The PX8 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones Review

The PX8s are expensive however, they look and sound a cut above other headphones. A carbon cone 40mm driver as well as Nappa leather elevate the style. A DAC mode is also included to provide high-res audio.

This bluetooth headphone flagship offers Bose's industry-leading ANC as well as excellent control. It also has a a sleek and comfortable design. The main selling point, though, is battery longevity.

Sound Quality

Wireless over-ear headphones are more immersive because they surround your ears. They also have earcups that are larger that allow room for powerful drivers to deliver deep bass and vast soundstages. Over-ear headphones are more expensive, with flagship models starting at about $250/PS250/AU$450. They also often feature active noise cancellation.

It's a matter of personal preference and how you use your headphones. If you prefer comfort over audio quality and would like to listen to music in a noisy location, a pair like the Jabra E50 or JBL Move Wireless are excellent alternatives. If you want to spend a bit more, the IMG Throne Gold have a stunning sound quality and battery life while the Focal Bathys are designed for serious audiophiles with their DAC mode that supports hi-res audio over USB-C.

There are also some fantastic headphones that fall in the mid-tier price category. A variety of brands make headphones that are great sounding at a reasonable cost. Poly's (formerly Plantronics') BackBeats pro 2 is a great example. They feature a thumping bass and bright treble that are perfect for rock and pop music however, they also feature a clear midrange to keep vocals and instruments in the forefront. The updated Sennheiser Momentum 4 are another solid option, with improved ANC and a useful companion app with presets for different styles of listening. If you're a big fan of Bose's premium headphones, try the QC35 II for a similar experience, but with better passive noise isolation and a more robust design.

Audiophiles are trained to recognize between headphones. However, even casual listeners can notice the differences in the sound quality between wired and wireless headphones, since wireless technology has a number of pitfalls that could impact the audio quality. Audio codecs, for instance, can alter the sample rate, Bluetooth wireless headphones bandwidth and the latency of wireless transmissions leading to distortion and loss of clarity.

Thankfully the issue is much better with modern wireless headphones that utilize the latest Bluetooth technology and are compatible with advanced audio codecs such as Qualcomm AAC. This means that the majority of wireless over-ear headphones that we review offer top audio quality for their prices.

Noise Cancellation

Wireless over-ear headphones are the perfect option to block out the noise in your workplace or on an plane. These large headphones are typically more comfortable than earbuds and many models come with active noise cancellation, which makes your music and audio calls clearer.

Active noise canceling employs microphones to discern the ambient sound and use frequencies that block out unwanted noise, to effectively block out your surroundings. The majority of over-ear headphones that have this feature also include an inbuilt microphone to ensure your voice is heard during phone calls. If you're seeking a pair of low-cost wireless noise cancelling headphones take a look at the Audio-Technica M20xBT headphones, which come with bluetooth wireless headphones multipoint connectivity and up to 60 hours of battery life. These over-ear headphones are an excellent choice for those who commute and are compact enough to fit into the bag or purse of a person.

If you're looking to invest a little more in your audio experience then the Focal Bathys are an excellent pair of high-end wireless over-ear headphones with exceptional audio quality and sophisticated noise cancellation. The first wireless headphones from an French premium audio brand The Focal Bathys are a delight for audiophiles. They have an open-back design that is adorned with luxurious materials such as leather and aluminum detailing. The headphones come with features, like a companion app that includes a graphic equalizer and presets to fine-tune your listening preferences. They offer excellent isolation thanks to their 40mm Beryllium-coated drivers as well as acoustic leather cups, and they can playback audio losslessly, allowing them to perform as high-end hi-fi headphones when wired.

If you are looking for a budget-friendly alternative, the Monoprice BT-600ANC is a light, comfortable pair of wireless over-ear headphones with a high-quality sound and outstanding noise cancellation for the price. These headphones come with a wide range of features like ambient-awareness and ANC modes with touch controls as well as support for Apple AAC and aptX for high-quality audio. The BT-600ANC is also one of only a few pairs of headphones that feature an adjustable mode for ambience awareness. This allows you to listen to ambient noise at a lower volume without having to turn off the music.

Battery Life

The last thing you need is to be running out during your commute or during an exercise. Wireless headphones do away with cords and are a much more practical alternative. The battery power of wireless headphones can be depleted over time. You need to choose headphones with an extended battery.

Certain models can remain running for several days or weeks on a single charge. This endurance comes with trade-offs. In order to achieve this, manufacturers must to reduce the battery size or cut down on other features. The best wireless headphones are an ideal balance between battery life and performance.

Over-ear headphones typically come with larger batteries, however the bulky design means that they also consume more power for features like active noise cancelling. On-ear headsets, on contrary are more compact in design that allows them to be more portable. They don't block as much sound as their larger counterparts.

In terms of battery life, the Cleer Enduro ANC and Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless have set a new standard in wireless headphones. Both headphones can play music for 60 hours with ANC. They are able to easily outlast the top headphones with over-ears with similar prices like Sony's W1000XM5 and Bose's S740 III.

Similar to the Focal Px8's first wireless headphones are an audiophile's dream. The Focal Px8 headphones have an open-back design that is comfortable to wear and easy on the eyes. They offer a lively sound with a focus on thumpy bass and bright trebles. The Focal Px8 headphones also come with a companion app that lets you customize the sound to suit your preferences.

Focal's headphones are among the most expensive headphones available. This is due in part to their top-quality materials and design. They also have a fast-charge port that can get you two hours of listening time in just 15 minutes of charging. The Focal Px8 is a great option if you're willing to losing battery life to gain better audio quality and a more comfortable fitting.

Comfort

As opposed to earbuds and earphones, over-ear headphones rest on your ears rather than around them. The earpads will not press as hard against your earlobes, which allows you to enjoy your listening sessions for longer. The ear cups also assist in helping to keep your music in place which makes it more immersive and give you an incredible audio experience. This immersion also improves audio clarity since you can hear every nuance of music without being distracted by background noise or the sound of your own voice.

On the other hand, most over-ear headphones aren't as portable as earbuds. They are more difficult to keep in backpacks or pockets due to their bulkier design and lack of folding mechanism. They also need a case to keep them safe when not in use. While many headphones come with a carry case, it can be cumbersome and may be a hinderance for those who want to listen to music while on the move.

This pair of wireless headphones is perfect for audiophiles looking for premium headphones that they can use while traveling. The Bose QC35 II premium headphone is a great choice for comfort, sound quality, and noise cancellation at a low price. The headband and earcups are made of top quality materials and are extremely comfortable to wear. The quality of the sound is a step up from its predecessor, featuring more clarity and a deeper sound. You can also alter the sound to suit your preferences with a companion app that includes an EQ and Bluetooth wireless headphones presets.

Another premium option is the Focal Bathys Wireless headphones which offer a premium design with plenty of style and comfort. They are also available in a range of colours and feature premium leather, which makes them elegant enough to be worn with a suit or a formal dress. The default sound profile of these headphones is bass-heavy. This results in an edgy and sluggish sound that compliments EDM, Hip-Hop and other genres of dance music. Vocals and instruments can sound veiled or buried in the mix, which you can fix with the Focal audio app's built-in graphic equalizer.

While it's not easy to determine which type of headphone is more comfortable, the overall experience depends on your personal preferences. If you prefer over-ear headphones with a greater padding, pick a model that has a moderate clamping force. This will stop your earlobes and ear canals from getting painful after long listening sessions even with ANC turned on.