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Best Wireless Headphones: Our top-rated Bluetooth headphones
In This Article
Although wired headphones are making a comeback, some people will prefer the convenience (and features) that wireless Bluetooth headphones offer. If that’s you, then we’ve got plenty of choices to pick from.
Every headphone you see on this list has been thoroughly put through its paces, assessing the design and fit, audio quality, battery life and any additional features such as active noise-cancellation. And there’s a variety of headphones too, from over-ears, to on-ears and true wireless. There is, hopefully, something for everyone.
We also try to test headphones that vary in price, from budget models to premium headphones to fit a wide range of budgets.
If you’re looking to delve into something a little more specific, we’ve got you covered too. Head to our other audio best lists for more excellent headphone picks, including thebest wireless earbuds,best noise-cancelling headphones,best noise-cancelling earbuds,best running headphonesand the overallbest headphones.
Best wireless headphones at a glance
How we test
Not just anybody can review a pair of headphones. You don’t need superhuman hearing to tell what’s good, but you do need to know what to listen 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 love music and we want your tunes to sound good, too.So we listen every pair of headphones we can get on or in our ears. We use a variety of sources, from basic MP3s playing on a laptop to high-quality tracks on dedicated hi-res audio players.Our test tracks are wide-ranging to give headphones a thorough challenge. They’re also familiar, so we know every track backwards, and we know which bits might trouble the lesser performers.We listen again and again, and we do that for weeks in case the sound changes – because it usually does. Then we’ll listen to similarly priced rivals and come up with a verdict that reflects the performance and features for the money.
Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S2e
TheBowers and Wilkins Px7 S2eare a superb pair of over-ears and B&W’s successor to thePx7 S2, bringing the headphones even closer to the top-tierPx8.
The headphones share the same lovely, premium looks as their predecessor, including the oval earcups and wider headband. Even so, we found the headphones fit even better on the head, offering a better sense of noise isolation.
The headphones come in a wide range of colours, from black and white to red, green and blue options and the physical buttons offer a very tactile experience. When not in use, the headphones fold flat to fit into the carry case.
Key features include noise cancelling and a transparency mode that work well, albeit not as strongly as that on theBose QuietComfort Ultra Headphonesor theSony WH-1000XM5. The Bowers & Wilkins Music app allows you to customise the levels of bass and treble, as well as the wear sensor levels and the Quick Action button. The app also brings apps by Qobuz, Deezer and Tidal into one place, making it a great way to access your music in one place.
The sound quality here is expressive and natural, with the custom-designed 40mm drivers angled to create an immersive experience, while the updated DSP provides detail, dynamism and spaciousness.
The battery life is solid, offering 30 hours of listening from one charge, while fast charging delivers seven hours of music in just 15 minutes of charging.
All-in-all, the Px7 S2e are a classy update on what were already an impressive pair of wireless headphones, offering excellent sound, features and value for money.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:Bowers and Wilkins Px7 S2e
Sony WF-1000XM5
Sony’sWF-1000XM5knocks the previous holder of best true wireless (theWF-1000XM4), with a terrific, across the board performance.
The audio performance is an improvement on its predecessor in terms of detail and sharpness, the new Dynamic Driver X ushers in a more balanced performance across the frequency range. Low end depth does take a hit, but to our ears the WF-1000XM5 sound more detailed and clearer with its bass performance even though it loses a sense of fun.. The midrange is also better, much better at showcasing fine detail in music, while there have been gains with the high frequencies, which are sharper, clearer and more detailed.
Elsewhere, noise-cancelling performance is better, able to suppress voices and environmental noise better than than before, though theQuietComfort Earbuds IIsuppress sounds slightly better noise-cancelling performance, though in the Sony’s favour is that it cancels noises with a more natural tone. The transparency mode is clear and detailed, although the WF-1000XM4 sounds slightly clearer and more open to our ears.
Battery life is the same with 8 hours 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 streaming audio in AAC. There are too many features to list in this paragraph, but in terms of customisation, breadth, and convenience, no other true wireless is as comprehensive as the WF-1000XM5 in our mind.
Call quality is decent but has a tendency to leak in background noise whenever we spoke. We wouldn’t rate as being as good as theAirPods Pro 2for call performance.
Finally, the design is smaller and lighter for a more favourable and comfortable fit, something that users felt was an issue with the XM4 model. The introduction of an extra small ear-tip size means more room to fit a wider range of ears.
