Best Over-Ear Headphones

Over-ear headphones, unlike earbuds encapsulate your ears completely and allow for bigger drivers to produce deeper bass and wider soundstages. Many of them also feature active noise cancellation and Bluetooth technology.

The latest Master & Dynamic MW65 update offers excellent audio, a variety of ANC modes, and a long battery life, cordless Headphones all in a sleek and distinct design.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has improved on an already-great pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They are less heavy, more durable, and have an audio profile that is more balanced (though they are bass heavy). They also come with an app that lets you customize the audio. Their active noise cancelling performs better than it did before, eliminating any background noise. Additionally, they have a longer 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, though you'll need to use compatible devices and streaming services. The WH-1000XM4s is also able to connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and automatically switch between the two when required. This feature can be enabled through the Sony Headphones Connect app and it works flawlessly.

A subtle improvement over the XM3 is the sensitivity of their touch panels. They respond more quickly to a tap on the panel, which makes them easier to control during calls or listen to media. Sony has also added a feature that can make voices sound clearer and more precise during calls. This is a noticeable and pleasant addition.

The WH-1000XM4s aren't perfect, but they're among the best wireless headphones that we have ever examined. They're comfortable, feel good to the touch, and have an impressive battery that can last longer than 30 hours continuously. They can also be used with a TRS cable which is great for those who travel or want to conserve power.

The WH1000XM4s are a better alternative to the Bowers & Wilkins Wireless Over-Ears PX7 S2. The Sonys are more comfortable, and their ANC is able to block out more ambient sound. They also come with a companion app that lets you tweak their audio performance and EQ settings are more flexible than B&W's. The B&Ws are better built and can be paired with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. Additionally, they support aptX HD and have an AI-driven engine that is attempting to boost compressed music to high-resolution. This is called DSEE Extreme and it does an excellent job of improving the clarity of music, especially when listening to lossless files.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The $329 Bose QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are the most recent version of a headset that has become 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, adding the USB-C port, which is better at cancelling noise and a longer battery lifespan.

These over-ear Bose headsets come with a premium feel and look, much like the QC 35 II headphones that preceded them. The headband, which is made of plastic, has a solid feel thanks to the hinges made of steel at pivot points. It also has the ratcheting mechanism that is familiar when you expand or retract your earcups. The cups have soft cushioned pads that fit comfortably over the ears and don't put pressure to your head. When folded they weigh 238g. You can wear them while wearing a coat or sweater as the noise-canceling works even when they're not on your head.

Despite their reputation for comfort, the QC45s don't offer the best sound in this price range. The frequencies are dull and lack the depth that headphones with higher prices might be able bring out. The higher registers tend to be more boosted and is suitable for most music but can be a problem for delicate or intricate genres of music. The bass is decent, but it lacks the punch.

The ability to pause the playback after removing the headset is a feature that's missing. This is a feature that Bose's rivals have offered for years. Another oversight was the absence of an in-app EQ. Bose has preset EQs in the app but it would be nice if there was an option to control the EQ manually.

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 your headset's sound and voice assistant settings.

The QC45s come with four microphones that are built-in to hear your voice while on the phone. The call quality is generally very good, but the headsets don't have the nifty capability to turn off your voice while playing back which is a feature that other wireless headphones do. Update In February 2022, a firmware update 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 cordless 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 are stunning in appearance and sound. They also come with a built-in high-performance USB DAC which means you can use them for both wired and wireless listening.

The Bathys are very efficient in terms of battery life, with Focal promising 30 hours of continuous Bluetooth playtime. We had more than 40 hours of playback on average from just one charge. If you do need to recharge, there's a light on the right earcup that will change to red when the earphone needs to be charged.

For headphones for this price, they offer many features. They can be used with multiple devices simultaneously and offer automatic pairing. (You must select your device source each time you listen.) They also have a built-in mic that works with voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. The headphones have an easy-to use interface that makes it easy to control music and make calls.

Bathys over-ear blootooth headphones perform well in our noise cancellation test, reducing ambient sound by 9 decibels on average. It's not as impressive as the ANC in the Sony WH-1000XM4 or Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless but it's still quite effective.

In our tests of the quality of sound from headphones, the Bathys did well overall, with a a frequency response that mostly corresponds to the SoundGuys preference curve, with only minor deviations in the bass and mids. The Bathys are bassy sound that can make instruments, vocals and cymbals appear unreal.

They also have very good leakage resistance, which means you can wear them in public without worrying about other people listening to your music. Their microphone is suitable for recording via Bluetooth with just a little 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 a great entry in this category. The latest pair improves on the previous model with modern design, better gesture controls, and a huge battery life.

The changes are subtle but can make for an over-ear set of headphones that feel like an upgrade. The Momentum 4s are flat and don't fold. They come with an outer case that protects them when traveling. They also follow the trend of many other recent Bluetooth headphones, including the ones from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be completely device-independent. They are compatible 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 most significant change is the huge battery that can play for up to 60 hours with noise cancellation on. This is more than what the majority of the competitors offer and enough for a long-distance trip without worrying about finding a power outlet to charge it.

Engadget senior editor Billy Steele gave the headphones an 82 rating and cited their sound quality and ANC as their main strengths. The only thing he dislikes is that they lack a sense gravitas in the mids and the treble. This means that orchestral pieces tend to sound flat rather than grand. The bass is rounded, but it's easy to over-emphasize and cause fatigue in songs that have heavy bass lines such as the drums that are pounding in As I Lay Dying's Forever. The cymbals sound bubbly, but not full. There's also not much 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 difficult to wear around the house or during longer listening sessions. They can move around on your head in a flurry of head movements. This can cause them to wake up at random times, which can be distracting while listening to music or making calls. They will shut down automatically after 15 minutes, and can be switched off manually by pressing the power button.