The best wireless headphones from all the top brands

Unless you’re into specialist audiophile tech — which is a whole other world — there’s one top choice for premium, everyday headphones: the Sony WH-1000XM4. As ever with Sony’s top-of-the-range gear, you’ll pay a little more (or a lot more, even) but you get the full package: incredible sound, immersive ANC, and extra features. It all comes thanks to Sony’s V1 processor.

The WH-1000XM5 headphones deliver a vast soundscape with plenty of oomph in the lows and fine details in the mids and highs. Sounds travels via 30mm drivers, which are supported by 360 Reality Audio and LDAC Bluetooth codecs for hi-res audio files. 

Best of all is the AI-powered active noise cancellation — the best you’ll get at this price, bar none. The V1 processor and Adaptive Sound control enables the ANC to react to external noise. Each can has two mini mics which adjust 700 times per second. That means noise cancellation happening in real time.

There’s a Sony Headphones Connect app, too. You can customise the ANC and ambient noise levels. Even set different ANC levels for different places — at home, in the office, around the park — and geo-location tech will automatically adjust the ANC as and when you arrive in these locations.

Other features include an auto-pause that kicks in whenever you remove the headphones, and Speak-to-Chat, which stops the music when you start a convo. Be warned — Speak to Chat might kick in if you sing along too loudly.

JBL deserves a spot on any “best of” list, particularly for its excellent selection of mid-range headphones — affordable tech that matches big name brands by hitting that note between value and performance.  

The JBL Tune 660NC are a case in point: Premium plastic cans that create a seal around your ears with their large, padded, over-ear cups. That does the basic work of blocking out external noise, before you’ve switched on the ANC — which is, in terms of price vs. performance, some of the best noise cancellation that money can buy. Just one push of the button and you’ll immediately hear (or not hear with ANC) the difference.

They’re not the most expensive headphones around, but the quality is proven by how robustly they can handle the elements. JBL headphones can last literally years before you notice any signs of wear and tear. 

The sound is finely tuned and loaded with bass — possibly a little heavy with bass, in fact, according to some reviewers. But if bass is your thing, then it’s thumpingly good news all round. Additional features include Ambient Aware tech — which is essentially a transparent mode — plus a TalkThru feature for when you stop to chat. This lowers the music and amplifies voices.

The buttons on JBL headphones can be less-than-intuitive — a bit fiddly — but you’ll soon feel your way around them. They also have a handy multi-point pairing feature, which allows you to hook these up with two devices at once.

We can’t not include Apple on this list. The tech giant’s decision to scrap headphone jacks ultimately sped up the advancement of Bluetooth-powered headphones — thanks to Apple, wireless is now pretty much the standard.

But that’s what Apple has always done best: evolve technology. Remember when its headphones were little wired white buds that leaked your tunes to the entire bus? They were the equivalent of the creatures that first crawled out of the sea. The Apple AirPods Max, by comparison, sit at the evolutionary peak. 

As with all Apple devices, they sync seamlessly within the eco-system. They combine style and substance, with stunning sound, ANC, and iOS features. 

They are heavier in the hand, but you’ll barely notice once they’re on your head — that's all down to efficient construction. They have just two buttons, with a button for ANC modes and a multi-functional dial for volume and playback. 

The battery life is a bit average and below similarly-priced (i.e. also very expensive) headphones. But these automatically switch into low power mode when you put them in the carry case. Another small complaint is that they need to have some battery power even when they’re wired to a device.

Overall, the Apple AirPods Max are fantastic, but best suited to Apple users. Android users will find them an excellent pair of noise cancelling headphones but they'll miss out on iOS-specific features.

There’s more to headphones than getting some good tunes banging in your ears. To some, they’re an essential modern accessory — a style statement and lifestyle choice. If that rings true to you — and your headphones are more than some audio tech to wrap around your head — Bowers and Wilkins PX7 Wireless are the pair for you.

