Whether or not you are listening to playlists in your each day commute or zoning out with a podcast at house, wi-fi headphones could make your audio expertise far more comfy. With no cords to untangle or get caught in your bag, they’re an ideal choose for anybody who needs comfort with out compromising on sound high quality. If consolation and immersive audio are excessive in your precedence record, over-ear wi-fi headphones are sometimes the best way to go — they wrap round your ears to assist block out the world and ship wealthy detailed sound that earbuds can generally miss.
There’s a variety of over-ear wi-fi headphones to select from, whether or not you need lively noise cancellation, lengthy battery life or a comfortable match for marathon listening periods. After all, if you happen to’re after one thing somewhat extra compact or tailor-made to a selected use case, we additionally have you ever lined with our purchasing guides for the perfect earbuds, the perfect gaming headsets and the perfect funds earbuds. But when wi-fi headphones with top-tier sound and a cushty, over-ear design are what you are after, learn on — we’ve examined the highest choices that can assist you discover the fitting pair.
Desk of contents
Greatest wi-fi headphones for 2025
Billy Steele for Engadget
Noise cancellation: Sure | Multipoint: Sure | Battery life: 30 hours | Weight: 0.55 kilos | Water resistance: None | Assistant assist: Bixby, Siri, Google Assistant | Shade choices: Black, Platinum Silver, and Midnight Blue
Learn our full Sony WH-1000XM6 evaluation
Sony’s 1000X line has been our high choose for finest wi-fi headphone for a very long time now. Till one other firm can pack in as many premium options as Sony, and accomplish that with a mixture of glorious sound high quality and efficient ANC, the crown is protected. With the WH-1000XM6, Sony subtly redesigned its flagship headphones, making them far more comfy to put on for lengthy intervals of time. This is a crucial issue to contemplate when buying over-ear headphones. We additionally seen in our assessments that the corporate made noticeable enhancements to the lively noise cancellation, due to a brand new QN3 chip. There at the moment are 12 complete ANC mics as nicely – the earlier mannequin solely had eight. This all combines to higher block background noise at medium and excessive frequencies, together with human voices.
The M6 additionally has improved sound high quality, due to new drivers, some assist from mastering engineers and spatial audio upmixing. Its battery life stays the identical 30 hours as its predecessor, which is greater than sufficient to get you thru a number of days of labor or lengthy worldwide flights. Converse-to-Chat nonetheless reduces quantity and prompts ambient sound once you discuss and the M6 can mechanically change noise settings based mostly in your location or exercise. The one actual draw back is that they’re $50 greater than the WH-1000XM5 at full value ($450).
- Improved sound
- Higher ANC efficiency
- Tons of useful options
- Supremely cozy
- Value has elevated once more
- Converse-to-Chat nonetheless wants work
- Name high quality suffers in loud environments
$448 at Macy’s
Billy Steele for Engadget
Noise cancellation: Sure | Multipoint: Sure | Battery life: 60 hours | Weight: 11.5 ounces | Water resistance: None | Assistant assist: Google Assistant, Siri | Shade choices: Black/Silver
Learn our full Noble Audio FoKus Apollo evaluation
Noble Audio makes use of a novel driver configuration to supply extra detailed sound than the competitors. As an alternative of a single driver, the corporate makes use of two: one dynamic and one planar magnetic. The result’s the FoKus Apollo getting the perfect of each, with thick bass, clear highs and excessive readability.
You gained’t discover loads of options right here. There may be respectable ANC efficiency, but it surely’s nowhere close to the perfect. You’ll additionally get glorious battery life, which is the second finest cause to purchase these headphones. Nonetheless, you’re paying primarily for the unimaginable sound high quality, which will not be sufficient for the excessive value.
- Ridiculously good sound high quality
- Premium design and supplies
- Lengthy battery life
- Cozy match
- Very costly
- Restricted options
- Common ANC efficiency
$649 at Noble Audio
Billy Steele for Engadget
Noise cancellation: Sure | Multipoint: Sure | Battery life: 30 hours | Weight: 10.58 ounces | Water resistance: None | Assistant assist: Not specified | Shade choices: Anthracite Black, Canvas White, Indigo Blue
Learn our full Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 evaluation
Bowers & Wilkins continues its run of stellar audio high quality on the Px7 S3. The corporate made tweaks to its sound platform with new 40mm bio cellulose drivers, discrete headphone amps and a TrueSound mode. There are additionally upgrades to ANC and slight design adjustments. Plus, the corporate continues to be understating its battery life figures, so that you’ll get greater than anticipated when it comes to longevity right here.
