New Rode headphones offer budget-conscious audiophiles a solid option

Whether you're a self-certified audiophile or simply want to block out the world on your commute, a good pair of headphones are a blessing. Generally offering larger drivers and, thus, better bass response than their in-ear cousins, the over-ear units are an ever-popular choice.

The main stumbling block for most people is the trade-off between quality and cost. Usually, if you want something good, you'll have to pay for it, and if you cheap out, you'll notice a significant drop off in comfort and quality.

That's what makes the new Rode NTH-50 headphones such an interesting prospect. Priced at just £99.99 / €119.90 / $99 / AU$199, these represent a good value options from a brand which is synonymous with quality.

The spec sheet sounds pretty impressive too. Whopping 40mm drivers can be found in the cups, which should amount to some seriously good bass response. Rode describes an innovative acoustic design, which is said to offer accurate response across the frequency spectrum.

These days, it's not just sound quality which matters, either. The noise cancelling properties of a pair of headphones are just as important, ensuring users can escape the world around them to enjoy an album or a podcast.

Here, there's no active noise cancellation offered – perhaps an insight into how they got so affordable – but best-in-class passive noise cancellation is a close second. That's said to do away with 21dB of noise, which is a decent offering.

Elsewhere, the detachable cable can fit to either side of the headphones, allowing for a more customisable option. Those also use a locking connector to ensure your connection isn't unnecessarily lost.

They also benefit from Rode's lifetime warranty, which is something you won't find in many other budget headphones. We'll have to hold off on any other comments until we've used some, but the future looks bright for these cans.