.

Offering a minimalist design, the earbuds are all black apart from a light surrounding the button used to pause/play music and answer incoming calls.

The light on the headphones is also used to indicate battery levels when charging the product inside the supplied case — red means you need more charge, green is good to go.

While the charging case can offer six hours of usage, the earbuds will only last around three hours, although this is more than enough to get you through a workout or commute.

The product comes with silicone tips for a comfortable fit, however I had multiple issues with the earbuds sliding around during workouts — on more than one occasion they fell out on the ground and I had to backtrack to locate them.

Sadly this poor fit meant sound quality was also slightly affected, with the product sounding tinnish and doing an average job at blocking out ambience noise.

The earbuds also dropped out on me more than once and had to be removed and reconnected — a real hindrance on runs.

While I probably wouldn’t recommend these earbuds for the gym, they could be a cheap solution for people on their morning commute.

The cheap price tag does come with some downfalls.

TAOTRONICS ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES — $79.99

There is no doubt the likes of Sony and Bose dominate when it comes to delivering over ear active noise cancelling headphones, but they will also cost you a pretty penny.
If you’re looking to get the benefit of the product without breaking the bank, these $80 headphones could be worth your while.

The product looks very similar to the Bose QuietComfort headphones, although once you get hands on, you discover why there is such a big price difference between the two.

Taotronics has built the entire product using plastic, which does feel rather cheap when being handled. In saying that, the plastic does make the headphones very light to wear.

Thankfully the company didn’t skimp on the headband and earcups, with both components featuring a quality leather design and offering softness when worn.

The headphones also have the ability to be folded and stored in the hard carry case that ships with the product, which is something you wouldn’t normally get at this price point.

In terms of the listening experience, the product was surprisingly good when it came to the active noise cancellation of low frequency sounds, however it struggled with those on the higher end of the scale.

The headphones will never match the industry leaders, but they are still very good even if the overall the detail is a little soft.

Battery life is the real hero of this product, with the headphones capable of 25 hours playback when they are fulled charged.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this product and while they might not offer the same build or sound quality as that offered by premium competitors, the Taotronics active noise cancelling headphones will not be a bargain purchase you regret.

I am surprised at the quality of these $79.99 headphones.

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