How To Outsmart Your Boss In Over Ear Headphones Wireless Best

Best Over-Ear Headphones

Over-ear headphones, unlike earbuds, can completely surround the ears. They also have larger drivers that deliver deeper bass and a wider soundstage. Many come with Bluetooth technology and active noise cancellation.

The most recent Master & Dynamic MW65 update features superior audio, multiple ANC modes and impressive battery life, all in a sleek and distinctive design.

1. Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless

Sony has improved on an already-great pair of headphones with the WH-1000XM4 Wireless. They're lighter, feel more constructed, and have a more balanced sound profile (though still bass heavy), and come with an app that allows for some audio customization. They have improved their active noise cancellation, eliminating more background noises and extending the battery life.

These headphones utilize Bluetooth 5.0 which supports SBC, AAC, and Sony's own LDAC codec. The latter can transfer high-resolution audio however, you'll need compatible equipment and streaming service. The WH-1000XM4s is also able to connect two Bluetooth devices simultaneously and then automatically switch between them when needed. This feature is enabled through the Sony Headphones Connect App and is very effective.

One subtle improvement over the XM3 is the sensibility of their touch panels. They respond faster to the touch of the panel, which makes them easier to control during calls or to listen to media. Sony has added a feature to make voices clearer and more precise during calls. This is an obvious and pleasant addition.

Although the WH-1000XM4s may not be perfect, they're some of the best wireless headphones we've ever tested. They're comfortable, good to the touch, and have an outstanding battery that can last more than 30 hours continuously. They can also be used in a passive manner using a TRS cable which is perfect if you're traveling or need to conserve power.

The WH-1000XM4s are a better choice than the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 Wireless over-ears. The Sonys are more comfortable and their ANC can block out more background noise. The B&Ws feature a more flexible EQ and a companion app to tweak the audio quality. But the B&Ws have an improved design, and they're able to connect with two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. They also support aptXHD and have an AI-driven engine that tries to increase the size of compressed music to high-resolution. This is known as DSEE Extreme and it does an excellent job of improving the clarity of music, particularly when listening to lossless music.

2. Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 Wireless

The $329 Bose QuietComfort 45 noise-canceling headphones are the most recent version of a headset that became a standard for commuters as well as travelers from all over the world. Instead of reinventing the wheel the new model uses the same formula that made the predecessor so popular, adding the USB-C port, which is better at cancelling noise and a longer battery life.

Similar to the QC 35 II before them, these over-ear Bose headphones feature a luxurious look and feel that oozes quality. The headband, constructed of plastic, has an incredibly solid feel due to the metal hinges at pivot points. It also features the familiar ratcheting mechanism when you expand or retract the ear cups. The cups are cushioned and have soft pads that can be worn over your ears without pressing your head. They weigh 238 grams and are fairly compact when folded. You can use them with a coat or sweater as the noise cancelling function works even when they're not on your head.

Despite their reputation as comfortable headphones, the QC45s do not provide the best sound at this price. The frequencies are comparatively flat and lack the depth that headphones with higher prices might be able to bring out. The higher registers tend to be more boosted, which is fine for most music, but could cause problems for more delicate or introduction of Bluetooth Technology intricate music genres. The bass is decent, but lacks power.

One thing that's not included is the ability to pause playback when you take the headset off. This is a standard in this price bracket and is something Bose's competitors have been offering for years. Another oversight was the absence of an in-app EQ. Bose has preset EQs in the app, but it would be nice to have an option to manually control.

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 also come with four in-built microphones to listen to your voice during calls. The quality of calls is generally very good but the headphones don't have the nifty ability to mute your voice during playback which is a feature that other wireless headphones do. Update as of February 2022, a firmware update to the QC45s gave you manual EQ options within the audio app which is a welcomed improvement.

3. Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal is a French audio company that makes high-performance headphones. They are known for their style and comfort which tell listeners that they're listening to something special. Their first attempt at wireless headphones that block noise, the Bathys, are stunning headphones that look and sound fantastic. They also come with an inbuilt high-performance USB DAC which means you can use them for wireless and wired listening.

Focal claims that the Bathys can play Bluetooth music for 30 hours. We had more than 40 hours of playback on average from a single charge. If you do require a recharge, there's an indicator light on the right earcup that turns red when the headphone needs to be charged.

For a pair of headphones for this price, they have lots introduction of bluetooth technology features. They support multiple devices at once and feature automatic pairing. (You must select the device you want to pair with each time you listen.) They come with a built-in microphone that can be used to control voice assistants such as Siri or Alexa. The headphones have an easy-to navigate interface that makes it easy to control music and make calls.

For headphones with over-ear connectivity, the Bathys perform very well in our tests of noise cancellation, which reduces the ambient sound by about 9 decibels in average. This isn't as impressive as the ANC in the Bose QuietComfort 45/QC45 wireless headphones with bluetooth, but it's still fairly effective.

In our tests of the quality of sound from headphones, the Bathys were a good overall performer with a frequency response that mostly corresponds to the SoundGuys preference curve, with just slight differences in the mids and bass. They have a bass-rich sound profile that adds a lot of boom to mixes but can sometimes make instruments and vocals like cymbals seem a bit veiled.

You can wear them anywhere and not worry about whether others listen to your music. Their mic has passable recording quality through Bluetooth with only slight distortion in the mid to the treble range.

4. Sennheiser Momentum 4

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless are a new update to the company's top-of-the-line Bluetooth headphones. The Momentum 3 was a solid but not an outstanding entry in this category. The latest pair improves on the previous generation with more sleek design, better gesture controls, and a huge battery life.

The improvements here are subtle but they make a pair that feel like an upgrade to the old one. The Momentum 4s are flat and do not fold. They come with a hardshell case that protects them when moving. They also follow the trend of a number of other recent Bluetooth headphones, such as those from Sony and Bowers & Wilkins, to be incredibly device-agnostic. This means they can work with both Android phones and Apple iPhones, however they do not come with the extra features (like Find My support and head-tracked spatial audio) that you'll find on the AirPods.

The most significant difference is the massive battery that can last for up to 60 hours with noise cancellation turned on. This is nearly double the amount of the competition and enough to take a multi-day journey without having to search for an outlet.

Engadget senior editor Billy Steele gave the headphones an 82-point score, citing their audio quality and ANC as two of their strengths. He only has one complaint: they lack a sense gravitas in mids and the treble. This makes orchestral tracks sound flat instead of grand. The bass is well rounded, but can be overemphasized, which can cause to fatigue when songs have heavy bass lines, like the drum hits of As I Lay Dying’s Forever. The cymbals sound a bit sizzled, not full. There's also not much depth to the lows.

The Momentum 4s shouldn't cause pressure on your neck or ears. However they can be uncomfortable when worn in the house or during longer listening sessions. They can move around on your head with intense head movements. This could cause them to wake up in a sudden manner, which could be distracting when listening to music or making calls. Fortunately they shut down after 15 minutes of slumber by default and can be switched off using the power button.