The best over-ear headphones: Expert tested and reviewed

Bose QuietComfort Ultra tech specs: Weight: 8.96 oz (254 g) | Battery life: 24 hours | Bluetooth: Yes (5.3) | Multipoint: Yes

Bose’s latest release put the quiet in QuietComfort, as the QC Ultra headphones take the spot for best noise-canceling on this list. There’s no hiss or hum, and only loud conversations in close proximity will cut through the Ultra’s ANC. The QC Ultra’s noise-canceling properties are a major high point, as it’s more effective than any other headphones from Bose and is slightly stronger than the noise-canceling from Apple and Sony.

To go even further, the QuietComfort Ultra headphones are the best you’ll get from Bose. The sound quality is clear, balanced, and detailed. Of course, the sound quality isn’t as good as what you’ll find in a pair of audiophile-centered consumer headphones like the Sennheiser Momentum 4. Still, Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra’s sound is definitely fuller than the XM5 headphones and clearer than AirPods Max.

The new Ultra design is more stylish than previous QuietComfort models and is more comfortable than any other headphones in this list. Hours-long wear is not a problem, and the ear cups are deep and don’t clamp too hard or get too hot.

Bose’s Immersive Audio feature is up there with Apple’s Spatial Audio, expanding the soundstage and giving you a full-bodied audio experience. It won’t be for everyone, but it’s a great feature. Additionally, Bose improved its Aware Mode, and it’s just one step behind Apple’s. Apple’s Transparency Mode is the best, but Bose isn’t too far off these days.

Bose’s QC Ultra takes the top spot in this list because you can take the over-ear headphones anywhere for any purpose. They’ll perform at the office, on the road, on a plane, in a coffee shop, in a conference call, and at home when you’re gaming, watching a movie, or having a chill jam session. The QuietComfort Ultra is a highly versatile headphone with perfected comfort, noise-canceling, and style.

Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra

Who these are for: The Bose QC Ultra headphones are great for people who spend a lot of time working at a desk or commuting. Their ANC does a great job at blocking out office chatter and the low hums of a plane, train, or car. The QC Ultra’s all-day comfort and versatile use for gaming, watching videos, taking calls, and listening to music make them the best over-ear headphones all around for people who like having one pair of headphones they can take anywhere.

Sony WH-1000XM5 tech specs: Weight: 8.8 oz (249.5 g) | Battery life: 30 hours | Bluetooth: Yes (Bluetooth 5.2) | Multipoint: Yes

The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are the best over-ear headphones for sophisticated listeners, thanks to their thoughtful design and features. Despite their impressive and extensive internal audio components, the XM5 over-ear headphones remain light and comfortable for long-term wear. While Sony’s headphones aren’t my top pick for sound quality or noise-canceling, Sony gives you great quality all around.

For audio software fanatics, the XM5 over-ear headphones reach an impressive depth of 4 Hz (which is below the human hearing threshold) and can reach down to 20 Hz via Bluetooth connectivity. You can also access SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs via Bluetooth for the highest-quality listening, no matter your device’s operating system. AAC is reserved for Apple devices, while Android devices can access LDAC. 

Sony’s XM5 over-ear headphones also have a useful companion app that’s full of personalization features and future-proof software capabilities. There’s one specific software feature that Sony has that other premium headphones from brands like Apple and Bose don’t. Speak-to-Chat is a useful feature that will pause your music and turn on Ambient Sound mode when your headphones sense someone is speaking to you so you can hear them better.

Beware — Speak-to-Chat is very sensitive, and it will pick up on others’ conversations if they’re sitting or standing close enough to you. You’ll also trigger Speak-to-Chat if you sing along to your music when the feature is enabled. Don’t ask me how I know; just know that I do. So, if you don’t intend to speak to anyone and don’t anticipate anyone speaking to you while you’re wearing the XM5 over-ears, you should turn it off.

Review: Sony WH-1000XM5

Who these are for: The WH-1000XM5 headphones offer every premium headphone feature you can think of. If you like highly personalized headphones, these are for you. If you want a pair of headphones that has it all — and does it all well enough — you’ll want the XM5.

