Best Over-Ear Headphones
Unlike earbuds, over-ear headphones encapsulate your ears completely and allow for larger drivers to produce deeper bass and wider soundstages. Many come with Bluetooth technology and active noise cancellation.
The Master & Dynamic MW65 has been upgraded with improved audio and features, including numerous ANC mode and an impressive battery life.
1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless
Sony has improved an already fantastic pair of headphones by introducing the WH1000XM4 wireless. They are more lightweight, better constructed and have a more balanced audio profile (though bass heavy). They also include an app to adjust the sound. Their active noise cancellation works better than ever before, eliminating any background noise. Additionally, they have a longer continuous battery life than other models.
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 to use compatible devices and streaming services. In addition, the WH1000XM4s can connect to two Bluetooth devices at the same time 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 tap of a panel, and this makes them easier to control during a call or listen to media. Sony has also added a feature that helps voices sound clearer and more precise during calls, which is noticeable and a nice addition.
The WH-1000XM4s might not be perfect, but they're among the top wireless headphones that we have ever examined. They're comfortable, well-made, and come with an excellent battery that can last more than 30 hours continuously. They can also be used passively with the TRS cable which is perfect if you're traveling or need to conserve power.
The WH1000XM4s are a better alternative to the Bowers & Wilkins Wireless Over-Ears Px7 S2. The Sonys are more comfy, and their ANC can block out more ambient sounds. They also come with a companion app that lets you alter their audio performance, and their EQ settings are more flexible than the B&W's. The B&Ws are better built and can connect to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. They also support aptXHD and feature an AI-driven engine that tries to scale compressed music up 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 most recent version of a headphone that became an essential for commuters and passengers around the world. Rather than reinventing the wheel the new model follows the same formula that made the predecessor so popular, and adds the USB-C port, which is better at cancelling noise and longer battery life.
Similar to the QC 35 II before them, these over-ear Bose headphones feature a premium look and feel that oozes quality. The headband, which is made of plastic, has an incredibly solid feel due to the metal hinges at pivot points. It also has the ratcheting mechanism that is familiar when you retract or extend the ear cups. The cups are cushioned, and have soft pads that are comfortable to wear over your ears without putting pressure on your head. When folded they weigh 238g. They can be used while wearing a coat or sweater as the noise cancelling function works even when they are not on your head.
Despite their reputation for comfort, the QC45s can't offer the most impressive sound quality for this price range. The frequencies are tinny and lack the detail that headphones with higher prices might be able to bring out. The upper registers are boosted which is fine for most music genres but can be a problem for more delicate and intricate genres. The bass is decent, but lacks punch.
The possibility of pauseing the playback after removing the headset is a feature absent. This is standard in this price range and something that Bose's rivals have long offered. Another thing that was missing was the lack of an in-app EQ. Bose offers preset EQs within the app but it would be nice to have 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 the volume and voice assistant settings.
The QC45s come with four in-built microphones to pick up your voice during calls. They have excellent call quality, but they don't let you muffle the sound during playback as other wireless headphones. Update: A firmware update for the QC45s in February 2022 included manual adjustments to the audio app. This is a great upgrade.
3. Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal is a French audio brand that is known for high-performance headphones that last for a long time, comfort and a style that makes listeners feel like they're listening to something special. The Bathys are their first wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They are stunning in appearance and sound. They also come with a built in high performance USB DAC which means you can use them for wireless and wired listening.
The Bathys are very efficient in terms of battery performance, with Focal claiming 30 hours of continuous Bluetooth playtime. noise cancelling headphones wireless got a little more out of them, with over 40 hours of playtime on average of just one charge. If you need to charge your headphones then the indicator light on the right earcup will change red.
They have a decent amount of features for headphones of this price point, including support for multiple devices simultaneously and automatic pairing (though you'll need to select your source device each time you need to listen). The headphones come with built-in microphones that works with voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. They also come with an easy-to-use interface, making it simple to manage your music and make calls.
For over-ear wireless headphones, the Bathys are very good in our test of noise cancellation. They cut down the sound of the surrounding environment by about 9 decibels on average. This isn't as impressive a result as the ANC in the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless, but it's still pretty effective.
The Bathys headphones did well in our headphone sound tests. Their frequency response was mostly similar to the headphone curve of SoundGuys with minor differences on the bass and mids. They have a bass-rich sound pattern that adds a lot of boom to mixes however, it can make instruments and vocals such as cymbals sound veiled.
They also have very good leakage resistance, meaning you can wear them out in public without worrying about other people listening to your music. Their microphone is of decent recording quality through Bluetooth with only slight distortion in the mid - to high treble frequency range.
4. Sennheiser Momentum 4
The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless are a new version of the company's top-of-the-line Bluetooth headphones. The Momentum 3 was a solid but not a great entry in this category. The new model improves on the previous model with modern design, better gesture controls and massive battery life.
The improvements are subtle, but add up to an over-ear pair of headphones that feels like an upgrade. The Momentum 4s are flat and do not fold. They come with an outer case that protects them while traveling. They also follow the style of a number of other recent Bluetooth headphones, such as those from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be incredibly device-agnostic. They can be used with Apple iPhones as well as Android phones, but do not have the AirPods additional features such as Find My Support and head-tracked spatial audio.
The biggest difference is the massive battery that can run for up to 60 hours with noise cancellation turned on. This is more than what the majority of the competitors offer and is enough for a long-distance trip without having to worry about finding a power outlet to charge them.
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. The only thing he dislikes is that they lack a sense gravitas in the mids and the treble, which means that orchestral tracks tend to sound flat rather than grand. The bass is smooth and well-rounded but it can be overemphasised and can cause fatigue in songs with heavy bass lines like the drum hits in As I Lay Dying's Forever. The cymbals sound smoky rather than full and there's not a real feeling of depth in the bass.
The Momentum 4s shouldn't cause pressure on your neck or ear. However they can be difficult to wear around the house or during longer listening sessions, and will move about on your head, causing intense head movements. This can cause them wake up at random times, which can be distracting when listening to music or making calls. They will shut down automatically after 15 minutes, and can be shut off manually using the power button.