Best Over-Ear Headphones We've Tested (August 2025)

Why I like them

Over the last several years, Sony has made some of the best noise-canceling headphones on the market, so it's a big deal when the company comes out with a new flagship model, like the WH-1000XM6, which arrives three years after the release of the WH-1000XM5. Though the XM5 was -- and still is -- one of the top over-ear Bluetooth headphones, there's always room for improvement. With the XM6, Sony has fixed the small design flaws of its predecessor while bumping up the overall performance. The result is a headphone that's arguably edged just ahead of the competition and is now at the top of its class. Read my WH-1000XM6 review.

Reasons to buy

The WH-1000XM6 are excellent for frequent travelers, remote workers and commuters who demand top-tier sound quality, noise canceling and call quality in a very comfortable headphone. If you can afford the high price, you'll appreciate what Sony has achieved here.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

If you're budget-conscious or already own Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones, you should hold off until they go on sale. They offer some significant improvements over the XM5s, but not enough to justify rushing to upgrade at full price.

Why I like them

Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 technically aren't the company's flagship headphones, the PX8s, but they're arguably better than the more expensive flagship headphones, offering improved sound quality and superior noise canceling in an upgraded slimmer design (300 grams) that fit my head more comfortably. The drivers aren't the same as the PX8's carbon cone drivers, but the redesigned 40mm biocellulose drive units have an improved chassis, voice coil, suspension and magnet that, according to B&W, and deliver "lower coloration and distortion, improved resolution and superior dynamics." Additionally, for the first time in B&W headphones, the drive units are powered by a dedicated, discrete headphone amplifier that provides more "scale and energy to the sound." I did think their sound was more revealing and open (wider soundstage) compared to the earlier S2e's and are more exciting and fun to listen to. At the default setting, the treble may be a touch aggressive for some folks (a tad too much sizzle), which can lead to some listening fatigue. But you can play around with the 5-band equalizer in the companion app for iOS and Android to smooth things out and give the headphones a slightly warmer sound.

While these are pricey headphones, at least they look like premium headphones and are made with premium materials. In my tests in the noisy streets of New York, I found that the noise canceling is significantly improved (it's better than PX8's), though it's not quite up to the level of what you get with Sony's and Bose's flagship noise canceling headphones. I also thought the voice-calling performance has been upgraded (the headphones have 8 microphones total, 4 in each ear cup).

While callers said that the background noise reduction wasn't quite as good as what they heard when I was talking to them on Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones, they said they could hear my voice well with minimal background noise.

It's also worth noting that these headphones have USB-C audio for a lossless wired connection (and they also come with a 3.5mm analog cable that stows away nicely in a compartment inside the headphone's hard case). Android users should note that they have support for Qualcomm's aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless audio codecs that can help improve sound quality when listening wirelessly over Bluetooth to high-resolution tracks from music streaming services like Tidal, Amazon and Qobuz. However, very few mainstream Android smartphones support aptX Adaptive or Lossless (more support Sony's LDAC audio codec).

Reasons to buy

The sleekly designed, swanky Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 are excellent noise-canceling headphones that are a clear improvement over their predecessor. That said, the biggest reason to buy these over Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones, which carry the same list price, is that you like their look better. They also feature USB-C audio while the XM6 doesn't.

Reason to skip or keep looking

From an aesthetic standpoint, I prefer the design of the PX7 S3 to the Sony WH-1000XM6's. But I can't say the PX7 S3 is any more comfortable or sounds better (I slightly preferred the sound of the Sony, in fact). And the Sony offers slightly better noise canceling and voice-calling performance, along with some extra features such as Speak-to-Chat and Quick Attention mode. If you already own the earlier PX7 S2e, it's probably not worth shelling out full price for PX7 S3. The same is true if you own Bowers & Wilkins flagship PX8, which could get the S2 treatment in 2025. The PX7 S3 sounds more exciting than the PX8, but it's debatable whether it sounds better. I would give the slight nod to the PX8, but that's just my personal taste.

Bose's new flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones may not be a huge upgrade over the company's Noise Cancelling 700 headphones, but they feature a more premium design along with Bose's new Immersive Audio feature, which delivers some sound-quality enhancements. Along with excellent sound and great noise canceling, the QC Ultra Headphones are also superb for making calls, with top-notch background noise reduction. A worthy adversary to Sony's highly rated WH-1000XM5 and Apple's AirPods Max, we called them the best new noise-canceling headphones of 2023, and they remain a top noise-canceling headphones pick in 2024.

