If there is one thing that can change your mood, it’s music. Hearing is one of your most important senses. Music can be listened to when you’re working out, studying or even commuting, there is never a bad time for it. The power of the music you listen to alone can change the pulse of your heart rate. To really feel or understand the art of music you need to invest in good quality speakers or headphones, listening to it from your phone just won’t quit it.

Sony's WH-1000XM3s are one of the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market. Boasting excellent noise-blocking tech, wireless connectivity and an ultra-comfy fit, they have been rightly heralded as a superior alternative to Bose's QuietComfort II.

Originally retailing for $549.95, you can currently get them for over $300 off that price over at Amazon Australia. Not bad at all!

The only thing that makes long-distance driving tolerable is music and/or podcasts. Unfortunately, using the car stereo isn't always an option. Perhaps the speakers are busted, or the person in the passenger seat hates your taste in music.

In these situations, the obvious solution is to don a pair headphones. But is this actually legal?

Sometimes you want to play music, podcasts, or audiobooks, but you need one ear open to the world, so you only put one earbud in. But if the song, podcast, or binaural ASMR dub of Steamed Hams is in stereo, then some sounds are only coming out through the earbud that you’re not using. To hear everything, you can flip a switch in your phone or computer’s accessibility settings.

On Amazon, a pair of headphones by a manufacturer called HiFiMan costs $US2,250 ($3,327). According to reviews, of which there are 28 supposed buyers, one commenter said his pair broke and that he wouldn’t buy another pair again. (His review mentions that this was his second set from the company.)

I am not an in-ear headphones user. My ear holes are not sculpted in the shape and size that headphone companies seem to cater for so I tend to avoid them altogether. Give me a chunky over-ear headphone any day.

But when I was offered the chance to take a look at the latest Sony noise-cancelling earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 wireless in-ears, I thought I'd give it a crack. Follow me on my journey to discovering what worked - and what didn't - for me.

While the rest of the world laments the "death" of traditional headphone jacks, serious audiophiles have been turning to the 4.4mm Pentaconn - a new balanced plug that sits somewhere between a 3.5mm headphone jack and a high-end XLR. Here's what you need to know.

Bose has a new pair of wireless, noise-cancelling cans coming out dubbed the '700'. Like the beloved QuietConfort range, they promise to transform almost any environment into a private audio sanctuary. Here is the Australian price and release date.

Ever since Apple ditched the iPhone’s headphone jack, getting your old headphones to work with newer smartphones has become a messy issue. Plenty of Android models still have 3.5mm audio jacks, but some, such as Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 10, have followed Apple’s lead and moved to one, single connection option: USB-C.

We have a fun one in this week’s Ask Lifehacker column. It’s such a weird issue at first glance, that I won’t even tee it up with a lofty introduction. I’ll let Lifehacker reader Natalie explain — and, yes, she called the subject line of her email “YouTube Audio Witchcraft.” That’s how quirky this one is.

Ever put down an AirPod for a very brief moment only to suddenly forget where you’ve placed it? My kind and wonderful editor, Alice, has had this happen recently, as have I. (Turns out, her AirPod found its way into the bin.)

The Bose QC 35 headphones, and the legendary Bose QC-series in general, have been the go-to pair of headphones for great audio quality and the best noise-cancelling. But if you've been mulling a pair, don't pull the trigger just yet.

Apple's new AirPods are decent wireless headphones but they will set you back a pretty penny. If you're poking for an alternative that delivers completely wireless sound without costing an arm and leg, there are lots of options. Here are five we've spotted.

Among a slew of announcements about a new credit card, a subscription service, and something to do with Oprah, Apple has finally launched the second coming of the AirPods.

The final nail may have just been struck into the headphone jack's coffin. After years of dogged support, Samsung has quietly ditched 3.5mm audio connectivity from its latest smartphone in favour of USB-C. There's reason to believe that the decision will encompass all future Galaxy models. Here are the details.

I have to admit that I'm one of those people who is pretty annoyed at the disappearance of the 3.5mm headphone jack from my mobile devices. And while Bluetooth is easy enough to set up, there are times when it's easy to plug in a set of wired headphones. Sony's WH-1000X M3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones offer the best of both worlds. They deliver Bluetooth connectivity but also support a 3.5mm connection. Here's how they performed for me.

The sale season continues with Cyber Monday deals appearing all over the place. Amazon has a bunch of deals on offer across a number of calories. Here are few of the best to pick from.

Headphones have become an essential part of our everyday kit. With almost everyone carrying a massive library of music, audiobooks and podcasts in their pockets, a decent set of headphones is a must for blocking out the background hum of the world and immersing yourself in a different world. Catch has a massive headphone sale on at the moment with a style and price for everyone. You can save up to 75%!

By design, changing the volume on Apple’s AirPods requires either using the volume buttons on your phone, or using Siri to increase or decrease the volume. While your iPhone adjusts the volume in six per cent increments, Siri adjusts the volume in 12–13 per cent increments. Obviously that reduces the number of times you need to request a volume change, but it also removes fine-grained control. How do you get it back?