Best Over-Ear Headphones

In contrast to earbuds, headphones over-ear encapsulate your ears completely and allow larger drivers to deliver greater bass and larger soundstages. Many include Bluetooth technology and active noise cancellation.

The Master & Dynamic MW65 is updated with superior audio and numerous ANC modes, and a long battery life.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has redesigned an already great pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They are lighter, better built, and have a more balanced audio profile (though bass-heavy). They also come with an app for audio customization. They've upgraded their active noise cancellation, which eliminates more ambient sounds and have a longer battery life.

These headphones are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible and Sony LDAC is also compatible with. The latter can transfer high-resolution music, though you'll need to use 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 as required. This feature is accessible through the Sony Headphones Connect App and works well.

One subtle improvement over the XM3 is the sensitiveness of their touch panels. They respond faster to the touch of the panel and are much easier to manage when making a phone call or listening to music. Sony has also added an option that makes voices sound more clear and precise during calls, which is evident and a nice feature.

While the WH-1000XM4s aren't perfect, they are some of the best wireless headphones we've tested. They're comfortable, well made, and have an impressive battery that lasts for longer than 30 hours continuously. They can be used passively with an TRS cable. This is ideal for traveling or conserving energy.

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 background noise. The B&Ws feature an EQ that is more flexible, as well as a companion app to tweak the audio quality. But the B&Ws have an improved design, and they can connect with two Bluetooth devices at once. They also support aptXHD, and iphone they have an AI-driven engine which tries to scale compressed music up to high-resolution. This is referred to as DSEE Extreme and it does an excellent job of improving the clarity of music, particularly when listening to lossless files.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The $329 Bose QuietComfort45 Noise-Canceling headset is the latest version of a headset which has become a favorite among commuters and passengers all over the world. The new model doesn't reinvent the wheel. It retains the same formula that was the basis of its predecessor's success with the addition of the USB-C port and improved noise cancellation.

These over-ear Bose headsets have a premium feel and look, much like the QC 35 II headphones that came before them. The headband, made of plastic, provides a firm feel thanks to the hinges made of metal at pivot points. They also have the familiar ratcheting mechanism when you expand or retract your ear cups. The cups feature soft cushioned pads that fit comfortably over the ears and don't put pressure on your head. They weigh 238 grams and are compact when folded. You can use them when you're wearing a coat or sweater as the noise-canceling works even when you aren't on your head.

Despite their reputation for comfort, the QC45s do not offer the best sound in this price range. The frequencies are tinny and lack the detail that more expensive headphones may be able bring out. The higher registers tend to be more boosted which is great for most music, but could cause problems for more delicate or intricate music genres. The bass is decent, but it lacks punch.

The possibility of pauseing the playback when removing the headset is a feature absent. This is a feature Bose's competitors have offered for several 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 tablet or smartphone via Bluetooth 5.0 with multipoint support and 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 also include four in-built microphones to listen to your voice during calls. The headsets have a good call quality, but they don't permit you to muffle the sound during playback like other wireless headphones. Update: A firmware upgrade for the QC45s in February 2022 added manual adjustments to the audio app. This is a great upgrade.

3. Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal is a French audio brand known for its high-performance headphones that last for a long time, comfort and iphone a style that let listeners know they're listening to something truly special. Their first foray into wireless noise cancelling headphones, the Bathys are a stunning set of headphones that sound and look great. They also have a built in high performance USB DAC which means you can use them for wireless and wired listening.

Focal claims that the Bathys can play Bluetooth music for 30 hours. We actually got a bit more with more than 40 hours on average of just one charge. If you have to charge your headphones then the indicator light on the right earcup will change red.

For headphones for this price, they offer many features. They can be used with multiple devices simultaneously and offer automatic pairing. (You will need to select your device source manually every time you listen.) They also have a built-in mic that can be used to control voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. The headphones also feature an easy-to-use interface, making it simple to manage your music and make calls.

Bathys over-ear headphones are able to perform in our noise cancellation test, reducing ambient sound by an average of 9 decibels. It's not as good as the ANC found in the Sony WH1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort45/QC45 wireless bluetooth headphones but it's still very effective.

In our tests of the quality of sound from headphones The Bathys were a good overall performer with an overall frequency response that corresponds to the SoundGuys preference curve with only slight differences in the mids and bass. They have a bass-rich sound pattern which adds plenty of boom to mixes, but can sometimes make instruments and vocals like cymbals sound dull.

They also have excellent leakage resistance, meaning you can wear them in public without worrying about other people listening to your music. The microphone has a decent quality of recording via Bluetooth with only slight distortion in the mid - to the treble range.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new update of the company's most popular Bluetooth headsets. The Momentum 3 was a solid but not a great entry in this class. The new pair is an improvement on the previous model, featuring a sleeker look, improved gesture control and a massive battery life.

Many of the improvements here are subtle but they add up to make a pair that appear to be an upgrade from the previous model. The Momentum 4s are flat and don't fold. They come with a hardshell case that protects them when on the move. The Momentum 4s are non-device-specific, similar to other Bluetooth headphones of recent years, such as those from Bowers & Wilkins and Sony. They can be used with Apple iPhones and Android phones, but lack the AirPods' extra features like Find My Support and head-tracked spatial audio.

The most obvious difference here is the massive battery, which claims up to 60 hours of playback with the noise cancellation option enabled. This is easily double the amount of the competitors and sufficient to go on a long-distance trip without having to search for an outlet.

Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget The headphones were rated by Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget an 82 percent score. He highlighted their audio quality and ANC features as the top strengths. He has only one complaint: they lack a sense of gravitas in the mids and treble. This makes orchestral music sounds flat, not grand. The bass is rounded, but it can be overemphasised and cause fatigue in songs that have heavy bass lines such as the drums that are pounding in As I Lay Dying's Forever. The cymbals can sound smoky rather than full and there's not a real sense of depth in the lows.

The Momentum 4s are not designed to place pressure on your neck or ear. However they can be difficult to wear around the house or for longer listening sessions, and can move around on your head in a flurry of head movements. This can cause them to wake up in a sudden manner, which could be distracting while listening to music or making calls. Fortunately, they shut down after 15 minutes of slumber by default and can be manually switched off with the power button.