Why I like them

Sony has released its new-for-2025 WH-1000XM6 headphones, but its former flagship model, the XM5 is still an excellent headphone that's often on sale for closer to $300. Their noise-canceling, voice-calling and sound isn't quite as good as what the XM6 offers (the XM6 sounds a little more detailed with improved bass performance) and the XM6 has a dual-hinge design that allows them to fold up, not just fold flat. As a result, the XM6's case is a little smaller. Additionally, the XM6 is powered by a new QN3 chip that Sony says delivers 7 times the performance of the QN1 chip found in the XM5s. All that said, while the jump in performance from the XM5 to the XM6 is certainly noticeable, it isn't huge; the XM5 still offers very good sound, noise-canceling and voice-calling performance that should satisfy most people. Read my Sony WH-1000XM5 review.

Reasons to buy

The biggest reason to buy the XM5 is if you can't afford the XM6 and find the XM5 substantially discounted. It's still quite competitive with the Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, the Sonos Ace and Apple's AirPods Max.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

It's always a little hard to buy a previous-generation headphone that was released three years ago (2022) when you know a newer, better model (the XM6) exists and will eventually go on sale.

We've always been fans of Sony's MDR-7506 wired studio monitor headphones, which have long been the favorite headphones of recording engineers and other sound professionals. The new-for-2024 MDR-M1 are essentially a premium version of the 7506, delivering sound that's hard to match for the price. These are the wired headphones that will make you realize what you're missing after listening to wireless headphones for so long. They feature big, open sound with excellent clarity, accuracy and tight bass. Not only is their sound a noticeable step up from the 7506's, but these get high marks for their comfort level (they weigh a svelte 216 grams). No, there isn't any noise canceling, but the soft, cushy ear pads offer good passive noise isolation.

They play louder with a headphone amp, and they're easy to drive (50 ohms), so you can plug them directly into a computer's headphone port or a smartphone (likely with a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter). They come with 1.2m and 2.5m straight detachable cables and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm screw-in plug adapter, but no carrying pouch or case is included. The only downside I see is that the ear pads aren't all that deep, so those with large ears that stick out a bit might have some issue with the M1's fit -- your ears might press up against the drivers, which are notable for serving up distortion-free audio, even at higher volume levels. They look and feel like an upgraded version of the 7506 so if those worked for you, these should too.

Why I like them

A lot of people expected Sonos' first headphones to be able to stream lossless audio over Wi-Fi in your home and then use Bluetooth outside your Sonos home network. However, Sonos reps told me that listening to music over Wi-Fi would greatly reduce the headphone's battery life and the company opted to leave that feature off. So even though they're equipped with a Wi-Fi chip so you can tap into a Sonos sound bar at home for private late-night viewing (Sonos refers to this as the TV Audio Swap feature), they're not really Wi-Fi headphones and are first and foremost noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones -- and I was mostly quite impressed by them. Read my Sonos Ace review.

Sleekly designed, at 312 grams, they're not as light as the 254-gram Sony WH-1000XM6s or the 253-gram Bose QuietComfort Ultras, but they're considerably lighter than the 385-gram AirPods Max and I found them quite comfortable to wear, with a relatively small gap between the headband and my head (they hugged my head nicely with just the right amount of clamping). I also appreciated tat their chrome metal yoke allows the headphones to swivel in multiple directions -- the hinge is hidden - and the ear cups adhere magnetically like they do on the AirPods Max and are replaceable, which is good.

All in all, the Sonos Ace headphones perform very well across the board with strong noise canceling, excellent sound quality and very good voice-calling performance. Well balanced, they're clean sounding with nice detail and sparkle in the treble along with punchy, powerful bass that doesn't get boomy. Vocals sounded natural and the headphones have a relatively wide soundstage. It's also good to see that the headphones have USB-C audio support (wired listening with a USB-C cable) and spatial audio with head-tracking.

Reasons to buy

The Sonos Ace are one of the top noise-canceling headphones on the market, rivaling flagship models from Sony, Apple and Bose. Now that they've been out for more than a year, we're seeing some good discounts on them, which makes them a better value, and a potential alternative to Sony's new WH-1000XM6 headphones. While you don't have to be an owner of Sonos speakers to buy them, Sonos soundbar owners can leverage the TV Audio Swap feature for private late-night viewing (the Ace delivers virtual surround sound in this mode).

