The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word HEADPHONE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
H
E
A
D
P
H
O
N
E
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HEADPHONE mean?
HEADPHONE noun- A listening device placed or worn in the ear, usually sold in pairs