From budget-friendly to the best that money can buy, these are the headphones you should be shopping for.
What are your priorities when it comes to finding the best headphones for you? Is it lush, rich sound over noise-canceling technology? Or do you favor comfort and style above all? Maybe it’s all about price, which is fair, too. A great pair of headphones — and by headphones, we typically mean the over-ear variety — should do what you need them to do for however you plan to use them, from working out to commuting to flying to shutting out your screaming kids for a few minutes of bliss. If you’re looking for earbuds, we have a roundup of the best of those, too
We’ve tested hundreds of pairs of headphones, and as far as we’re concerned, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best headphones for most people. With a comfortable design and slick appearance, plus continued improvements in noise-canceling, call quality, sound quality, and charging speed, Sony leaves almost no box unchecked when it comes to headphone perfection.
If you’re looking for some alternatives, though, we have you covered there, too. We’ve picked out a number of other excellent headphone models, each with its own specific strengths and that balance price with the features specific to your needs. We also have roundups of the best noise-canceling headphones, the best noise-canceling earbuds, and the best earbuds for making phone calls.
Sony WH-1000XM5The best headphones, period
Sony’s technologically advanced WH-1000XM5 are the fifth generation of Sony’s flagship wireless headphones. Like Sony’s previous models, they offer top-tier noise canceling, excellent quality wireless audio, and plush comfort. This enticing combination earned the model a rare five-star rating in our review and — thanks to a series of continued improvements — maintains the WH-1000 series’ status as the best headphones you can buy.
At the heart of the WH-1000XM5 is outstanding wireless sound. Though they use smaller drivers than their predecessors, they manage to produce a more refined and more detailed performance that trades big, in-your-face bass, with subtlety and nuance.
But the real stars of the show are the XM5’s active noise cancellation (ANC) and call quality, both of which are class-leading. In an era where folks are spending almost as much time on Zoom calls as listening to music, these features matter, and Sony knows it. Comfort matters too. The XM5 are both lighter and better balanced than the already-cushy XM4, and you’ll have no problem wearing them for hours at a time without fatigue.
The XM3 and XM4 models compared well to Bose’s Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, but now that we have the XM5, it’s no contest. Sony’s top-of-the-line cans outclass the Bose in every meaningful way.
Adidas RPT-01The best for workouts
Adidas’ fabric-covered headphones may look a little odd at first, but it quickly becomes apparent why: They’re built for fitness use from the ground up, and that includes easily-washable fabric that’s extra durable while also helping to deal with any sweat. The headphones also come with an IPX4 rating so you don’t have to worry much about sweat or rain damage, always an important feature in headphones used for exercise. The overall design is also light enough – and with a tight enough fit – to give joggers and other cardio fans a comfortable, reliable experience.
Then there’s the excellent battery life, rated at up to 40 hours, and headphones don’t get much higher than this – especially workout-oriented models. And we also appreciated the effective Adidas app, an excellent complement to the onboard controls for playback, switching tracks, and calling up voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant.
Audio is tuned primarily toward workout-friendly bass, which is an advantage in the gym but makes these headphones a bit less useful for listening to music casually. The equalizer option helps, but don’t expect these headphones to quite reach the sound quality of some of our other top picks.
And if you’re looking for headphones with an even better battery option, check out the Adidas RPT-02 SOL. These headphones have some similar capabilities but include a solar headband that can help recharge the already-excellent battery. They’re a good pick for outdoor runs in sunnier places.
Sennheiser Momentum 4Best for audio purists
Sennheiser has always been a reliable brand for a high-quality audio experience, but its outdone its past work with the Momentum 4, a pair of wireless headphones that don’t skimp an inch when it comes to incredible sound supported by the aptX Adaptive codec. Our review even found that the audio was preferable to our top Sony headphones pick, the XM5s, despite the price actually being around $50 lower.
That may already be enough to convince the audiophiles out there, but let’s go on: The upgraded Momentum 4 includes an incredible 60-hour battery, and a lightweight yet highly effective design with great passive noise cancellation. Don’t worry, the headphones come with Active Noise Cancellation as well for canceling out background noises (at the expense of some battery life). Four beamforming mics also ensure you can take clear calls on these headphones if necessary.
If you really care about sound, you may also want to tweak audio settings to match your favorite genre or instruments. The Momentum 4 offers customization options, including basic presets as well as an integrated equalizer you can play with to create a sound profile that’s just right. They may not have every feature in the book – touch controls and auto-off modes are lacking, and the three-band equalizer is a little simple – but those focused on pure audio will find that these headphones are made for them.
Bowers & Wilkins Px8Best money-is-no-object pick
At the high end, headphone prices can stretch to hundreds of dollars or more, but there’s typically a limit where audio just doesn’t get much better no matter how much you are paying (in which case, it’s time to add a DAC and start using better audio files). But if you want the absolute best sound you can get without heeding the price, the Px8 truly delivers. Not only is the sound experience phenomenal, but the design is perfectly luxurious, sporting supple leather, polished aluminum, and an expertly comfortable design.
The design and audio are backed up by the ANC, and while it isn’t as effective as the cancellation offered by something like the AirPods Max, it’s still enough to enhance the audio in noisy places, and the transparency mode works just fine. They are also compatible with the Bluetooth AptX standard for listening to higher-quality wireless music, although this feature is sadly not compatible with iPhones. Battery life is serviceable at around 30 hours, too.
These are the best current headphones for an excellent combination of audio and comfortable, with the right compatibility features for serious listeners.
