What Wireless Headphones To Use In Garden To Listen To Radio
The Jabra Elite 85h is our favorite Bluetooth pair because the intuitive operation and comfortable fit make this set a pleasure to use every day. These over-ear headphones are delightfully uncomplicated, with easy pairing and clear, simple controls. And they are versatile performers, offering great sound, clear calls, active noise cancelling, long battery life, and water resistance.
How we pick & test
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Great Sound
Our audio experts test for detailed, lifelike sound and clear microphone quality for phone and video calls.
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Ergonomics
A good design should fit most head sizes, and controls should be easy to use– so we have a variety of people try out our top contenders.
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Battery Life
Batteries should last at least eight to 10 hours and ideally have an analog cable for situations when you need to listen wired.
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Reliable Connection
We pair contenders to several different devices and test wireless reliability indoors, outdoors, and at a distance.
Our pick
The Jabra Elite 85h headphones deliver everything you could want in a Bluetooth pair. These headphones sound fantastic out of the box, and they're more intuitive to set up and use than most competitors, thanks to the automatic Bluetooth pairing process and the large, easy-to-access controls. The battery life, rated at 36 hours (with active noise cancellation engaged), is also longer than that of many competitors, and the battery charges quickly, providing five hours of use after only 15 minutes of plug-in time. The Elite 85h headphones work with the Amazon, Apple, and Google digital assistants, and the microphone quality is super-clear for phone calls. This pair is also water-resistant and protected by a two-year warranty against damage from rain. The active noise cancellation (ANC) isn't as effective as that of the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 (check out our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones for more info), but it does reduce enough noise to be useful.
Budget pick
The Jabra Elite 45h headphones continue the legacy of our former budget pick, the Jabra Move, with price-defying sound quality, comfort, and call clarity. This on-ear pair sounds better than those going for several times the price, and you can adjust the sound to your preference using the free Jabra app. They have a lightweight build, and the pillowy earpads are very comfortable to wear for hours. The microphone intelligibility is stellar for phone or video chats. These headphones offer 50-plus hours of listening time per charge, so you won't need to plug them in very often. Though the Elite 45h isn't IP-rated for water resistance, Jabra offers a two-year warranty against dust and water damage. This pair does not have noise cancelling, and there is no option to listen via a cord. But for folks who don't need those features, these headphones are a great deal.
Also great
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are worth considering if you work in an open office (or, right now, a crowded home office), because they are great at blocking out voices around you. These over-ear headphones are also comfortable enough to wear all day, and the microphones are effective at reducing background noise during phone calls and video meetings. Plus, this pair has a ton of app-based bonus features, including a speak-to-chat function that senses your voice, turns on the awareness mode, and pauses your music automatically. Out of the box, this pair's sound quality isn't the best, but if you're willing to put some effort into adjusting the equalizer settings in the app, the XM4 can sound better than just about any Bluetooth headphones available. The noise cancellation isn't as effective against the noise experienced in an airplane, so we don't recommend the XM4 for frequent fliers (check out our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones to see how this set compares). And, unlike our other picks, the XM4 isn't built for water resistance, but it can handle a light spritzing rain. Sony offers a one-year limited warranty that covers manufacturing defects but not water damage, so we don't recommend that you take this pair to the gym or out for a stroll in a deluge.
Everything we recommend
Our pick
Budget pick
Also great
Why you should trust us
Not only do I hold a bachelor's degree in both music performance and audio production from Ithaca College, but I also have tested more than a thousand pairs of headphones while working for Wirecutter.
In addition to reviewing gear for AV magazines, I've been in and out of top recording studios for more than a decade: first as a radio producer and on-air talent, then as a professional voice actor. My articles have been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, the Los Angeles Times, and Time, and on Good Morning America, the BBC World Service, and NBC Nightly News.
Then there's our panel of experts, including Wirecutter senior staff writer Brent Butterworth, an AV writer with decades of experience; John Higgins, a session musician, sound editor, and occasional Wirecutter writer who has a music master's degree from the University of Southern California (and happens to be my spouse); and Geoff Morrison, AV editor at large for Wirecutter, and writer for CNET, Forbes, and Sound & Vision, who has over a decade and a half of AV reviewing experience.
Who should get this
Bluetooth wireless headphones are for people who don't like to be tethered to their music devices and are willing to pay a little more for that freedom. They're also for people who own smartphones that lack headphone jacks and would rather not deal with special adapters to attach a wired pair of headphones. Bluetooth audio quality has come a long way, but you should still expect to pay more for wireless headphones that sound comparable to the best wired headphones.
This guide focuses on over-ear and on-ear headphones, which are obviously larger and heavier than earbuds but are also the preferred type for anyone who doesn't like the feel of wearing in-ear headphones. If you're looking for our take on Bluetooth earbuds, see "For those who prefer wireless earbuds" below. Bear in mind that with wireless earbuds, the battery won't last as long, and you'll likely pay more to get similar or slightly inferior performance compared with that of the top wireless headphones in this guide.
Also, if you're looking for a pair of over-ear headphones to use while working, and your tasks include a lot of video chatting, phone calls, or work with dictation software, you may want to consider an office headset with a boom mic. You can find wireless options, even a few that sound pretty good while playing music. Check out our office headset guide to learn more.
Although some of the headphones in this category offer active noise cancelling, their sound quality, comfort, and ease of use were our top priorities in evaluating them for this guide. As of now, no single model offers both the best sound and the best active noise cancelling, although some come close. Unfortunately, that means you need to compromise a little in one of those areas. If noise cancellation is your top priority, check out our noise-cancelling headphones guide instead.
For those who prefer wireless earbuds
This guide focuses specifically on over- and on-ear Bluetooth headphones, but if you prefer earbuds, we've got separate guides for those, too. Here's a quick rundown of our top earbud picks and where you can read more.
How we picked
Our quest to find the top Bluetooth headphones always starts with research. First, we research more than 100 companies to see what they've released since our last update. To date, we've seriously considered more than 200 headphone models just for this guide. To help us narrow down the field a bit (even we can't test everything), we read reviews by professionals (on sites like CNET and InnerFidelity) as well as by customers (on retailer sites such as Amazon and Crutchfield). We take note of what people like and don't like as we look for models that meet what we think are the most important criteria for good wireless headphones:
- Fantastic sound quality and a comfortable fit: These are, of course, our top two priorities. If something hurts to wear, you won't use it, and poor fit often affects sound quality. And nobody should have to pay for subpar sound quality. During our research, we eliminate any headphones with several poor professional reviews or consistently low owner reviews.
- Easy-to-use-and-understand controls: Batting desperately at your headphones when you are trying to pause a track or answer a call is frustrating. We dismiss any headphones that are confusing to use or too easy to trigger accidentally.
- Solid Bluetooth connection strength: Repeated complaints of music cutting out or calls being dropped prompt a dismissal.