Reasons to skip or keep looking

You can make the argument that Sony's new WH-1000XM6 are slightly better overall for around the same price (I'm talking list price -- and yes, they're too pricey for some folks). But with the Ace selling for as low as $330, they're an easier sell.

Why I like them

We reviewed Skullcandy's wired Aviator Roc Nation headphones all the way back in 2011. Now Skullcandy's brought the Aviator design back in a wireless noise-canceling model called the Aviator 900 ANC headphones. This surprised me because Skullcandy is better known for its Crusher headphones, which deliver bone-rattling bass but not so-called premium-sounding headphones. However, the Aviator 900, developed in partnership with THX, deliver surprisingly impressive sound. They're not so great out of the box, but after you make some tweaks to the EQ in the app and turn on the THX spatial audio, the sound improves dramatically and is arguably more exciting than the new Nothing Headphone (1)'s sound and more fun to listen to.

Like the Nothing Headphones (1), the Aviator 900 ANC also list for $300 and have a translucent theme. However, the Aviator 900 is lighter (289 grams) and more comfortable to wear. Plus, it not only folds flat, but it folds up into a well-designed crossbody travel bag and has some nifty physical control buttons. I also liked the integrated mini LED display, though it's value is dubious because you can't see it while you have the headphones on. It too, features good noise-canceling and voice-calling performance, though the Nothing Headphone (1) may have a slight edge in those departments. Even so, I slightly preferred Skullcandy headphones for their fit and sound, especially after a firmware upgrade fixed an early issue that some people experienced with the sound distorting at higher volumes.

Reasons to buy

The Aviator 900 ANC headphones offer a comfortable fit and strong overall performance in a unique, eye-catching design.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

The headphones are fairly pricey, so you may want to wait for them to go on sale. They've dipped to as low as $200 during Amazon Prime Day, and I suspect we'll see them sporadically discounted to near $200 as we head into the holiday buying season.

Why I like them

In late 2024, Apple updated the AirPods Max with USB-C charging -- instead of Lightning -- and added new color options but didn't upgrade the headphones in any other ways that we're aware of. Yes, they're expensive, but the AirPods Max deliver impressive sound quality, excellent noise canceling, very good voice-calling performance, as well as high-end build quality (aluminum ear cups and stainless steel telescoping arms) and Apple's virtual surround spatial audio feature with head tracking. While they're heavy, they manage to be surprisingly comfortable, though I did have to adjust the mesh canopy headband to sit a little more forward on my head to get a comfortable secure fit when I was out walking with them. It's also worth noting that Apple enabled USB-C audio for the AirPods Max in March of 2024. Read my review of the original Lightning-enabled AirPods Max.

What that means is that you can use the included USB-C charging cable to connect the headphones to your USB-C-equipped PC, phone or tablet to get lossless audio (the sound quality is slightly improved with wired listening, especially if you're listening to lossless audio files). While Apple doesn't include a USB-C-to-3.5mm cable -- yes, such a cable should be included with headphones that cost this much -- it will sell you one for $39.

Reasons to buy

Yes, they're pricey, but the AirPods Max remain top-notch noise-canceling headphones that are right there with Sony's and Bose's flagship models. Like other AirPods, they have some Apple-only only features, including spacial audio with head-tracking and automatic switching between Apple devices, that Apple users will appreciate.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

While the AirPods Max were updated with USB-C connectivity, which has some advantages, they haven't been substantially upgraded since their release in 2020. I'd like to see them at least updated with Apple's more powerful H2 chip (they're equipped with the H1 chip) that delivers some additional features and is available in the AirPods Pro 2. Could we get an AirPods Max 2 in 2026? Maybe.

Why I like them

Earfun has made some very solid budget earbuds, and now it's entered the full-size ANC headphone space with a few different over-ear models, including the Wave Pro (add the code EWPROCNET at checkout on Amazon to receive an additional 10% off). While they may not sound as good as premium noise-canceling headphones from Bose or Sony, they're comfortable to wear, feature decent sound with punchy bass (they're a bit lacking in clarity and bass definition compared to more expensive models), and they offer respectable noise canceling (you can toggle between two levels of ANC) and voice-calling performance. The headphones do come with a cable for wired listening -- you can plug into an inflight entertainment system -- but the noise canceling cuts off when you're in wired mode, which is unfortunate.

