The gizmo and featuresthat Bluetoothheadphones offer is something wired headphones can not replicate . If you want the dependable wireless headphones , you ’ve landed in the right-hand topographic point .
We ’ve tested all type of wireless headphones , from over - ears to wireless earbuds and over - ear . We ’ve tried to let in a range of phone from budget options to premium framework and everything in - between .
And how do we test to figure out the good wireless earphone ? We ’ll test the ANC in our place and outdoors to see how potent they are , comparing against cost challenger to determine which ones offer the expert value . Bluetooth is put through its pace in meddling areas . The headphones that keep a strong connections are the ones you see here before you .
We ’ll test out features and see how well the user experience is with any apps . We make calls to try out the clearness and articulation blame - up carrying into action , and we do n’t listen to the same writing style of medicine . We ’ll take heed to a variety of raceway for essay bass , treble , midrange , vigour and more .
If you ’re bet to dig into something a little more specific , we ’ve got you covered too . Head to our othe best lists for more splendid headphone choice , including thebest wireless earbuds , salutary racket - cancelling headphones , best running headphonesand the overallbest headphones .
Best wireless headphones at a glance
SQUIRREL_ANCHOR_LIST
How we test
Learn more about how we test phone
Not just anybody can look back a couple of headphones . You do n’t need superhuman hearing to tell what ’s good , but you do need to eff what to heed out for .
Our headphone tests are done by some of the best and most prolific reviewers in the industry , with years of experience listening to everything from the plasticky freebie earbuds that come with your smartphone , to five - figure beasts of glass and marble . We have it off music and we want your tunes to voice dependable , too .
So we listen every brace of headphones we can get on or in our ears . We use a motley of sources , from canonical MP3s playing on a laptop to high - quality tracks on consecrated Hawaii - res audio players .
Our tryout tracks are wide - straddle to give headphone a exhaustive challenge . They ’re also conversant , so we love every racecourse backwards , and we know which bits might trouble the less performer .
We listen again and again , and we do that for calendar week in type the wakeless change – because it usually does . Then we ’ll listen to similarly price contender and come up with a verdict that meditate the performance and features for the money .
Sony WH-1000XM5
Pros
Cons
Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S2e
Sony WF-1000XM5
Bowers and Wilkins Px8
Sony WH-1000XM4
Sony WH-CH720N
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100
SoundMagic P23BT
Apple AirPods Max
Trusted Score
TheSony WH-1000XM5remain one of the most impressive all - round wireless headphones at any price , offer majuscule noise - cancellation , speech sound , features and call character functioning .
Since its launch in 2022 , they ’ve fall to below £ 299 / $ 299 , making them great value against options suchCambridge Audio Melomania P100 . They sport a more modern face than theWH-1000XM4 , and are comfortable to wear although the redesigned earcups ca n’t be fold in . That ’ll be inconvnient for those who like to place their headphones in a bagful when travelling . The change has been done to offer good dissonance cancelling performance , and in examination we witness it did reduced malarky interference for a quieterANCexperience .
The WH-1000XM5 ’s interference cancelling tackles higher oftenness sound with more confidence than the XM4 , although we did palpate the XM4 modelling suppressed voice well . The Ambient Mode does extend an melioration over the older good example with its clean-cut and more raw sound .
The XM5 copes with other noises well , with everything from big crew to exchange on transportation reduced to a hush . However , when it comes to the best ANC performance , theBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphonesare better .
They ’re laden with features For characteristic the Quick Attention mode filter through outside speech sound at a moment ’s notice , and verbalize To Chat ( which pause medicine when you ’re speak ) stay ; while there ’s support for Alexa and Google Assistant interpreter control . Call quality is top tier .
electric battery aliveness remain 30 hours of runtime , and we managed to get around a calendar week ’s use from these earphone . However , if you need even long stamp battery life story , theTechnics EAH - A800andSennheiser Momentum 4 Wirelessoffer 50 and 60 hours respectively .
As far as the sound go , the WH-1000XM5 have full-bodied but elaborated audio quality . The mid - range sound somewhat ample and more elaborate than before , with increased definition and pellucidity give way to instrument and spokesperson . The soundstage is wide and basso has more grain and clarity . They ’re a great listen across all musical style , but for the best - sound wireless headphones , we ’d urge theBowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e .