Though it’s not perfect, and there are still areas where its rivals have a leg-up on them, in terms of overall performance, the Sony WF-1000XM5 still rank as our favourite true wireless.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:Sony WF-1000XM5
Bowers and Wilkins Px8
There’s a growing selection of headphones that offer a premium performance for a premium price, and if your budget allows you to go around the £500 mark, theBowers & Wilkins Px8is an excellent choice at £599 / $699.
The Px8 exude class in terms of the appearance with the Black and Tan leather versions. The build quality is excellent, and we found they were comfortable to wear over long periods of time.
They supportadaptive ANCand while the performance not as strong as theSony WH-1000XM5orBose QuietComfort 45, they’re effective at suppressing noise on the Underground, as well as hushing voices and managing wind noise when you’re above ground. We found it to be a strong enough ANC performance to usher in a sense of calm wherever you are.
Call quality is among the best we’ve heard from any headphones recently. Voices coming across clearly and background noises are kept to a minimum. The wireless connection is another aspect of these headphones performance that is superb with barely any dips in the signal, and the battery is respectable at thirty hours, although the likes of theSennheiser Momentum Wireless 4can offer more.
With angled 40mm dynamic full-range drivers, the Px8 offers a large and expansive soundstage, taking a neutral approach to the frequency range, giving low frequencies good definition and punch, with a sharp and clear midrange and the high frequencies are distinctive and bright. There is an alternative such as the Focal Bathys, which we feel sound a little better, but the noise-cancellation isn’t quite as good.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:Bowers & Wilkins Px8
Mark Levinson No. 5909
TheMark Levinson No. 5909hit the definition of a premium pair of headphones with their $999 / £999 price tag. That will buy you almost four pairs of Sony’sWH-1000XM4over-ears.
They feel like a properly premium product with their anodized aluminium composition and supremely comfortable memory foam padding that allowed us to wear them for hours on end. From that perspective the build quality of the No. 5909s feel their asking price.
It’s on the front of audio where the No. 5909s where our reviewer found they offered began remarkable levels of detail, alongside a low end with plenty of extension. It’s in the midrange where these cans shined during testing, bringing crispness and clarity to vintage songs for an expressive sound; the soundstage is reasonably expansive with plenty of space for instruments to reside within in it.
In terms of their feature set, there’s not a huge amount of features compared to theWH-1000XM5, especially for the price tag. There’s a comprehensive set of Bluetooth codecs supported with SBC, AAC,LDACand aptX Adaptive that opens the headphones to accepting higher quality tracks from the likes of Tidal and Qobuz. The battery life is strong, with 30 hours with ANC enabled and up to 34 with it off for a few days’ worth of charge. The ANC here won’t cancel every unwanted noise but deals with a good proportion well, although you can get better for much less.
Other premium alternatives include theDali IO-12, although those headphones don’t come with as many features, they may appeal to those who want a simpler experience.
Reviewer:Simon LucasFull Review:Mark Levinson No. 5909
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
While theSennheiser Momentum 4 Wirelessdidn’t manage to defeat theSony WH-1000XM5, they have a lot to commend them, especially if you’re after a pair of headphones around the £300 mark
The Momentum 4 Wireless aren’t as flashy as the previous model, losing a sense of style and attractiveness in the process. However, we didn’t mind that change as there were gains in ergonomic terms with the headphones very comfortable to wear with no annoying obstructions and bulky earcups to deal with. They cannot be collapsed to be more compact, following the trend set by the likes of theBose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700andAirPods Maxby opting for a simpler design that reduces wind noise.
The noise cancellation is very good, though not quite as good as the Sony orBose QuietComfort 45are. They deal with crowd noises very well and hush voices with confidence but both the Sony and Bose eke out a more comprehensive noise cancelling performance. The Transparency mode is one we felt was very clear and detailed, sounding natural in tone when piping the outside world to our ears.
The battery life is a phenomenal 60 hours, it took a week of using the headphones heavily to get them down from 40% to zero. It could take a few weeks to use up all the battery, which means fewer charges over the course of the headphones’ lifetime. The wireless performance has been very good, with only one moment of instability during our week of using the headphones that caused us any worries.
The sound quality is not as energetic as theMomentum Wireless 3, taking a more refined and balanced approach to music. There is less emphasis to bass frequencies than we remember, but the soundstage is bigger in scope than it is on the Sony, filled with detail with instruments and vocals conveyed with lots of clarity. They aren’t quite as dynamic in sound as the Sony, losing a couple of points in terms of energy and vibrancy but their more neutral approach does aid them in producing a consistent performance across a range of music genres.
The Sennheisers are good all-rounders, perhaps not the best in any category, but among their close price rivals below the £300 mark, they are the best headphones we’ve come across.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Sony WH-CH720N
TheWH-CH720Nare Sony’s least expensive wireless over-ears, and in our opinion, they beat the competition with their audio performance.
