Best Over-Ear Headphones for 2024

When you have a product that a lot of people love, change can be risky. Such is the case for Sony's WH-1000XM5, the fifth generation of the 1000X series headphones, which were first released in 2016 as the MDR-1000X Wireless and have become increasingly popular as they've improved with each generation. Over the years, Sony has made some tweaks to the design, but nothing as dramatic as what it's done with the WH-1000XM5. Other than the higher price tag, most of those changes are good, and Sony's made some dramatic improvements with voice-calling performance as well as even better noise canceling and more refined sound.

Yes, they're expensive, but the AirPods Max deliver richer, more detailed sound than lower-priced competitors from Bose and Sony. They also feature arguably the best noise canceling on the market along with premium build quality and Apple's virtual surround spatial audio feature for video watching. While they're heavy, they manage to be surprisingly comfortable, though I did have to adjust the mesh canopy headband to sit a little more forward on my head to get a comfortable secure fit when I was out walking with them. They should fit most heads well, but there will be exceptions.

The well-designed and comfortable JBL Live 770NC offers some modest improvements over its predecessor, including better battery life (up to 65 hours with ANC off and 50 hours with ANC on) and Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio (via a future firmware upgrade). Equipped with 40mm drivers, you get bold, nicely defined sound with powerful bass that's relatively tight. JBL's Ambient Aware and TalkThru features are on board along with multipoint Bluetooth pairing (the one feature that's missing is ear-detection sensors that pause your music when you take the headphones off). I thought the headphones' noise muffling capabilities were good and callers said they could hear me well even in noisier environments except when the wind picked up around me. The headphones fold up and a simple carrying pouch (no hard case) is included along with a cable for wired listening.

Sony's improved entry-level noise canceling headphones, the CH-720Ns, have a bit of a plasticky budget vibe, but they're lightweight and very comfortable. Part of me was expecting them to sound pretty mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised. No, they don't sound as good as the WH-1000XM5s. But they sound more premium than they look (and feel), and their overall performance is a step up from their predecessor, the CH-710Ns. Are they worth $128? Maybe -- or maybe not. But the good news is that, like the CH-710N and WH-XB910 before them, these should see significant discounts in the not-so-distant future, which is what you may want to wait for.

Edifier makes some good-sounding PC speakers and true-wireless earbuds, and it's done a nice job with its W820NB noise-canceling headphones, now on their second-gen version, the Edifier W820NB Plus. The first thing you'll notice about them when you put them on is that they're comfortable -- Edifier has upgraded the ear pads with higher-grade memory foam -- and the headphones fit snugly on your head. They also sound good for their price, offering slightly improved audio quality from the originals, thanks to what appear to be upgraded drivers. You get a bit more clarity and slightly better bass definition. Their sound didn't necessarily blow me away -- they lack a bit of openness -- but it's very good for what the headphones cost. Like their predecessor, they're pleasant-sounding headphones -- and even a bit more so now. 

Other features include an ambient mode that lets outside sound in and a low-latency gaming mode. The noise canceling has been upgraded slightly and they're decent for voice calling. Battery life is pretty impressive with up to 49 hours on a single charge at moderate volume levels (and noise canceling off). Also, they now support the LDAC audio codec for Android devices. 

A couple of things are still missing. There's no carrying case or headphone jack, though you can connect them to your computer with the included USB-C to USB-A cable. But the 820NB Plus headphones are still a good value.

Love 'em or hate 'em, Beats Studio headphones are among the most popular headphones of all time, launching as wired headphones back in 2008. This is the fourth generation of them, and they carry the same list price as their predecessor and look very similar on the outside but have some big changes on the inside that make them significantly better headphones. I'm tempted to describe them as more affordable plastic versions of the AirPods Max. However, that's not quite accurate due to a choice in chipsets and one notable missing feature. But read our full Beats Studio Pro review to find out what makes these very good headphones, albeit with some caveats.

Sennheiser's previous-generation Momentum Wireless headphones have always had a pretty distinct look that was part retro, part modern and stood out for the exposed metal on their headband. For better or worse, that's all gone now, and the new Momentum 4 Wireless, Sennheiser's flagship noise-canceling headphones, look a bit more subdued and also a bit more like some of their competitors.

The Momentum 4 Wireless offers superior performance over the Momentum 3 Wireless in every regard, though the biggest gains are with noise canceling and voice-calling performance as well as battery life, which is outstanding -- up to 60 hours at moderate volume levels. There's also a transparency mode that allows ambient sound in, and they have the ability to create a custom sound profile in the Smart Control app for iOS and Android using the built-in EQ, sound modes and a new Sound Personalization feature that "assesses the user's listening preferences and adjusts the listening experience according to their taste." 

