Best Over-Ear Headphones

Over-ear headphones, unlike earbuds are a complete encapsulation of your ears and allow for bigger drivers to produce deeper bass and wider soundstages. They also have active noise cancellation and Bluetooth technology.

The most recent Master & Dynamic MW65 update provides superior audio, multiple ANC modes, and an impressive battery life in an elegant and distinctive design.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has improved on an already-great pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They're lighter, feel better built, feature an improved sound profile that is more balanced (though still bass-heavy) and include an app that lets you do some audio-related customization. Their active noise cancelling works better than it did before, removing any background noise. Additionally, they have a longer continuous 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 WH-1000XM4s can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and switch between them when required. You can enable this feature via the Sony Headphones Connect app and it works very well.

One of the major improvements over the XM3 is the sensibility of their touch panels. They respond faster to the touch of a panel and are easier to manage when making a phone call or listening to music. Sony has added a feature to make voice calls more clear and precise during calls. This is a distinct and a nice addition.

The WH-1000XM4s may not be perfect, but they are among the best Ultimate Wireless Over-Ear Headphones: 60 Hours Playtime - HiFi Stereo headphones we've ever examined. They're comfortable, Ultimate Wireless Over-Ear Headphones: 60 Hours Playtime - HiFi Stereo feel well made, and have an impressive battery that can last more than 30 hours continuously. They can be used passively using the TRS cable. This is great for traveling or conserving power.

The WH-1000XM4s make a better choice over the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless over-ears. The Sonys are more comfortable and their ANC is able to block out more ambient sound. They also come with a companion application that lets you adjust their audio performance, and their EQ settings are more flexible than b uetooth headphones&W's. But the B&Ws have more robust design and they can connect with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. They also support aptX HD and feature an AI-driven engine which attempts to boost compressed music to high-resolution. This is known as 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 became a staple for commuters and travelers around the globe. Instead of reinventing the wheel the new model uses the same formula that made its predecessor so popular, adding the USB-C port, which is better at cancelling noise and a longer battery life.

These over-ear Bose headsets come with a premium feel and appearance, similar to the QC 35 II headphones that came before them. The headband is made from plastic, but is a solid feel, with hinges made of metal at the pivot points and the familiar ratcheting action that you experience when you retract or extend the ear cups. The cups are soft cushioned pads that fit comfortably over the ears and don't apply pressure on your head. When folded they weigh 238g. They can be paired with a sweater or coat because they function even when not on your head.

Despite their reputation as comfortable headphones, the QC45s do not provide the best sound at this price. The frequencies are comparatively flat and lack the depth that headphones with higher prices might be capable of bringing out. The upper registers are amplified which is fine for Ultimate Wireless Over-Ear Headphones: 60 Hours Playtime - HiFi Stereo most music genres but can be problematic for more delicate and intricate genres. The bass is decent but lacks power.

The ability to pause playback when removing the headset is a feature that is missing. This is standard in this price range and something that Bose's competitors have long offered. Another thing that was missing was the lack of an in-app EQ. Bose provides preset EQ settings within the app, but it would be nice to have manual control.

Bluetooth 5.0 is supported, with multipoint as well as more advanced codecs, such as aptX Adaptive. You can download the Bose Audio app to adjust the volume and voice assistant settings.

The QC45s also include four in-built microphones to pick up your voice during calls. The headphones have good call quality, however they don't allow you to mute the voice during playback like other wireless headphones. Update: A firmware update for the QC45s in February 2022 introduced manual EQ options to the audio app. This is a welcome upgrade.

3. Focal Bathys wireless headphones bluetooth

Focal is a French audio brand that produces high-performance headphones. They are known for their comfort and style, which let listeners know that they're listening to something special. The Bathys are their first wireless noise cancelling headphones. They look and sound stunning. They also come with an inbuilt high-performance USB DAC which means you can use them for wired and wireless listening.

Focal claims that the Bathys can play Bluetooth music for up to 30 hours. We actually got a bit more out of them with more than 40 hours of playtime on average of one charge. If you need to charge the headphones in the future, the indicator light on the right earcup will go red.

They have a decent amount of features for a pair of headphones of this price, including support for multiple devices at once and automatic pairing (though you'll need to select your source device every time you would like to listen). They come with a built-in microphone that can be used to control voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. The headphones have an easy-to navigate interface that makes it simple to control music and make calls.

For headphones with over-ear connectivity, the Bathys perform very well in our test of noise cancellation, reducing the background sound by around 9 decibels on average. They aren't as good as the ANC found in the Sony WH1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort45/QC45 Wireless however it is still effective.

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

You can wear them wherever and not worry about whether others hear your music. Their mic is passable to record via Bluetooth, with only slight distortion between the mid-treble and treble.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new update of the company's top Bluetooth headsets. The previous model, called the Momentum 3, was a decent, but not the most impressive entry in the category. The new model is an improvement on the previous generation, with more sleek design, better gesture control, and a huge battery life.

The improvements are subtle but make for an over-ear set of headphones that feels like an upgrade. The Momentum 4s are flat and do not fold. They come with a hardshell case to protect them while traveling. They also follow the style of a number of other recent Bluetooth headphones, including those from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be incredibly device-agnostic. This means they work with both Android phones and Apple iPhones, but do not have the additional features (like Find My support and head-tracked Spatial Audio) that you'll find on the AirPods.

The most obvious change here is the massive battery, which promises up to 60 hours of playback when the noise cancellation feature turned on. This is nearly twice as much as most of the competitors and sufficient to take a multi-day journey without worrying about finding an outlet.

Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget and Engadget, gave the headphones an 82-point score. He noted their sound quality and ANC features as strengths. He has only one complaint they lack of gravitas in the mids and treble. This makes orchestral tracks sound dull instead of grand. The bass is well rounded, but can be overemphasized, which can cause to fatigue when songs have strong bass lines, such as the drum hits in As I Lay Dying’s Forever. The cymbals sound a bit sizzled, not full. There's also no real depth to the lows.

The Momentum 4s are a comfortable fit and shouldn't put too much pressure on your neck or ears. They can be a bit fidgety if you wear them around the home or for long listening sessions. They will move around on your head, and make rapid head movements. This can cause them to wake up unexpectedly, which can be distracting when listening to music or making calls. Fortunately they shut down after 15 minutes of rest by default and can be turned off manually off with the power button.