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 that have active noise cancellation and batteries that lasts at 20 hours when audio playing.
The Sennheiser Momentum 4s come with excellent ANC, a convenient app, and easy on-ear controls. Its default sound delivers an energizing thump. However, vocals and instruments can be put in the background.
1. Sony WH-1000XM5
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is an excellent pair of headphones for those who love music and want the best wireless headset. They're light and comfortable with a carrying case that folds flat for easy storage in your bag. The controls are simple and easy to use and the battery will last for 30 hours with no ANC. They also have an auto-pause feature that will turn off your headphones when they are removed from your head in order to save battery.
The WH-1000XM5 is compatible with Sony's Headphones Connect app which offers an extensive array of features that can be used to customize your audio experience. The app can be used to track your location and adapt the sound quality of your environment. The microphone can also be built in for hands-free calling. The Sony WH1000XM5 can be used to play music using Bluetooth or a wired connection using the included cable. They support aptX codecs, aptX HD codecs as well as adaptive codecs to play high-quality audio through Bluetooth.
Like the XM4, the WH-1000XM5 is light and comfortable with a well-padded headband and ear cups. They're easy to wear for long periods and are comfortable enough for commutes as well as longer flights. They feature excellent noise canceling performance that eliminates most background noise, but without sacrificing clarity and clarity. The Sony WH-1000XM5 have a decent amount of bass for a pair of closed back headphones and they offer an excellent soundstage with the clear separation of vocals and instruments.
They have a very low latency for watching videos, which is a plus. The lag is so low that it's almost invisible and they can be used for casual gaming. They're not the best for video gaming competitively, but they're great for those who wish to make use of them for entertainment or for making hands-free calls.
Sony is committed to incorporating intelligent features into its products and the WH1000XM5 model is no exception. The active noise cancellation is one of the most effective I've used and they have many clever features that will enhance your listening experience. They also have Sony's DSEE Extreme engine which upscales compressed music to close to high quality. They're compatible with Sony's LDAC technology which streams music with higher bitrates over Bluetooth.
2. Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2
Since the launch of its first-generation PX7 in 2015, Bowers & Wilkins' flagship headphones have often been included on top lists of wireless headsets and putting them in the same class as the likes Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose's QuietComfort. wireless on ear headphones , called the PX7 S2, is an upgrade that takes the first headphones to the next level with better 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 other closed-back headphones can manage. It's a bold claim however the PX7 S2 is able to deliver on. Vocals are clear and clear, and bass is deep and rumbly when it's needed to be.
The PX7 S2 also performs very well when it comes to voice calls, and has a crisp and clear sound that doesn't muddle your own voice. They also come with a quick charge that can get you back to full power in less than two hours, and they're compatible with hi-res audio, due to an adaptive Bluetooth codec that allows them to play 24-bit music.
For most listeners the most important change is the improvement in noise cancellation and audio quality. In our tests, we were able to eliminate a majority of the airplane noises simulated by the PX7 S2. They also performed exceptionally well in Mozart's Et In Carnatus Est and Sanctus which provide an excellent understanding of the changing dynamics between the solo vocalist, the wind trio, and orchestral accompaniment.
As well as improved ANC In addition to improved ANC, the PX7 S2s have a number of other useful features that make them very competitive with other top-rated noise-canceling headphones. They're wireless and have Bluetooth multipoint support so you can connect two devices at once They also come with a built-in microphone that allows hands-free calling using your phone's assistant. The build quality is durable and premium which means they'll last you for many years.
They're not perfect, but they are. The clamp force of the models we tested were slightly higher than we'd like, and they didn't have as many app features as other options. However, these aren't major concerns. The PX7 S2s is a superb wireless headset that beats out other headsets in its class. It's hard to imagine any other competitor to match them.
3. Focal Bathys Wireless
For audiophiles who prize high fidelity and are looking for an exceptional wireless noise-canceling headset, the Focal Bathys are difficult to beat. They're the French audio company's first-ever ANC headphones to use Bluetooth and offer amazing audio quality in both Bluetooth mode and when connected to the device via USB for hi-fi audio with a maximum of 24 bits/192kHz (the headset is also capable of blocking external audio with its closed ear cups).
The Bathys are stunning, with their glossy black finish and swooping curves similar to Focal's premium open-back Elear and closed-back Celestee headphones. They also have premium materials like magnesium and aluminum to create a robust build that feels solid, comfortable, and worth the price.
In Bluetooth mode in Bluetooth mode, the Bathys deliver a crisp and lively sound signature that easily outperforms similarly priced consumer ANC options like the Sony XM5/5 or Bose QC45. They can be pushed even further by using direct DAC audio mode which makes them a bona fide option for those who love hi-fi.
The Focal and Naim app allows users to adjust the playback controls of the headphone and Bluetooth pairing preferences. You can select between silent or soft intensities for ANC and adjust the brightness of the LEDs on the headphone's ear cups, and adjust the EQ settings. The app is not complete, but it offers enough functionality to warrant the cost of downloading.
The only issue is that the active noise cancellation doesn't quite perform as well as the competition. The headphone isn't able to block out any ambient noise as well as the top-rated XM5 and AirPods Max. Its treble accuracy also falls short with a muffled high to mid range that blocks the sound of instruments and vocals.
The Focal Bathys headphones aren't the most portable. They are not suitable for travel because their earcups don't fold and they are heavier than other models. The Bathys should be used at home for long listening sessions or as a reference headset for sound engineering. Despite their size and bulk they Bathys are surprisingly comfortable to wear for prolonged durations of time.
4. Sony WH-CH720N
The Sony WHCH720N are a good pair of wireless over-ear headphones for the money. They come with a reliable noise-cancelling feature that is capable of reducing ambient noise, making them perfect for those who commute or travel. Their matte finish and robust construction give them a touch of premium quality.
They have a similar look to Sony's XB910N and 1000X headphone models. They have an ultra-slim headband that has the usual ear cup hinges and a solid plastic construction. They're light and comfortable, however they are a little too tight for my taste. In the box, they come with an USB-C port to charge, the 3.5mm socket and a decent length cable. They are multipoint Bluetooth which means that you can connect to two devices simultaneously should you wish to.
In my tests the CH720N's hybrid tech for noise cancellation did an excellent job of reducing ambient noise. There were only a few small blips while walking through Waterloo Station and London Victoria. The sound-silencers didn't zap every sound around them however they struggled with low-frequency sounds such as the engine rumbling sound of trains and buses.
The CH720N's Bluetooth connection was smooth and displayed a low harmonic distortion. I tested a range of genres and discovered that they handled the intricate interplay between instruments very well. It did an impressive job of controlling the bass in rock tracks while keeping the mix in focus.
I love the fact that you can adjust the Sony Headphones Connect app to customize the CH720N's ANC and multipoint connectivity settings to your liking and also add a range of audio presets. You can also utilize the app to activate DSEE which boosts the quality of compressed content and improves its audio quality.
While the WH-CH720N lacks a few of Sony's primetime features compared to the XM5 (such as Quick Attention and Speak-to-Chat) they do offer an impressive set of features for PS130. 360 Reality Audio, smart controls and the DSEE upscaling feature are all included. The only thing that's missing is LDAC Bluetooth high-res audio support which I believe would have been a great inclusion.