Best Over-Ear Headphones

Unlike earbuds, over-ear headphones are a complete encapsulation of your ears and allow for bigger drivers to produce deeper bass and wider soundstages. Many come with Bluetooth technology and active noise cancellation.

The Master & Dynamic MW65 has been updated with better audio and features, including numerous ANC mode and an impressive battery life.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has improved on an already excellent pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They are lighter, better built and feature a more balanced audio profile (though they are bass heavy). They also include an app to adjust the sound. Their active noise cancellation works better than ever before, eliminating more ambient sound, and they have a longer battery life than a lot of competitors.

These headphones are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible, and Sony LDAC is also supported. The latter can transfer high-resolution audio, but you'll need compatible devices and a streaming service. In addition, the WH1000XM4s can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and automatically switch between them as needed. You enable this feature through the Sony Headphones Connect app and it is extremely effective.

A subtle improvement over the XM3 is the sensibility of their touch panels. They respond faster to a tap on the panel, which makes them easier to control during a call or to listen to music. Sony has added a feature to make voices more precise and clear during calls. This is a distinct and a nice addition.

Although the WH-1000XM4s may not be perfect, they are some of the best wireless headphones we've ever tried. They are comfortable and well-made. They also have an energy-efficient battery that can last for more than 30 continuous hours. They can be used as a passive device using a TRS cable. This is perfect to travel with or for storing energy.

The WH1000XM4s offer a better alternative to the Bowers & Wilkins Wireless Over-Ears Px7 S2. The Sonys are more comfy and their ANC is able to block out more ambient sounds. They also come with a companion application that lets you adjust their audio performance and EQ settings are more flexible than B&W's. The B&Ws are better built and can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. They also support aptX HD, and they have an AI-driven engine which is attempting to boost compressed music to high-resolution. This is known as DSEE Extreme and it does well in improving the clarity of music, especially when listening to lossless audio files.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The $329 Bose QuietComfort45 sound cancelling headset is the most recent version of a headset that has become a favorite among commuters and passengers across the world. Instead of reinventing the wheel the new model follows the same formula that made the predecessor so popular, and adds USB-C, improved noise cancellation and a longer battery lifespan.

These over-ear Bose headsets have a premium feel and look, just like the QC 35 II headphones that preceded them. The headband is made of plastic, and has a sturdy feel with metal hinges at pivot points and the ratcheting mechanism that is familiar when you retract or extend the earcups. The cups are cushioned and feature soft pads that can be worn over your ears without putting pressure on your head. When folded they weigh 238 grams. They can be paired with a coat or sweater as they work even when not on the head.

Despite their reputation for comfort, the QC45s do not offer the most impressive sound quality for this price range. The frequencies are comparatively flat and lack details that more expensive headphones might be capable of bringing out. The upper registers are amplified which is great for the majority of music but can be a problem for more delicate and complex genres. The bass is decent, but it lacks power.

The ability to pause the playback when removing the headset is a feature missing. This is a feature Bose's competitors have offered for many years. Another omission is the absence of an in-app EQ. Bose offers preset EQs within the app but it would be nice to have an option to control the EQ manually.

You can connect to your tablet or smartphone via bluetooth stereo headphones 5.0 with multipoint support and 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 microphones built into the headset to pick up your voice during calls. The quality of calls is generally very good, but the headsets don't come with the handy capability to muffle your voice while playing back which is something that other wireless headphones do. Update In February 2022, the firmware update 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 special. The Bathys are their first wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They look and sound stunning. They also have a built-in high-performance USB DAC which means you can use them for both wireless and wired listening.

Focal claims that the Bathys can play Bluetooth music for 30 hours. We actually got a bit more from them, with over 40 hours on average of one charge. If you need to recharge, there's a light on the right ear cup that turns red when the headphone has to be charged.

For a pair of headphones for this price, they have a lot of features. They support multiple devices at once and feature automatic pairing. (You must select the device you want to pair with by hand each time you listen.) The blue tooth headphones (click to read) come with a built in microphone that can be used with voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. The headphones also feature an easy-to-use interface that makes it simple to control your music as well as make calls.

For headphones with over-ear connectivity The Bathys perform very well in our test of noise cancellation, which reduces the sound of the surrounding environment by about 9 decibels in average. It's not as impressive as the ANC in the Sony WH-1000XM4 or Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless but it's still quite effective.

The Bathys headphones performed well in our headphone tests. Their frequency response was largely similar to the headphone curve of SoundGuys with minor variations in the mids and bass. The Bathys have a booming sound profile which can make vocals, instruments and cymbals look a bit unreal.

They also have excellent leakage resistance, so you can wear them in public without worrying about others listening to your music. The microphone is able to be used for recording using bluetooth stereo headphones with only a slight distortion between the mid-treble and the treble.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new update of the company's flagship Bluetooth headsets. The previous model, the Momentum 3, was a decent, but not the most impressive entry into the category. The latest pair is an improvement on the previous generation, with an elegant design, enhanced gesture control and an enormous battery life.

The improvements aren't that obvious, but they make a pair that seem like a step up from the old one. The Momentum 4s lay flat and don't fold however they come with a nice hardshell case to protect them when on the move. They also follow the pattern of many other recent Bluetooth headphones, such as the ones from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be incredibly device-agnostic. This means they work well with both Android phones and Apple iPhones, but do not come with the extra features (like Find My support and head-tracked Spatial Audio) that are available on the AirPods.

The most obvious difference in this model is the huge battery, which promises up to 60 hours of playback with noise cancellation enabled. That's easily double what most of the competition can offer and is enough for a trip of a lifetime without worrying about finding a power outlet to charge them up.

Engadget senior editor Billy Steele gave the headphones an 82-point score with a focus on their audio quality and ANC as two of their strengths. He has only one complaint that they lack of gravitas in the mids and the treble. This makes orchestral pieces sound flat instead of grand. The bass is rounded, but it can be overemphasised, which can lead to fatigue in songs that have heavy bass lines, like the drum hits in As I Lay Dying's Forever. The cymbals sound smoky rather than full, and there's no real feeling of depth in the lows.

The Momentum 4s are comfortable and aren't likely to put too much pressure on your ears or neck. However, they can be a bit uncomfortable when worn around the house or during longer listening sessions. They can move around on your head in a flurry of head movements. This can cause them suddenly wake up, which can be distracting when you are listening to music or calls. They stop automatically after 15 minutes and blue tooth headphones can be turned off manually using the power button.