The Best Wireless Over Ear Headset
In contrast to earbuds, headphones over-ear completely enclose your ears, and block out any sound from outside. Find headphones with active noise cancellation, and batteries that last at minimum 20 hours.
The Sennheiser Momentum 4s have an excellent ANC feature, a simple on-ear control, and an easy-to-use app. The default sound profile provides punch and thump, but instruments and vocals can be moved into the background.
1. Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony's WH-1000XM5 are an excellent pair of headphones for music lovers who want to experience the best wireless over ear headset. They're lightweight with a soft carrying case and fold flat to make it easy to store in your bag. The controls are simple and easy to use, and the battery will last for 30 hours with no ANC. The headphones come with an automatic pause feature which shuts them off when you take them from your head. This helps to conserve battery.
The WH1000XM5 can be used with Sony Headphones Connect, which has a wide range of features that can be used to personalize the audio experience. The app can be used to track your location and adjust the sound quality of your surroundings. The device also has built-in microphones for making calls hands-free. The Sony WH-1000XM5 is able with music streaming via Bluetooth or an electrical connection via the cable included. They are compatible with aptX, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive to play high quality audio via Bluetooth.
The WH-1000XM5 sports the same headband and earcups to the XM4 however it is more lightweight and comfortable. They're comfortable to wear for long periods and are comfortable enough for commutes and longer flights. They are noise cancelling headphones that reduce background noise, but not compromise clarity or clarity. The Sony WH1000XM5 headphones feature plenty of bass, especially for closed-back models. They also offer excellent soundstages and clear separation between vocals and instruments.
The low latency is an enormous positive. The lag is so tiny that it's barely noticeable, and they can also be used for gaming on the go. They're not the best choice for competitive video games though and are a good choice for people who intend to use them for media consumption and to make calls that are hands-free.
beats studio3 wireless over ear headphones matte black is committed to incorporating smart features into its products, and the WH-1000XM5 is not a different. The active noise cancellation is one of the best I've tried and they come with a set of smart functions to improve the overall listening experience. They also have Sony's DSEE Extreme engine which upscales compressed music to near high-res quality. They're also compatible with Sony's own LDAC technology that streams audio with higher bitrates over Bluetooth (although not as high-quality as a dedicated headphone DAC).
2. Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2
Bowers & Wilkins flagship headphones that are the PX7 S2 have been consistently on the top lists of wireless headsets since the launch of the first generation PX7 in the year 2015. They are in the same category as Sony WH1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort. Its newest model, the PX7 S2, is an upgrade that takes the first headphones to a new level, with improved ANC performance and a refreshed design.
In the earcups, 40mm bio cellulose drivers are angled to point straight at your eardrums in order to provide an audio experience that is more intimate than most closed-back headphones. This is a bold claim however, one that the PX7 S2 is able to deliver on. The vocals are clear and the bass is deep when it's needed.
The PX7 S2 is also very excellent at making calls. It provides crisp and clear sound that does not drown out your voice. The PX7 S2 is also able to provide an extremely fast charge that can bring you back to full capacity in just two hours. They are also compatible with high-resolution music thanks to the aptX adaptive Bluetooth codesc which allow them to play 24-bit audio.
For most listeners, though, the most important upgrade is the enhanced noise-canceling and audio performance. In our tests, the PX7 S2 eliminated nearly all of our simulated cabin noise with remarkable effectiveness and performed exceptionally when we played Mozart's Et In Carnatus Est and Sanctus from his Grosse Messe, demonstrating excellent insight into the shifting dynamics between the solo voice, wind trio and orchestral accompaniment.
The PX7 S2s are not only noise-canceling, but they also include a variety of features that make them competitive with other top-rated headphones. They're completely wireless and feature Bluetooth multipoint support, which means you can pair two devices simultaneously. They also come with built-in microphones that allows for hands-free calls while using your phone's assistant. The construction is durable and high-end and will last you for many years.