- Good voice-call quality: This is very important if you expect to use the headphones all day.
- A minimum eight to 10 hours of battery life, plus the ability to work when they're charging or connected via a cord: The top Bluetooth headphones should last a full workday at minimum, and you should still be able to use them while they're charging or connected with a cord. Otherwise, if your battery dies in the middle of something important, you could be out of luck.
- Legitimate customer support: This is the kind of thing that doesn't seem to matter until you need it. We dismiss any headphones not backed by companies that we can actually contact and receive a reply from, as well as those from companies that have a large backlog of complaints. A lifetime warranty means nothing if there's no one you can call or email for help.
Readers often ask if we demand the inclusion of specific Bluetooth formats, or codecs, in our headphone picks. We do not, and Brent Butterworth explains why in this article. The gist? The differences in sound quality between Bluetooth codecs are subtle at best, and they don't matter as much as the quality of the headphones themselves. If you wonder whether or not you can hear those differences, Brent made a blind test that you can take yourself, comparing the sound quality of MP3, WAV, MP3 through SBC, and WAV through aptX and aptX HD. We recommend that you give the test a try before you make a decision to see whether it's necessary to get a codec like aptX HD in your headphones. Generally speaking, most of us who took the test found that the biggest difference depended on the quality of the original file, not on the software that compressed it. But aptX HD does provide a moderate benefit.
How we tested
When selecting the top wireless headphones, our expert panelists consider the sound quality, fit, ease of use, and comfort of each pair we receive. Those pairs that perform well qualify for further testing by me. This includes testing the microphones over phone calls, with background noise and wind noise. I check the Bluetooth signal strength by wandering a good distance away from my phone, putting it in a pocket or bag, walking outside, and going several rooms away. I tinker with the included apps and any bonus features (like location services, voice activation, dual-device connection, and control customization). If applicable, I mist the headphones with water to see how moisture might impact the touch controls. I try each pair on with glasses, too. And if the headphones have active noise cancellation that sounds subjectively effective, I pass them on to Brent for measurement.
Finally, I test battery life by playing music loud enough to drown out an air conditioner (for most, this is around 60% maximum volume) and timing how long it takes for the battery to die.
If a pair of headphones is stellar enough to be considered as a pick, I spend around a week using that pair in an effort to suss out long-term listening comfort, as well as any potential flaws that we may have missed in the initial testing.
Our pick: Jabra Elite 85h
Our pick
There is an elegant simplicity to the design of the Jabra Elite 85h over-ear headphones, which may not sound like a big deal—unless you're familiar with the myriad small annoyances present in most of the competition. Whereas other Bluetooth headphones can have confusing and fiddly buttons that often cause you to trigger the wrong task, the Elite 85h set has straightforward controls and a painless pairing process across all device platforms. These headphones work with the Amazon, Apple, and Google digital assistants, too. The sound quality is great for both music and phone calls, the headphones fit comfortably, and the set features a 36-hour battery life. Plus, you get passable noise cancellation and a two-year warranty against rain damage. Overall, the Jabra Elite 85h headphones embody ease of use, and they're just plain enjoyable to pick up and wear. And their reasonable price means you won't be afraid to use them every day.
After testing more than 200 Bluetooth headphones over the past four years, we've paired a lot of headphones with a lot of devices—so for us to say we were impressed by how quickly and easily the Elite 85h paired and connected with all of our devices is a big deal. As soon as you unfold the headphones, they power on. If they aren't yet tethered to a device via Bluetooth, they automatically go into pairing mode—no need for you to press any buttons. If previously paired devices are nearby, the 85h connects simultaneously to the two most recently used. This dual connection is especially helpful if, for example, you are switching between listening to music on a computer and taking calls on a phone; you don't need to go into your Bluetooth settings to swap the connection manually. To power the headphones down, just fold them up again. The simplicity of all this is wonderful.
The Elite 85h headphones feel well built, with fabric accents and soft memory-foam padding. They just feel less plasticky than many similarly priced competitors. And if you get caught in the rain, no biggie, because they're backed by an uncommon two-year warranty against water and dust damage. So feel free to savor that emo moment of walking in a drizzle while listening to the Cure, without worrying about ruining your headphones. (Just us?)
The physical controls are uncomplicated and easy to use without having to look at them—you don't have too many buttons to learn, plus they're large and distinct-feeling. Unlike touch controls, which can suffer from interference due to rain or sweat or can accidentally trigger when you're adjusting the fit, the Elite 85h's physical controls are water-resistant, and you can brush them with your hand without inadvertently messing with your music.
The headphones are lightweight and comfortable to wear for long periods of time. If you wear glasses, you may find that the foam in the earpads doesn't completely seal around the arms of your specs, so isolation and noise cancellation may be mildly compromised. However, we thought the foam was soft enough that wearing glasses in conjunction with the Elite 85h for several hours wasn't especially uncomfortable.
The battery life is long, lasting 36 hours on a full charge with ANC activated (41 without). If you run out of juice, the Elite 85h features a quick-charge function, which means you get five hours of listening time from a 15-minute charge. The headphones also detect when you take them off and put them back on, automatically pausing and resuming your music, which helps conserve battery life. Plus, they function while charging, although the included 12-inch cable is a little short for this to be practical. You can also use the pair in wired mode.
Although the Elite 85h sounds great right out of the box, you can use the free Jabra Sound+ app to alter the EQ to your personal preference. Overall, the 85h sounded terrific, with nice clarity on consonants that didn't hiss or pierce in a fatiguing way, a lower frequency range that wasn't blurry or muffling on male vocals or bass guitar, and a more three-dimensional depth of field. The sound quality remained consistent whether we were listening over Bluetooth or corded, with ANC on or off.
These are also among the best Bluetooth headphones for making calls. They sound very clear, and the multiple microphones help reduce background noise for your callers. They also feed you some of the sound of your own voice when you're on a call, similar to how phone handsets work, so you don't feel the instinctual need to speak louder for your conversation partner to hear you. When watching video, we found the latency to be so small as to be imperceptible.
If you want to have an in-person conversation or need situational awareness so you're not completely shut off from the world, the Elite 85h's hear-through feature uses the internal microphones to feed the sound of your surroundings into the headphones, similar to the function on the Jabra Elite 75t or on our active-noise-cancellation pick, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. Jabra does a nice job of balancing the sound of the world with your music, in a way that's helpful and not overly harsh or artificial. You can toggle this (as well as the ANC) on and off with a dedicated button on the left earcup, or through the Jabra app.