Reasons to buy

For less than $60, you're getting decent sounding headphones with effective noise canceling that are comfortable to wear and have long battery lfie. They're also one of the few budget headphones that come with a carrying case.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

If you're a critical listener, these probably aren't for you as these headphones lack the treble clarity and bass definition found in higher-end models.

Why I like them

Sennheiser's previous-generation Momentum Wireless headphones have always had a pretty distinct look that was part retro, part modern and stood out for the exposed metal on their headband. For better or worse, that's all gone now, and the new Momentum 4 Wireless, Sennheiser's flagship noise-canceling headphones, look a bit more subdued and also a bit more like some of their competitors.

The Momentum 4 Wireless offers superior performance over the Momentum 3 Wireless in every regard, although the biggest gains are with noise canceling and voice-calling performance as well as battery life, which is outstanding -- up to 60 hours at moderate volume levels. There's also a transparency mode that allows ambient sound in, and they have the ability to create a custom sound profile in the Smart Control app for iOS and Android using the built-in EQ, sound modes and a new Sound Personalization feature that "assesses the user's listening preferences and adjusts the listening experience according to their taste." 

Equipped with 42mm drivers, Sennheiser says the Momentum 4 Wireless offers "best-in-class" sound, which is debatable. I'd say the Momentum 4's sound quality is right there with other models in this price range -- they sound excellent, with the requisite well-defined, punchy bass, relatively wide soundstage (they sound pretty open) and smooth treble that brings out some of the finer details in well-recorded tracks. They're a pleasure to listen to.

Reasons to buy

The Momentum 4 Wireless costs less than flagship models from Sony, Bose and Apple and offer excellent sound and good build quality.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

While I'm fan of the Momentum 4 Wireless and like their sound a lot, they're noise canceling and comfort level isn't as good as what you get from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Sony WH-1000XM5 or WH-1000XM6.

Why I Like Them

QCY is another Chinese brand like Tribit, Earfun and plenty of others that make budget-priced headphones that sound better than you'd think they would for their relatively low price (the company says the Q stands for quality, C stands for creative and Y stands for youth). Its new-for-2024 H3 Pro headphones are similar to models in this price range from 1More, Tribit and Edifier, but they arguably sound a touch better and I found them relatively comfortable to wear, as they feature a lightweight design and memory foam ear pads.

The sound quality on these budget models tends to vary a bit from track to track. While I encountered some occasional distortion on badly recorded material and the treble just can't produce the clarity and detail that you get with more premium headphones, all in all, the sound quality was quite respectable. The noise canceling also is fairly decent -- there are a few different modes to choose from in QCY's companion app for iOS and Android, which has a low-frills-looking interface but is robust enough under the hood -- and callers said the voice-calling performance was also good, especially given the price of these headphones.

You do get multipoint Bluetooth pairing that allows you to connect two devices simultaneously (you have to activate it in the app), but features like wear sensors that pause your music when you take the headphones off are missing. Also, you can set the headphones to automatically turn off after not being in use for a certain amount of time (I set it for 15 minutes), but the headphones turned off in the middle of a long call I was making, not seeming to realize that I was using the headphones. The H3 Pro are decent value for the cost, particularly when their price dips closer to $50.

Reasons to buy

Like the handful of other budget headphones I recommend, the QCY H3 Pro are better than you'd think they'd be for their modest price in terms of both design and performance.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

If you're a critical listener, these probably aren't for you as these headphones occasionally distort audio and lack the treble clarity found in higher-end models. Also, it's too bad they don't come with any sort of carrying pouch and noise cancelling isn't available when using the cable for wired listening (you'd kind of want noise canceling if you watching a movie on a plane plugged into your seat's inflight entertainment system).

Why I Like Them

Noble is an audiophile brand known more for its in-ear monitor headphones, but it's released a wireless noise-canceling headphone called the Fokus Apollo that sounds terrific and features a special dual-driver design that combines a 40mm dynamic driver with a 14.5mm planar-magnetic driver. The result is rich, open sound, with tight bass and excellent treble detail and clarity, especially for a wireless headphone (it sounds a tad better in wired mode but it's not a huge difference). It's more dynamic than many monitor headphones that have a flatter, more neutral sound profile, but it still leans toward being an accurate, well-balanced headphone.