Sennheiser Momentum 4 tech specs: Weight: 10.3 oz (292 g) | Battery life: 60 hours | Bluetooth: Yes (5.2) | Multipoint: Yes

Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 over-ear headphones are the best option for listeners with a trained ear. Sennheiser is known for its professional-level audio equipment and implemented its higher-caliber audio technology into a pair of consumer headphones.

The Momentum 4 easily tops Apple, Bose, and Sony in the audio department but certainly falls behind all three in the noise-canceling category. The Momentum 4 will deliver incredibly clear and detailed audio and offers highly specific EQ settings on a five-band Hz equalizer.

However, with the Momentum 4’s ANC at its highest level, you’ll still hear the noises around you, especially conversational noises. The Momentum 4 can block out the lower pitches of droning noises, like a lawn mower or a running refrigerator, but the higher pitches of these noises will get past these headphones. I also found that the ANC doesn’t degrade the Momentum 4’s sound quality, something that’s very common with other ANC-enabled headphones.

You’ll get a comfortable and low-key pair of nicely-built headphones with a well-constructed case, but the Momentum 4 only folds flat — not up — so they’re not very portable, and the case is bulky. Instead of multifunction buttons, you have tap, swipe, and pinch controls on the outside of the right ear cup. You can decide for yourself if that feature is a pro or a con. The tap/swipe controls are highly touch-sensitive, and any moisture on the outside of the ear cups will trigger the touch functions.

Again, inside the ear cups is where the money is. You can access AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive codecs, thanks to the internal Qualcomm chipset. The Momentum 4’s 60-hour marathon battery is a highlight, as it can last about three times longer than other headphones in the same price range.

Review: Sennheiser Momentum 4

Who these are for: The Sennheiser Momentum 4 are the perfect headphones for anyone who likes to take high-quality sound on the go. Not to mention, their 60-hour battery life means you’ll get through the week or through a days-long trek in and out of airports without needing to charge them. 

Apple AirPods Max tech specs: Weight: 13.6 oz (384.4 g) | Battery life: 20 hours | Bluetooth: Yes (5.0) | Multipoint: No, but connects to multiple Apple devices 

If you are deeply committed to the Apple ecosystem and you want to keep it that way, you’ll want the AirPods Max. The sound quality is great, and Apple’s Transparency Mode is easily the best out of all the headphones on this list. The AirPods Max noise-canceling is superior to Sony’s XM5 over-ears and follows closely behind Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra.

Their interesting design is widely recognizable, and I see many people use these headphones as both a fashion statement and a status symbol. However, in terms of functionality, the AirPods Max are not the best you’ll find — unless you have mostly Apple devices. Even then, there are a few features iOS users will miss out on that you’d expect to find in a pair of $550 headphones.

To start, AirPods Max don’t have any native EQ settings, leaving you with no way to tailor their sound. Additionally, their almost five-year-old Apple H1 chip leaves them without the up-to-date software settings found in the AirPods Pro (2nd generation), like Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Sound Control.

You can seamlessly pair the AirPods Max to more than two devices, something Apple holds above other headphones with two-device multipoint connectivity. Still, seamless pairing won’t work with AirPods Max unless they’re connecting to other Apple devices. Should you connect AirPods Max to an Android or Windows device, you won’t get Spatial Audio, wear detection, or access a virtual assistant.

Hardware-wise, AirPods Max don’t have a headphone jack or a USB-C port for wired listening. Instead, you must purchase a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter and another adapter for your iOS device, but you won’t access any other codecs when connected via wire. You’ll get the superior AAC codec when paired via Bluetooth to Apple devices and the standard SBC codec when paired with non-Apple devices. The lack of audio ports also means you’ll have to keep them charged up, especially if you’re likely to run down their short 20-hour battery life, which cuts down to 18 hours with ANC enabled.

The AirPods Max are very comfortable, and they avoid heat buildup in the ear cups most headphones produce. Apple put a lot of thought into the ear cups’ ventilation and large shape, making them suitable for comfortable and breathable hours-long wear. However, AirPods Max carry a lot of their weight in the ear cups, which can quickly cause ear fatigue in some.