The active noise cancellation is mild, dimming low-frequency noises but not completely eliminating them. However, if you find intense ANC to be uncomfortable (we call this phenomenon "eardrum suck"), you could see this relatively mild noise cancellation as a good thing. Our sensitive panelists didn't experience the telltale pressure and eventual headache that they got from more aggressive over-ear headphones, such as the Bose QuietComfort 35 Series II.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
As mentioned earlier, the active noise cancellation on the Jabra Elite 85h does reduce some lower frequencies a tad, but it isn't nearly as effective as what you get from the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. This fact kept the Elite 85h from being our noise-cancelling pick. But not everyone prioritizes active noise cancellation (or even enjoys it), and we liked every other aspect of the Elite 85h so much that we were able to let this flaw slide.
The Jabra Sound+ app includes a few bonus features that seem nice but don't really deliver. The Smart Active ANC turns ANC or situational awareness on based on your surroundings. We gave it a trial run, but we found it less than useful and ended up turning the feature off. Find My Jabra is designed to help you locate misplaced headphones, but the tracking applies only to where the headphones were last powered on in proximity to the device with the app. If you turn the headphones off and move them, for example, the map doesn't update. Plus, the mapping isn't room-by-room specific. So you'll know your missing cans were last turned on somewhere in the building, but not specifically where or even if they're still around.
As with most wireless headphones we tested in this category, with the Elite 85h the included cord doesn't have a remote or mic. However, Jabra's active noise cancelling will work while you're listening via a cord, as will the headphones' volume controls, albeit independently of the device (as a result, you'll probably prefer to turn your device's volume up all the way and then make volume changes through the headphones).
Best budget wireless headphones around $100: Jabra Elite 45h
Budget pick
The Jabra Elite 45h headphones pack incredible performance into an affordable package. This on-ear pair sounds fantastic, is lightweight and comfortable to wear for hours, and has controls that are easy to learn and use. The microphones deliver stellar clarity for phone calls and video chats, and you get over 50 hours of listening time per full charge. One of our expert panelists remarked that the 45h's audio quality rivaled that of $250 pairs he'd tried, and I agree. To get better sound quality, you'd need to pay at least $100 more. Some people may prefer the feel of larger over-ear headphones, but for folks who wear glasses, the 45h's on-ear design may fit more comfortably. Though this set lacks active noise cancellation and the ability to connect via a cord when the battery runs out, the Elite 45h is a wonderful choice for anyone who doesn't need those features.
When it comes to technology, you often get what you pay for—but the Jabra 45h pair is one of the rare exceptions to this rule. The sound quality is far better than with many headphones that cost much more, especially if you take the time to customize the EQ settings in the Jabra app. Every genre of music is well served, with a nice sense of depth and dimension to the soundstage. Out of the box, the bass and upper highs are more pronounced than we'd like, but this can be remedied in the app. There is a slight muddiness in the lower mids that you can't quite abate by fussing with the EQ levels. But these are quibbles that we'd be comfortable ignoring in headphones in the $250 price range. For headphones under $100, the audio is pretty dang impressive.
All of our panelists found the Elite 45h to be comfortable. The earpads have a pillowy, memory-foam-like quality, and the padded headband is smoothly designed in a way that won't snag hair or chafe bald heads. This pair's on-ear design may be more comfortable for glasses-wearers than the over-ear Elite 85h. The swivel earcups, mild clamping force of the headband, and pliable padding don't put too much pressure on the ears, and the earcups will stay clear of the glasses arms.
The Elite 45h headphones don't block out as much noise as our other picks, and they lack active noise cancellation, so these aren't the headphones you want to choose for long flights. That said, I wrote this entire review wearing the 45h headphones while a 5-year-old boy played in the same room, and neither PBS programming nor epic space battles interfered enough to distract me, as long as music was playing.
For those who take a lot of calls or video meetings, the microphones on the 45h headphones reduce background and wind noise effectively, so you'll be heard loud and clear. We tested our pair outdoors and indoors, both in quiet rooms and with a Vornado fan pointed at our faces. Our call recipients were pleased with how our voices sounded, and we weren't forced to repeat ourselves to be understood. There is a bit more compression to the sound of your voice when the wind reduction kicks in, but it's a small price to pay for not sounding like a weatherman in a hurricane every time you walk and talk.
The Elite 45h's controls are physical buttons that are both simple to learn and easy to use by feel. They don't click loudly, and they aren't inadvertently triggered when you brush against the earcups, as with some of the competition. The voice-assistant button can be customized to trigger Siri, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa. We also appreciate a dedicated power button that makes it clear when you've powered down.
The 45h can be connected to two devices at once, so folks who frequently switch between devices will be able to do so relatively seamlessly. However, you may encounter a few handshake issues if one of the devices is a laptop. For instance, if you are listening to music on your phone and you pull up a website that has an auto-play video (the worst), the sound will switch to the laptop and stay there until you close the page—even if you pause the video. This is a small issue, and we didn't encounter it enough to consider it a huge problem. But if you find that your favorite audio playlist is cutting out too frequently, try disconnecting from the device you aren't using. The 45h headphones will stay paired; you just need to reconnect them in the Bluetooth settings when you're ready. This issue is not exclusive to the 45h, either. Many devices that have the dual-connect feature can run into this problem.
Jabra claims that the battery life of the Elite 45h is 50 hours of listening time per full charge. In our test, we ended up getting a little over 60 hours of listening time. In other words, we hit play on Thursday morning and didn't lose power until Saturday night. So even if you play music and podcasts for eight hours a day, you may need to charge only about once a week. It is worth noting that phone calls and volume levels can impact battery life, so your experience may vary slightly. If you do run out of juice, the 45h headphones have a quick-charge feature that will provide 10 hours of listening time after 15 minutes plugged in. A full charge takes about an hour and a half, and the 45h will continue to function while plugged in.
As mentioned above, the Elite 45h pair lacks an analog cable, which is a bummer for folks who don't have Bluetooth connectivity on some devices, like a desktop computer. However, the prevalence of wireless-only devices combined with the 45h's long battery life and quick charging make this a flaw we can overlook.
Jabra has continually exhibited solid customer service and build quality, which it backs up with a two-year warranty against reasonable dust and water damage. However, this pair isn't IP-rated or designed for gym use. So though we believe the 45h will survive a dash from the car to shelter in a drizzle, we wouldn't recommend this pair for hard-core workouts or water-based activities. If you really want to dump a bucket of cold water over your head after a long run on a hot day, we suggest you look to our workout headphones guide instead.
Jabra's app includes a "My Sound" setting that adjusts the EQ based on a brief hearing test, which may be tempting for those who are struggling with some mild hearing loss. Our panel of testers found that the audio wasn't altered much by activating "My Sound" (which makes sense, since we all have undamaged hearing), but notably we preferred the balance of our own custom settings over those provided by "My Sound." Additionally, we have reservations when it comes to recommending informal hearing tests that purport to address hearing issues, so we advise that you exercise care when making listening decisions. When in doubt, ask your audiologist.
