The Best Headphones for Audiobooks and Podcasts
Calling all Audiobook and Podcast Listeners
Whether you're a routine podcast or audiobook listener, sound quality matters. Vocals should be crisp, clear, and detailed — Just the way the creator intended.
We've rounded up the best earbuds and headphones for audiobook and podcast listeners. If you're a loyal listener who wants to amp up your listening experience, we've got a pair of headphones that might be the right fit for you.
These Headphones Will Change How You Listen to Podcasts & Audiobooks
Best Headphones & Earbuds for Podcasts and Audiobook Listeners
We know that portability matters, so we've selected a pair of over-ear headphones and earbuds that are great for the on-the-go listener. We've also selected two headphones that are great for at-home or office listening.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones
Priced at $379.95, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones are an excellent choice for on-the-go listening. With a closed-back design and active noise cancellation, you can listen to your favorite podcast or audiobook virtually anywhere. Enjoy easy listening for long periods of time without discomfort thanks to an ergonomic headband and earcups. The Momentum 4's versatile transparency mode will deliver you noise isolation while still being aware of your surroundings without removing the Bluetooth headphones.
The Momentum 4's deliver a sound that's dynamic and musical with superb detail. Within the Sennheiser Smart Control App you can customize the sound to your individual listening preferences, with built-in EQ presets and even one for podcasts, providing you with enhanced speech clarity. With up to 600 hours of playback, you don't have to worry about missing out on the newest releases of your favorite episodes.
The intuitive touch controls on the right earcup allow you to easily control your music, noise-canceling technology, and access voice assistants like Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. It also offers smart features like smart pause and auto on/off.
These headphones fold up for a great compact size — Throw them into your bag and enjoy a true wireless listening experience on the go with ease. Although wireless headphones, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 has a headphone jack for a wired listening experience.
Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Earbuds
The Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Earbuds are a podcast and audiobook listener's best friend. Priced at $299.99, the XM5's deliver Sony's signature 'V'-shaped sound — Dynamic and fun. Throw these into your gym bag or tote them around in your back pocket — The XM5 Bluetooth earbuds are sleek and effortlessly portable.
Sony is known for producing products with some of the best noise cancellation, and the XM5 earbuds are no exception. Let background noise be a thing of the past with the noise canceling feature. For such a small device, it’s packed with features. Experience an uninterrupted, immersive podcast and audiobook listening experience, and with 24 hours of battery life and a charging case you don’t have to be tethered to a charger. The XM5 earbuds reduce external noise over a wide bandwidth, from low to high frequencies. And with noise isolation ear tips you’ll get a more stable fit while keeping out external noises.
If you want to stay tuned into your surroundings, the XM5's also offer an ambient sound mode so you don't miss a beat. The XM5 earbuds can be paired with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously through multipoint connection — A neat feature that allows you to quickly switch to a ringing device, then back by simply resuming playback on the other device.
These are a great option for the podcast and audiobook listener looking to get great sound from a small device. Available in black and silver, the XM5 true wireless earbuds have something to offer for everyone.
Denon AH-D5200 Headphones
The Denon AH-D5200 is a pair of closed-back over-ear headphones priced at $699.00. These wired headphones deliver a clear, lifelike sound that's detailed and accurate. They're a great option for casual at-home listening or working in an office.
Thanks to the closed-back design you don't have to worry about any unwanted sound bleed and minimal background noise infiltration. Built for extended periods of use, these headphones feature an ergonomic construction with over-ear memory foam earpads and a comfortable fit.
The AH-D5200 uses Japanese-made FreeEdge 50mm drivers that deliver hi-res audio quality with minimal distortion. The zebrawood housing makes them not only aesthetic but also reduces unwanted resonances. So you can expect detailed reproduction and concert hall sound quality — Making them a great choice for more than just podcast and audiobook listening as well.
Focal Celestee Headphones
Priced at $999.00 the Focal Celestee is a closed-back luxury headphone with an elegant design and remarkable sound quality. The Celestee is Focal's lightest-weight headphone so you can enjoy hours of listening without any unwanted headaches. It's got a low impedance making it easy to drive from a portable music player, DAC, or even your phone.
As Focal's entry-level closed-back headphone, the Celestee is a neutral-warm sounding headphone with a punchy, but not too overbearing bass. Leaning on the warm side in regard to the sound signature, the Celestee is also a great match for genres like Blues, Folk, Country, and more.
With the Celestee, you'll get an intimate "I'm there" feel with a neutral-warm tonality. The sound is precise and balanced while boasting some depth in the bass. The Celestee retains Focal's iconic styling that's seen in the Bathys, Stellia, and more. The navy blue and copper aesthetic lends to a versatile yet timeless look and the circular pattern on the earcups is a familiar choice with Focal's headphones. We like these for at-home or office listening, but it's ultimately up to the user as to when and where they'll do most of their listening.
Dragon Cable Recommendations
These headphones are all fantastic, but one way you can take your listening experience even further, is to upgrade the cables associated with the headphones. But what does that even do? An upgraded cable will allow you to enhance different qualities of the sound, be it less bass, more details and so on.
At Moon Audio we're passionate about great sound — That's why Drew Baird, P.E., Owner and Founder of Moon Audio hand selects and curates our selection of headphones and IEMs. AND that's why we handcraft our Dragon audio cables. We specialize in creating audio cables that only further enhance your headphone's performance. We want to provide our customers with an option to elevate their headphones beyond what's imaginable. Whether you want more detail and clarity or a warmer bass and mids, we've got a cable that's going to deliver.
We recommend pairing the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones with our Black Dragon Portable Headphone Cable for a wired listening experience. For spoken word on both the Denon AH-D5200 and Focal Celestee we recommend pairing our Blue Dragon Headphone cable. Tonality wise it is the most neutral and natural sounding of our dragon cable lineup. It will add clarity to the vocals without changing the tonality of the sound. Like cleaning your eyeglasses this cable will clean up the sound.
Why Dragon Cables? You’ve heard the saying that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, right? Well, the same applies to your brand-new audiophile-grade headphone or other audio components. The weakest link, in this case, is your stock cable or the cheap interconnects the manufacturer threw in the box just to get you up and running. Why is the cable always an afterthought, when it’s just as important as the rest of your system? At Moon Audio, we use the best raw materials in our cables to unveil your music. We believe the materials matter and your audio cables should have the same care and craftsmanship that manufacturers put into their audio components and headphones. Audio cables are ultimately the connection to your music. The fact remains that cabling is often considered the last priority to that of the main product and a means to cut down the overall production costs. It’s as simple as that.
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