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 come with Bluetooth technology and active noise cancellation.

The latest Master and Dynamic MW65 update provides superior audio, multiple ANC modes and impressive battery life with a stylish and distinctive design.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has improved on an already-great pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They are less heavy, more durable, and have a more balanced audio profile (though bass heavy). They also include an app that lets you customize the audio. Their active noise cancelling works better than it did before, eliminating more ambient sound, and they have a longer battery life than a lot of competitors.

These headphones are Bluetooth 5.0 which supports SBC, AAC, and Sony's own LDAC codec. This codec can transfer high-resolution audio but you'll need compatible devices and streaming services. In addition, the WH-1000XM4s can connect to two Bluetooth devices at once and switch between them as needed. This feature can be enabled through the Sony Headphones Connect app and it works flawlessly.

A subtle improvement over the XM3 is the sensibility of their touch panels. They respond faster to a tap on the panel and are much easier to control when making calls or listening to media. Sony has also added a feature to make voices more precise and clear during calls. This is a distinct and nice touch.

Although the WH-1000XM4s may not be perfect, they're one of the most comfortable wireless headphones we've ever tried. They're comfortable, feel well-made, and come with an excellent battery that lasts for more than 30 hours continuously. They can also be used passively using the TRS cable which is great when you're on the road or need to save power.

The WH1000XM4s provide a superior alternative to the Bowers & Wilkins Wireless Over-Ears Px7 S2. The Sonys are more comfortable and their ANC is able to block out more ambient sounds. They also have a companion app that lets you alter their audio performance, and their EQ settings are more flexible than B&W's. The B&Ws are built better, and can pair with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. Additionally, they support aptX HD and feature a unique AI-driven engine that attempts to boost compressed music to high-resolution. This is called DSEE Extreme, and it improves the clarity of music when listening to lossless audio files.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The $329 Bose QuietComfort45 Noise-Canceling headset is the most current version of a headset which has become a popular choice for commuters and passengers across the world. The new model doesn't reinvent the wheel. It retains the same formula which made its predecessor so successful with the addition of USB-C and better noise cancellation.

Like the QC 35 II before them, these over-ear Bose headphones sport a premium look and feel that exudes quality. The headband is made from plastic, and is sturdy and comfortable with metal hinges at pivot points and the familiar ratcheting action that you experience when you extend or retract the ear cups. The cups are cushioned and feature soft pads that can be worn over your ears without pressing your head. They weigh 238 grams and are fairly compact when folded. They can be used when you're wearing a sweater or coat as the noise cancellation function is functional even when they are not on your head.

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

The possibility of pauseing the playback after removing the headset is a feature that's not available. This is a feature that Bose's rivals have offered for years. Another issue is the absence of an in-app EQ. Bose offers preset EQ settings in the app, but it would be nice to have a manual control.

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

The QC45s also include four microphones built into the headset to listen to your voice during calls. They have excellent call quality, however they don't allow you to muffle the sound during playback like other wireless headphones. Update In February 2022, a firmware upgrade to the QC45s gave you an option to adjust the volume manually in the audio app, which is a welcome improvement.

3. Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal is a French audio brand that is known for high-performance headphones with long lasting comfort and a design that let listeners know they're listening to something unique. Their first foray into wireless noise cancelling headphones, the Bathys are a stunning set of cans that look and sound amazing. They come with a top-quality USB DAC built in, so you can use them both for wired and wireless listening.

The Bathys are very efficient in terms of battery life, with Focal claiming 30 hours of continuous Bluetooth playtime. We actually got more out of them and got over 40 hours on average out of just one charge. If you do need to recharge, there's a light on the right ear cup that will change to red when the headphone has to be charged.

For a pair of headphones at this price, they have a lot of features. They can be used with multiple devices at once and feature automatic pairing. (You have to select your source device by hand each time you listen.) The headphones have an inbuilt microphone that can be used with voice assistants, such as Siri or Alexa. The headphones come with an easy-to navigate interface that makes it simple to control music and make calls.

Bathys over-ear headphones do well in our noise cancellation test, reducing ambient sound by an average of 9 decibels. It's not as impressive as the ANC in the Sony WH-1000XM4 or Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 wireless headphone uk (best site) but it's still pretty effective.

The Bathys headphones did well in our headphone tests. Their frequency response was generally similar to the headphone wireless bluetooth curve of SoundGuys with minor variations in the mids and bass. They have a bass-rich sound profile which adds plenty of boom to mixes, but can sometimes make instruments and vocals like cymbals seem a bit veiled.

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

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new version of the company's flagship Bluetooth headsets. The Momentum 3 was a solid but not a great entry in this class. The new model is a significant improvement over the previous model, featuring more sleek design, wireless headphone uk better gesture control and a massive battery life.

The changes are subtle but make for a pair of over ear headphones that feel like an upgrade. The Momentum 4s lie flat and don't fold, but they do come with a sturdy hardshell case that protects them while on the go. They also follow the trend of several other recent Bluetooth headphones, including those from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be incredibly device-agnostic. This means they can 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 you'll find on AirPods.

The most obvious difference in this model is the huge battery, which promises up to 60 hours of playback when noise cancellation activated. This is more than what the majority of the competitors offer and is enough for a long-distance trip without worrying about finding an outlet to charge them up.

Engadget senior editor Billy Steele gave the headphones an 82-point score and cited their sound quality and ANC as their main strengths. He only has one complaint they lack gravitas in mids and the treble. This means that orchestral music sounds flat, not grand. The bass is rounded, but it's easy to over-emphasize and can cause fatigue in songs with strong bass lines, like the drum hits in As I Lay Dying's Forever. The cymbals sound hot, but not a lot. There's no real depth to the lows.

The Momentum 4s are not designed to put pressure on your neck or ears. However, they can be a bit difficult to wear around the house or during longer listening sessions, and will move about on your head in a flurry of head movements. This can cause them unexpectedly wake up and can cause distraction when you are listening to music or calls. Fortunately, they will shut down after 15 minutes of slumber by default, and can be switched off using the power button.