Best wireless headphones for the office: Sony WH-1000XM4
Also great
We love the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones for their comfortable fit, solid noise reduction, clear microphone sound quality, and handy add-ons, such as the voice-activated awareness mode. This over-ear pair has nifty bells and whistles that office workers and audio fans will both appreciate, but the XM4 comes at a higher cost than our other picks. In order to experience everything the XM4 has to offer, you'll need to do some serious initial fussing in the app. But you'll be rewarded with some of the best-sounding and technologically advanced Bluetooth headphones available.
Like its predecessor, the WH-1000XM3, the XM4 pair has a comfortable, lightweight build quality, with soft memory foam on the earpads and headband. There are touch controls on the right earcup and two physical buttons on the left earcup. Though we generally prefer physical-only controls, like those on the Jabra 85h (physical buttons are less susceptible to accidental triggering), we didn't find the Sony controls to be overly sensitive to inadvertent bumps, humidity, or cold. The physical multifunction button on the left earcup can be customized to either toggle noise-cancellation modes or activate Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
The XM3 had temperature-related issues that caused the touch controls to malfunction, but Sony says it has rectified this problem in the XM4. We assessed this by putting our test pair in the freezer for a few minutes, with no ill effects. (Please, do not do this with yours!) We received our pair in the middle of the summer, so this is something we'll keep an eye on long-term.
The XM4 headphones are highly effective at reducing sounds around you—especially in the human-speech/crying-baby range—which can be very helpful in cafes and open office plans, or when you're working from home. You'll also hear a dip in low-frequency hums, like plane noise and air conditioners, but this pair isn't as effective in this range as our picks for best noise-cancelling headphones. Plus, the ANC isn't adjustable, so if you are prone to eardrum suck, you may find the XM4's noise cancellation to be uncomfortable.
Out of the box, the Sony WH-1000XM4 wasn't our favorite-sounding pair of headphones. The bass and lower-mid frequencies are given too much presence, and the high frequencies seem recessed. The sound has a clouded quality—like looking through a piece of gauzy cloth at a photograph. You can tell there are details missing. Luckily, the EQ controls in the app provide a good degree of adjustment, and with a bit of fussing—bringing down the low lows and high highs, and boosting the lower high frequencies slightly—we were able to get the sound pretty close to the Harman curve. It was as if the shroud had been lifted. Suddenly, the XM4 became among the best-sounding Bluetooth headphones available, rendering clear, delicate, and detailed highs, as well as deep bass notes with pitch rather than just punch. The sound has a nice sense of space, too. We just wish it didn't take so much effort to get there. Tech enthusiasts and audiophiles may enjoy tweaking the sound, but this could be a dealbreaker for folks who just want something that's great right off the bat, especially when the price tag is $350.
Sony claims the battery life of the XM4 is 30 hours max with the ANC on and up to 38 hours with the ANC off. However, in our testing, we set the volume at 60% maximum, turned on the ANC, and were able to eke out only 26 hours of playtime (24 hours when we took brief calls). That's still sufficient, especially when the quick-charge feature gets you three to five hours of use from a 10-minute charge. Of course, your results could vary depending on volume level, call duration, and whether you leave the noise cancellation on all day. The headphones will warn you when battery power is low, and you can check the percent by tapping the power button. But be aware that the percent is measured in increments of 10, so 10% battery life can mean anywhere from a 1% to 10% charge remaining. In other words, when you're given the warning, plug your headphones in. The XM4 set also comes with an analog cable for corded listening, but it has no remote and mic.
The Sony Headphones app has a lot of customizable options, allowing you to turn on, off, or modify almost every feature offered. For example, the amount of situational awareness can be shifted on a sliding scale and programmed to switch to a certain level based on your location. So if you want to be able to hear your surroundings at home but have full noise cancellation at the office, the app can use your phone's location services to switch to your preferred setting automatically. But if you find that feature unnecessary, you can turn it off. It might sound silly to praise an app for the ability to turn off features that are useless to you, but you'd be surprised at how many headphone apps don't allow for that.
One feature we did find tremendously helpful was the voice-activated awareness mode. The XM4 can detect when you are speaking, pause your music, and turn on the external microphones so that you can hear your conversation partner clearly. When you stop talking, the awareness mode turns off, and your music resumes. You can adjust the amount of time before the switch—ranging from 15 seconds to a full minute—or you can choose manual shutoff. Whether you need to order a coffee, answer a co-worker's query, or help a child decide on an appropriate snack before dinner, this feature quickly becomes indispensable.
We'd put these right up there with the Jabra 85h as being among the best Bluetooth headphones for making calls. The microphones on the XM4 do a great job of picking up your speech and reducing background noise, so whether you're in a video meeting at work or on a phone call during a walk outside, you'll be heard clearly. While testing the microphone in front of a fan, we noticed that the XM4 seems to use the internal sensors to know when you are speaking, so the microphones shut off when you stop talking. This means that our callers weren't subjected to the constant sound of air blowing in their ears. When we were speaking, our callers could tell there was wind, but they were able to easily understand what we were saying. The reduction software somewhat compresses your vocal tone, but not so much that it becomes distracting.
The XM4 has a few other music-related features: 360 Reality Audio and DSEE Extreme. (Neither is unique to the XM4: Most newer Sony headphones are compatible with these proprietary features.) 360 Reality Audio is supposed to simulate a more 3D, immersive audio experience. But to access compatible media, you'll need to subscribe to one of a handful of premium audio streaming services (Tidal, Nuggs.net, or Deezer) at the highest subscription level, and there aren't a ton of compatible recordings at the moment. We tried it out, and the sound was minimally altered in a perceptible way, but the effect wasn't sufficiently improved that we felt the need to commit to $20 to $30 a month. As for DSEE Extreme, Sony says it upconverts audio files on the fly, filling in the gaps where compression has clipped the detail out of recordings. The thing is, unless you have a large collection of old MP3s, you likely won't hear that much of a difference. Popping on the DSEE won't hurt, but it won't do a lot to improve things, either.
Security and privacy
At Wirecutter we take security and privacy issues seriously, and we investigate, as much as possible, how the companies we recommend deal with customer data. Because a growing number of Bluetooth wireless headphones require the use of an app for setup and (sometimes) daily operation, we reached out to the companies that produce our top picks and asked them to provide information that we thought was of primary concern for any potential buyer. Here are the results.
How our picks compare
What user data does the app collect?
- Jabra:
- Information you provide to create an (optional) public account: such as name, email, or postal code
- Device information: such as mobile device ID (including brand and operating system), IP address, Bluetooth MAC address
- Log information: Anonymized data is collected that tracks apps usage, such as tracking where someone taps in the app and how long the headphones are connected (currently shared with Flurry analytics).