The sound quality is a smooth, energetic and bassy performance. The levels 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 detailed, and the upper frequencies and bright and clear for the price, but it’s the level of energy and excitement that put the Sony above its peers
The noise-cancellation is fine for the price, which focuses on reducing the impact low frequency sounds and clearing away ambient noise. For daily commutes and journeys in cities, they’ll be fine, but if you’re looking for a quieter performance, you’ll need to up your budget.
Battery life can go as far as 40 hours from our tests with noise-cancelling on, and the Sony comes with a range of convenient features such as a transparency mode, Bluetooth multipoint, app support (which provides more customisation) and voice assistants in the form ofGoogle AssistantandAmazon Alexa.
Build quality is decent with no noticeable creaks or groans when we bent the frame. The use of plastic also keeps the headphones lightweight at 192g making for a comfortable wearing experience. These aren’t a particulalry flashy pair of headphones, but they’re terrific value for money.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:Sony WH-CH720N
SoundMagic P23BT
It’s been a while since we last heard from budget headphone specialists, SoundMagic, but we shouldn’t have worried as theP23BTare another pair of excellent value headphones from the company.
As usual, they’re affordable at just £49.99 and while they’re not big on features, SoundMagic has made some sensible choices as these headphones offer good level of convenience, too.
There’s no escaping the on-ear design, which may work better for some than it does for others. Issues include pinching around the ear and leaking noise for the outside world that could interrupt your music listening 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 affected by the former issue, then the SoundMagic can be comfortable enough to wear thanks to their soft-padded earcups.
They integrate touch controls, which work surprisingly well in terms of how responsive they are, and their compact, lightweight and foldable design make them, in our opinion, easy to wear and even easier to store when not in use.
You won’t find features such as noise cancellation or transparency mode here. You get a battery life that’s estimated to be around 54-60 hours, which is nearly double that of theStatus BT Oneon-ears, but lags behind the Marshall Major IV, which have 80+ hours in reserve. They also packaptX-HD Bluetooth, which allows 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 reviewer found the headphones offered a subtle, well-balanced listen with its detailed midrange performance, sharp high frequency playback and bass that features a decent amount of depth. If you do prefer a bassier sound to your headphones, you may want to give theMarshall Major IVa try as an alternative.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:SoundMagic P23BT
AirPods Max
TheApple AirPods Maxrepresents the best wireless over-ears available if you have an iPhone, MacBook or iPad.
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 create a set of cans that look and feel excellent, with smooth rounded metal earcups and a mesh headband with memory foam earcups that made them immensely comfortable. At 385g, they are quite heavy, and there’s no IP rating for use in the rain or exercising, if that’s of interest. The case isn’t the most thoughtful, as it offers zero protection, and causes irritation as it’s the only way for the AirPods Max to turn off.
The feature set here is great for Apple users. For instance,Spatial Audiooffers a more immersive and 3D-like sound profile that’s only available on iOS devices, and while the feature is clever, it’s availability is limited to several apps such asApple TV+,NetflixandDisney+.
During testing, we found the noise cancellation to be very good, similar in performance to theSony WH-1000XM4and marginally better than theBose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, with its transparency mode that sounded perfectly natural. We also found the battery life to match Apple’s claimed 20 hours, and while it’s less than what the competition can offers, it’ll be more than enough for long haul flights or a few days of use.
The AirPods Max’s sound takes a balanced approach. It features plenty of bass and low end rumble, alongside clean vocals and sparkly highs that don’t sound harsh. The balanced profile lent itself to the fact Apple’s premium over-ear contenders worked well with a variety of music, and the presence of Spatial Audio is useful within Apple Music with a well-mastered track. These headphones don’t supportHi-Res Audio, which is disappointing for the price, but if you’re within the Apple ecosystem, these over-ears are you best bet for an excellent experience.
Reviewer:Max ParkerFull Review:Apple AirPods Max
We also considered…
No longer the best for ANC but still a top quality wireless over-ear pair
A luxurious pair of wireless headphones
A stylish and effective pair of budget ANC cans
We’ve reviewed
FAQs
We’d recommend the Sony WH-CH720N, which offer good noise cancellation and rich and vibrant audio for less than £100. They sound very good for the money and come with a host of convenient features.
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Comparison specs
Kob began his career at What Hi-Fi?, starting in the dusty stockroom before rising up the ranks to join the editorial and production team as the Buyer’s Guide editor. Experienced in both magazine and …
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
