Best Wireless Headphones

Best Wireless Headphones

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Casey Thaler, NASM-CPT, FNS
Latest posts by Casey Thaler, NASM-CPT, FNS (see all)

Wireless headphones are a new required piece of electronics. Perfect for the gym, studying, working – listening to music has never been so enjoyable or effortless.

But there are also a hugely overwhelming amount of choices out there, and the last thing you want to do is waste your money. So we did the research, tested a variety of wireless headphones, and aggregated tens of thousands of reviews.

After extensive listening and testing, we were able to find the best wireless headphones. Here are our top picks.

Our Top Pick

Sony WH1000XM3

This noise cancelling pair from Sony – are our top pick for wireless headphones. The Bluetooth connectivity is great, the sound quality is stellar, and the battery life is long. While not the absolutely lowest cost option – we think the extra money is worth it, as you will likely not need to buy another pair of headphones for the next 10+ years, if you grab these. The 1,500+ positive reviews agree with our assessment – highly recommended.

Other Great Picks

Bose QuietComfort 35 II

This legendary pair of headphones from Bose is worth the hype – they deliver some of the best sound quality and noise canceling we’ve come across in all of our testing. With over 3,000 positive online reviews, there is a unanimous opinion that these headphones rock. In fact, the noise canceling is so good, that you may be slightly baffled when you first put them on – normally there is always some sound in our daily lives – complete silence is actually a nice change of pace.

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT

With some of the best sound we’ve ever heard from any headphones – we loved this pair from Audio-Technica. With over 170 glowing online reviews, they are almost as good as the very expensive ATH-M50x studio headphones, which are world-renowned for their sound quality. We loved these at the gym, and our staff also found them to be great for the office. Highly recommended.

Jabra Elite 85h

Commonly regarded as one of the best pairs of wireless headphones on the planet, this pair from Jabra provides amazing sound quality, sits comfortably on your ears, and look very sleek. We did not get quite as much bass as other headphones that are bass-heavy – but other than that, we have nothing bad to say about these. Certainly not a budget pick, but worth every penny, in our opinion.

BeyerDynamic Amiron

These luxury headphones deliver on all the promises that high-end pairs promise – they sound amazing, are extremely comfortable, and have a long battery life. While certainly not within some people’s budgets – if you can afford to splurge – we highly recommend this pair from BeyerDynamic.

Soundcore Vortex

With over 200 glowing online reviews, and a near-perfect score – these headphones from Soundcore are a perfect budget pick. While there are certainly luxury features that aren’t included here – these are perfect for anyone who wants great wireless headphones – but doesn’t want to break the bank.

Sony WH-CH700N

With over 590 glowing online reviews, and built-in Alexa functionality – this pair of wireless headphones from Sony is stellar. The noise canceling is great, they were extremely luxurious on our ears, and the battery life is over 30 hours (yes, really). A perfect pick for anyone who loves great sound quality and functionality.

Jabra Elite Active 65t

With over 3,000 positive online reviews, this small pair of wireless headphones from Jabra is perfect for anyone exercising. Great sound, very comfortable, and extremely lightweight. We can’t recommend a better pair of high quality, exercise-specific, headphones.

Beats Studio3

The famous Beats By Dre headphones definitely deliver great sound quality (and amazing bass). The Studio3 model is our preferred pick, and over 1,300 positive online reviewers agree. If you love great sound (and especially bass) – this is definitely the pair for you.

Skullcandy Ink’d

With over 1,600 glowing online reviews, this budget pair of wireless headphones from Skullcandy is great for anyone looking to save money. Very lightweight, and with solid sound quality – the only reason to spend more, would be if you are looking for noise cancelling, or a pair that is slightly more durable. Recommended for anyone who runs frequently, or who needs a great alternative to Apple AirPods.

How Do Wireless Headphones Work?

While almost everyone has used traditional wired headphones, wireless headphones are newer on the market. Much like classic radios, walkie talkies, or your TV remote control – wireless headphones work by using infrared or radio signals.

This small change actually has a revolutionary impact – no longer do you have any cords getting in your way at the gym, while you’re out for a run, or when you are riding on your bike. Additionally, wireless headphones make it far easier to listen to music in a crowded airplane, in your bed, for gaming, or in just about any other scenario.

Unlike traditional headphones, wireless headphones must be paired to the device that is playing your audio. This means pairing the headphones with your phone, your laptop, or any other desired audio source.

Depending on the model of the headphones (as well as the price point), there may be fluctuations in wireless range, audio quality, bass levels, and other variables. You may wish to own multiple pairs of wireless headphones, such as a noise-canceling pair, and a smaller pair (usually earbuds).

You can also get a little bit more creative, and pair wireless headphones with your TV, or even home fitness equipment. If you go to the gym regularly, you have probably already seen the appropriate icon for pairing wireless headphones. Listening to your favorite songs without any wires getting in the way makes running on the treadmill a much more enjoyable experience.

Unless you have a good reason not to – almost everyone will want to upgrade to a pair of wireless headphones. There has not been a more revolutionary advancement in audio, since the iPod (or perhaps even the Walkman).