TheBowers and Wilkins Px7 S2eare a superb pair of over - ears and B&W ’s replacement to thePx7 S2 , lend the headphones nigher to the top - tierPx8 .
The headphones share the same adorable looks as their predecessor , including the oval earcups and wider headband . Even so , we incur the headphones fit better on the headway , improving the dissonance isolation which in play helps the dissonance - cancellation performance .
The earpiece add up in a extensive compass of color , from black and white to ruby-red , fleeceable and grim selection and the forcible buttons provide a very tactile experience . When not in use , the phone turn up compressed to equip into the carry case .
These headphones feature disturbance cancelling and a transparency mode and while both crop well , the performance is ( deliberately ) not as strong as theBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones . The Bowers & Wilkins Music app tender the means to customise bass part and treble , among other configurations but these headphones are n’t as ‘ fresh ’ or as feature film - laded as theSony WH-1000XM5but the app does feature built - in streaming from the the likes of ofQobuz , Deezer , and Tidal .
The bombardment life is 30 minute of listening from one charge , though in our tests we found it could go longer with an Android smartphone . Bluetooth support include aptX Adaptive , which help oneself with the barrage liveliness and also improves the wireless connection ( which is first-class ) .
The sound character here is both expressive and natural , the update DSP improves the earphone ’ grade contingent , dynamism and sense of spaciousness . scummy frequencies have more depth and power , the midrange is elaborate and the high oftenness clear . If there is a problem it ’s that at default book the Px7 S2e miss some excitement .
Sony’sWF-1000XM5knocks the previous holder of best true wireless ( theWF-1000XM4 ) , with a terrifying , across the plug-in performance .
The audio execution is an betterment on its forerunner in terminal figure of item and sharpness , the fresh Dynamic Driver X show in a more balanced performance across the frequency range . Low conclusion depth does take a smash , but to our ears the WF-1000XM5 sound more elaborated and exculpated with its basso performance even though it loses a sense of play .. The midrange is also better , much better at showcasing ok particular in music , while there have been addition with the eminent absolute frequency , which are discriminating , clearer and more elaborated .
Elsewhere , noise - cancelling performance is good , able to inhibit voice and environmental noise well than than before , though theQuietComfort Earbuds IIsuppress sounds slightly better haphazardness - cancelling performance , though in the Sony ’s favour is that it scrub noises with a more natural tone . The transparency mode is light and detailed , although the WF-1000XM4 go slightly clearer and more undefended to our ears .
Battery lifespan is the same with 8 time of day per earbuds and 24 in total with the charging case . Wireless performance is good in both AAC andLDACplayback modes , though it is less prone to stutter when stream audio in AAC . There are too many features to list in this paragraph , but in terms of customisation , breadth , and convenience , no other genuine radio is as comprehensive as the WF-1000XM5 in our judgement .
Call quality is decent but has a tendency to leak in background disturbance whenever we spoke . We would n’t rank as being as estimable as theAirPods Pro 2for call performance .
in conclusion , the design is smaller and unaccented for a more favourable and comfortable fit , something that substance abuser feel was an payoff with the XM4 model . The introduction of an excess small ear - tip size means more way to fit a wider compass of ear .
Though it ’s not perfect , and there are still field where its rivals have a stage - up on them , in terms of overall performance , the Sony WF-1000XM5 still outrank as our favourite true tuner .
There ’s a spring up selection of headphones that offer a premium performance for a premium price , and if your budget leave you to go around the £ 500 gull , theBowers & Wilkins Px8is an excellent alternative at £ 599 / $ 699 .
The Px8 exude year in term of the appearance with the Black and Tan leather versions . The build character is splendid , and we found they were comfortable to fag out over recollective periods of time .
They supportadaptive ANCand while the performance not as strong as theSony WH-1000XM5orBose QuietComfort 45 , they ’re in effect at suppressing noise on the Underground , as well as hush vocalisation and managing wind noise when you ’re above priming coat . We feel it to be a strong enough ANC performance to usher in a sensory faculty of calm wherever you are .
Call quality is among the best we ’ve hear from any headphones recently . voice add up across clearly and background stochasticity are kept to a lower limit . The wireless link is another aspect of these earpiece performance that is superb with barely any dip in the signal , and the bombardment is respectable at thirty hour , although the ilk of theSennheiser Momentum Wireless 4can extend more .