The style is pure premium: A contemporary but timeless frame with a soft fabric finish. There’s also pleather-covered memory foam on both ear cups, ensuring that they’re extremely comfortable.

The ear cups swivel flat but like other high-end styled headphones, they don’t fold inwards for added portability. You’re better off keeping these around your head and neck at all times.

The style is matched by audio quality. They sound amazing, thanks to 4mm full-range drivers and the aptX Adaptive which allows glitch-free listening. The aptX Adaptive codec makes them especially good for perfectly-synced, lag-free video streaming. And for the first time ever, Bowers and Wilkins have added EQ adjusting via the app.

The noise cancellation is also customisable. It has three modes, including a transparency mode for letting in ambient sounds. Other features include automatic pause (which stops music as soon as you take the headset off,) and a reassuring 30 hours of battery. They charge quickly, too. Just 15-minutes of charging gives you an impressive five hours of runtime. 

The Brooklyn-based Grado might go under the radar for casual listeners, but fans know them for their open-backed, wired designs — often the mark of a true audiophile brand — and detailed sound. The Grado GW100 headphones signal a new step forward for Grado: the manufacturer’s first wireless headphones. They’re also notable for being a rare example of an open-backed Bluetooth headset. 

The Bluetooth-powered Grado GW100 are recommended almost exclusively for home use as the open-backed ear cups will leak sound both ways. These won’t block out external noise and people around you will also hear what sounds you’re a-rocking. 

But these days everyone needs a pair of headphones for around the house. And these will not disappoint. The sound is rich and spacious and delivers a naturalistic soundstage — a different experience to being locked in with a pair of closed back headphones. Sound is further boosted by aptX codecs.

Made from plastic, they feel cheaper than the sound quality would otherwise suggest. But it’s all part of this headset’s stripped-back design. And the plastic build means they’re comfortably lightweight. Other features include a built-in mic, voice assistant connectivity, and touch controls.

If there’s one audio brand synonymous with big, bold sound, it’s Marshall — instantly recognisable as the most rock 'n' roll amplifier in musical history, usually seen stacked high on the stage of epic concerts. As Marshall says itself, the sound is “iconic.” Marshall has packed that signature sound into these highly-rated headphones, the Marshall Monitor II ANC.

The sound comes via custom-tuned 40mm drivers, while the Marshall Bluetooth app allows you to adjust levels and customise the sound to your preference. If you’ve got a good ear for nuance, you’ll find this app is seriously impressive — adjustments can be subtle and detailed, with modes for all kinds of different musical genres and frequencies.

It offers good sounds all round, in fact, with fantastic (not to mention adjustable) noise cancellation. They’re sound-leak proof too, keeping the sound in as well as out. Noise cancellation is controlled by a physical button on the headphones, which sits alongside a button for controlling volume, playback, and calls. And if you’re on a long commute, or just like indulging in hours’ worth of music, they’re comfortable — perfect for long sessions.

If we’ve got a complaint it's that they are a bit on the plasticky side. Something more robust wouldn’t go amiss at this price. But that’s not a deal-breaker.

Lots of budget headphones look the same: black, plastic, and nondescript. But the Riwbox XBT-80 headphones stand out from the crowd. The black style with gold trim might look a bit bling for some tastes — we love it, mind you — though there’s a selection of others to choose from.

Besides the style, you get decent quality sound, a built-in mic, hands-free calling, and a whole lot more. There’s a row of buttons on the left earcup for full control — volume, playback, answering calls, and more.

As always, manage your expectations with anything at this budget level. But they do have some advantages over much fancier options. You can switch between wireless and wires easily, and you don’t need to have any battery charge for wired mode — even the Apple AirPod Max can’t do that. Some headphones are too worried about being fancy to do the basics. Well, the Riwbox XBT-80 does the basics. And it does them pretty well, we must say.

The battery could be a little better, but it's difficult to find fault in a set of headphones that are this much fun and this affordable.