Equipped with 42mm drivers, Sennheiser says the Momentum 4 Wireless offer "best-in-class" sound, which is debatable. I'd say the Momentum 4's sound quality is right there with other models in this price range -- they sound excellent, with the requisite well-defined, punchy bass, relatively wide soundstage (they sound pretty open) and smooth treble that brings out some of the finer details in well-recorded tracks. They're a pleasure to listen to.

When Bose released its new flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, it also replaced the QuietComfort 45s with a new, slightly updated model simply called the QuietComfort Headphones. Like the QC 45s, this model carries on the very comfortable tried-and-true legacy QuietComfort design that's been around for a few generations that a lot of people continue to love. The QC Ultra Headphones add Bose's new Immersive Audio feature and have a more refined design with some metal parts (they also have Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.1). But the QuietComfort Headphones still feature very good sound (the Ultras offer a small step up in sound quality), excellent noise canceling and strong voice-calling performance.

As for differences between these and the QC45s, Bose says it adjusted some of the electronics to improve battery life (now 24 hours vs. 22 hours) and adjusted the logos to make the products "visually distinguishable and more in line with its latest design language." It also added an inline microphone to the auxiliary cable to "help with some users who may prefer a plug-and-play solution rather than Bluetooth pairing." There's also a Wind Block feature and some additional small performance improvements due to software upgrades. Finally, the headphones come in new color options, including green and a light blue version that's only available at bose.com.

While the QuietComfort Headphones carry a $350 list price that's $50 higher than that of the QC 45s, we expect them to be regularly discounted to around $250 or possibly less than that in 2024 -- so look to buy them when they're on sale. You can read our review of the QuietComfort 45 to get a good take on the QuietComfort Headphones.

The design of 1More's SonoFlow headphones reminds me a little of some earlier Sony headphones and also the newer Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 4. They're a bit generic looking but sleek enough and more importantly, comfortable to wear. They also feature very respectable sound quality. While they don't quite measure up to the sound quality of what'll get with more premium models like the Momentum Wireless 4, they're not that far off. The SonoFlow deliver smooth sound with good clarity and relatively well-defined bass (they're just not quite as rich or dynamic sounding as those premium models I mentioned). They also have support for the LDAC audio codec.

The noise canceling is a step down from what Sony and Bose models offer but it does a decent job of muffling ambient sound and there is a transparency mode. Voice-calling performance is similarly solid but unspectacular. Note that you can use them in wired mode with the included cable, but the noise canceling only works in wireless mode, which is an issue for frequent flyers who like some noise canceling when plugging into an in-flight entertainment system. 

Available in three color options, the Soundcore Space One are Anker's latest noise-canceling headphones. They're a good value for around $100, offering a strong feature set along with good sound quality and performance. They can't quite compete sound-wise with many of the premium noise-canceling models, but you don't feel like you're giving up that much on the sound front to save a good deal of money. They lack a bit of that natural, refined quality you look for in a great set of cans, but the Space One sound respectable, with decent clarity and bass definition and measure up well to the more expensive Soundcore Space 45.

Noise-canceling and voice-calling performance are also good for headphones in this price range, though the transparency mode is only OK. Anker has developed a version of Sony's Speak-to-Chat feature -- Anker calls it Easy Chat -- that automatically pauses your music and enters a transparency mode when you walk up to someone and start a conversation. The headphones are equipped with wear-detection sensors, a feature not usually found at this price, and include a carrying pouch. LDAC audio codec support is available for Android users.

I found them comfortable to wear, but they do look a bit bulky compared to more premium models. 

Available in gray, blue or black, Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 headphones offer some significant improvements over the first-gen version. Not only are these headphones more comfortable -- they tip the scales at 307 grams -- but they sound better and have better noise-canceling and voice-calling performance with improved noise reduction. I don't necessarily think they're a better option than the lighter and even more comfortable Sony WH-1000XM5. But the PX7 S2 certainly looks and feels luxurious, with its sturdy design, and delivers very good sound with better voice-calling performance, thanks to an upgraded microphone setup.

Bowers & Wilkins has also released a step-up model, the PX8, that feature even better sound but cost significantly more. 

We were fans of Beyerdynamic's earlier DT 770 Pro headphones. The new DT 700 X is easier to drive than the 770 Pro, thanks to the company's new Stellar.45 sound transducer with an impedance of 48 ohms, so it plays better with smartphones, tablets and laptops without requiring a headphone amp.

These headphones are targeted at content creators who want accurate audio reproduction, but it's a bit more dynamic sounding and less bass shy than many studio headphones, which tend to restrain the bass and hew toward a very neutral sound profile. The DT 700 X are revealing, clean-sounding headphones that offer invitingly open sound (particularly for closed-back headphones) and makes you realize what you're missing after listening to similarly priced Bluetooth headphones. 