- Location (optional): may include information from nearby Wi-Fi access points or cell towers
- Sony:
- Information you provide to create an (optional) account: such as name, email, postal code, or information shared via logging in with a social network, survey answers
- Device information: such as mobile device ID (including brand and operating system), IP address, Bluetooth MAC address, advertising ID
- Log information: Anonymized data is collected that tracks apps usage, such as tracking where someone taps in the app and how long the headphones are connected.
- Location (optional): Sony tells us "this information or setting is not collected or shared with Sony group companies."
What permissions does the app ask for?
- Jabra: Bluetooth, push notifications, location, warranty registration
- Sony: Bluetooth, push notifications, location, account creation (to back up settings)
Are you required to create an account?
- Jabra: No. If you wish to register the headphones, you can do so via the website without tying the information to your device.
- Sony: Yes, if you want to save your settings. You also must agree to a privacy policy and disclose your location to use the app.
Can the headphones be used without the app, and what do you lose by doing so?
- Jabra: Yes. You lose EQ adjustment, button customization, hear-through level adjustment, Find my Jabra (lost earbud locator), and access to white noise soundscapes.
- Sony: Yes. You lose EQ adjustment, button customization, hear-through level/activation adjustment, one-touch Alexa compatibility, location-based sound automatic ANC and sound adjustment.
Is data collected in the app shared with third parties for marketing purposes?
- Jabra: No data is shared for marketing purposes.
- Sony: Data can be shared for internal and third-party network advertisers, but Sony does not share data with third parties for direct marketing.
Are you able to opt out of sharing some or all of your data, and if so, how?
- Jabra: No data is shared in any way.
- Sony: You can opt out of some of the targeted ads, but not the data collection itself.
Other good over- and on-ear Bluetooth headphones
Apple AirPods Max: You can read our full writeup on Apple's new over-ear headphones in our Noise-Cancelling Headphones guide. The condensed version is that these are very good wireless headphones that sound and look great, pair easily with Apple devices, and offer the best noise cancellation we've ever measured in the airplane band of frequencies. They would be tough competition for the Bose NC700 (see below) if they were lighter and less expensive, and if the active noise cancellation was more adjustable to account for eardrum suck. Likewise, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are lighter and cheaper, have a longer battery life, and block more noise in the human vocal range if that's the type of noise isolation you desire.
Soundcore Life Q20: These headphones, our budget pick in our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones, may lack the bells and whistles of some more expensive headphones, but they deliver in the important areas. The noise cancellation is effective, the sound quality is pretty decent (though a bit bass-heavy), and the lightweight chassis and soft foam earcups are very comfortable. The 30-hour battery life is respectable. You can use them in wired mode, and the controls are easy to operate. Although the Life Q20 headphones don't come with EQ manipulation, adjustable ANC, touch controls, or always-listening voice activation, this pair does deliver on the ANC-headphone essentials, and it offers a shocking amount of quality for well under $100. However, if you don't need noise cancellation, the Jabra Elite 45h feels more substantially built and has a much clearer and more-balanced sound.
Beats Solo Pro: These headphones are worth considering if you're an Apple fan who wears glasses and needs active noise cancellation. Because of its on-ear design, the Solo Pro pair doesn't rest on the arms of your spectacles and pinch your noggin. The fit is very comfortable, and thanks to the inclusion of Apple's H1 chip, the user experience is very intuitive, especially for Apple users already familiar with the AirPods's pairing process. Unfold the headphones to power them on, and a Solo Pro pop-up appears on your iPhone. The Solo Pro's transparency mode is helpful for situational awareness when you need to have a conversation, and it isn't brash or tinny-sounding, like many other pass-through audio interfaces we've tested. Although these headphones aren't as good at noise cancelling as the Bose 700, the Solo Pro's adaptive ANC does a respectable job of reducing the important airplane hum sounds, so you can enjoy your music at lower volumes. The sound quality is pretty great, though there is extra bass intensity that's a little less refined than we prefer.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700: These over-ear headphones are our favorite noise-cancelling headphones. They're lightweight, equipped with a long battery life and easy-to-use controls, and compatible with the Google, Apple, and Amazon Alexa voice assistants. However, if you are prone to what we call "eardrum suck," the highest ANC setting will absolutely affect you. Thankfully, the 700 pair has a dial that allows you to select a lower level of noise cancellation; our panelists, who are prone to the eardrum suck sensation, found that the 5 setting was where they were able to listen at length comfortably. But at that point, the ANC had about the same efficacy as that of other, less-expensive headphones.
House of Marley Positive Vibration XL ANC: Should eco-friendly practices be important to you, House of Marley has a more environmentally-minded approach than many other electronics companies. The Positive Vibration XL ANC is a really lovely pair of Bluetooth headphones, so long as you don't use the active noise cancellation. The fit is comfortable, with a soft, padded headband and ear cups. Unlike most new Bluetoooth headphones, this pair includes a cable with a single-button remote and microphone; so, if the battery dies, the XL ANC is still functional and can take calls. However, the noise cancellation, while effective on very low frequencies, isn't supported by good sound isolation, so folks who are affected by eardrum suck may find using the ANC uncomfortable. With ANC off, the sound is fantastic—balanced and clear. And yet, the ANC negatively impacts the sound response, and bass notes sound louder yet duller at the same time, as though someone turned up a subwoofer and tossed a blanket over it.
JBL Live 650BTNC: This pair falls through the cracks of our picks lineup for several reasons—its active noise cancellation isn't as effective as that of the Sony WH-1000XM4, it doesn't sound as good as the Jabra Elite 85h, and it isn't as inexpensive as the Jabra 45h. But if you want something that fits in between those headphones in performance and price, this set fits the bill. In our tests, the sound was pleasant (balanced but lacking the clarity and low-end definition of pricier models), the ANC was passable, and the fit was comfortable. Plus, the included cable has a remote and mic, which is rare. These headphones are highly recommendable, especially for the price.
UA Project Rock Over-Ear Training Headphones: This over-ear pair isn't our favorite for working out, but if you want breathable headphones that can handle some sweat or rain, the UA Project Rock pleasantly surprised our test panel. They don't sound neutral, but we enjoyed the exciting oomph of the extra bass, as well as the added high-frequency detail that ensures vocals and strings don't get lost. The earpads are breathable and washable, which we really like, especially for folks who naturally run hot. But because of this, the headphones don't fully isolate you from your surroundings. (Whether that's good or bad is a matter of personal opinion.) The noise cancellation does help reduce some lower-pitched sounds, but the lack of noise isolation limits the effectiveness of the ANC—so we wouldn't advise buying the UA Project Rock for that feature alone. For conversations, or if you prefer full awareness of your surroundings, the headphones have a transparency mode that sounds clear and decently natural. The controls are easy to use with a little practice. A dedicated button can be assigned to activate Google, Alexa, or non-native digital assistants. Much like this pair's namesake, The Rock, the build feels solidly substantial. Yet the physical design balances the weight of the earcups properly, so this pair is very comfortable to wear. Titan Games hopefuls, beware: The water/dust rating is IPX4, which doesn't cover heavy dust or excessive water, so you'll want to avoid truly punishing or water-based activities.