With angled 40 mm dynamical full - range drivers , the Px8 offer a magnanimous and expansive soundstage , strike a neutral approach to the frequency range , reach depressed frequency full definition and punch , with a piercing and clear midrange and the gamey relative frequency are classifiable and brilliant . If you want eminent faithfulness auditory sensation in a great looking package , look no further than the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 .
TheWH-1000XM4are still go strong almost five years after its liberation and you’re able to find them for less than £ 200 .
If you could get them for under £ 200 , they ’d be our selection for the best headphones to get , even with competition from newer headphones such as theSennheiser Accentum Wireless Plus .
Compred to theWH-1000XM3that number before it , the improvements can be rather subtle , such as the design . But they reap dividends with cushier , more comfortable fag experience . Unlike the WH-1000XM5 , this model can be fold up in when you ’re travelling , take up less space . Sony does n’t mention anIP ratingfor its over - capitulum headphone , but we would n’t recommend wearing them in cockeyed weather condition in casing they do get damage .
More obvious are the overbold characteristic in Speak - to - Chat that pauses euphony when you ’re speaking and improvements to Ambient fresh Control that avail to individualise your audio experience without getting in the way .
ANC is again terrific , crush dissonance for an even smoother and quieter noise - scratch experience , and the sound is terrific , admit the performance of the previous over - capitulum and refine it in a way that makes the XM3 strait rather date . When it comes to canceling voices , we in reality find this pair to be slightly better than the WH-1000XM5 .
The sound is n’t as honest as the newer model but they ’re still an excellent - sounding pair of headphones . The DSEE Extreme feature remove noise from lead , which is especially useful if you mind to a heap of low - quality music on bit - famish service such as Spotify . The sound is rich and detailed , with lot of push , deep bass voice and a smooth - sounding but detailed midrange . If you do want to ante up more for theWH-1000XM5 , the WH-1000XM4 are a brilliant alternative .
TheWH - CH720Nare Sony ’s least expensive wireless over - ears , and in our opinion , they beat the competition with their audio performance .
The healthy tone is a politic , energetic and bassy public presentation . The level of detail is better than it is with the Final UX300 in its ANC mode , as well as the Soundcore Space One . Bass is punchy , the midrange is clear and elaborated , and the upper frequency and lustrous and percipient for the monetary value , but it ’s the level of energy and excitement that put the Sony above its peers
The noise - cancellation is all right for the toll , which focalise on reducing the impact low frequency auditory sensation and clearing away ambient haphazardness . For casual commutes and journeys in urban center , they ’ll be fine , but if you ’re looking for a quieter execution , you ’ll need to up your budget .
Battery life can go as far as 40 minute from our tests with noise - cancelling on , and the Sony comes with a mountain chain of convenient feature such as a transparence way , Bluetooth multipoint , app support ( which provides more customisation ) and voice assistants in the shape ofGoogle AssistantandAmazon Alexa .
Build quality is nice with no noticeable creaks or groans when we flex the frame . The use of plastic also keeps the headphones lightweight at 192 g making for a comfortable wearing experience . These are n’t a particulalry flashy twain of phone , but they ’re grand value for money .
shelling life is becoming an more and more important feature . Who wants to be charge their headphone every few mean solar day ? There are plenty that propose long lasting battery life , but there ’s none that we ’ve tested that offer as much as theCambridge Audio Melomania P100 .
The battery aliveness is 60 hours , which is the same as theSennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless , but in our mental testing we ground the Cambridge ’s battery life story drained less , so we ’re inclined to recommend the Cambridge for battery life over the Sennheiser , even though the Sennheisers sound well . One hr ’s drain result in a 1 % drop in assault and battery life , which is very telling .
The Cambridge await good but do n’t inevitably view the eye . They are well-heeled to wear down with no pestering obstruction and bulky earcups to deal with . The earpada are detachable if they get damaged and the battery is replaceable , in case you require to modify that too .
The noise cancellation is honorable , though not quite as ripe as theSony WH-1000XM4orBose QuietComfort 45 . They bring calm to the fuss and hustle of London ’s streets , and remove a honorable chunk of noise on pblic transport , though they do leak out a little more racket than we expected .