Unlike the earlier DT 770 Pro, which are being sold at a nice discount (around $160), the DT 700 X come with two interchangeable (detachable) straight cables in different lengths, and the DT 700 X arguably have a little cleaner look than their predecessor.

Solidly built -- they weigh 350 grams -- they're quite comfortable, featuring upgraded soft, velour-covered memory foam earpads that offer decent passive noise isolation. The earpads and the headphones' other parts are replaceable, Beyerdynamic says. 

Beyerdynamic also sells the open-back DT 900 X for $30 less. That model should provide slightly more open, airy sound, but the big drawback is people around you can hear whatever you're listening to -- and sound also leaks in. This closed-back version is more versatile.

French audio company Focal is known for its high-end speakers and headphones. You might call it the Bowers & Wilkins of France. And now it's finally done what a lot of high-end audio companies have had to do in this age of on-the-go wireless music listening: make active noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones. 

Over three years in development, the Bathys cost $699 and feature not only wireless connectivity but a built-in digital-to-analog converter for USB wired listening with any computer, smartphone or tablet with USB-C. They are easily one of the best-sounding pairs of wireless headphones.

A lot of us liked Shure's original Aonic 50 headphones, but they had pretty middling noise cancellation. Well, the second-gen version addresses that issue -- the noise canceling is much improved -- and Shure has more than doubled the the battery life to around 45 hours and added a quick-charge feature. It also shrunk the headphone's carry case a bit, though it's still not that compact. Those upgrades make the Aonic 50 Gen 2 one of the best new noise-canceling headphones of 2024.

While the Aonic 50 Gen 2s are pretty heavy at 334 grams, they're built sturdily and are also comfortable to wear, with nicely padded ear cups. They have excellent sound quality with very good clarity and well-defined bass. Shure calls them "studio headphones" so the sound profile is fairly neutral, but you can add more bass in the EQ settings in Shure's companion app for iOS and Android (engaging the Spatializer setting in the app expands the soundstage slightly but doesn't make a big difference).

Equipped with three microphones in each ear cup, the headphones' call quality is good with decent noise reduction, and there's an adjustable sidetone feature that allows you to hear your voice. However, I wouldn't say they're exceptionally good for calls in noisier environments.

The headphones do have some extra features worth noting. They offer both LDAC and aptX support for Android and other devices that support those audio codecs. You can connect the headphones to a computer or smartphone with a USB-C cable for hi-res audio transmission or use the included analog cable if your device has a 3.5mm headphone port. That said, I found they played a little louder using a wireless Bluetooth connection (with LDAC) than when I connected them to a Samsung Galaxy Flip 5 via USB-C.

The MW75 are Master & Dynamic's best full-size headphones yet. Needless to say, they're pricey at $599; most people will be quite satisfied with the $400 Sony WH-1000XM5s, which are lighter and more comfortable, and which deliver best-in-class voice calling and noise canceling. But the MW75's build quality is hard to beat and they offer top-notch sound for a wireless model (I thought they sounded better than Apple's AirPods Max headphones), plus strong voice-calling and noise-canceling performance. With their support for aptX Adaptive, they have additional appeal for Android users, who can get a touch better sound quality with the right setup. But I was also quite happy streaming music with my iPhone 13 Pro using the AAC codec.

All of Master & Dynamic's headphones are well built (they're sturdy) and have a unique retro-modern look. The higher-end MW75 has active noise canceling and sounds a little better than the freshly updated MH40, which features new drivers and a new chipset that delivers improved sound and performance. But the MH40 sounds more refined than its predecessor, with better clarity and definition, and now offers support for the AAC and AptX audio codecs, plus improved voice-calling performance. Additionally, you can plug its USB-C cable into a computer or Android smartphone for a wired digital connection for high-resolution audio. Battery life is rated at a healthy 30 hours.

To be clear, this isn't a noise-canceling headphone, but you do get decent passive noise isolation from the nicely padded ear cups, which adhere magnetically and are easy to swap out should they eventually show some wear. Available in several color options, the MH40s are comfortable to wear -- they weigh 280 grams -- but may not be a good fit for those with smaller heads. 

Introduced way back in 1991, the Sony MDR-7506 have long been favorite headphones of recording engineers and other sound professionals (yes, these are wired headphones). The origins of its design date even further back, since the MDR-7506 headphones are, in fact, a refresh of the Sony MDR-V6 that rolled out in 1985. Both models were designed for the pro sound market but remain hugely popular with consumers.

While the two models have the same design and are very comfortable, they don't sound identical. Both offer very well-balanced sound and excellent clarity for their modest prices -- and both are great overall values. But the MDR-V6 headphones make a little more bass and sound more laid-back and mellow, while the 7506 headphones are leaner with a more accentuated treble range, which makes the sound a little crisper and livelier.