Best Over-Ear Headphones

In contrast to earbuds, headphones over-ear cover your ears completely and allow larger drivers to produce more bass and a wider soundstage. A majority of them feature Bluetooth technology and active noise cancellation.

The Master & Dynamic MW65 is updated with better audio and multiple ANC modes and a huge battery life.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has improved on an already-great pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They are lighter, better built and have a more balanced audio profile (though bass-heavy). They also have an app that lets you customize the audio. Their active noise cancelling works even better than before, eliminating any background noise. Additionally, they have a longer battery life than many competitors.

These headphones are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible, and Sony LDAC is also compatible with. This codec can transfer high-resolution audio, however, you'll need compatible equipment and Premium Bluetooth Headphones a streaming service. In addition, the WH1000XM4s can connect to two Bluetooth devices at once and automatically switch between them if needed. This feature can be enabled via the Sony Headphones Connect App and works well.

The touch panels are more sensitive than the XM3. They respond more quickly to the touch of a panel, and this makes them easier to control during a phone call or listen to media. Sony has also added a feature that makes voice sound more clear and precise during calls, which is noticeable and a nice touch.

The WH-1000XM4s aren't perfect, but they're among the top wireless headphones we've ever tested. They're comfortable, well-made, and come with an excellent battery that can last longer than 30 hours continuously. They can be used passively with an TRS cable. This is perfect for travel or preserving power.

The WH-1000XM4s make a better choice than the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless over-ears. The Sonys are more comfy, and their ANC is able to block out more background noise. They also come with a companion app that lets you tweak their audio performance and EQ settings are more flexible than B&W's. However, the B&Ws come with more robust design and they're able to pair with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. They also support aptXHD, and they have an AI-driven engine that attempts to scale compressed music up to high-resolution. This is called DSEE Extreme and it does a good job of improving the clarity of music, particularly when listening to lossless music.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The $329 Bose QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are the most recent version of a headphone that became a staple for commuters and passengers around the world. The new model does not reinvent the wheel. It uses the same formula that made its predecessor so successful with the addition of the USB-C port and improved noise cancellation.

Like the QC 35 II before them, these over-ear Bose headphones feature a Premium Bluetooth Headphones look and feel that exudes quality. The headband is constructed of plastic, but has a sturdy feel with metal hinges at pivot points and the ratcheting mechanism that is familiar when you open or retract the earcups. The cups have soft cushioned pads that fit comfortably over the ears and do not apply pressure to your head. They weigh 238 grams and are fairly compact when folded. You can wear them when you're wearing an overcoat or sweater since the noise cancellation function is functional even when they're not on your head.

Despite their reputation as comfortable headphones, the QC45s do not provide the best sound at this price point. The frequencies are relatively flat and lack details that more expensive headphones might be able to bring out. The higher registers tend to be more boosted and is suitable for most music, but could cause problems for more delicate or intricate genres of music. The bass is decent, but it lacks the punch.

One feature that's missing is the ability to pause playback whenever you remove the headset. This is a feature that Bose's competitors have offered for many years. Another omission was the lack of an in-app EQ. Bose has preset EQs in the app, but it would be nice to have an option to control the EQ manually.

Bluetooth 5.0 is supported, including multipoint and more advanced codecs, such as aptX Adaptive. Download the Bose Audio App to adjust the sound and voice settings.

The QC45s come with four microphones built-in to hear your voice while on the phone. The call quality is generally excellent, but the headsets do not have the ability to mute your voice during playback, which is a feature that other wireless headphones do. Update: As of February 2022, a firmware upgrade to the QC45s provided manual EQ options within the audio app which is a welcome improvement.

3. Focal Bathys Wireless

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

Focal claims that the Bathys can play Bluetooth music for 30 hours. We got more than 40 hours of playback on average from a single charge. If you are required to charge your headphones then the indicator light on the right earcup will turn red.

They have a decent amount of features for a pair of headphones at this price, including support for multiple devices at the same time and automatic pairing (though you'll need to manually select your source device every time you would like to listen). The headphones have an inbuilt microphone that works with voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. They also come with an intuitive interface that makes it easy to control your music and take 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 per hour on average. It's not as good as the ANC found in the Sony WH1000XM4 or Bose QuietComfort45/QC45 wireless in headphones but it's still effective.

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

You can wear them wherever without fearing that other people will listen to your music. Their mic is passable to record via Bluetooth with only a slight distortion between the mid-treble as well as the treble.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a new version of the company's most popular bluetooth headphones range headsets. The previous model, called the Momentum 3, was a decent but not a standout in the class. The latest pair improves on the previous generation with a sleeker design, improved gesture controls and massive battery life.

Many of the improvements here are subtle, but they create a pair of over-ears that seem like a step up from the old one. The Momentum 4s are flat and don't fold. They come with a hardshell case to protect them when traveling. They also follow the style of several other recent Bluetooth headphones, like those from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be incredibly device-agnostic. This means they can work with both Android phones and Apple iPhones, however they do not come with the extra features (like Find My support and head-tracked Spatial Audio) that you'll find on AirPods.

The most notable improvement is the battery that can play for up to 60 hours with noise cancellation turned on. This is more than the majority of the competition can offer and enough for a long-distance trip without worrying about finding an outlet to charge it.

Billy Steele, senior editor Premium bluetooth Headphones at Engadget The headphones were rated by Billy Steele, senior editor at Engadget an 82 percent score. He highlighted their audio quality and ANC features as the top strengths. He only has one complaint: they lack a sense of gravitas in the mids and the treble. This means that orchestral tracks sound dull instead of grand. The bass is well-rounded but it can sound overemphasized, which can lead to fatigue in songs with high-pitched bass lines, like the drum beats of As I Lay Dying’s Forever. The cymbals sound a bit hot, but not a lot. There's no real depth to the lows.

The Momentum 4s are a comfortable fit and shouldn't put too much pressure on your ears or neck. However, they can be a bit fidgety when wearing them around the house or during longer listening sessions. They will move about on your head in a flurry of head movements. This can cause them to wake up at random which can be distracting during calls or music. They stop automatically after 15 minutes, and can be switched off manually with the power button.