Marshall Major IV: This on-ear pair features the signature Marshall sound, which is generally described as "warmer"—there's a bit of a gentle-but-broad bass boost with highs that aren't over-emphasized. A small high-frequency bump gives some detail to consonants and avoids muddy male vocals, but overall the sound is smooth and pleasant. The padding is soft and comfortable, but the headband is snug, which means this pair will stay in place, but those with very large heads or folks with full hair might not be able to wear these for as long. A single multi-function knob handles tracks, volume, and calls and is very easy to use and find without looking. The input-output port means that you can listen to this pair with the included cable or string another pair of headphones to the Major IV to allow for the sharing of a single audio device. Though chargeable by cable, this is the first pair of headphones that we've tested that have Qi wireless charging. It's a little awkward to get the ear cup to lay correctly on a charge pad without support, but it does work—so folks who hate finding a cable may enjoy that as a bonus feature. However you choose to charge, the 80-hour battery life means you won't be doing it frequently.
Insignia NS-HAWHP2: If you're looking for wireless headphones for watching TV, we recommend this easy-to-use system. The NS-HAWHP2 uses radio frequency (RF) transmission rather than Bluetooth. We prefer RF because it's less prone to significant latency that causes TV sound and video to reach you out of sync. The NS-HAWHP2 sound good, and the headphones themselves fit comfortably and are lightweight–which is important if you're embarking on a binge-watching session. If you want to see how they compare to other headphones for watching TV, and why we recommend them over other options, pop over to our Wireless TV Headphones Guide.
The competition
For this guide, we've tested more than 250 pairs of headphones, which is a lot to digest, so we're sharing our thoughts on only the most notable competitors here. However, if there is a specific model you're curious about, reach out to our team via Twitter (@wirecutter) or email (notes@wirecutter.com), and we'll be happy to help. If you're looking specifically for over-ear headphones with active noise cancelling, check out our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones for more options.
Here are the pairs we tested for our most recent update in fall 2021:
Audio Technica ATH-S220BT: These have a lot going for them: a 60-hour battery life, dual-device connectivity, and rapid charging capabilities. However, the microphone quality isn't as stellar as we've heard with other headphones, and the tight clamping force means folks with larger heads might feel the squeeze when this pair is worn for a long time.
Bose QuietComfort 45: These wireless, over-ear, noise-cancelling headphones are the update to Bose's popular QuietComfort 35 Series II, and they sound essentially the same. The QC45 offers an awareness mode, background-noise-reducing microphones, 24 hours of battery life, and quick-charge abilities. If you happen to have a Bose soundbar, the QC45 headphones are compatible with SimpleSync, which allows you to pair to your Bose soundbar and use the QC45 as a pair of wireless TV headphones. The noise cancellation measures nearly identically to the more feature-rich Bose 700, as well as the QC35 Series II—which is to say it's excellent, but if noise cancellation matters most to you, we think you should spend a little more to get the adjustable ANC on the Bose 700. Otherwise, the Jabra Elite 85h costs less, offers adjustable audio EQ, adds water and dust resistance, and still provides decent noise cancellation.
Philips Fidelio L3 Over-Ear ANC Headphones: These headphones run on the larger side, so folks with smaller heads may have a tough time getting the earcups to sit on their head without gapping. The sound quality is quite good for music, but the ANC is middle-of-the-road, the hear-through mode is overly sibilant and not ideal for longer conversations, and the touch controls are prone to misfires.
Philips H9505 Over-Ear ANC: This pair sounds dull out of the box. The EQ presets in the app can help to add clarity to the vocal range, but no matter what we did, the bass notes lacked definition, much like a paint thinned by too much water. The noise cancellation is quite effective if you are facing the cause of the sound (for example, an air conditioner) but less so if the noise is coming from the sides. The hear-through mode is helpful for short-term use, but sounds like you're listening to the world through a paper-towel tube.
Sony WH-XB910N: The XB stands for "extra bass", and wow does this pair have that. Imagine if you lived in a small studio apartment and you put a subwoofer next to your couch, then turned it up loudly enough that your neighbors could hear the thumping. The Sony app is able to adjust the balance, but it's not nimble enough, which leaves you with the choice of too much or too little low-note emphasis. The noise cancellation is above average, and the hear-through mode is quite good. But seriously, only consider these if you like a ton of bass.
Soundcore Life Q20+: These are almost exactly the same as the Q20, with the added convenience of app-based adjustable audio EQ and hear-through capabilities for a bit more cash. If those add-ons appeal to you, these are just as good as the original.
Urbanista Los Angeles: This is the first pair of solar-powered headphones that we've tested. We were extremely excited about the idea of potentially infinite battery life, and hoped that we would love the experience of using these. Unfortunately, this pair has such tight headband clamping force, in combination with shallow earcups, that wearing it is deeply uncomfortable after only a short time, even for folks with small heads. We were so disappointed, but are encouraged by the technology. We hope to see more (comfortable) solar-powered pairs moving forward.
Yamaha YH-L700A: This pair was a disappointment. The noise cancellation noticeably reduces very low frequencies, but overall is less than superlative. The L700A's sound quality is made of dull, thudding lows with an overemphasized spike in the highs that makes stringed instruments sound like they were recorded improperly. The 3D audio setting only makes matters worse by making everything sound like it was recorded in a reverb-heavy metal box. And the large headband and earcups means that folks with small hat sizes won't even be able to get the earcups to center over their ears.
We tested these Bluetooth headphones for previous updates:
AKG K-361BT: This pair is designed to be a hybrid studio- and portable-use set, but the touch controls can accidentally be triggered when you adjust the earcups, and the sound quality isn't up to the level our panel would want to use when recording or editing. Though the drivers aren't bad, the tuning is a bit off. There is a jagged-sounding frequency response to the mids and highs, with peaks and dips that overemphasized recording flaws and made male vocals sound somewhat recessed.
AKG K371-BT: The wired version of this pair has gained favor among the audiophile set, because it measures very closely to the Harman curve, which many regard as the standard for headphones that are perceptually neutral. In other words, they are great for monitoring recordings. So we were very excited at the prospect of a wireless version. Unfortunately, the K371-BT does not sound the same as the original version, the K371. Both corded and wireless, this pair has noticeably less bass response, which leaves the K371-BT feeling like it's lacking a foundation. Additionally, the touch controls are finicky (we often adjusted volume when trying to play/pause), and the microphone is very quiet, so you'll need to speak a little louder on phone calls than you might with headphones that have a more sensitive mic. For folks with smaller head sizes, the oblong-shaped earcups may make it difficult to get a seal. And the input on the BT version utilizes a 4-pin mini XLR connection, rather than the more standard 3-pin mini XLR plug on the original—which may make finding replacement cables more difficult.
Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay HX: Like all B&O headphones, these look fantastic—and it's the looks you're paying for with these $500 headphones. Although the sound profile is well-reviewed and adjustable, you can get equal performance from the less-expensive Sony WH-1000XM4. The same also applies to the noise cancellation, which performs well but is not superlative. If cost is no object and you like the looks of the HX, you'll likely be happy with this pair.
Beats Solo3: The W1 chip makes pairing with Apple devices a breeze, and the 40-hour battery life is impressive. The sound was very similar to that of the Solo2, which we also liked, offering nice highs and mids with a slight bass boost. But the Jabra Elite 45h sounds better, has a longer battery life, and costs less.
Beyerdynamic Lagoon ANC Traveller: These headphones have a lot of positive attributes. They look attractive, the noise cancellation is decent, and the sound is of the quality you might expect from Beyerdynamic. Unfortunately, the headband is too big for smaller head sizes, the set had a lack of vocal feedback during our test calls, and the sound, though admirable, came across as a bit bloated in the low end and lacking in high-end detail. Beyerdynamic offers a hearing-test-based EQ system that adjusts the sound for you, but we're reluctant to recommend hearing compensation outside of a doctor's advice. (Brent Butterworth, in a review for SoundStage Solo, agrees.) Overall, these are good headphones in a very competitive category, but they are edged out by more affordable or feature-packed models.
Cleer Enduro 100: The claimed 100 hours of battery life per charge is incredibly impressive. But the controls are tricky to operate by feel, and the sound quality is sadly marred by a blurry bass that makes male vocals sound far away.
Cleer Enduro ANC: This pair's 60-hour battery life is helpful for folks who greatly dislike remembering to charge their headphones. The sound quality is a little uneven (the default sound profile is hyped in the lows and highs), but listening to the Enduro ANC is nonetheless quite enjoyable. The app offers EQ adjustment, but the frequency ranges that are represented on the faders aren't dexterous enough and are a touch baffling (most people can't hear 20 kHz after infancy, so why is that one of the EQ options). The Enduro ANC isn't the absolute strongest at noise canceling—it's most effective at very low-frequency sounds, so airplane noise rumble is reduced, but you'll still hear the upper grinding sounds of the engine whir. But the fit is comfortable, the microphone is clear on calls, and the $150 price makes them a solid value.
Cleer Flow II: We have nothing overly negative to say about the Flow II. The noise cancellation is middle-of-the-road, but it's effective enough to reduce air-conditioner hum or airplane noise. We thought there wasn't enough bass, and the earcups could be a bit large for those with smaller heads. If you like a brighter sound profile and prefer less intense ANC, they're recommendable.
Cowin E7: The word that best describes these is fine. They don't have a lot of bass when the noise cancelling is off; when it's on, the bass is more boosted and smeared. The noise cancellation isn't very effective, either. The controls are unusual, but once you figure them out, they work acceptably well. There are definitely worse headphones out there for under $50, but if you want more than just "fine," you may find yourself wishing for an upgrade.
House of Marley Exodus: We love the sustainable design and the company ethics, but the sound quality? Not as much. Although the Exodus is comfortable to wear and has easy-to-use controls and a cool look, in our tests the bass was super-blurry and made male vocals sound as if they were coming from under a comforter.
House of Marley Positive Vibration XL: These are the best-sounding headphones that House of Marley has released in a long time. They have a solid and sustainable build quality, and though the sound is bass-heavy, it's not overpowering. The highs are a tad coarse when compared with the Jabra 45h. But since these headphones are under $100, that could be forgivable if you like the looks. One caveat: People with smaller noggins may want to look elsewhere, since the headband is on the longer side. I had to hold these headphones up about an inch to have them fit properly.
JBL Tour One: The adaptive noise cancelling feels a little like a work in progress here. There clearly are ANC adjustments occurring as the sounds around you change, but the effect can be off putting. For example, if there is an air conditioner on your left, the left earcup suddenly blocks more noise than the right, which feels similar to having a cold and one of your ears is clogged. Fortunately, this feature can be turned off, and the standard ANC performs consistently and usefully. The sound is pleasantly balanced and adjustable in the JBL app. Google and Alexa users will be happy that there is a dedicated button to call up their respective assistants, though this button doesn't serve Apple users; Siri devotees need to use the multi-functon button instead. The combination of touch and physical buttons works well enough, though the volume buttons are very close together and may take some practice to learn to find by touch alone. Overall the Tour One is flawed enough to keep it from being a pick, but it's still a good pair of headphones.
Marshall Mid ANC: This pair isn't half bad, with a comfortable, light design, easy-to-operate controls, and a fun, bass-forward sound. What's crazy is that these headphones fold up to be rather small, yet the clunky carrying case makes them far more unwieldy to pack than is necessary. The ANC is only okay but capable of reducing lower-frequency airplane noises. If you like the looks and the on-ear fit, this pair is a fine alternative to our picks.
Master & Dynamic MH40 Wireless: The MH40 Wireless headphones were recently re-tuned, which improved the sound by tightening up the low frequencies, reducing the bass bloat, and making an overall more balanced sound profile. Compared to more expensive headphones, this pair lacks a little sparkle in the highs and has less sense of space. But for the $250 price tag, those quibbles are easily overlooked. The design is still the same—it's stylish, but we wish the controls were more substantial and easier to use by feel. We also wish the headband and earcups were a bit more pliable and comfortable for all-day listening.
Master & Dynamic MW60: Beautiful but heavy, the MW60 is a luxury headphone model in looks and price. The sound was great but ever-so-slightly flawed: The boost on the lows extended slightly into the lower mids, so the sound had a subtly veiled quality that took some of the vitality out of live music. That's an exceptionally minor quibble, but at the original cost of $400, we insisted upon the best sound quality. Now this model seems to be headed toward discontinuation and can be found for $200 or less—at that price, it's a lovely pair of headphones.
Master & Dynamic MW65: If you don't mind paying a higher price, the MW65 is a decent choice. The problem is that the design is the only way in which these headphones are superlative. The ANC was middling, we found them a little heavy to wear, they didn't seal out external sounds too well, and the sound, though quite nice, was a bit unnaturally boosted in the lows and highs. If these headphones weren't $500, we could overlook all of those concerns, but at that price, we want something closer to perfection.
Phiaton 900 Legacy: Though the looks are sleek, the fit comfortable, and the active noise cancelling decently effective, there is a jagged quality to the sonic tuning in the high-frequency range that is baffling. The spikes add emphasis to any air hiss noise in recordings, and make cymbals and strings have a tinny sizzling quality that's harsh and off-putting. The volume controls cause large jumps in loudness; it takes about six swipes to go from silent to top volume, so any in-between adjustment must be done on your device. The microphone is clear for calls and seems to handle a light breeze well, but overall we were very disappointed in this pair's audio performance.