Of course they're not perfect. The clamp force of the models we tested were a little more than we would have liked, and there weren't as many app features as other models. However, these aren't major complaints. The PX7 S2s is a fantastic wireless headset that rivals other competitors in its class. It's difficult to imagine any other competitor to match them.
3. Focal Bathys Wireless
For audiophiles who prize high fidelity and are looking for a premium wireless noise-canceling headset, the Focal Bathys are hard to beat. The Focal Bathys are the first ANC headphones from an French audio company to use Bluetooth. They offer amazing sound quality both in Bluetooth mode and when connected via USB to a device that supports true hi-fi listeners with a maximum of 24-bit/192kHz.
The Bathys are stunning with their glossy finishes and swooping curvatures that reminiscent Focal's closed-back Celestee and open-back Elear headphones. They also feature premium materials such as magnesium and aluminum to create an extremely sturdy build that feels solid, comfortable and worth the cost.
The Bathys Bluetooth headphones provide crisp, vibrant sound signature. They easily surpass consumer ANC devices with similar prices such as the Sony XM5/5 and Bose QC45. They can be enhanced further with direct DAC audio mode, making them an excellent choice for serious hi-fi enthusiasts.
With the Focal and Naim application, users can adjust their headphone's playback controls as well as the virtual assistant and Bluetooth pairing preferences. You can select between quiet or soft intensities for ANC, set the brightness of the LEDs on the earcups, and alter the EQ settings. The app is fairly bare-bones but offers enough functionality to make it worthwhile.
The only issue is the active noise cancellation, which doesn't live up to the competition. The headphone isn't able to block out all background noise as effectively as the top-rated XM5 and AirPods Max. Its treble accuracy is also lacking with a muffled mid to high range that blocks the instruments and vocals.
The Focal Bathys headphones aren't very portable. Their ear cups don't fold up and they weigh a bit more than the competition, meaning that they're not suitable for travel. The Bathys are best used at home for long listening sessions or as an audio reference headset for sound engineering. The Bathys are comfortable to wear over long periods of time despite their size and bulk.
4. Sony WH-CH720N
The Sony WH-CH720N headphones are excellent wireless over-ear headphones for the money. They have a solid noise-cancelling technology that is capable of reducing ambient noise, making them perfect for commuters and travellers. Their matte finish and robust construction give them a touch of high-end quality.
They follow a similar design as Sony's more recent 1000X and XB910N headphones. They feature a slim plastic headband, with the standard hinges for the earcups. They're light and comfortable to wear, however they feel a little too compressed for my liking. In the box, they have a USB-C port for charging and the 3.5mm jack and a decent-length cable. They support multipoint Bluetooth pairing, which means you can connect to two devices at the same time, if you wish.
In my tests the CH720N's hybrid noise-cancelling tech did great job of reducing background noise, with just a couple of notable blips while walking through Waterloo station and London Victoria. The sound-silencers did not block every sound in the vicinity however, they struggled with lower frequency sounds like the engine rumbling sound of buses and trains.
The CH720N's Bluetooth connection was a breeze and displayed a minimal harmonic distortion. I listened to a variety of genres and discovered they could handle the intricate interplay between instruments quite well. It did a great job of reducing the bass in rock tracks, and keeping the mix focused.
The Sony Headphones Connect App allows you to customize the CH720N's multipoint connectivity as well as ANC settings according to your preferences. You can also add a variety of audio presets. You can also utilize the app to activate DSEE which boosts the quality of compressed content and enhances its audio quality.
While the WH-CH720N does not have a few of Sony's primetime features when compared to the XM5 (such as Speak-to-Chat and Quick Attention) they do have a solid feature set for PS130. 360 Reality Audio, smart controls and the DSEE upscaling are all present. The only thing that is not included is LDAC Bluetooth High-Res Audio Support, which I believe would have been a welcomed inclusion.