- Wonderful sound high quality
- Cozy match
- Refined design
- Costly
- Awkward button places
- An absence of superior options
$449 at Macy’s
Audio-Technica
Noise cancellation: No | Multipoint: Sure | Battery life: 60 hours | Weight: 1.42 kilos | Water resistance: None | Assistant assist: Not specified | Shade choices: Black, White
Audio-Technica has launched inexpensive wi-fi headphones previously, and whereas they didn’t supply lively noise cancellation, they’re nonetheless price contemplating. The corporate’s newest is the M20xBT, a Bluetooth model of the A-T’s well-liked M20x wired cans. For simply $79, you possibly can anticipate a cushty match and as much as 60 hours of battery life. Bluetooth multipoint connectivity lets you hook up with a number of units without delay and bodily buttons present dependable on-board management. The design isn’t as refined as the corporate’s pricer fashions just like the M50xBT2, however you get the majority of what makes Audio-Technica’s cheaper choices so good.
- Reasonably priced
- As much as 60 hours of battery life
- Multipoint connectivity
- Design is not as refined as rivals’
$89 at Macy’s
Photograph by Billy Steele / Engadget
Noise cancellation: Sure | Multipoint: Sure | Battery life: 24 hours | Water resistance: None | Assistant assist: Google Assistant, Siri | Shade choices: Black, White Smoke, Lunar Blue, Deep Plum
Learn our full Bose QuietComfort Extremely evaluation
Bose’s distinctive tackle spatial audio often is the headline characteristic on its QuietComfort Extremely Headphones, however the firm didn’t overlook ANC on this mannequin (Make no mistake — Sony takes the crown right here for finest ANC, however this Bose mannequin is an in depth second.) Described as “the quietest quiet” obtainable on any of its headphones but, the ANC right here is noticeably higher than the Bose 700 and iconic QuietComfort Headphones. That is due partly to microphone enhancements that additionally enhance name high quality. The adjustments are particularly obvious when coping with the hard-to-combat frequency vary of individuals speaking. The corporate additionally affords presets that blend ANC, transparency mode and its spatial Immersive Audio, permitting you to shortly swap the sound to match your environment. And if that wasn’t sufficient, the contact controls make these over-ear headphones a breeze to make use of — so that you get good noise cancelation, good sound and further comfort bundled on this bundle.
Whereas the spatial sound characteristic is a little bit of a combined bag, the inventory tuning on the QuietComfort Extremely Headphones continues to be good – even earlier than you turn on Immersive Audio. Bose has typically lagged the competitors when it comes to sonic prowess, however these over-ear headphones present that hole is narrowing. There’s a touch extra bass to boost a default sound profile that’s hotter, clearer and extra inviting than earlier Bose fashions, leading to good sound general. When Immersive Audio hits, it’s wonderful and the audio high quality is really exceptional. However, the corporate is counting on sign processing quite than specifically crafted content material so the outcomes fluctuate.
- Wonderful ANC
- Improved audio
- Clearer transparency mode
- Cozy
- Costly
- Immersive Audio is inconsistent
- No USB-C audio
$449 at Macy’s
Technics
Noise cancellation: Sure | Multipoint: Sure | Battery life: 50 hours | Weight: 0.65 kilos | Water resistance: None | Assistant assist: Amazon Alexa | Shade choices: Black, Silver
Again at CES 2022, Panasonic introduced the EAH-A800: a brand new set of lively noise canceling headphones underneath the enduring Technics model. Whereas many of the options are what you see on any variety of wi-fi headphones, one determine stood out. The corporate says you possibly can anticipate as much as 50 hours of battery life on the A800, and that’s with lively noise cancellation enabled. Whereas we have not put them by the complete evaluation evaluation, I’ve already examined them on an extended flight. The ANC is spectacular and so they’re comfy sufficient to keep away from turning into a burden after a number of hours or many lengthy listening periods. Sound high quality can be fairly good (there’s LDAC assist, too) and there are sufficient options right here to justify the premium price ticket.
