5 Underrated Audio Brands That Can Compete With Sony's Headphones

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Sony has been around for a long time, releasing its first stereo headphones back in 1964. Since then, the company has grown, innovated, and sometimes even gone a little weird with its releases. Sony launched the world's first digital noise-canceling headphones in 2008. Since then, its headphone range has expanded from the budget-friendly ZX series to high-end models such as the 1000X Collexion headphones.

Over the years, a number of other headphone makers have emerged to challenge Sony in the audio space, many of which have come and gone as they tried to replicate Sony's success. And while some have become major players themselves, a number of headphone brands have managed to fly under the radar with many consumers while still offering competitive alternatives.

From brands that you may not have heard of to those that you might not realize made headphones, we've scoured the internet to find the underrated headphone brands that can compete with what Sony has on offer, in both price and quality. The following are just a few of the options that headphone enthusiasts, users, and audio experts recommend as solid alternatives to Sony headphones.

You might think that a company with a name like the sound one makes when they step on hot sand at the beach might not make serious headphones. You'd most certainly be wrong, as the AIAIAI TMA-2 Move Wireless Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones challenge just about anything Sony has on offer. While they don't have thousands of reviews on Amazon, the ones available highlight their strengths.

Recommendations also come from numerous Reddit threads discussing headphone options that people often overlook. Amazon users also heap praise on the headphones, despite never having heard of them before purchase. Funny name aside, AIAIAI is a Danish audio company that has worked with major industry talent, including a recent two-year collaboration with Björk.

The AIAIAI TMA-2 Move is designed for all-day listening and features high-grade over-ear memory foam cups, 40 hours of playback, and adjustable sound profiles through the AIAIAI app. And while these might look a bit bulky, users have noted that they are surprisingly lightweight. Best of all, AIAIAI features a modular design, making it easy to repair and letting you swap out parts to tailor your audio experience.

People looking for a good pair of headphones probably think about sound more than the average music listener does. The company known as thinksound seems to understand this while also recognizing the dull look and feel of many modern headphones. The thinksound ov202w Over-Ear Noise-Cancelling Headphones mix things up by providing a premium look that's often reserved for very high-end headphones.

The thinksound ov202w incorporates natural wood into its design, giving the headphones high-quality styling. But beyond their gorgeous look, they offer over 100 hours of listening time on a single charge, active noise cancellation, and custom-tuned 40 mm and 10 mm dynamic drivers. And while you may never have heard of thinksound before, the company has received critical acclaim, winning over a dozen industry awards.

User reviews on Amazon are highly positive, with many saying the thinksound ov202w are the best Bluetooth headphones they've ever owned. Others note the impressive battery life and how well they compare to the major players in the space, including Sony. If you're looking for underrated headphones with a premium look, these might be worth checking out.

Microsoft is a major player in nearly every corner of the tech industry, including the headphone market. The Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 are designed for audio lovers, featuring 12 levels of adjustable noise cancellation, up to 18 hours of listening time, and voice dictation with various Microsoft products. They're also reasonably priced for what they offer.

You get touch controls, on-ear volume dials, and nearly an hour of music listening on a 5-minute charge. Users love these headphones for daily use, connectivity to up to eight devices (two at the same time), and the ability to save EQ settings directly on the headphones. People often sleep on these Microsoft headphones, and those people might be missing out.

Cleer Audio might not be a name many have heard of before, as it was founded in 2012. And while they might not have the history of major players in the space, such as Sony, they still manage to offer a pretty feature-rich pair of headphones at a surprisingly affordable price. Priced at around $100, the Cleer Audio Enduro ANC Noise-Canceling Headphones receive widespread praise from users.

They offer Hi-Res audio thanks to the 40mm Ironless Drivers, which also help deliver a deep bass profile. You get 60 hours of battery life with ANC and 80 hours without it. You have access to custom EQ settings in the Cleer app and can control them via physical buttons.

The multipoint connection is great for those who need to quickly swap between devices, and the Qualcomm CvC (Clear Voice Capture) microphones are great for calls and meetings. The Enduro are also the only pair of headphones on the list that come with a USB-C-to-3.5 mm cable as standard. They also come with an airplane jack for those flying on a commercial airliner from the late '90s and early 2000s.

We have one more set of headphones to feature: the SonoFlow-Pro Noise-Canceling Headphones from 1MORE. Coming in at the sub-$100 range, these over-ear headphones often pop up in recommendations for underrated headphones that many people are sleeping on. It's also a price range where many lesser-known headphone brands make their living.

So, when one brand keeps popping up in online conversations, it's safe to assume that it's making a name for itself in a crowded market. Users have noted that these might be the best budget ANC headphones you can pick up, offering impressive sound for their price point. Time and again, reviewers and experts say that the 1MORE SonoFlow-Pro punches above its weight.

They feature QuietMax dual-feed noise-cancellation technology that can reduce noise by up to 45 dB. They take advantage of LDAC technology, enabling a data rate up to three times that of standard Bluetooth. And their 40 mm diamond-like drivers help to produce a solid sound profile with a frequency response reaching up to 40 kHz. Not too shabby for under $100.

When selecting the headphones to feature on this list, we looked to both the general consumer and the audio expert. We researched countless online threads to see what audiophiles were recommending to the average user looking for Sony alternatives. User reviews on Amazon were also taken into account, especially those comparing the headphones to Sony models.

And because Sony offers a wide range of headphones across various price points, we focused on several that compare favorably to similarly priced Sony alternatives. Lastly, we placed greater focus on headphone brands that are often overlooked, lesser-known, or considered underrated by users and experts alike.