Review: Apple AirPods Max

Who these are for: The Apple AirPods Max are the best headphones for Apple fanatics. If your tablet, smartphone, TV, and every gadget in between are made by Apple, these are for you. Their seamless integration with Apple devices makes them easy to use, but their hardware and software limitations might frustrate non-Apple users.

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 tech specs: Weight: 11.7 oz (332 g) | Battery life: 60 hours | Bluetooth: Yes (5.2) | Multipoint: Yes

Skullcandy’s Crusher ANC 2 headphones are reserved for the bass enthusiasts of the world. They’re equipped with Skullcandy’s patented Crusher Bass technology that delivers bass you can hear and feel.

If you like all things bass, you’re bound to find a lot of fun in the Crusher ANC 2. However, the Crusher Bass can be difficult to conquer, and it may be entirely too much for most people. You’re likely to develop a headache if you choose to max out the Crusher ANC 2’s Crusher Bass feature for longer than 20 minutes.

Despite that, the Crusher ANC 2 handles low-frequency sounds very well, and the overall sound quality is pretty good. At high levels, Crusher Bass will muddle a song’s higher frequencies and will overwhelm you with songs that are already bass-heavy. You’ll have to find the sweet spot in the EQ settings to get the most out of these, so be prepared to play with the sound for a few minutes.

Skullcandy’s latest headphones sport plushy, memory foam ear cups donned in polyurethane leather and distribute their weight well, but they are on the heavier side. The Crusher ANC 2’s companion app is loaded with software, including Spotify Tap, voice assistants, and more. The only software feature Skullcandy omits from these headphones is wear detection.

Sophisticated listening isn’t in mind with these headphones, as your only options are AAC and standard SBC. You can listen wired, but you don’t get any more codecs, which is a little unusual for their $230 price tag but expected for these headphones’ use cases. The ANC on the Crusher ANC 2 is less effective than Sennheiser’s Momentum 4, as it has a hum and doesn’t isolate much noise. However, these headphones are extremely loud — I promise you won’t hear anything with the volume slightly over 50%.

Overall, Skullcandy’s Crusher ANC 2 are not your first choice if you’re looking for a practical pair of everyday headphones. They’re bulky, and the bass can get out of hand. However, the Crusher Bass feature will make movie and video-watching more enjoyable than you can imagine.

Although I wouldn’t recommend working out in over-ear headphones (more on that below), I can see why people would want to work out in these. The Crusher ANC 2 can reach and beautifully reproduce low-frequency sounds, and their sound is perfect for motivating you to lift some heavy weight or go on an intense run.

Review: Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2

Who these are for: The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 are the best headphones for those who like a bass kick when they listen to music. I also recommend these to people who wear headphones to watch gaming streams or movies on the go. Their deep bass will get you fully immersed in whatever you’re watching.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 tech specs: Weight: 10.6 oz (303 g) | Battery life: 60 hours | Bluetooth: Yes (5.0) | Multipoint: Yes

Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50xBT2 headphones are the most no-frills headphones you can find in a world full of confusing buttons, capacitive touch controls, and lengthy software updates. If you don’t believe me, you can stick to wired listening and never connect these headphones to your device’s Bluetooth and still get the most out of them. Very retro. 

However, “BT” is in the product name, and their Bluetooth connectivity is easy and stable. Aside from modern button controls and Bluetooth capabilities, the BT2 headphones aren’t much different from their ATH-line of successors from the early 2000s. That’s for good reason, as Audio-Technica has gotten sound right for decades. Why fix something that isn’t broken? These headphones’ 45mm dynamic drivers deliver a very balanced and clear sound, as they’re studio headphones made for mixing and mastering audio. The BT2 could definitely work as “baby’s first studio headphones” since their $200 price tag is reasonable for what you get.

The highs aren’t very high, and the lows aren’t very low with the BT2 headphones, so don’t expect over-emphasized bass or high-frequency sounds. When I say these headphones have a balanced sound, I really mean it. Software also isn’t a priority here, as Audio-Technica’s app only offers EQ settings, firmware updates, and Bluetooth codec options. So if your focus is mainly music, these headphones are for you. 