The wireless carrying into action has been very good , as is the headphones ’ call quality performance
We do feel they could sound better at default volume , but raise the volume level up and they ’re an energetic , spacious and unmortgaged listen . Highs are clear and detailed , the midrange feature satisfactory detail , and the bass is measure with a sense of puncher to it . It ’s an prosperous , enjoyable speech sound to listen to .
It ’s been a while since we last heard from budget headphone specialists , SoundMagic , but we should n’t have worried as theP23BTare another pair of first-class value headphones from the caller .
As usual , they ’re affordable at just £ 49.99 and while they ’re not big on feature film , SoundMagic has made some sensible choices as these headphones provide good point of wash room , too .
There ’s no escaping the on - ear design , which may shape better for some than it does for others . Issues include pinching around the ear and leak out interference for the outside public that could interrupt your music hearing session . If you ’re not too bothered by the latter , some may even prefer to be aware of what ’s around them , and you ’re not affect by the former issue , then the SoundMagic can be well-heeled enough to wear off thanks to their soft - padded earcups .
They mix touch controls , which work astonishingly well in term of how responsive they are , and their compact , lightweight and foldable design make them , in our judgement , soft to wear and even easier to store when not in use of goods and services .
You wo n’t come up feature such as noise cancellation or transparency mode here . You get a electric battery lifespan that ’s estimated to be around 54 - 60 hours , which is virtually duple that of theStatus BT Oneon - capitulum , but lags behind the Marshall Major IV , which have 80 + hours in taciturnity . They also packaptX - HD Bluetooth , which grant for Hi - res music playback from the likes of Tidal andDeezermusic streaming services .
The sound quality is far more balanced and mature than we expected for the price , our commentator set up the headphones offered a subtle , well - balance listen with its detailed midrange performance , sharp high frequency playback and basso that boast a decent amount of depth . If you do prefer a bassier audio to your headphones , you may require to give theMarshall Major IVa try as an option .
TheApple AirPods Maxrepresents the good radiocommunication over - ear available if you have an iPhone , MacBook or iPad . A recent update has added USB - C , swapping over from Lightning port used for charging with the original pair .
Their design is typically Apple with a modern aesthetic that ’s unlike any other pair of headphones we ’ve tested . They borrow cues from both theApple WatchandHomePod Minito make a set of cans that count and feel excellent , with still rounded metal earcups and a mesh headband with retentivity foam earcups that made them immensely well-fixed .
At 385 one thousand , they are quite heavy , and there ’s no IP military rating for use in the rain or exercising , if that ’s of interest . The case is n’t the most paying attention , as it offers zero auspices , and cause botheration as it ’s the only way for the AirPods Max to turn off .
The feature set here is expectant for Apple users . For illustration , Spatial Audiooffers a more immersive and three-D - like audio profile that ’s only useable on iOS devices , and while the feature of speech is clever , it ’s availability is limited to several apps such asApple TV+,NetflixandDisney+ .
During testing , we found the stochasticity cancellation to be very good , similar in execution to theSony WH-1000XM4 , with its transparency mode that sounded perfectly natural . We also found the bombardment spirit to agree Apple ’s claim 20 hours , and while it ’s less than what the rival can offers , it ’ll be more than enough for long haul flights or a few day of use .
The AirPods Max ’s phone contract a balanced approaching . It features plenty of bass and low end rumble , alongside clean vocals and scintillating highs that do n’t sound harsh . The balanced visibility impart itself to the fact Apple ’s exchange premium over - pinna contender work well with a variety of music , and the presence of Spatial Audio is utilitarian within Apple Music with a well - master track . These earphone do n’t supportHi - Res Audio , which is dissatisfactory for the price , but if you ’re within the Apple ecosystem , these over - ears are you good stake for an first-class experience .
There ’s competition from the like ofDyson OnTracandSonos Ace , but the AirPods Max stay a very good couplet of over - capitulum earpiece , specially if you ’re an iOS user .
Test Data
Full Specs
Our selection for the best wireless earpiece would be the Sony WH-1000XM5 . They sound great , have excellent noise cancellation and come with useful and commodious smarts such as the Speak to Chat function that intermit medicine when the wearer starts talk .
We ’d recommend the Sony WH - CH720N , which offer good stochasticity cancellation and rich and vibrant audio for less than £ 100 .
