Best Overall · Best for Travel
1
Sony
9.4
★★★★★
Editors' Score
Sony WH-1000XM6 Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones
- ✓ANC: Best-in-class QN3 processor, 12 adaptive microphones
- ✓Battery: 30 hours (ANC on), 3-min quick charge = 3 hrs
- ✓Audio: LDAC Hi-Res, co-created with mastering engineers
- ✓Design: Foldable — first time since XM4
- ✓Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint, USB-C audio
- ✓Weight: 254g
The return to a foldable design makes them easier to pack for travel, and the noise cancellation turns roaring jet engines to a quiet whisper.
— Rolling Stone
The QN3 processor optimizes 12 microphones in real time — a genuinely new level for consumer ANC headphones.
— What Hi-Fi?
Best Noise Cancellation · Best Comfort
2
Bose
9.2
★★★★★
Editors' Score
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- ✓ANC: ActiveSense technology — smooths noise spikes
- ✓Battery: 30 hours (23 with Immersive Audio)
- ✓Spatial Audio: Cinema Mode + Bose Immersive Audio
- ✓USB-C Lossless: Now supported (16-bit, 48kHz)
- ✓Comfort: Plush cushions, 250g, sleek metal arms
- ✓Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, multipoint
Bose addressed every weakness of the original: lossless USB-C, better battery, and convincing spatial audio. Now among the world's most complete ANC headphones.
— What Hi-Fi?
It's got the best noise canceling — if someone asks me to recommend noise cancelers, I immediately say 'get the Bose'.
— Loud & Wireless
3
Bowers & Wilkins
9.1
★★★★★
Editors' Score
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones
- ✓Sound: 40mm bio-cellulose drivers, 24-bit DSP
- ✓Codec: aptX Lossless + aptX Adaptive
- ✓ANC: 8-mic adaptive noise cancellation
- ✓Battery: 30 hours, 15-min quick charge
- ✓Comfort: Memory foam cushions, lightweight fabric
- ✓Build: Premium — metal arms, fabric finish
The Px7 S3 excels in every area — superior construction, gorgeous audio fidelity, and our pick for the best pair overall.
— T3
The holography and layering approaches the level of much pricier headphones — as much excitement as a stick of dynamite.
— Loud & Wireless
4
Sennheiser
8.9
★★★★½
Editors' Score
Sennheiser HDB 630 Wireless Over-Ear Headphones
- ✓Sound: 42mm in-house transducer, neutral audiophile tuning
- ✓Parametric EQ: 5-band — rare at this price point
- ✓Battery: 60 hours — class-leading
- ✓USB-C Lossless: Up to 24-bit/96kHz wired
- ✓Includes: BTD 700 Bluetooth adapter for low-latency
- ✗ANC: Above average, but not class-leading
A great all-rounder for both casuals and audiophiles. Already sounds awesome without tuning — very resolving in the midrange, with lots of texture in the bass.
— Loud & Wireless
New pick for best wireless audiophile headphones — the Sennheiser HDB 630 brings hi-fi without sacrificing wireless convenience.
— What Hi-Fi?
5
Apple
8.7
★★★★½
Editors' Score
Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (USB-C)
- ✓Ecosystem: Seamless switching between iPhone, iPad, Mac
- ✓ANC: Pro-level, removes up to 2x more background noise
- ✓Spatial Audio: Personalized with dynamic head tracking
- ✓Build: Knit mesh canopy, memory foam earcups
- ✓Charging: Now USB-C (updated 2024)
- ✗Battery: 20 hrs — shorter than competitors
If you live and breathe Apple, the AirPods Max are likely your dream headphones — breathtaking sound with seamless integration and a sleek minimalist design.
— Various Experts
The premium price is hard to justify on specs alone, but the Apple ecosystem integration and build quality are genuinely unmatched.
— Consumer Reports