Best Over-Ear Headphones

Over-ear headphones, unlike earbuds, are able to completely encapsulate your ears. They also permit bigger drivers that provide deeper bass and a wider soundstage. Many also include active noise cancellation and Bluetooth technology.

The latest Master and Dynamic MW65 update offers superior audio, multiple ANC modes, and a long battery life in an elegant and distinct design.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has redesigned an already-great pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They're lighter, feel more built, have more balanced sound profiles (though still bass-heavy) and include an app that allows some audio-related customization. They've improved their active noise cancellation, removing the background noise and have a longer battery life.

These headphones use Bluetooth 5.0 and support SBC, AAC, and Sony's own LDAC codec. The latter can transfer high-resolution audio, however, you'll need compatible devices and a streaming service. In addition, the WH-1000XM4s can connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time and switch between them when required. This feature is enabled through the Sony bt headphones Connect App and works flawlessly.

The touch panels are more sensitive than the XM3. They respond faster to tapping on a panel and are easier to control when making a call or listening to music. Sony has added a feature to make voices sound clearer and more precise during calls. This is an obvious and a nice addition.

The WH-1000XM4s might not be perfect, but they're among the top wireless headphones we've ever test. They're comfortable, feel well-made, and come with an impressive battery that lasts longer than 30 hours continuously. They can be used as a passive device with a TRS cable. This is ideal for traveling or conserving power.

The WH-1000XM4s make a better choice than the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless over-ears. The Sonys are more comfortable and their ANC can block out more ambient noise. They also have a companion app that lets you tweak their audio performance, and their EQ settings are more flexible than the B&W's. The B&Ws are built better and can be paired with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. They also support aptXHD and have an AI-driven engine that tries to scale compressed music up to high-resolution. This is known as DSEE Extreme, and it enhances the clarity of music when listening to lossless audio files.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 wireless bluetooth headphones

The $329 Bose QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are the most recent version of a headset that became an essential for commuters and passengers around the world. Rather than reinventing the wheel the new model uses the same formula that made the predecessor so popular, adding USB-C, better noise cancellation and a longer battery life.

Like the QC 35 II before them, these over-ear Bose headphones sport an elegant design and feel that exudes quality. The headband is made from plastic, yet it is sturdy and comfortable with hinges made of metal at pivot points and the familiar ratcheting action that you experience when you extend or retract the earcups. The cups are cushioned and feature soft pads that fit over your ears without putting pressure on your head. When folded they weigh 238g. They can be used with a sweater or coat as the noise cancellation function is functional even when they're not on your head.

Despite their reputation for comfort, the QC45s can't provide the best sound quality in this price range. The frequencies are relatively flat and lack details that headphones with higher prices might be able to bring out. The higher registers tend to be amplified, which is fine for most music but can be a problem for delicate or intricate genres of music. The bass is great, but it lacks punch.

One feature that's not present is the ability to pause playback whenever you take off the headset. This is a feature Bose's competitors have offered for years. Another oversight was the absence of an in-app EQ. Bose has preset EQs available in the app, but it would be nice if there was a manual control.

You can connect to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth 5.0 with multipoint support as well as more advanced codecs like aptX Adaptive. Download the Bose Audio App to adjust the voice and sound settings.

The QC45s come with four microphones inbuilt to hear your voice when you are on the phone. The headphones have good call quality, however they don't allow you to silence the voice when playing back like other wireless headphones. Update: A firmware update for the QC45s was released in February 2022 included manual EQ options to the audio app. This is a very welcome change.

3. Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal is a French audio brand that produces high-performance headphones. They are well-known for their style and comfort that let listeners know that they're listening something special. The Bathys are their first wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They are stunning in appearance and sound. They also have a built in high performance USB DAC which means you can use them for both wireless and wired listening.

The Bathys come with a great battery performance with Focal promising 30 hours of continuous Bluetooth playtime. We actually got a bit more with more than 40 hours on average out of just one charge. If you need to recharge, there's a light on the right earcup that will change to red when the headphone needs to be charged.

They have a decent amount of features for a pair of headphones at this price, including support for multiple devices at once and automatic pairing (though you'll need to select your source device each time you want to listen). The headphones come with built-in microphones that can be used with voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. The headphones come with an easy-to use interface that makes it easy to control music and make calls.

Bathys over-ear headphones perform well in our noise cancellation test, reducing ambient sound by 9 decibels on average. They aren't as good as the ANC found in the Sony WH1000XM4 and Blue tooth headphones Bose QuietComfort45/QC45 Wireless but it's still effective.

The Bathys headphones did well in our headphone tests. Their frequency response was generally similar to the headphone curve of SoundGuys with minor differences in the mids and bass. They have a bass-rich sound profile that adds plenty of boom to mixes, however, they can make vocals and instruments such as cymbals sound veiled.

They also have excellent leakage resistance, so you can wear them out in public without worrying about people hearing your music. Their microphone is suitable to record via Bluetooth with only a slight distortion between the mid-treble and treble.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new version of the company's top Bluetooth headsets. The last pair, the Momentum 3, was a decent but not a standout into the category. The latest pair improves on the previous model with more sleek design, better gesture controls and massive battery life.

The improvements here are subtle but they add up to make a pair that feel like an upgrade to the old one. The Momentum 4s are flat and don't fold. They come with an outer case that protects them while moving. They also follow the style of many other recent Bluetooth headphones, such as those from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be completely device-independent. They can be used with Apple iPhones as well as Android phones, but lack the AirPods' extra features like Find My Support and head-tracked spatial audio.

The most significant difference is the massive battery that can play for up to 60 hours with noise cancellation turned on. This is more than what the majority of the competition can offer and enough for a trip of a lifetime without worrying about finding an outlet to charge them up.

Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget, gave the blue Tooth headphones an 82-point score. He cited their audio quality and ANC features as their strengths. He only has one complaint: they lack a sense of gravitas in the mids and the treble. This means that orchestral music sounds flat instead of grand. The bass is well rounded but it can sound too loud, which can cause to fatigue when songs have strong bass lines, such as the drum beats of As I Lay Dying’s Forever. The cymbals sound a bit bubbly, but not full. There's also not much depth to the lows.