The design of the headphones is slightly generic looking, but they have some premium accents (Alcantara material on the headband and protein leather ear pads that are replaceable), and they fit my head comfortably. A decent, albeit somewhat large carrying case is included along with a cable for wired listening (USB-C audio is supported). And in case you want to use the headphones for videoconference calls at home or do a little multiplayer gaming, a detachable boom microphone ships with the headphones.

Equipped with a Qualcomm QC3084 chip (Bluetooth 5.3) and an ADI chip, the Fokus Apollo 'phones support a wide variety of audio codecs, including LDAC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and SBC. Interestingly, that's not Qualcomm's higher-end 5-series chip, but I had no issues with wireless performance, and voice-calling performance was good with decent noise reduction. Battery life is another plus. It's rated for up 60 hours with ANC on at moderate volume levels.

Reasons to buy

A lot of people ask me what the best-sounding wireless noise-canceling headphones are for audiophiles, and I put the Fokus Apollo and Focal Bathys at the top of my list.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

As with a lot of audiophile active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones, the noise canceling is decent but not up to the level of what Bose, Sony and Apple ANC headphones offer. ANC impacts sound quality, so it's not surprising it's a little lighter with this headphone (there's also a transparency mode and a companion app for iOS and Android that allows you to tweak settings). It's also worth noting that you don't get extra bells and whistles like wear sensors that pause your music when you take the headphones off -- you're really buying this headphone for its sound quality and those dual drivers.

Why I like them

Sony's improved entry-level noise canceling headphones, the CH-720Ns, have a bit of a plasticky budget vibe, but they're lightweight (only 192 grams) and very comfortable. Part of me was expecting them to sound pretty mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised, as these headphones offer good overall tonal balance with punchy bass, decent clarity and a fairly wide soundstage (the headphones are suitable for a variety of music genres. They also offers decent noise canceling and good voice-calling performance.

No, they don't sound as good or perform as well as Sony's WH-1000XM5 or new WH-1000XM6 headphones. But they sound more premium than they look -- and feel -- and their overall performance is a step up from their predecessor, the CH-710Ns. Are they worth $150? Maybe -- or maybe not. But the good news is that, like the CH-710N and WH-XB910 before them, these frequently are discounted to closer to $100, which makes them a good value.

Reasons to buy

Budget-conscious buyers seeking Sony quality at an accessible price point will find these offer a significant step up from truly entry-level headphone options.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

The main reason not get these is that you simply want a more premium noise-canceling headphone that not only offers better build quality but better overall performance along with more advanced features like ear-detection sensors, LDAC audio codec support and Sony's Quick Attention and Speak-To-Chat features. Sony also leaves out any sort of carrying case or pouch with these headphones, which is slightly disappointing.

Why I like them

Love 'em or hate 'em, Beats Studio headphones are among the most popular headphones of all time, launching as a wired headphone back in 2008. This is the fourth generation of them, and they carry the same list price as their predecessor and look very similar on the outside but have some big changes on the inside that make them significantly better headphones. I'm tempted to describe them as more affordable plastic versions of the AirPods Max. However, that's not quite accurate due to a choice in chipsets and one notable missing feature. But read my full review to find out what makes this a very good headphone with some small caveats.

Reason to buy

The Studio Pros are the best Beats over-ear headphones, geared toward both Apple and Android users. Android users get multipoint Bluetooth pairing with automatic switching between devices linked to your Google account, while Apple users link to their iCloud account but have to manually switch between devices. For Apple users, there's spatial audio with head tracking when watching videos and hands-free Siri access. IThose who prefer a more exciting, forward sound signature over more laid back options will find these appealing, and they should work well with a variety of music genres.

Reason to skip or keep looking

The one big miss here is the lack of ear-detection sensors -- most $350 over-ear headphones have this feature, meaning your music doesn't automatically pause when you take the headphones off. I also think it was a mistake for Beats not to power these with Apple's H2 chip, as going forward you won't get feature upgrades designed for that chip. Android users don't get spatial audio with head tracking or hands-free Siri. 

