While the Meta Quest 2 has adequate built-in speakers with directional sound, they're ultimately designed for convenience rather than quality and will annoy roommates or loved ones with sound bleed. That's why you'll want to buy some Quest 2 headphones or earbuds.
You can plug in any 3.5mm headphones — or some USB-C headphones — but most cords are too long and annoyingly dangle from the Quest 2, bouncing into your chest. Wireless Bluetooth earbuds won't work for VR, either, because of Bluetooth's inherent latency, a problem that can cause motion sickness for some folks.
Thankfully, the best Quest 2 headphones and earbuds all offer tons of different form factors, and quality sound, and come in many different price ranges. Our two VR editors Michael Hicks and Nick Sutrich have tested and reviewed the best Oculus Quest 2 headphones from our personal experience with the headset.
Listen up — these are the best headphones for (Oculus) Meta Quest 2
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I (Nick Sutrich) have been using the Soundcore VR P10 wireless earbuds since their release in fall 2022 and still can't believe how good they are. While these are admittedly the only wireless earbuds that actually work with Meta Quest headsets, they would still feel like the best option even with proper competition.
Soundcore is known for affordable earbuds and headphones that deliver quality sound for the price, and the Soundcore VR P10 earbuds are no exception. These earbuds boast deep bass, great clarity, and overall sound quality that's better than most earbuds in this price range. That being said, $80 is still quite a bit more expensive than a cheap pair of wired earbuds from Logitech.
But $80 isn't expensive for a pair of wireless earbuds, and these are compatible with more than just the Meta Quest 2; they'll work on any device with a USB Type-C port. That's because the earbuds are actually already paired with the USB Type-C dongle included in the case.
All you need to do is plug in the dongle to a USB Type-C port on any device — whether that's a Quest 2, a laptop, or a smartphone — and pop those earbuds into your ears. They'll instantly pair with the dongle and you'll be greeted with full, beautiful sound right away without having to deal with Bluetooth pairing or anything like that.
Want to know what's even better than that? Soundcore really put some thought into this product and, as a result, the USB-C dongle also has a USB-C plug on the outside. That means you can still play and charge your Quest 2 while this dongle is installed. Now that's impressive engineering!
As is the case with most wireless earbuds, these charge in the case, and that case charges via a USB-C port to keep things easy. If you're looking for the best earbuds for the Quest 2, look no further. It literally doesn't get more bespoke or better than Soundcore VR P10.
If you just got a Quest 2 and are still using the cloth straps that came with it — or you haven't picked up one of the best Quest 2 head straps yet — then it's time to take a look at Kiwi Design's latest invention.
The Kiwi Design Comfort Battery Audio Strap for Meta Quest 2 is a mouthful of a name that fits everything you need into one Elite-style head strap. It's got a giant battery on the back, strong, easily adjustable straps on the sides, and ultra-comfortable on-ear headphones built in.
Like other head strap replacements, you'll pop the old one off and snap the new one on the "arms" of the Quest 2. Since this one has everything built-in, you'll also use the pre-installed cables to plug into the USB-C and 3.5mm ports on your Quest 2.
After that, your headset will be an all-in-one powerhouse for as long as you'd like to game. Kiwi's headphones are of the highest on-ear quality and are extraordinarily similar to the HTC Vive Deluxe Audio Strap, a previous recommendation here. The difference is that, unlike that strap, this one is made for the Quest 2 and doesn't require any weird modifications to make it work.
Like Kiwi Design's other head straps, this one is covered in pads that are all removable via velcro straps and can be easily cleaned. That's great for when you're sharing a headset with someone else or just had a particularly sweaty VR session.
My biggest complaint is that the "Elite Strap" style design doesn't remove the weight from your face as well as the hinge design popularized by the Bobo M2 Pro head strap. It's still much better than the cloth strap though, so if you haven't used the halo or Bobo-style ones then you're probably only going to notice the comfort improvement from the cloth straps.
The strap is adjustable via the wheel in the back and is easy as pie to turn. The built-in battery on the back was sourced by Amprius in the U.S., which means it's an extra high-quality battery that you can feel safe having attached to your head.
Looking for great audio and longer play sessions? This one's more expensive than other products on the list but that's because it covers the gamut of everything you'd probably ever want to add on to the Quest 2.
Meta-recommended Quest 2 earbuds designed specifically for the headset, the Logitech G333 VR earbuds are the most affordable option available. They're wired, with a custom-length 3.5mm cord so that the right earbud stretches just long enough to reach across the headset without dangling.
I (Michael Hicks) used the G333s since I first bought the headset, sparing my partner from having to listen to Beat Saber songs nonstop. They come with three custom-size silicone tips; they're quite comfortable and do stay in place once you find the right size and make sure to stick them securely in your ear canals.
The velcro to keep the cable in place on the top strap isn't the most secure and can slide around a bit, the one downside to wired earbuds. And you don't get the same passive noise cancellation as over-ear headphones. But they're much easier to take off quickly than headphones if someone tries to get your attention, and I prefer knowing what's going on around me so I don't accidentally slam into someone or kick my cat.
