Best Over-Ear Headphones
Over-ear headphones, unlike earbuds encapsulate your ears completely and allow for larger drivers to produce greater bass and larger soundstages. Many also include active noise cancellation and Bluetooth technology.
The Master & Dynamic MW65 is updated with better audio, multiple ANC modes, and a long 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 an audio profile that is more balanced (though bass heavy). They also include an app that lets you customize the audio. They have improved their active noise cancellation, removing more background noises and extending the battery life.
These headphones are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible and Sony LDAC is also compatible with. These headphones can transfer high-resolution audio however, you'll need compatible devices and a streaming service. The WH-1000XM4s can also allow you to connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and automatically switch between them when needed. This feature can be enabled through the Sony Headphones Connect app and it is extremely effective.
One subtle improvement over the XM3 is the sensitiveness of their touch panels. They respond faster to the touch of the panel and are much easier to control when making calls or listening to music. Sony has also added a feature that makes voice sound more clear and precise when calling which is noticeable and a nice touch.
While the WH-1000XM4s aren't perfect, they are some of the best wireless headphones we've ever tested. They're comfortable and well-constructed, and come with a batteries that last for more than 30 continuous hours. They can also be used passively using the TRS cable which is perfect when you're on the road or need to conserve power.
The WH1000XM4s provide a superior alternative to the Bowers & Wilkins Wireless Over-Ears Px7 S2. The Sonys are more comfortable, and their ANC can block out more ambient sound. The B&Ws come with an EQ that is more flexible and an app that allows you to tweak the audio quality. However, the B&Ws have an improved design, and they're able to pair with two Bluetooth devices at once. Additionally, they support aptX HD, and they have an AI-driven engine which tries to upscale compressed music to high-resolution. This is known as DSEE Extreme, and it enhances the clarity of music when listening to lossless audio files.
2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless
The $329 Bose QuietComfort45 noise-canceling headset is the most current version of a headset which has become a popular choice for commuters and travelers all over the world. Rather than reinventing the wheel the new model follows the same formula that made its predecessor so popular, and adds USB-C, improved noise cancellation and a longer battery life.
These over-ear Bose headsets have a premium feel and look, just like the QC 35 II headphones that preceded them. The headband, which is made of plastic, has a solid feel thanks to the metal hinges at pivot points. It also features the ratcheting mechanism that is familiar when you retract or extend your earcups. The cups are cushioned and have soft pads that are comfortable to wear over your ears without pressing your head. When folded they weigh 238 grams. They can be paired with a coat or sweater since they can be worn even when not on your head.
Despite their reputation as comfortable headphones, the QC45s do not offer the best sound at this price. The frequencies are dull and lack the detail that higher-end headphones might be able bring out. The higher registers tend to be boosted, which is fine for most music genres but could cause problems for more delicate or intricate music genres. The bass is great, but it lacks power.
The ability to pause the playback when you remove the headset is a feature missing. This is a feature that Bose's rivals have offered for years. Another oversight is the absence of an in-app EQ. Bose has preset EQs available in 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 5.0 with multipoint support and more advanced codecs like aptX Adaptive. You can download the Bose Audio app to adjust your headset's audio and voice assistant settings.
The QC45s also include four in-built microphones to listen to your voice during calls. The call quality is generally excellent but the headphones don't come with the handy ability to mute your voice during playback, which is something that other wireless headphones have. Update: best over ear wireless headset for the QC45s was released in February 2022 introduced manual EQ options to the audio app. This is a great upgrade.
3. Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal is a French audio brand that produces high-performance headphones. They are well-known for their comfort and style that let listeners know that they're listening to something special. Their first venture into wireless headphones that cancel out noise, the Bathys are stunning headphones that look and sound amazing. They have a high-performance USB DAC built in, making them suitable both for wireless and wired listening.
The Bathys have a very good battery performance, with Focal claiming 30 hours of continuous Bluetooth playtime. We actually got more from them and got over 40 hours of playtime on average of one charge. If you need to charge your headphones, the indicator light on the right earcup will go red.
For headphones at this price, they offer a lot of features. They can be used with multiple devices at once and feature automatic pairing. (You must select your device source manually every time you listen.) They have a built-in microphone that supports voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. The headphones also have an intuitive interface that makes it simple to control your music and take calls.
Bathys over-ear headphones perform well in our noise cancellation test, reducing ambient noise by an average of 9 decibels. They aren't as good as the ANC found in the Sony WH1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort45/QC45 Wireless however it's still effective.
The Bathys headphones did well in our headphone tests. Their frequency response was largely similar to the SoundGuys headphone curve with minor variations on the bass and mids. They have a bass-rich sound profile which adds plenty of boom to the mix, however, they can make instruments and vocals like cymbals seem a bit veiled.
They also have very good leakage resistance, so you can wear them out in public without worrying about other people hearing your music. Their microphone is suitable for recording via Bluetooth, with only slight distortion between the mid-treble and treble.
4. Sennheiser Momentum 4
The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new version of the company's flagship Bluetooth headsets. The Momentum 3 was a solid but not an outstanding entry in this category. The new model improves on the previous generation with modern design, better gesture controls and massive battery life.
The improvements here are subtle but they add up to make a pair of over-ears that feel like an upgrade to the old one. The Momentum 4s are flat and don't fold. They come with a hardshell case to protect them when traveling. The Momentum 4s are device-agnostic, like many other Bluetooth headphones from recent years, including the ones from Bowers & Wilkins and Sony. This means they work with both Android phones and Apple iPhones, but don't have the extra features (like Find My support and head-tracked Spatial Audio) that are available on the AirPods.
The biggest improvement is the battery that can run for up to 60 hours with noise cancellation on. That's easily double what most of the competitors offer and is enough for a long-distance trip without having to worry about finding an outlet to charge it.
Engadget senior editor Billy Steele gave the headphones an 82-point score, citing their audio quality and ANC as their main strengths. The only issue he has is that they lack a sense of gravitas in the mids and the treble, which means that orchestral tracks tend to sound flat instead of grand. The bass is well-rounded, but can be too loud, which can cause to fatigue when songs have heavy bass lines, like the drum hits in As I Lay Dying’s Forever. The cymbals sound hot, but not a lot. There's also no real depth to the lows.
The Momentum 4s are not designed to put pressure on your neck or ear. However, they can be a bit difficult to wear around the house or for longer listening sessions, and can move around on your head in a flurry of head movements. This could cause them to wake up unexpectedly, 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 by pressing the power button.