Why I like them

The well-designed and comfortable JBL Live 770NC offers some modest improvements over its predecessor, including better battery life (up to 65 hours with ANC off and 50 hours with ANC on) and Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio (via a future firmware upgrade). Equipped with 40mm drivers, you get bold, nicely defined sound with powerful bass that's relatively tight. JBL's Ambient Aware and TalkThru features are on board along with multipoint Bluetooth pairing (the one feature that's missing is ear-detection sensors that pause your music when you take the headphones off). I thought the headphones' noise muffling capabilities were good and callers said they could hear me well even in noisier environments except when the wind picked up around me. The headphones fold up and a simple carrying pouch (no hard case) is included along with a cable for wired listening.

Reasons to buy

If you can't afford premium noise-canceling headphones from Bose, Sony and Apple, the JBL Live 700NC are a good alternative, offering good performance for a more modest price.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

These are easier to recommend when they're on sale for less than $200 (or even less). They're a bargain in the $150-$170 range.

Why I Like Them

The Edifier W830NB looks slightly more premium than its predecessor, W820NB Plus, and like that earlier popular budget model, is fairly lightweight (265 grams) and comfortable, with cushy memory foam ear pads. They also sound very good for their price, offering decent clarity and fairly well-defined bass with an amply wide sound stage (they lack the refinement and depth of higher-end headphones, but you can't expect the world from sub-$80 headphones). You can tweak the sound profile in Edifier's companion app for iOS and Android.

The W830NBs do have a few additional improvements over the W820NB Plus. First, you get Bluetooth 5.4 (instead of 5.2). Also, along with the LDAC and SBC audio codecs, the W830NB supports the AAC audio codec. The noise canceling is a tad better (it's decent but not up to the level of what you get with Bose and Sony headphones) and battery life is rated for up to an impressive 54 hours with noise canceling on, up from 49 hours. A couple of things are still missing. There's no official carrying case or headphone jack, although you can connect them to your computer with a USB-C cable for a wired connection.

Reasons to buy

The Edifier W830NB headphones are one of the few budget noise-canceling headphones I recommend to folks who don't want to spend too much on a headphone but want something decent that doesn't look and feel too cheap, is comfortable to wear and delivers respectable sound and noise-canceling.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

You can only expect so much from these headphones. They're better than you'd expect given their price, but more premium models that cost significantly more do offer better performance and built quality. Also, although these have USB-C audio, they're missing a 3.5mm headphone cable to plug into the headphone jack of an inflight entertainment systems. And no carrying case is included.

When Bose released its new flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, it also replaced the QuietComfort 45s with a new, slightly updated model simply called the QuietComfort Headphones. Like the QC 45s, this model carries on the very comfortable tried-and-true legacy QuietComfort design that's been around for a few generations and that a lot of people continue to love. The QC Ultra Headphones add Bose's new Immersive Audio feature and have a more refined design with some metal parts (they also have Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.1). The QuietComfort Headphones still feature very good sound (the Ultras offer a small step up in sound quality), excellent noise-canceling and strong voice-calling performance.

As for differences between these and the QC45s, Bose says it adjusted some of the electronics to improve battery life (now 24 hours vs. 22 hours) and adjusted the logos to make the products "visually distinguishable and more in line with its latest design language." It also added an inline microphone to the auxiliary cable to "help with some users who may prefer a plug-and-play solution rather than Bluetooth pairing." There's also a Wind Block feature and some additional small performance improvements due to software upgrades. Finally, the headphones come in new color options, including green and a light blue version that's only available at bose.com.

The QuietComfort Headphones carry a $350 list price that's $50 higher than that of the QC 45s, but we expect them to be regularly discounted to around $250 or possibly less than that in 2024 -- so look to buy them when they're on sale. You can read our review of the QuietComfort 45 to get a good take on the QuietComfort Headphones.

Available in a few color options, the Soundcore Space One by Anker are a good value for around $100, offering a strong feature set along with good sound quality and performance. They can't compete sound-wise with many of the premium noise-canceling models, but you don't feel like you're giving up that much on the sound front to save a good deal of money. They lack a bit of that natural, refined quality you look for in a great set of cans, but the Space One sound respectable, with decent clarity and bass definition and measure up well to the more expensive Soundcore Space 45.

Noise-canceling and voice-calling performance are also good for headphones in this price range, though the transparency mode is only OK. Anker has developed a version of Sony's Speak-to-Chat feature -- Anker calls it Easy Chat -- that automatically pauses your music and enters a transparency mode when you walk up to someone and start a conversation. The headphones are equipped with wear-detection sensors, a feature not usually found at this price, and include a carrying pouch. LDAC audio codec support is available for Android users.

