Best Over-Ear Headphones

Over-ear headphones, unlike earbuds can completely surround the ears. They also permit larger drivers, which deliver greater bass and a wider soundstage. Many come with Bluetooth technology and active noise cancellation.

The latest Master & Dynamic MW65 update features excellent audio, a variety of ANC modes and impressive battery life, all in a sleek and distinctive design.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has improved on an already excellent pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They're lighter, feel more built, feature a more balanced sound profile (though still bass heavy) and come with an app that allows some audio customization. Their active noise cancelling works even better than before, eliminating more ambient sound, and they have a longer continuous battery life than a lot of competitors.

These headphones utilize Bluetooth 5.0 and support SBC, AAC, and Sony's own LDAC codec. This codec can transfer high-resolution music, though you'll need compatible devices and streaming services. In addition, the WH1000XM4s can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and automatically switch between them when required. You can enable this feature via the Sony Headphones Connect app and it works very well.

A subtle improvement over the XM3 is the sensitiveness of their touch panels. They respond faster to a tap on panels and are simpler to control when making a call or listening to music. Sony also added an option that makes voices sound clearer and more precise on calls which is evident and a nice feature.

The WH-1000XM4s may not be perfect, but they are among the best wireless headphones that we have ever examined. They're comfortable, well-made, and come with an outstanding battery that lasts more than 30 hours continuously. They can also be used in a passive manner using the TRS cable, which is ideal if you're traveling or need to save power.

The WH-1000XM4s are better than the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless over-ears. The Sonys are more comfortable and their ANC is able to block out more background noise. They also have a companion application that lets you adjust their audio performance, and their EQ settings are more flexible than the B&W's. However, the B&Ws come with a better-built design, and they're able to pair with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. In addition, they support aptX HD and have an AI-driven engine which attempts to boost compressed music to high-resolution. This is called DSEE Extreme and it does well in improving the clarity of music, particularly when listening to lossless audio files.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The $329 Bose QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are the most recent version of a headphone that became an essential for commuters and passengers around the world. The new model does not reinvent the wheel. It uses the same formula that was the basis of its predecessor's success but it also includes USB-C and better noise cancellation.

These over-ear Bose headsets have a premium feeling and huenhue.net appearance, similar to the QC 35 II headphones that were before them. The headband is constructed of plastic, and is a solid feel, with metal hinges at the pivot points and the familiar ratcheting action that you experience when you retract or extend the ear cups. The cups feature soft cushions that fit securely over the ears and do not apply pressure on your head. When folded, they weigh 238 grams. They can be paired with a coat or sweater since they can be worn even when not on your head.

Despite their reputation for comfort, the QC45s do not offer the best sound in this price range. The frequencies are relatively flat and lack the details that headphones with higher prices might be capable of bringing out. The upper registers tend to be more boosted which is great for most music, but could become a problem for more delicate or intricate music genres. The bass is decent but it lacks the punch.

The ability to pause playback when you remove the headset is a feature that's absent. This is standard in this price bracket and is something Bose's competitors have offered for a long time. Another omission was the lack of an in-app EQ. Bose provides preset EQ settings in the app however it would be nice to have manual control.

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

The QC45s come with four microphones that are built-in to pick up your voice when you are on the phone. The call quality is generally very good but the headphones don't come with the handy capability to muffle your voice during playback, which is a feature that other wireless headphones do. Update as of February 2022, the firmware update to the QC45s offered manual EQ options in the audio app, which is a welcome improvement.

3. Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal is a French audio brand that produces high-performance headphones. They are well-known for their comfort and style that let listeners know that they're hearing something unique. The Bathys are their first wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They are stunning in appearance and smuniverse.com sound. They have a high-performance USB DAC built in, making them suitable both for wired and wireless listening.

The Bathys come with a great battery performance with Focal claiming 30 hours of continuous Bluetooth playtime. We actually got a bit more out of them with more than 40 hours on average of just one charge. If you do require a recharge, there's an indicator light on the right earcup that turns red when the headphone has to be charged.

They offer a good amount of features for a pair of headphones of this price with support for multiple devices at once and automatic pairing (though you'll have to select the source device each time you would like to listen). The headphones come with an inbuilt microphone that works with voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. The bt headphones come with an easy-to navigate interface that makes it easy to control music and make calls.

For over-ear wireless headphones The Bathys are very good in our test of noise cancellation, which reduces the sound of the surrounding environment by about 9 decibels per hour on average. It's not as impressive as the ANC in the Sony WH-1000XM4 or Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless but it's still fairly effective.

The Bathys headphones did well in our headphone tests. Their frequency response was generally similar to the headphone curve of SoundGuys, with only minor deviations on the bass and mids. The Bathys have a bassy sound profile which can make instruments, vocals and cymbals appear unreal.

They also have excellent leakage resistance, which means you can wear them in public without worrying about others listening to your music. Their mic is passable for recording using Bluetooth with only a slight distortion between the mid-treble and the treble.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new version of the company's flagship Bluetooth headsets. The last pair, the Momentum 3, was a solid but unspectacular entry in the category. The latest model is improved over the previous generation with a sleeker design, improved gesture controls and massive battery life.

Many of the improvements aren't that obvious, but they add up to make a pair of over-ears that seem like a step up from the old one. The Momentum 4s are flat and do not fold however they do come with a sturdy hardshell case that protects them on the go. They also follow the trend of many other recent Bluetooth headphones, like those from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be beautifully device agnostic. This means they work with both Android phones and Apple iPhones, but don't have the extra features (like Find My support and head-tracked spatial audio) that are available on the AirPods.

The most obvious improvement in this model is the huge battery that promises up to 60 hours of playback when the noise cancellation option turned on. This is more than the majority of the competition can offer and enough for a trip of a lifetime without worrying about finding an outlet to charge them.

Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget and Engadget, gave the headphones an 82 percent score. He noted their sound quality and ANC features as strengths. His only complaint is that they lack a sense gravitas in the mids as well as the treble. This means that orchestral pieces tend to sound flat, not grand. The bass is well-rounded but it can sound too loud, which can cause to fatigue in songs with heavy bass lines, like the drum beats of As I Lay Dying’s Forever. The cymbals sound smoky rather than full and there's not a real feeling of depth in the lows.

The Momentum 4s are not designed to place pressure on your neck or ear. They can be a bit fidgety if you wear them around the home or during long listening sessions. They will move around on your head and make intense head movements. This can cause them suddenly wake up and can cause distraction during calls or music. They shut down automatically after 15 minutes, and can be turned off manually using the power button.