7 Headphones You Need to Swap Your Plain White Earbuds For

The colorful palette of Urbanears headphones is nothing new to us, but what we are giddy for from the company in 2015 is its first-ever cordless Bluetooth headphones, the Plattan ADV Wireless ($100). A tangle-free take on the popular Plattan line, the Plattan ADV Wireless has a built-in microphone, a swipe interface (swipe downward to turn the volume down or tap once to answer a call) on each ear cup, and should last eight hours before you need to recharge. And in case you take these out running, the headband easily snaps off to throw in the wash. They'll hit stores and Urbanears.com on June 2.

Unlike the other "wireless" earbuds we're seeing out there, the Dash by Bragi have no band, clip, or cable connected to them and are controlled by the touch of your finger. But what's even more "wow" about these headphones is how they also help you achieve fitness goals. They work with the Bragi app to measure steps, distance, heart rate, and even performance across many activities. The waterproof Dash has an integrated music player that stores up to 1,000 songs so you don't have to worry about staying within Bluetooth range of a phone. An accelerometer reads gestures like answering a call by moving your head up or down. The Dash earbuds, available for preorder for $299, will come in white and black models when they start shipping April 2015.

The sweat-proof JBL Synchros S210BT Earbuds ($200) are controlled with a motion sensor, which the company thinks you'll find easier to use than the tiny on-cord controllers most often seen on headphones. A wave of your hand will skip past a song or answer a call. They're wireless in that they don't need to be plugged into your device to work, but the Bluetooth-powered buds still require a behind-the-head band to stay snug in your ears. Look for them in stores later this year.

What began as a Kickstarter campaign is science-fiction come to life. The Avegant Glyph is a noise-canceling over-the-ear headphone, but bring the band down over your eyes to see the real magic — a personal theater display. It doesn't use a traditional screen, rather a technology called a Virtual Retinal Display that uses one million micromirrors in each eye piece to create a sharp pixel-free display despite the small size. Glyph's HDMI input lets you stream anything in your media library or get more immersive than ever before in a gaming world. Glyph is open for preorder now ($499) and scheduled to start shipping this Fall.

Headphone makers know your headphones need to go everywhere with you. Monster calls its iSport SuperSlim Wireless Bluetooth ($170) the thinnest in-ear wireless headphones the world has ever seen, which will be handy when you're hitting the slopes this season and want to listen to music underneath a helmet. Its more practical specs include five hours of playback on one charge and a sweat-proof material that can be easily washed.

We've gushed over Molami's Twine headband headphones, and the company is back with its typically chic Swedish take on audio accessories. The over-the-ear Plica headphones ($99) are already available in leather matte black/gold and matte white/copper but will also come in a limited-edition print by Swedish fashion label Dagmar for $199. The abstract geometric print was created to represent the open skies and mountains of Sweden.

Molami's other new line for 2015 is the Stitch earbud ($50), available in matte black/gold or matte white/copper styles that will look right at home with any styling hack. Its braided cord is decked out with a remote and microphone compatible with most phones. Look for the earbuds on molami.com and in stores February 2015.