When I'm buying new headphones, this one feature is an absolute non-negotiable

I'm a pretty prolific Hi-Fi and audio tester, so I always have one or two pairs of headphones or earbuds on the go. Right now, I have one over-ear and two in-ears on the docket, with more of each on the way.

Facing such a range of tech, I have to take them as they come. I could be using the best wireless earbuds one minute, and a cheap option the next, and I have to evaluate them on their own merits.

But when I'm recommending the best over-ear headphones to a friend, or picking up a gift, I have one specific feature I need. It's non-negotiable, and I don't see myself spending money on a product which doesn't have it.

This feature is a listening test, a tool designed to analyze your ears and provide custom sound profiles based on how your hearing works.

Many people buy headphones simply for their out-the-box audio chops, or for a design that fits their needs, but to me a listening test is a vital feature.

Here's what listening tests actually do

And why it's important

Over the last few years, different headphone and earbud makers have begun putting similar features in their gadgets. I'm giving it the umbrella term "listening test" though they have different names between brands.

These don't scan your ears automatically, but use a manual test which you can find in your smartphone tie-in app. There's a chance your cans already have your feature, so there's no harm in checking.

These features play you a series of high- or low-pitch sounds, gradually ascending or descending until you can't hear them anymore. You simply let the app know when the tones become inaudible, and it can use that to understand the limits of your hearing.

All of us process sound in different ways. As per the Hearing Health Foundation , even people with the exact same hearing sensitivity can perceive speech and tones differently.

In the music department, it's the same. Some people can pick up treble really easily but not bass, and some the other way around. Other people might struggle with both but can perceive mids very clearly.

A headphone listening test is designed to pick up exactly how your ears work and then, crucially, amend your music so that it caters to your unique hearing to "fix" your music.

Using this feature for the first time was eye-opening for me. I discovered that I hadn't been hearing treble as much as I should have done, and the test bumped it up a bit. Music sounded far, far better.

In most earbuds I've tested, the listening test supersedes the equalizer or any presets you've selected, and in the best, it tells you what new EQ mix is so that you can emulate it in other equalizers.

Just like with smartwatch-mounted heart rate monitors and your phone's step counter, a tool like a listening test in your budget earbuds won't be as accurate or effective as a professional one. But it's a quick and easy way to bring vast improvements to your buds.

How do you get to try a listening test?

These are the buds I'd recommend

If you're in the market for some new headphones or earbuds, and think you might want a pair with a listening test, you'll be wondering which pair to pick.

Oddly, it's not always the most advertised feature of audio products, but that wouldn't be a good judge anyway. Not all of them work equally.

The earbuds which turned me on to listening tests were the Nothing Ear (which has since been replaced by the Nothing Ear 3. I haven't tested these, but it has the same listening test).

The fantastic budget Nothing Ear (a) doesn't have the feature, though, as many brands treat it like a premium-only feature. Many, but not all.

I've long been a fan of Earfun, a budget audio brand which puts great-value options that usually come in around $100.

When I was recently testing the Earfun Air Pro 4 Plus, I discovered that the brand has begun releasing tech with the feature too. I'd be surprised, but the brand's buds have always been feature-stacked.

Taking a look at my notes, I've also tested earbuds recently from Soundpeats and Creative (the pictured buds in this article are their Aurvana Ace 3) as well as the OnePlus Buds 4 last year, all of which have some kind of listening test.

That's not an exhaustive list, but I haven't tested every music device on the market (and have lost from the annals of my memory, most of the ones I have used!).

For a new pick, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro has a listening test, though it didn't sound as effective as most of the other options on this list. The AirPods Pro 2 and 3 also have one, but I've never used those.

I know that not everyone has the same priorities in earbuds and headphones as me.

Open earbuds like the Bose Ultra Open are in vogue right now, with many opting for safe-listening design over audio prowess, and some earbuds are great for silencing surroundings as ANC is a big feature .

But for me, tests which can cater for my unique hearing to make my music sound great, are what I look for in a new buy.