The sound quality is perfectly respectable, thanks to the dual high/mid and bass drivers per bud with a sensitivity of 101.6±3 dB @ 1 kHz SPL. You'll get better audio with most of the other picks on this list, but without the Logitech G333's portability and reasonable price. And they do hit the highs, mids, and bass necessary to live up to your game's audio potential, with no latency like you get on the Soundcore VR P10s.
I (Michael Hicks) finally replaced my Logitech G333 VR earbuds with the Conquest Pro VR headphones for the Quest 2. These clip-on headphones will attach to any Quest 2 strap and slide down directly onto your ears without exerting any pressure, ensuring you don't have to replace your strap just to get better built-in audio like the Kiwi Design model above.
In my review, I praised the Conquest Pro headphones for their Quest 2-specific design in terms of custom-length cables and ease of installation. They'll unfortunately make your Quest 2 too large for most of our recommended headset cases, but they actually come with their own case if you need to travel with them. You'll just have to unclip them first.
In terms of audio, they really benefit from the 40mm drivers, delivering some fantastic spatial audio that really ups the feeling of VR immersion in fantastic worlds. As I said in my review, I could really tell the difference in quality when playing games with rich soundtracks or in action games where the directional audio helped me quickly locate enemies behind me.
Just be warned: the Conquest Pro VR headphones may match the Quest 2 in color and style, but they make the Quest 2 look like a spaceship on your head once attached. It becomes larger and heavier, especially when connected to an elite-style strap. Though to be fair, this same issue applies to the Kiwi Design and Logitech Chorus options, too. It's the price you have to pay for better audio that doesn't totally swallow your ears and make you too sweaty for VR.
Another official "Made for Meta" option, the Logitech Chorus attaches to the USB-C port but allows for passthrough so it doesn't stop your battery pack or Elite Strap from keeping your headset battery topped off. The downside is that the passthrough apparently won't work with a Link cable, so you'll need to rely on Air Link if you're a PC VR gamer.
Our Chorus reviewer praised how the dual headphones fit snugly on the Quest 2 Elite Strap, how their lightweight design spares your head any additional weight to worry about, and how they "do an excellent job of delivering the headset's virtual audio movements in terms of direction and depth." They deliver strong bass and a higher volume than the Quest 2 built-in audio can deliver.
He did note that you should be prepared for more audio bleed than you get with most typical Quest 2 headphones, so it's best suited to those who play in their own VR space away from others. It's a fair trade-off for the comfortable off-ear design that avoids any discomfort or sweat. Coolest of all, you "turn them on" simply by lowering them down to your ears, or mute the sound when you pull them up.
We've heard that the Logitech Chorus doesn't fit properly onto some third-party straps, the way that other options will. It's really designed for people who've stuck to either the original Quest 2 strap or the Elite Strap. Keep that in mind before you buy them!
Another official Oculus accessory from Logitech, the G PRO Gaming Headset comes with a custom-length 10-inch cable that travels from the left earpad to the 3.5mm jack with little wasted length. While it doesn't have ANC, it offers passive noise cancellation thanks to its large, comfortable earpads. And its memory foam leatherette headband makes it a comfortable fit on top of your Quest 2 straps.
The Logitech G Pro headset will better suit you if you prefer to block out the outside world entirely. It costs twice as much as the G333 VR at full price, but it also can double as your PC or console gaming headset, giving it more value. In the box, it comes with a detachable mic with a pop filter, a longer cable with inline volume and mute, a PC splitter for separate mic and headphone jacks, and a USB external sound card.
As for audio performance, you get 50mm drivers for louder sound, 20 Hz-20 kHz frequency, 35-ohm impedance, and sensitivity of 91.7 dB SPL @ 1 mW & 1 cm. No matter which of the best Oculus Quest 2 games you own, this headset will create the sounds necessary to immerse you fully in that virtual world.
Most official Meta Quest 2 headphones can cost a pretty penny in exchange for great performance and a unique cord design; these budget Quest 2 earbuds from Kiwi are the exception. Instead, they cost around half of the Logitech G333s, with a long cord to ensure the right bud can reach across the headset without the left bud dangling too much.
The Kiwi headphones ship in black or white and offer different-sized caps, aiding comfort. With 10mm drivers, 20 Hz-20 kHz frequency, and 108db±4db sensitivity, these won't give you high-quality audio performance (which shouldn't be expected at this price). However, Quest 2 accessories get expensive, and if you need to reduce audio bleed from your headset but don't want to spend a ton, these are a great way to save some money and slightly improve on the built-in audio.
Immerse yourself in sound with these Meta Quest 2 headphones
When you've got a wireless VR headset, there's no sense in adding needless wires to the experience. That's one of the many reasons we prefer the Soundcore VR P10 earbuds to anything else on this list. They give you the freedom of being wireless without the lag of Bluetooth audio. They also work with any device that has a USB-C port thanks to the included dongle.
With that being said, the Meta Quest 2 can technically work with any 3.5mm-enabled headphones and its library of games but a dangling cord repeatedly tapping against you as you dodge obstacles in Beat Saber or do squats in Supernatural can take you out of the immersive experience.
Of course, you can convert your headphones with a short 3.5mm cable, but if you use those for other tasks, you may find it annoying to swap cables repeatedly. So it's very nice to have dedicated Quest 2 headphones that you can strap and leave there, sitting at the ready.
