Best Over-Ear Headphones

Over-ear headphones, unlike earbuds are able to completely encapsulate your ears. They also permit larger drivers that deliver deeper bass and a larger soundstage. Many include bluetooth headfones technology and active noise cancellation.

The Master & Dynamic MW65 has been upgraded with improved audio and features, including various ANC modes and a huge battery life.

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, feature an improved sound profile that is more balanced (though still bass heavy) and include an app that allows for some audio customization. Their active noise cancellation works even better than before, eliminating the background noise, and they have a longer battery life than many competitors.

These headphones utilize Bluetooth 5.0 and support SBC, AAC, and Sony's own LDAC codec. The latter is able to transfer high-resolution music, but you'll need compatible devices and streaming services. The WH-1000XM4s can also allow you to connect two Bluetooth devices at the same time and automatically switch between them when required. This feature can be enabled through the Sony Bluethooth Headphones (125.141.133.9) Connect app and it works flawlessly.

The touch panels are more sensitive than the XM3. They respond more quickly to the touch of the panel, which makes them easier to control during a call or to listen to music. Sony also included an option that makes voices sound clearer and more precise when calling which is evident and a nice feature.

The WH-1000XM4s aren't perfect, but they are among the best wireless headphones that we have ever test. They are comfortable and well-made. They also have an energy-efficient battery that can last for more than 30 continuous hours. They can also be used in a passive manner with an TRS cable which is perfect when you're on the road or need to save power.

The WH-1000XM4s are a better choice over the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless over-ears. The Sonys are more comfortable and their ANC can block out more ambient noise. The B&Ws feature a more flexible EQ and an app that allows you to tweak the audio performance. The B&Ws are built better and can be paired with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. In addition, they support aptX HD and have a unique AI-driven engine that tries to upscale compressed music to high-resolution. This is called DSEE Extreme, and it enhances the clarity of music 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 headset that has become a standard for commuters as well as passengers around the world. Instead of reinventing the wheel the new model follows the same formula that made its predecessor so popular, but adds the USB-C port, which is better at cancelling noise and longer battery life.

These over-ear Bose headsets come with a premium feel and appearance, similar to the QC 35 II headphones that were before them. The headband, Bluethooth Headphones constructed of plastic, offers a firm feel thanks to the metal hinges at pivot points. They also have the familiar ratcheting mechanism when you expand or retract your earcups. The cups are cushioned, and have soft pads that can be worn over your ears without pressing your head. They weigh 238 grams and are compact when folded. They can be used while wearing an overcoat or sweater since the noise cancelling function works even when you aren't on your head.

Despite their reputation as comfortable headphones, the QC45s do not provide the best sound at this price. The frequencies are dull and lack the depth that more expensive headphones may be able bring out. The upper registers are boosted which is acceptable for most music genres but can be a problem for more delicate and complex genres. The bass is decent, but lacks power.

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

Bluetooth 5.0 is supported, with multipoint as well as more advanced codecs such as aptX Adaptive. You can download the Bose Audio app to adjust your headset's audio and voice assistant settings.

The QC45s have four microphones built-in to pick up your voice when on the phone. They have excellent call quality, however they don't let you mute the voice during playback like other wireless headphones. Update: A firmware upgrade for the QC45s was released in February 2022 added manual adjustments 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 known for their style and comfort that let listeners know that they're listening to something special. Their first venture into wireless headphones that block noise The Bathys are a stunning set of headphones that sound and look fantastic. They also come with a built-in high-performance USB DAC which means you can use them for wireless and wired listening.

The Bathys have a very good battery life, with Focal promising 30 hours of continuous Bluetooth playtime. We actually got a little more out of them with more than 40 hours on average of one charge. If you are required to charge your headphones in the future, the indicator light on the right earcup will change red.

They offer a good amount of features for a pair of headphones at this price that include support for multiple devices at the same time and automatic pairing (though you'll have to select your source device every time you would like to listen). The headphones have built-in microphones that can be used with voice assistants, such as Siri or Alexa. The headphones feature an easy to use interface that makes it simple to control music and make calls.

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

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

They also have very good leakage resistance, which means you can wear them in public without worrying about people hearing your music. The microphone is able to be used for recording using Bluetooth with only a slight distortion between the mid-treble as well as the treble.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new version of the company's top Bluetooth headsets. The Momentum 3 was a solid but not a great entry in this class. The latest pair improves on the previous model by having a sleeker design, improved gesture controls, and a huge battery life.

The improvements are subtle but can make for an over-ear pair of headphones that feel like an upgrade. The Momentum 4s are flat and don't fold however they do come with a nice hardshell case to protect them while on the go. They also follow the trend of several other recent Bluetooth headphones, like those from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be completely device-independent. They work with both Apple iPhones and Android phones, but they do not have the AirPods' extra features like Find My Support and head-tracked spatial audio.

The most significant change is the huge battery that can play for up to 60 hours with noise cancellation turned on. This is nearly twice as much as most of the other brands and enough to allow you to travel for a longer period of time without worrying about finding an outlet.

Engadget senior editor Billy Steele gave the headphones an 82 score, citing their audio quality and ANC as two of their strengths. His only complaint is that they lack a sense weight in the mids and the treble. This means that orchestral tracks tend to sound flat, not grand. The bass is well rounded, but can be overemphasized, which can lead to fatigue in songs with strong bass lines, such as the drum hits in As I Lay Dying’s Forever. The cymbals sound smoky rather than full, and there's no real sense of depth in the lows.

The Momentum 4s are comfortable and aren't likely to put too much pressure on your neck or ears. They can be fidgety if you wear them at home or during long listening sessions. They can move on your head and make intense head movements. This could cause them to unexpectedly wake up and can cause distraction when you are listening to music or calls. Fortunately, they will shut down after 15 minutes of sleep by default, and can be turned off manually off using the power button.