This has been a queer year for headphones. Two groundbreaking pairs of cans were introduced by an unlikely suspect, but with each of them commanding a four-figure price, those breakthroughs might as well not have happened for most people. Apple catalyzed the move toward wireless technology with its omission of a headphone jack in the iPhone 7, while a bunch of smaller players launched terrific wired options that fit into most people’s budgets. So just as it starts to seem like headphones are reaching a peak of consistently high quality, the tech industry is flipping everything on its head and giving us reason to consider buying yet more stuff.
Focal’s headphones set new standards for what we can expect at their price points
Firstly, we have to talk about the Focal Elear and Utopia. Yes, one of them costs $999 and the other one costs $3,999 (does it matter which is which?) but what they lack in affordability they make up for in having absolutely superb sound quality. French company Focal is much better known for making speakers than headphones, but their debut at the high end of the latter category has been nothing short of triumphant. Both headphones set new standards for what we can expect at their price points. And the reason mere mortals should care is that, beside the exotic materials, Focal has developed a lot of technological knowhow with these cans that the company’s designers say will inform their more affordable products in the future. Even if you never buy a pair, these headphones are a great harbinger of what’s to come.
The default expectation for premium headphones will be that they’re wireless
Apple’s iPhone 7 headphone jack removal was leaked in January, so naturally tech media spent most of the year debating the reasons the company might have for removing a standard and universally used port. Adopting the Lightning port for audio has some technical advantages, but Apple’s eventual launch made it clear that the company just wanted to push wireless forward. Headphone makers have responded accordingly, with everyone doubling down on wireless models, from Bose’s QC35 to B&W’s P7 Wireless.
The most significant effect of 2016 on this front is that it simply sets the stage for what is likely to be a transformative 2017. At some point in the next year, the default expectation for premium headphones will be that they’re wireless. Those that cost upwards of $200 and still retain a wire will have to justify their existence through better sound quality or some other advantage.
At the very bottom of the headphone market, Chinese mobile manufacturers made positive noise this year with some very nice introductions. Xiaomi’s established Pistons line kept the $20 market full of good tunes, and OnePlus joined with its massively improved Bullets v2 at the same price point. Meizu’s EP51 showed up as an excellent $65 pair of wireless sports buds, and premium smartphones finally started bundling premium earphones by default, such as with the Nubia Z11. HTC’s audio-focused Android flagship for this year, the 10, also came with some high-quality buds in the box, and LG’s QuadBeats have been consistently good for years.