- 50-hour battery life with ANC turned on
- Snug design
- Good sound high quality
$205 at Amazon
MASTER & DYNAMIC
Noise cancellation: Sure | Multipoint: Sure | Battery life: 28 hours | Weight: 0.75 kilos | Water resistance: None | Assistant assist: Suitable with native voice assistants | Shade choices: Silver Metallic / Brown Leather-based, Black Metallic / Black Leather-based, Silver Metallic / Navy Leather-based, Silver Metallic / Black Leather-based, Gunmetal / Black Leather-based, Gunmetal / Navy Leather-based, Silver Metallic / Gray Leather-based
Whereas Grasp & Dynamic is thought for its design prowess, the corporate’s over-ear headphones have been due for a refresh. With the MW75 that debuted in June, the corporate opted for a glance that takes cues from its MG20 gaming headphones and mixes them with a combo of aluminum, leather-based and tempered glass. The corporate’s trademark sound high quality returns with a number of ANC modes and ambient sound choices for a variety of conditions. At $599, the high-end appears don’t come low-cost, however if you happen to’re on the lookout for one thing past the pure plastic vogue of most headphones, M&D has you lined.
- Luxurious design made with premium supplies
- A number of ANC modes
$599 at Amazon
How to decide on the perfect wi-fi headphones for you
In the case of searching for a great pair of wi-fi headphones, the very first thing you’ll have to resolve on is put on type. Do you favor on-ear or over-ear headphones? For the needs of our purchaser’s information, we deal with the over-ear type as that’s what most noise-canceling headphones are these days. Certain, yow will discover on-ear fashions with ANC, however over-ear designs are far more efficient at blocking sound. Talking of noise cancellation, you’ll need to decide early on if you happen to even need that. For those who continuously crank up the beats in noisy environments, you’ll need to not solely be certain that it’s there, but additionally be certain that it’s good, ideally with adaptive ANC. For those who plan to make use of your new headphones in quieter areas, skipping ANC can prevent some cash.
The subsequent space to contemplate is options. We advocate attempting to get probably the most bang in your buck, however as you’re purchasing round it’s best to decide which objects are must-haves and what you possibly can dwell with out. And don’t take staple items like automated pausing and Bluetooth multipoint connectivity without any consideration, as not all firms embody them. We additionally recommend studying critiques to see how nicely an organization’s extra superior options work. This may aid you resolve if these are one thing you’re keen to (probably) pay further for. Regulate higher battery life estimates to keep away from disappointment, as some producers promise extra hours than real-world testing delivers. And don’t be simply swayed by lofty guarantees about name high quality with out verifying them.
Sound could be subjective, so we advocate attempting before you purchase if in any respect doable. We perceive this isn’t straightforward at a time once we’re doing most of our purchasing on-line. However attempting on a set of headphones and listening to them for a couple of minutes can prevent from an costly case of purchaser’s regret. We additionally advocate taking note of issues like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, 360 Actuality Audio and different immersive codecs. Not all headphones assist them, so that you’ll need to be certain that a perspective pair does if that form of factor excites you. For those who plan to make use of your headphones for different media moreover music, checking for latency can be a should — some delay can impression playback for issues like films or video games, even when most true wi-fi headphones now supply minimal lag.
How we take a look at over-ear headphones
The first means we take a look at wi-fi headphones is to put on them as a lot as doable. We choose to do that over a one- to two-week interval, however generally embargoes don’t enable it. Throughout this time, we hearken to a mixture of music and podcasts, whereas additionally utilizing the earbuds to take each voice and video calls. Since battery life for headphones could be 30 hours or extra, we drain the battery with looping music and the amount set at a cushty stage (often round 75 %). As a result of longer battery estimates, we’ll sometimes energy the headphones off a number of occasions and go away them throughout a evaluation. This simulates real-world use and retains us from having to continuously monitor the method for over 24 straight hours.
To evaluate the perfect Bluetooth headphones, we deal with higher-quality audio by listening to quite a lot of genres and paying shut consideration to how every type sounds. We additionally take a look at at each high and low volumes to verify for consistency within the tuning. To evaluate the standard of cellphone calls, we’ll report audio samples with the headphones’ microphones in addition to have third events name us.
In the case of options, we do an intensive evaluation of companion apps, testing every characteristic as we work by the software program. Any holdovers from earlier fashions are double checked for enhancements or regression. If the headphones we’re testing are an up to date model of a earlier mannequin, we’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older set. Ditto for the closest competitors for every new set of headphones that we evaluation.
Different wi-fi headphones we examined
AirPods Max
Apple’s AirPods Max are premium, well-designed over-ear headphones that incorporate all the finest options you discover on customary AirPods: strong noise cancelation, spatial audio and simple Siri entry. Nevertheless, their $550 beginning value makes them virtually prohibitively costly, even for Apple customers. There are higher choices obtainable at decrease costs, however if you happen to can choose up the AirPods Max at a steep low cost, they may be worthwhile for the largest Apple followers amongst us.