Pioneer DJ HDJ-Cue 1 Bluetooth: This pair feels very sturdy, with swivel ear cups that are useful in professional settings. The fashion-conscious performer may be attracted by the colorful optional replaceable ear cups and cable sets that allow you to customize the look of your gear. However, you will not want to use these for a long DJ set, as the clamping force is vice-like, even for smaller heads. The ear cup padding isn't to blame (it's soft); the headband arch is narrower than most. Additionally, the tuning is blaring in the male vocal range and jagged in the highs in a way that may make it easier to hear and cue up vocals in a noisy club, but it won't be appealing to most folks listening for enjoyment.
Raycon Everyday Headphones: This pair performs acceptably for the price but are unremarkable. The "balanced" sound profile is pleasant to listen to. (The other sound profiles are too bass- or treble-heavy to be useful for most listeners.) The active noise cancellation is middle of the road, but the passive noise isolation is minimal so you'll still hear a lot of higher-pitched noises (like voices) from your surroundings. The microphone has a digital distortion quality that isn't up to par with the competition.
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless: Also known casually as the Momentum 3, this pair is the next iteration of the Sennheiser Momentum/HD1 line. This latest version is an improvement but unfortunately not enough of a shift to maintain competitiveness with the increasing number of new options. The overall design remains the same, but with improved padding on the headband. The sound quality also hasn't changed: In our tests, it produced rolled-off high frequencies and bloated, heightened bass, and everything sounded two-dimensional and somewhat dull in comparison with the sound from other headphones in the $400 price range. The app has an EQ function, but the interface is so amorphous it's nearly useless. Although the ANC is decently effective, it's not as powerful or adjustable as on the Bose 700. The auto play/pause and on/off features are nice, and the microphones were very clear in our phone calls. But overall these headphones don't live up to their $400 price tag.
Sennheiser HD 350BT: Although this pair isn't exceptional enough to compete with our favorite wireless headphones, it's still a decent affordable set for someone who wants aptX low-latency. The bass is a little too forward for our taste, and the highs have an icy tinge to them that can make consonants pierce in an unnatural way. The controls are on the smaller side and might take a bit of practice to use by feel. However, the soft earpads, lightweight build, and moderate clamping force should fit most folks comfortably—with the exception of those with ears that stick out. For those folks, the shallow earcups can leave their cartilage feeling smashed after about 30 minutes of listening.
Skullcandy Crusher Evo: This pair is very comfortable to wear. The earcups are made of super-soft foam and supple protein leather. Once you learn the controls, they are easy to adjust without looking. Without the haptic boost on, the bass is a little undefined in attack and decay, and the highs are spiked a bit too much—possibly to try and retain detail under the threat of impending bass. Not perfect, but not half bad. But oh man, if you even boost the haptics a little, the bass becomes ridiculous—like boomy, blurry "after-market subwoofer badly installed in a car" bass. With the bass fully turned up, piano key strikes resonate so much they sound like someone is thumping the side of the piano body, and hip-hop tickles your face as the headphones buzz with every beat. We're sure that's someone's jam, but it's not ours.
Soul Emotion Max: While we like that Soul included two pairs of replaceable ear cups (one mesh, one pleather) for workouts, this pair is a miss in the ANC department. It has very little isolation, so the noise cancellation isn't as effective as it might have been in a different design. The sound is dull, and the microphone has a staticky quality that's noticeable over phone calls.
Status Audio BT One: We thought these headphones, with their lightweight but plasticky build, would break easily. The controls are a little on the small side. Sound-wise, the bass is too loud, and the highs are unevenly boosted with a sizzly edge that turns the word try into tchry.
Tribit XFree Go: For the price, this pair isn't terrible. But the experience isn't as good as it would be if you spent a little more for our budget noise-cancelling pick. And it's far less enjoyable than you'd get with our budget pick in this guide. The earpads make a crunching sound when you move them and feel like they're filled with cheap egg-crate foam. The sound profile has bass that's boomy and forward, and the acoustic guitar sounds like it was recorded from inside the guitar body. Male vocals get buried. The highs are shushing and lack detail, so consonants and cymbals sound indistinct. If you aren't picky about sound quality, this pair is fine. But by paying a bit more, you'll get far more benefits.
V-Moda Crossfade 2 Wireless: Providing balanced, vivid, and exciting sound, the Crossfade 2 Wireless boosts the lowest bass notes and specific high frequencies to amp up music in a fun, energizing way. The chassis is sturdy, edgy-looking, and customizable, and this set folds up into a surprisingly small case. However, we struggled with making this model a pick due to its price, weight, and lack of isolation. For the current base price of $280 (features such as aptX, a removable boom mic, and extra shields add to the cost), we would have liked active noise cancelling or some of those aforementioned add-ons included. We also questioned whether the weight of the Crossfade 2 would become uncomfortable to wear over a long day. Knowing all of these quibbles, if you still want the Crossfade 2, get it; you won't be disappointed. But in a saturated category, even minimal downsides are enough to pull a headphone model out of contention as one of our picks.
V-Moda M-200 ANC: As with all things V-Moda, the M-200 ANC has metal parts that feel solidly built, and this pair features optional ornamental shield customization. That build style comes at a hefty price, as the price starts at $500. The noise cancellation is quite good, and the intensity is adjustable via the V-Moda app. Worth noting is that the fit will affect your experience. The headband was a touch long for my face, so the earcups were slightly lower than optimal, which made the ANC less effective. This should only be a problem for those with small heads, however. Though the V-Moda app has EQ presets, no matter the option there is a jagged boost that causes vocals to sound too forward in the mix, which both John and I thought made singers sound strained or shouty. At the time of our review the V-Moda app was buggy and on our iPhone 12 frequently crashed or got hung up on a spinning loading wheel. Parents will also want to use caution as the M-200 ANC pair gets incredibly loud at max volume.
Wyze Noise-Cancelling Headphones: Folks who value their privacy will be put off by the fact that you must create an email-verified account to use the app. And the app is required to access many bonus features, like choosing between low and high ANC levels as well as EQ adjustment. Out of the box the bass is dull, and though you can increase low-end loudness via the app's EQ, the controls are heavy-handed and broad—so adding more bass also muddies male vocals and bass guitar. The noise cancellation is noticeable but largely unimpressive. For fifty bucks, you could do worse, but we far prefer our picks.
About your guide
Lauren Dragan is a senior staff writer and has tested over 1,000 headphones for Wirecutter. She has a BA from Ithaca College in music performance and audio production. She's been featured in Good Morning America, NBC Nightly News, The New York Times, and more. Additionally, she's a voice actor whose work includes projects for Disney and Mattel.
What Wireless Headphones To Use In Garden To Listen To Radio
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-bluetooth-headphones/
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