Best Headphones of 2013

We look at the five pairs of the best headphones on the market from Sennheiser, Beats, Denoh, Sony, Griffin and Bose.

Listening to music on the go has pretty much become the norm for daily life.

While you could rely on the free headphones that come with your smartphone, if you're really serious about your listening experience, here are six pairs of headphones that you should consider for the audiophile in your life this Christmas.

Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear

Stylish in design and far less flashy than Beats by Dr. Dre, the Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear headphones come in four colours, have superb sound quality and are quite light, weighing just 160g. The cable includes an in-line remote that works with the iPhone and as the cable is removable, your headphones are likely to last a lot longer.

These headphones are now available from £149.95.

Sony MDR-1R

Branded "prestigious" by Sony, the MDR-1R headphones don't disappoint with their posh-looking silver frame and plush brown ear cups, which offer a very comfortable over-the-ears experience. The sound quality is pretty good with just enough bass and well separated mid-to-high frequencies, and best of all, these headphones have come down from their initial price of £300, and are now available from £169.99.

Beats Studio

Probably the most instantly recognisable headphones on the market today, the Beats brand has inspired many imitators in recent years. These Studio headphones are comfortable and offer a good combination of noise isolation and cancellations. The sound remains overtly bass-heavy, but the styling has been toned down somewhat, which is a good thing.

Beats Studio headphones can be bought now for £190.

Griffin WoodTones

Fancy a pair of headphones made out of sturdier materials than plastic? You might want to give the Griffin WoodTones a try - they include features that are actually made out of real wood, feeling really sturdy and durable, and you can even pick the type of wood you want the headphones to be made out of - beech, sapele or walnut. Besides the impressive sound quality offering a great range of levels and crisp notes, you'll also love the detachable cable and a built-in microphone suitable for use with your smartphone.

These headphones offer good value at just £74.99.

Denon AH-D340 Music Maniac

Denon offers a vast range of different headphones, which start from under £100 to almost £900.The Denon AH-D340 headphones come in on the lower end of the Denon range, but the memory foam ear cups are really comfortable and the sound quality is great, as is the replaceable cable and the fact that the inline remote is compatible with the iPhone. The only downside is that these headphones are very heavy, so ideally meant for listening to music in the house.

The headphones are now available from £120.

Bose QuietComfort 20i

If you're constantly on the go but don't fancy wearing on-the-ear or over-the-ear headphones, these ear bud headphones by Bose are a pretty good bet. The headphones come with near perfect active in-ear noise cancelling technology, a remote control and really comfortable ear buds that are ideal for the daily commute.

However the Bose headphones are quite pricey, costing £255.