Want the best headphones sans cables? Here are the best ones.
The disappearing 3.5mm headphone is the reason these headphones have come to represent the epitome of convenience. Not to mention, the aspect of their portability.
Most people prefer wired headphones because they supposedly provide a better audio experience, when in fact, it’s possible to get that same pristine quality with wireless headphones. The only feature that gets added is the convenience of being hands free and wire free.
You might’ve been hesitant to cut the cord before – everyone has heard horror stories of wireless headphones’ poor battery lives or awful sound quality. But it’s tough to ignore the utility of wire-free listening.
Forget having to run a wire down your top every time you want to listen to music on the go, or struggling with a cable to get your phone out of your pocket, wireless headphones are a convenience dream.
So what makes wireless headphones so special? And how do you determine the best wireless headphones from a whole bunch of wannabes?
Easy. You try dozens of wireless headphones and stack them against one another, mono a mono. (Well, stereo a stereo in this case.)
While these headphones are great for anyone looking to go wireless, they’re especially practical when you consider the growing amount of phones launching without headphone jacks, such as the iPhone 7, HTC U Ultra and Moto Z . iPhone 7 HTC U Ultra Moto Z
Looking to finally ditch the cord? Here are the top 10 wireless headphones, ordered by their price-to-performance ratio: Sony WH-1000XM2 Sony WH-1000XM2 Bose QuietComfort 35 Bose QuietComfort 35 Sennheiser Momentum Wireless Sennheiser Momentum Wireless Jabra Move Wireless Jabra Move Wireless Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 Sony MDR-1000X Sony MDR-1000X Sennheiser PXC 550 Sennheiser PXC 550 AKG N60NC Wireless AKG N60NC Wireless Beats Studio 3 Wireless Beats Studio 3 Wireless Beats X Beats X
Be sure to check out our guide to the best headphones of 2017 if you want to browse some wired alternatives best headphones of 2017
Sony WH-1000XM2
Wireless noise-cancelling headphones that sound better than Bose
Acoustic design: Closed| Weight: 275 grams| Frequency response: 4Hz – 40kHz| Drivers: 40mm| Driver type: Dynamic| Sensitivity: 103dB| Impedance: 46 Ohms| Battery life: 20 hours| Wireless range: 30 feet| NFC: Yes View at Amazon View at Currys PC World View at John Lewis See all prices (14 found)
The Sony WH-1000XM2 are an excellent revision to Sony’s already great pair of wireless headphones. They sound great, wield innovative noise cancellation technology and cost just as much as a pair of Bose QC35s. They may have slightly shorter battery life than some other headphones on our list, but Sony’s WH-1000XM2 outclass them all in terms of performance and feature-set.
Not only do they provide awesome noise-cancellation, but they have three neat tricks that few other wireless headphones have. One is an ambient noise mode that only lets in mid-to-high frequency tones (announcements over a loudspeaker, for instance) and another being Quick Attention mode that allows you to let in all outside noise without taking off the headphones (the latter is perfect when placing a drink order on a plane or speaking to a coworker for a brief moment before diving back into your work).
The last trick Sony has up its sleeve is the LDAC codec. Alongside the widely adopted aptX HD standard, LDAC enables Hi-Res Audio playback using the 1000XM2.
Great-sounding and feature-packed, the Sony WH-1000XM2 is a great travel companion and all-around excellent wireless headphone.
Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM2 Sony WH-1000XM2
Bose QuietComfort 35
Premium headphones that include industry-leading noise-cancellation
Acoustic design: Closed| Weight: 0.68 pounds| Cable length: 3.94 feet| Frequency response: N/A| Drivers: N/A| Driver type: N/A| Sensitivity: N/A| Impedance: N/A| Battery life: 20+ hours| Wireless range: N/A| NFC: Yes View at Amazon View at Amazon View at John Lewis See all prices (3 found)
The next pair of headphones on our list is the Bose QC35. The company has finally brought its fantastic noise-cancelling technology to a pair of wireless headphones and it’s done so without any of the traditional drawbacks of wireless headphones. They sound great and their battery life is long enough for all but the longest of flights.
The QC35s sit firmly at the premium end of the spectrum, but if you want the best noise-cancelling headphones available and the best wireless pair of cans, you can’t get any better than this.
Read the full review: Bose QuietComfort 35 Bose QuietComfort 35
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless
Incredible audio fidelity backed by a serious price
Acoustic design: Closed| Weight: N/A| Cable length: 4.6 feet| Frequency response: 16-22,000Hz| Drivers: N/A| Driver type: Dynamic| Sensitivity: N/A| Impedance: 28 ohms| Battery life: 25+ hours| Wireless range: 30+ feet| NFC: Yes View at John Lewis View at Amazon Marketplace View at Amazon See all prices (16 found)
Although they’re much better looking, and sounding, pair of headphones, the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (not to be confused with the smaller, cheaper, Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear Wireless) are kept off the top spot of the list by their premium price point, which puts them out of reach of all but the most committed of music lovers.
But for those who can afford them, these are no-holds-barred wireless headphones, oozing with positive qualities. They’re comfortable, hard-working set of headphones that will likely last for years.
Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless Sennheiser Momentum Wireless
Jabra Move Wireless
Sporty wireless headphones that will completely surprise you
Acoustic design: Closed| Weight: 150 grams (5.59 oz)| Cable length: N/A| Frequency response: 20-20kHz| Drivers: 40mm| Driver type: Dynamic| Sensitivity: N/A| Impedance: 29 Ohm| Battery life: 8 hours| Wireless range: 10m (33ft.)| NFC: N/A View at Amazon Marketplace View at Amazon View at argos.co.uk See all prices (16 found)
If in-ear headphones aren’t your style, your next best bet is the Jabra Move Wireless. These headphones may look like a budget buy, but don’t let that fool you. This set of on ear Bluetooth headphones is nothing but an all-around stellar product. From the fun and edgy design to excellent performance, these cans come recommended for anyone interested in wireless on the cheap.
Read the full review: Jabra Move Wireless Jabra Move Wireless
Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2
These wireless noise-cancelling headphones are a traveler’s best friend
Acoustic design: Closed| Weight: 0.64 lbs (289g)| Cable length: N/A| Frequency response: N/A| Drivers: 40mm| Driver type: Dynamic| Sensitivity: N/A| Impedance: N/A| Battery life: 24 hours| Wireless range: 100 meters (330 feet)| NFC: No View at Amazon View at Amazon Marketplace View at Amazon See all prices (3 found)
If you’re a frequent traveler you’re probably all too familiar with headphones that can’t hold a charge and can’t block out sound, let alone sound good. Let us introduce you to the Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2, one of the few headphones on the market that can do all of the above and cost less than half as much as competing headphones from Beats, Bose and Sony.
If we had to boil it down to its core, the BackBeat Pro 2 is an excellent pair of travel headphones with incredible battery life, supreme comfort and the ability to pair two devices as one. They sound good to.
Read the full review: Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2
Sony MDR-1000X
Noise-cancelling headphones that care about Hi-Res Audio
Acoustic design: Closed| Weight: 275 grams| Frequency response: 4Hz – 40kHz| Drivers: 40mm| Driver type: Dynamic| Sensitivity: 103dB| Impedance: 46 Ohms| Battery life: 20 hours| Wireless range: 30 feet| NFC: Yes View at Amazon View at very.co.uk View at Hughes See all prices (5 found)
The MDR-1000X are definitely the closest competitor to Bose’s QuietComfort series that we’ve ever had the pleasure of testing.
