What does a set of premium daily headphones in 2024 need to do, especially when they cost $349? You of course want decent sound quality, but you can have that without the creature comforts that have become almost ubiquitous in a set of cans designed for everyday use. For that money, I also expect solid ANC for my commute or travelling, a decent microphone for calls, and wear detection so you can pick up exactly where you left off.
These are features the best over-ear headphones in this price range already offer — like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra ($379) and Sony WX-1000XM5 ($399), for instance. Unfortunately, Shure’s latest set of premium ANC headphones, the Aonic 50 Gen 2 ($349) fall short of such lofty competition. I just spent a couple of weeks testing them for my Shure Aonic 50 Gen 2 review, and while I was blown away by the sound quality, these pricey headphones left a lot to be desired during everyday use, which is exactly what they’re designed for. So, what went wrong?