The lack of battery-eating features like ANC gives the BT2 a marathon battery life. Audio-Technica says the headphones can hang for 50 hours, but I clocked right over 60 hours before the battery died. Speaking of codecs, you get AAC, LDAC, and standard SBC, and you can listen losslessly with a 3.5mm headphone jack. You can also use the headphone jack if you’re low on battery, but the BT2 will stick around for 60 hours before the battery dies.

Comfort-wise, the BT2 have a tight clamp, and they can get hot. They also lack ANC, so if you want headphones that keep you in your own little bubble, I can’t promise these are for you. However, the tight clamp and big ear cups offer a nice seal, and loud traffic or conversations will be significantly muffled at the right volume.

Review: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2

Who these are for: If you have a trained ear and like a balanced and clear sound, you’ll enjoy Audio-Technica’s ATH-M50xBT2 headphones. For those who mix and master music, whether you’re learning about music production in college or running a business that requires you to professionally focus on audio, you should try these.

Beats Studio Pro tech specs: Weight: 9.52 oz (270 g) | Battery life: 40 hours | Bluetooth: Yes (5.3) | Multipoint: Yes

The Beats Studio Pro headphones are as down the middle as you can get. These headphones don’t stand out to me in any category, aside from their unique cooperation with both iOS and Android devices. 

For iOS users, you can add Studio Pro to your ‘Find My’ network. You’ll also access Apple’s Spatial Audio sound mode with your Apple devices. However, Apple users won’t have access to USB-C wired listening or cable lossless listening and will miss out on EQ settings. This also means they will rely on Apple’s straight-out-the-box signature sound, as there’s no Beats companion app on iOS.

For Android users, you can charge and listen to the Studio Pro while they’re connected to your smartphone via a USB-C cord. With USB-C listening, you’ll unlock audio modes fit for gaming and movie-watching, as well as lossless listening.

The Studio Pro supports Android Fast Pair, and iPhone users can summon Siri hands-free. Bluetooth multipoint pairing is available for Android users, and the Studio Pro can intelligently and smoothly connect to multiple Apple devices. However, if you have a Chromebook and an iPhone, you can’t seamlessly switch the Studio Pro’s connection between the two.

The Studio Pro’s sound quality is good. It’s the best from Beats but not the best in this list. Noise-canceling abilities are great, and the best from Beats, but you can find better. These headphones are also comfortable, but if you’re looking for big, oval ear cups, these aren’t for you. Their circular ear cup shape blends an over- and on-ear fit, and their clamping force is just right to keep them secure on your head.

Review: Beats Studio Pro

Who these are for: You’ll maximize your money’s worth with the Beats Studio Pro if you have a mixed-device ecosystem. They intuitively work well with both Android and Apple devices, leaving some features reserved for one operating system and other features for another operating system. If you want a visually stunning pair of headphones that are uniquely compatible with your Android and Apple devices, the Beats Studio Pro are for you.

Anker SoundCore Space One tech specs: Weight: 9.3 oz. | Battery life: 55 hours | Bluetooth: Yes

The Soundcore Space One headphones are a capable and comfortable pair of headphones that won’t break the bank. When it comes to sound, the Space One sound is great for it’s $100 price tag, but you shouldn’t expect out-of-this-world sound quality. 

Despite that, their build quality is surprisingly well-made for their affordable price. You’ll appreciate their nice build because you don’t get a hardshell case to carry them in for storage and protection. The Space One’s plushy and thick headband and ear cup cushions also offer a great deal of comfort, and their relaxed fit is optimal for hours-long wear. However, the shallow ear cups interfere with the Space One’s sound quality and can cause discomfort for some.

The Space One also has many of the same software features you’ll find in a pair of $400 headphones like the Sony XM5 over-ear headphones. Wear detection, conversation mode, EQ settings, software-to-hardware shortcuts, and ANC are included with the Space One. Their ANC, however, isn’t anything to write home about, as it has a harder time blocking out the lower pitches of sounds like a running refrigerator, AC unit, or plane engine.

Review: Anker SoundCore Space One

Who these are for: I recommend the Soundcore Space One headphones for anyone looking for a backup pair of headphones to take on their daily commute or on long traveling stretches. I’d also recommend them to anyone who wants an affordable pair of headphones that don’t skimp on the software features.