How To Connect Wireless Headphones

Connecting your wireless headphones is very easy. As previously mentioned, you will want to pair your headphones with your desired audio device.

While exact pairing instructions will vary slightly depending on the model of your headphones, this usually entails simply turning the power on. From there, you may have to press on or two buttons on your headphones and device – and that should be it.

A common example would be pairing some Bluetooth wireless headphones with an iPhone. In this scenario, you would turn on the headphones, then go into the system settings of your iPhone.

From there, you will simply select the Bluetooth menu, and selected the correct model of headphones. Your iPhone will then automatically connect to your wireless headphones, and you’ll be able to listen to your favorite songs.

Battery Life For Wireless Headphones

Depending on which brand and model of wireless headphones you go with, battery life can vary. However, compared to past days (like the 1990s) – battery life for nearly every consumer device is now off the charts.

This means you won’t have to charge your wireless headphones much at all. In our testing, we rarely had to charge our headphones. Even during heavy headphone usage, once a week was the average amount of charging time required by our top picks.

How To Charge Wireless Headphones

Charging your wireless headphones could not be any easier. By simply plugging in your headphones to your laptop (usually with a standard USB cord) – you’ll have fully charged headphones in as little as an hour.

While different brands and models will vary in charging time, technology has advanced to the point where charging and battery life are simply no longer an issue.

Are Wireless Headphones Safe?

Unfortunately, as technology has advanced, there have also been concerns about safety. As more and more of our world becomes completely wireless, there are worries that all these devices might cause health problems.

While this is largely unfounded paranoia, it is important to consider safety when deciding on purchasing any consumer tech device.

We are happy to report that wireless headphones have shown no signs of causing any health problems, even with daily use. While there is quite a lot of scientific data regarding this area of interest – essentially all you need to know is that the radiation from wireless headphones is non-ionizing.

This means that wireless headphones aren’t emitting a signal that is strong enough to cause any health problems. While the scientific research continues to come in, there is so far no cause for any concern.

The bottom line is that wireless headphones seem to be completely safe.

Wireless Earphones

If you look online, or go to a brick and mortar retailer, you’ve undoubtedly seen ‘wireless earphones’ listed alongside wireless headphones. There is a small (but important) difference between wireless earphones and wireless headphones.

Put simply, earphones will go in your ear directly, whereas headphones will go around your ear, completely covering the entire area.

An example of wireless earphones, would be AirPods – made popular by Apple. While both wireless headphones and wireless earphones provide excellent sound, there are some differences between each product.

Earphones will block out any outside noise better, as they are inserted directly in the ear canal. However, earphones are not as comfortable as headphones, meaning they may not be as good for long listening sessions.

Truthfully, our staff owns multiple pairs of headphones and earphones, so we are split right down the middle, on which variation is best.

Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Sometimes you actually won’t see the word ‘wireless’ listed, in advertisements for wireless headphones. You will instead see ‘Bluetooth’ – but is this the same thing?

Technically speaking, these terms do not mean the same thing, and in fact, not all wireless headphones use Bluetooth technology.

The two signals relevant to this discussion are infrared (IR) and radio. IR signals only have a range of about 25 feet, while radio signals can work for up to 300 feet.

Original Bluetooth devices also compromised the sound quality of the audio – but this is no longer an issue.

If you are very into gaming, it may be worth taking the extra time to choose the best gaming headphones. These headphones will have some added features that may appeal to you, and be worth the extra cost.

Ultimately though, while there are small technical differences between wireless headphones and Bluetooth headphones – most consumers do not need to worry about this topic. None of the differences really impact everyday listening.

In summary, Bluetooth wireless headphones are an absolutely perfect choice for 99.9% of the population.

How Much Are Wireless Headphones

The pricing for wireless headphones varies greatly – from poorly made earbuds, to audio-engineer level studio monitors. While we can’t make the final buying decision for you, we do recommend that you do not purchase any of the very cheap models.

There are a number of reasons to avoid these pairs of headphones. Firstly, they are almost always very poorly constructed – meaning they may break after only a few hours of listening, or some slight wear and tear.

Secondly, these headphones typically have terrible sound quality. And we don’t mean “passable” sound quality – we mean “tin can at the bottom of the ocean” quality. Just trust us on this – we had to test them, and the results were not pleasant.

Third, the battery life is notoriously bad. This goes back to our first point – cheap construction always means that corners are cut, and the manufacturer doesn’t care about longevity or quality control.

In fact, they will sell more headphones, if they make the consumer replace their pair more frequently, so this poor construction actually works to their advantage.

Stick with well-known manufacturers, and be sure to look at the reviews. If other consumers report that there are constant issues with their pair, or the overall ratings are very low – avoid that model.

While there are some devices where you can cut a few corners and save some money – we strongly suggest not doing this with wireless headphones. A good upfront investment will go a long way – towards thousands of hours of enjoyable listening.

The Best Wireless Headphones

There you have it – our picks for the best wireless headphones. There are a ton of great electronics besides these, so be sure to check out some of our other reviews, in the headphones category.

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