Dyson On-Trac
The On-Trac headphones have an virtually infinitely customizable design, and that’s what’s most unusual about them. The sound profile affords some good element, however lacks dynamic vary general. ANC is common at finest and there aren’t any superior options that can make your life simpler. Effectively, apart from the listening to well being monitor which is definitely useful. All informed, that’s not rather a lot in a set of $500 headphones.
Sonos Ace
The Sonos Ace is a superb debut for the corporate’s first headphones. The mix of refined design, nice sound high quality and residential theater methods creates a novel formulation. Nevertheless, ANC efficiency is simply okay and key performance continues to be within the works for a lot of customers.
Sony ULT Put on
If most headphones don’t have the extent of bass you need, the ULT Put on is an possibility to contemplate. The low-end thump isn’t for everybody, however there are additionally loads of useful options and a refined look to make the $200 set extra compelling than many on this value vary.
Sony WH-CH720N
Whereas the WH-CH720N are an ideal inexpensive possibility, we choose the Audio-Technica within the funds class. Sony’s cans are light-weight with good sound high quality, however ANC struggles at occasions and so they’re made with loads of plastic.
Beats Studio Professional
The Studio Professional lacks fundamental options like automated pausing, and multipoint connectivity is simply obtainable on Android. Furthermore, they’re not very comfy for folks with bigger heads. General sound high quality is improved, although, and voice efficiency on calls is nicely above common.
Bose QuietComfort Extremely headphones
Bose’s newest flagship mannequin has rather a lot to supply, however its trademark Immersive Audio characteristic could be inconsistent throughout various kinds of music. There’s nonetheless world-class ANC, glorious consolation and a clearer transparency mode, however for the worth, the non-Extremely mannequin is a more sensible choice proper now.
Grasp & Dynamic MH40 (2nd gen)
The MH40 are an ideal set of headphones if you happen to favor crisp, clear and pure sound that isn’t overly tuned. This pair showcases the corporate’s affinity for leather-based and steel too, however restricted customization and brief battery life for non-ANC cans saved this set from making the lower.
Bowers & Wilkins Px8
The corporate’s trademark pristine sound is on show right here, however the Px8 are dearer and never practically as comfy because the Px7 S2.
Wi-fi headphones FAQs
How will you inform the standard of wi-fi headphones?
I sometimes take a look at three components: design, sound high quality and options. When it comes to design, I’m often seeking to see if the construct high quality of the headphones feels low-cost and plasticky. Loads of firms use plastic, however they will accomplish that in a means that doesn’t look or really feel like funds fashions. For sound high quality, I need to hear a pleasant, even tuning the place highs, mids and lows are all nicely represented. No overly boomy bass or scooped out mids. I additionally need good readability the place you possibly can choose up wonderful particulars and an open, immersive soundstage. Options is usually a distant third, but when an organization doesn’t cowl fundamental performance (automated pausing, transparency mode, multipoint Bluetooth, and many others.) it may be a sign of general high quality.
How do I select the highest quality wi-fi headphones?
“Greatest” could be fairly subjective, however I at all times advocate going to a spot the place you possibly can hearken to the headphones you’re serious about shopping for earlier than you commit. Generally this isn’t doable, so that you’ll need to verify return insurance policies. I additionally advocate doing a little analysis to find out what your priorities are in a brand new set. Are you an audiophile who needs the perfect sound high quality? Is highly effective lively noise cancellation (ANC) crucial? Would you quite have conveniences like automated pausing?
Which model has the perfect wi-fi headphones?
Sony persistently tops our record with its 1000X line. That is largely because of the mixture of sound high quality, ANC efficiency and the truckload of options these headphones pack in. I’ll be the primary to let you know that there are higher sounding choices and different firms, like Bose, supply more practical noise cancellation. However once you add the whole lot up, nobody comes near the complete slate of instruments Sony places in its premium headphone line.
Do costly wi-fi headphones sound higher?
Exorbitant value tags don’t imply higher audio high quality. Bowers & Wilkins’ headphones are on the excessive finish for wi-fi noise-canceling fashions and so they sound wonderful. Nevertheless, Audio-Technica’s M50xBT2 is far more inexpensive and doesn’t have ANC, however these headphones have a heat, pure sound profile that I discover very inviting. On the finish of the day, it should come down to private choice, however you don’t want to spend so much to search out nice headphones.