I found them comfortable to wear, but they do look a bit bulky compared to more premium models.

Why I like them

I was a fan of Beyerdynamic's earlier DT 770 Pro headphones. The newer DT 700 Pro X is easier to drive than the 770 Pro, thanks to the company's new Stellar.45 sound transducer with an impedance of 48 ohms, so it plays better with smartphones, tablets and laptops without requiring a headphone amp.

These headphones are targeted at content creators who want accurate audio reproduction, but it's a bit more dynamic sounding and less bass-shy than many studio headphones, which tend to restrain the bass and hew toward a very neutral sound profile. The DT 700 Pro X are revealing, clean-sounding headphones that offer invitingly open sound (particularly for closed-back headphones) and make you realize what you're missing after listening to similarly priced Bluetooth headphones. 

Unlike the earlier DT 770 Pro, which is being sold at a nice discount (around $160), the DT 700 Pro X comes with two interchangeable (detachable) straight cables in different lengths, and the DT 700 Pro X arguably has a little cleaner look than their predecessor.

Solidly built -- they weigh 350 grams -- they're quite comfortable, featuring upgraded soft, velour-covered memory foam earpads that offer decent passive noise isolation. The earpads and the headphones' other parts are replaceable, Beyerdynamic says. 

Reasons to buy

If you're looking for a great-sounding wired studio headphone that's fairly affordable, the DT700 Pro X fit the bill.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

Beyerdynamic also sells the open-back DT 900 X for $30 less. That model should provide slightly more open, airy sound, but the big drawback is people around you can hear whatever you're listening to -- and sound also leaks in. This closed-back version is more versatile.

Why I Like Them

French audio company Focal is known for its high-end speakers and headphones. You might call it the Bowers & Wilkins of France. And now it's finally done what a lot of high-end audio companies have had to do in this age of on-the-go wireless music listening: make active noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones. Easily one of the best-sounding wireless headphones, the pricey Bathys cost feature not only wireless connectivity but also a built-in digital-to-analog converter for USB wired listening with any computer, smartphone or tablet with USB-C.

Going wired gives you a slight bump up in sound quality (it does help to stream high-resolution audio files for optimal sound). In wired mode, the headphones deliver up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution. But the headphones also sound quite impressive in wireless mode with excellent clarity, detail, accuracy and powerful, well-defined bass. They have a spacious soundstage (for a closed-back headphone) and allow you to hear each instrument distinctly in complicated tracks where several instruments are playing at the same time. They're what I call "revealing" headphones that will make bad recordings sound worse and good recordings sound even better.

Reasons to buy

Wireless headphones like the Sony WH-1000XM6 sound excellent. But if you're looking for wireless headphones that take it to the next level -- we're talking best of the best for sound quality from a wireless headphone -- the Bathys should be on your shortlist.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

Aside from the fact that they're quite pricey, these may be a little too much headphone for some people in more ways than one. While they're more compact than Focal's wired headphones, the Bathys are still large headphones (they weigh 350 grams) and will look that way on your head. Also, while their noise-canceling is decent enough, with a low and high mode ("silent" and "soft") as well a transparency mode, it's not nearly as good as what you get with Sony and Bose flagship ANC models (ANC has a tendency to degrade the sound so there's always a delicate balance adding ANC when sound quality is the priority).

Why I like them

At $280, Sennheiser's HD 505 open-back headphones aren't cheap, but they're pretty affordable as far as audiophile-grade headphones go. Though these aren't a major upgrade over the HD 560S -- they're built on the same HD 500 series chassis -- they are superior. They include some small design improvements and they sound better, with slightly tighter bass and smoother treble, which makes the headphones more revealing.

I found the 237-gram HD 505 headphones lightweight and quite comfortable to wear during longer listening sessions. According to Sennheiser, they have a 120-ohm transducer with frequency response stretching from 12 to 38,500 Hz and less than 0.2% harmonic distortion (I used them with iFi's new $80 Go Link Max DAC dongle). The headphones come with a 6-foot cable with a 3.5mm plug, and they include a 6.3mm adapter. The cables and ear pads are modular, which means they can easily be swapped out.

Reasons to buy

You're looking for great-sounding open-back headphones that are relatively affordable.

Reasons to skip or keep looking

Open-back headphones do leak sound, so these aren't the best for folks to use while working in open-office environment.