Best Over-Ear Headphones

In contrast to earbuds, headphones over-ear encapsulate your ears completely and allow for bigger drivers to provide greater bass and larger soundstages. Many come with Bluetooth technology and active noise cancellation.

The Master & Dynamic MMW65 has been updated with superior audio, numerous ANC modes, and a long battery life.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has improved an already excellent pair of headphones by introducing the WH1000XM4 wireless. They are lighter, better built and have a more balanced audio profile (though they are bass heavy). They also come with an app that lets you customize the audio. Their active noise cancelling works better than it did before, eliminating any background noise. Additionally, they have a longer battery life than a lot of competitors.

These headphones are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible, and Sony LDAC is also compatible with. The latter is able to transfer high-resolution music, but you'll need compatible devices and streaming services. In addition, the WH-1000XM4s can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and switch between them if needed. This feature is accessible through the Sony Headphones Connect App and works well.

The touch panels are more sensitive than the XM3. They respond more quickly to the touch of a panel, and this makes them easier to control during a phone call or listen to media. Sony has also added a feature that can make voices clearer and more precise during calls. This is an obvious and pleasant addition.

The WH-1000XM4s may not be perfect, but they're among the top wireless headphones that we have ever test. They're comfortable, feel good to the touch, and have an excellent battery that can last more than 30 hours continuously. They can also be used passively with an TRS cable, which is ideal for those who travel or want to conserve power.

The WH-1000XM4s are better than the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless over-ears. The Sonys are more comfy and their ANC can block out more ambient sound. They also have an application that lets you adjust their audio performance and EQ settings are more flexible than B&W's. However, the B&Ws have a better-built design, and they're able to connect with two Bluetooth devices at once. They also support aptXHD and feature an AI-driven engine that tries to increase the size of 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 QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are the latest iteration of a headset that has become an essential for commuters and travelers from all over the world. The new model does not reinvent the wheel. It retains the same formula that made its predecessor so successful, while adding USB-C and better noise cancellation.

Similar to the QC 35 II before them, these over-ear Bose headphones have a luxurious look and feel that exudes quality. The headband is made from plastic, Headphonesshop and is sturdy and comfortable with metal hinges at the pivot points and the familiar ratcheting action that you experience when you open or retract the ear cups. The cups are cushioned and feature soft pads that are comfortable to wear over your ears without pressing your head. They weigh 238 grams and are fairly compact when folded. You can wear them when you're wearing a coat or sweater as the noise cancellation function is functional even when you aren't on your head.

Despite their reputation for comfort, the QC45s don't provide the best sound quality in this price range. The frequencies are comparatively flat and lack the details that higher-end headphones may be able to bring out. The upper registers tend to be boosted which is great for most music but can cause problems for more delicate or intricate music genres. The bass is good but it lacks the punch.

One thing that's not included is the possibility of paused playback when you take off the headset. This is a standard in this price range and is something that Bose's rivals have offered for a long time. Another omission was the lack of an in-app EQ. Bose has preset EQs in the app but it would be nice if there was an option to control the EQ manually.

You can connect to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth 5.0 with multipoint support as well as more advanced codecs like aptX Adaptive. You can download the Bose Audio app to adjust the volume and voice assistant settings.

The QC45s also include four built-in microphones that pick up your voice during calls. The quality of calls is generally very good however, the headphones don't come with the handy capability to muffle your voice during playback which is something that other wireless headphones do. Update as of February 2022, a firmware upgrade to the QC45s offered 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 known for its high-performance headphones with long lasting comfort and a style that lets listeners know they're listening to something truly special. The Bathys are their first wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They look and sound stunning. They come with a top-quality USB DAC built in, so you can use them both for wireless and wired listening.

Focal claims that the Bathys can play Bluetooth music for 30 hours. We were able to get more than 40 hours of playback time on average from just one charge. If you need to charge your headphones in the future, the indicator light on the right earcup will turn red.

They offer a good amount of features for headphones at this price, including support for multiple devices simultaneously and automatic pairing (though you'll need to manually select your source device every time you want to listen). The headphones have an inbuilt microphone that can be used with voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. The blue tooth headphones feature an easy to use interface that makes it easy to control music and make calls.

Bathys over-ear headphones are able to perform in our noise cancellation test, reducing ambient noise by 9 decibels 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 pretty effective.

In our tests of headphone sound quality in our tests of headphone sound quality, the Bathys performed well overall with a frequency response that mostly corresponds to the SoundGuys preference curve, with only minor differences in the mids and bass. They have a bass-rich sound pattern that adds a lot of boom to mixes but can sometimes make instruments and vocals such as cymbals sound veiled.

You can wear them anywhere without worrying that others will listen to your music. Their mic is passable to record via Bluetooth with just a little distortion between the mid-treble and treble.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless are a new update to the company's flagship Bluetooth headphones. The previous model, the Momentum 3, was a decent but not a standout in the class. The new pair is a step up from the previous generation, with an elegant design, enhanced gesture control and an enormous battery life.

The changes are subtle but can make for a pair of over ear headphones that feel like an upgrade. The Momentum 4s are flat and do not fold however they come with a nice hardshell case to protect them on the go. They also follow the style of a number of other recent Bluetooth headphones, such as the ones from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be incredibly device-agnostic. They can be used with Apple iPhones as well as Android phones, but lack the AirPods extra features, such as Find My Support and head-tracked spatial audio.

The most notable improvement is the battery that can run for up to 60 hours with noise cancellation turned on. This is more than the majority of the competitors can provide and is enough for a multi-day trip without having to worry about finding a power outlet to charge it.

Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget and Engadget, gave the headphones an 82-point score. He highlighted their audio quality and ANC features as their strengths. The only issue he has is that they lack a sense of weight in the mids and treble, meaning that orchestral pieces tend to sound flat, not grand. The bass is rounded, but it can be overemphasised and can cause fatigue in songs with heavy bass lines like the drums that are pounding in As I Lay Dying's Forever. The cymbals also sound sizzled rather than full and there's no sense of depth in the lows.

The Momentum 4s are comfy and aren't likely to put too much pressure on your neck or ears. However they can be a bit difficult to wear around the house or during longer listening sessions. They will move about on your head with intense head movements. This could cause them to wake up in a sudden manner, which could be distracting when listening to music or making calls. They will shut down automatically after 15 minutes, and Headphonesshop can be turned off manually using the power button.