The Best and Worst Headphone Cases and Why It Matters

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There are two types of content that always bring out the trolls on YouTube.

The first is the good, old-fashioned Android vs iOS debate. This is fun because you can leave the trolls to argue amongst themselves about bezels, camera specs, and walled gardens.

The second is headphones. Honestly, I have never experienced so much blind brand devotion, nastiness, and total inability to respect others’ opinions than what can be found within the comments sections of my headphone reviews.

Sony fans are the worst, in case you’re wondering.

These people get particularly sweaty-palmed whenever I mention how important headphone cases are. And, yes, I do indulge in the odd bit of troll-baiting here and there by claiming that the case is “the most important element of a pair of headphones”. Which it isn’t, obviously. But it gets them very angry, and that’s extremely funny.

Regardless, headphone cases are very important and I genuinely think they can make or break the all-important quality of life factor offered by a pair of cans. Today, I’m going to explain why and reveal my favourite and least favourite examples.

Why headphone cases matter

Unless you only use your headphones at home and never take them anywhere, you’ll need a case to put them in. The only exception to this rule is if you’re the sort of person who haphazardly lobs your expensive tech into backpacks without any consideration for its wellbeing. If that’s the case (excuse the pun), you won’t understand this article at all.

I’m fairly sure that most people do take their headphones out of the house either once in a while or on a daily basis. I’m also pretty sure that most people want to protect their expensive purchases. A case that is too big, too flimsy, or doesn’t offer any form of stowage for cables will make those trips far more annoying than they need to be. It’s that simple.

I’ve tried most over-ear headphones that are on the market today and the approach brands take with the case designs absolutely fascinates me. What you’re about to read are the worst, most frustrating, and best examples.

The worst example: AirPods Max

If you’ve watched my AirPods Max content on YouTube, you’ll be aware that I made a bit of a ‘thing’ about throwing the case around. It all got a bit silly towards the end, but there was always a point behind it.

AirPods Max aren’t a bad pair of headphones. They’re objectively the most beautifully designed, and the build quality is top-notch. They also remain the best cans when it comes to calling capabilities thanks to the epic transparency mode – nothing comes close.

Depending on your preference for sound, they’re decent performers, sonically, too. It’s a highly EQ’d profile, like all consumer headphones, but it’ll impress the right people.

We shouldn’t forget the Apple ecosystem benefits, nor the compatibility with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, either. Even though AirPods Max remain one of the most expensive pair of consumer headphones on the market, you do get a lot for your money.

It’s just a shame that the case is absolute garbage.

It isn’t even a case. The thing into which you’re expected to stuff your expensive AirPods Max resembles, as many have pointed out, a female undergarment, but one that is made from the least satisfying material on planet Earth and which doesn’t protect the headphones at all.

The AirPods Max case is a laughing stock and quite rightly so. If we ever see AirPods Max 2, it needs to be consigned to the ‘why on earth did Apple do that’ history books.

The most frustrating example: Sony WH-1000XM5

I’ve made no secret of my love for the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones – which is why I was so disappointed with their successor.

The WH-1000XM5 aren’t a bad pair of headphones at all. They sound decent, have an updated, modern design, and benefit from one of the lightest headphone bodies I’ve used. They also still have the best noise cancelling I’ve ever used, which is, after all, one of the main selling points of over-ear headphones these days.

The biggest problem with the XM5s is the bloody case; that thing is bordering on AirPods Max levels of stupidity.

Due to the way Sony’s latest headphones fold (i.e. incorrectly) we’re left with a carry case that is roughly the same size as my car. Sony has attempted to counter this by implementing a squashable design, which, in theory, allows the case to flatten when empty.

This doesn’t work. At all. And I’m not entirely sure what it’s trying to achieve. The problem with this design feature is that it has no influence on the size of the case when you’re transporting the headphones, which always results in less space in your backpack for anything else.

Headphones are important, but not that important.

The previous king(s): Sony WH-1000XM4 and Bose QC45

Part of the reason I’m so dismayed by Sony’s latest headphone case is because, for a long time, they wore the crown for the best case on the market.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 case is so good that it spawned many imitations. In fact, lots of the headphone cases I’ve used from smaller brands are spookily similar to Sony’s effort. But for good reason – it married size with quality and accessory stowage perfectly. It’s a masterpiece.

The only problem is that I couldn’t separate Sony’s case from the case that comes with the Bose QC45. Those cans have been my daily drivers for most of 2023 primarily because of the case they come with. It’s not as well built as Sony’s, but it is somehow smaller and, consequently, even more portable.

I couldn’t separate these two, which is why it’s rather convenient we have a new King of the Headphone Case Jungle!

The NEW king: Beats Studio Pro!

This week, I reviewed the long-awaited Beats Studio Pro. They’re a superb pair of headphones for many reasons, but what has delighted me the most is, you guessed it, the case!

Come on, trolls – come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough.

The best way I can describe the Beats Studio Pro case is that it resembles a tiny wash bag. That might not sound particularly exciting, but the impact it has on the ownership experience is significant.

This thing slots into your bag without any hassle whatsoever and will happily cosy up against everything else you take with you, without getting in the way – ever. It even has two cable pockets and a zipped compartment for anything else you may wish to keep safe.

The reason this case is so good is because Beats Studio Pro fold correctly. The latest trend of headphones not folding correctly has resulted in planet-sized cases like the one that comes with the XM5. Beats have proved that this isn’t necessary by ensuring that you can effectively halve the size of the Studio Pro and stow them away in a far more convenient fashion.

Every other headphone manufacturer: take note. This stuff matters.

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