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Watch Out: How Wireless Over Ear Headphones Is Taking Over And What You Can Do About It
Wireless Over-Ear Headphones Roundup

Wireless headphones eliminate the entrapment of wires from your listening experience. They are more comfortable to wear for a long time at a stretch and some fold down to a compact size to pack away when not in use.

The Sony WH-1000XM5s Bluetooth headphones are a great pair of Bluetooth headsets that tick all the boxes. They offer class-leading sound quality, noise cancelling and a sleek design and a comfortable fit. They even support the lossless LDAC hi-res codec to provide high-quality audio playback.

Sound Quality

If you're a fan of big, full-size wireless headphones that are worn over your ear and are connected with the headband to block out and amplify audio, there's no shortage of choices. In our list of the best Bluetooth over-ear headphones, you'll discover UC certified headsets that can be used with communication platforms like Microsoft Teams. You'll also find premium pairs from Sony, Sennheiser and Bose, which are as luxurious as durable.

The Sony WH1000XM5 headphones are among of our favorites. They are a step up from the multi-award-winning predecessor with sleeker design and more refined noise cancellation. They also provide 37 hours of playback time on a single charge and can be charged quickly to give you 8 hours of use in only 15 minutes. They feature a fun balanced sound profile and also support the lossless Sony LDAC hi-res codec so you can stream music in stunning high-definition.

The headphones produce a rich and twitchy sound, with distinct bass and mids. You can even tweak the audio's signature with the headphones mobile application, adding more emphasis to bass and treble for your own personal preference. In our tests, they were remarkably precise and clear with orchestral and vocal music booming in stunning detail.

The Logitech Wireless Headphones G HUB are among our top-rated Bluetooth over-ear headphones. They have a balanced sound right from the package and deliver crisp audio. The sound is consistent and includes a decent amount of low-bass that aids in highlighting the sound effects and music from games. They're compatible with Logitech's HUB program, which includes a graphic EQ and presets so you can modify the sound to your preference.

If you're prepared to spend more money, the premium Danish-made Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 headphones are our pick of the best Bluetooth over ear headphones. The Sonys are a bit less expensive, but they sound better and appear better. They have a hard aluminum casing and lambskin leather earcups filled with memory foam. The headphones are comfortable to wear and they support the audio codecs aptX and SBC audio codes. This lets you listen to high-quality wireless music. They are also beautifully made and have a chic minimalist design that can be adapted to suit the needs of all.

Noise Cancellation

If you're looking to hush the world and get lost in your favorite music or podcasts then noise cancellation is an essential feature. Wireless headphones with noise cancellation capabilities usually have ear cups that are squeaky clean over your ears. This lets you focus on the audio and block out any ambient sounds. Most over-ear headphones use active noise cancellation (ANC) to cut down on the background noise, which works by listening to the environment and creating an opposite sound to block out the background noise. They will not make your surroundings tranquil but they can cut down the noise of trains and other noises.

ANC usually uses tiny microphones to listen for ambient sound. These is then compared with the original audio you're listening to. The small differences between two sounds are then used to create a sound that is equivalent and opposite. This is then fed into your ear cup which effectively muffles the ambient noise. The top noise cancelling headphones can also be adjusted via apps or a dedicated hardware control. This can allow you to select a certain level of noise cancellation that's appropriate for the situation you're in.

Most of the headphones we test include various other features beyond just the ability to control ANC. A majority of the headphones come with a microphone that allows hands-free calling and can be used with voice assistants like Siri and Alexa. Some come with built-in speakers for audio streaming.

Noise cancellation has seen a significant improvement over the past few years. Focal For instance, Focal has jumped into the premium wireless ANC headphones space with its Bathys. We appreciate them for their exceptional comfort and slick features and stunning sound quality. They're able to cut down background noise by as much as 30dB. You can also control the ANC levels through an app and set three 'favorite' settings that are switchable by pressing a physical button on the left ear cup.

Noise cancellation should be the primary thing you consider when buying the latest pair. Quality of sound is crucial, but noise cancellation should also be at the top. The most well-known ANC headphones available tend to be expensive and that's because they offer excellent quality and longevity of the battery. If you're on a budget Sony WF-1000XM5s are our top pick as they offer fab noise cancellation and slick sound quality for a low price.

Battery Life

If you're going to use wireless headphones on the go and you're looking for them to last as long as they can. It's because they drain both their own batteries and the battery of the device playing music. So, it's important to choose headphones that have enough storage capacity in case you run out of charge or power. Many manufacturers are now offering headphones with a substantial storage capacity, and some even use solar charging to top up their storage automatically when you're not listening to them.

Over-ear headphones usually come with larger earcups that protect your ears, which means they can hold bigger batteries to support longer playtimes and more advanced features. They also typically have better noise cancellation as their bigger size helps create a more effective seal against the environment.

The premium brand Bang & Olufsen makes some of the top headphones for over-ear with its H95 flagship wireless headphones providing an immersive listening experience. With a luxurious design that includes aluminum detailing and Nappa leather They're the perfect option for the audiophile who wants to listen in the comfort of their home for hours at a time.

For a more affordable pair of headphones, the Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro has an outstanding battery life of 50 hours with ANC turned on and 65 hours without it. This is far ahead of the other models and is a testament to the headphones' impressive build quality, which includes an incredibly comfortable fit and a sturdy headband that can take the punishment.

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless headphones are a great budget alternative. They can be used up to 44 hours in the event that the active noise cancellation is turned on, and they feature an earpiece that blocks out noises from the outside with astonishing efficiency. The audio quality is excellent, with a V shaped profile that provides plenty of bass and brightens vocals and instruments.


The newest Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless headphones aren't as cheap, but they're still less than $100 and provide excellent isolation, with foam ear tips and sturdy and, if not the most advanced noise cancelling on this list. They also feature Bluetooth 5.3, which supports the most recent LDAC codec for high-resolution audio, and can be recharged using the supplied cord or USB to your computer.

Portability

The amount of space a pair of headphones occupy once folded down into their most compact size is a key factor in their portability capabilities. The smaller the fold-down size is, the more easily you can fit them into backpacks or bags to take with you on the go without worrying about them getting out of the way.

If best wireless over ear headset looking for a simple wireless headphone that has plenty of features that will suit every day use, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT is an excellent option. They're light, fold down easily, and provide an impressive 44 hours of playback time. They are compatible with multi-device pairing and have a superb microphone for phone calls.

If you're not going to use your headphones for hands-free calls The Audio-Technica headphones ATH-S200BT are a better choice since they are more comfortable and come with an impressive 50 hours of playback. They also come with a retractable cable for wired use and come with a durable hard case.

A five-star performer that is a favorite with What Hi-Fi?'s team, the Sony WF-C700N and JBL Live Pro 2 TWS are two other top pairs of wireless over-ear headphones. Both are priced around the $100/PS100 / AU$150 mark and feature active noise cancellation, however you'll have to accept that they're not as high-quality as some of our high-end suggestions.

Focal Bathys wireless headphones are a more premium option that offers excellent sound quality for a reasonable price. They have an V-shaped sound profile which has plenty of bass to go with EDM hip-hop, rock, and. The vocals and instruments are bright and you can adjust the sound to suit your taste with the graphic EQ available in their companion app. They also support aptX Adaptive codec to provide high-res streaming and an optional USB-DAC mode for wired listening.

Look into the Sony WH1000XM5 which is not just more expensive, but worthy of our five-star seal. The Sony WH-1000XM5 is not expensive, but it comes with a long battery life, great noise cancellation and lets you listen to music for a long time without worrying about running out of battery or needing to charge.

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