April 2024
Wireless Headphones: MetaRanking
This page highlights the aggregate summary of wireless headphones rankings posted by key online experts, as of April 2024.
Summary
On 4 Apr 2024, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 104 headphones endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.
60 headphones were endorsed in total, only 15 made it into this month's ranking. (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included)
As of 4 Apr 2024, Sony WH-1000XM5 takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed headphones with 9 expert endorsements. 6 experts out of 9 recommended it as the '#1 headphones' this month.
Brand breakdown
-
Sony: 8 headphones
(#1 is Sony WH-1000XM5)
-
Bose: 4 headphones
(#1 is Bose Ultra Headphones)
-
Anker: 4 headphones
(#1 is Anker Soundcore Space Q45)
-
Bowers & Wilkins: 3 headphones
(#1 is Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2)
-
JBL: 3 headphones
(#1 is JBL Tour One M2)
Price breakdown
At a glance - April Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | Headphones |
WIRED
|
CNET
|
Tom's Guide
|
IGN
|
T3
|
PCMag
|
Wirecutter
|
Rtings.com
|
Digital Trends
|
What Hi-Fi
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | $398 |
Sony WH-1000XM5
The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones have received positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them a top choice for users seeking a premium listening experience.
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
3
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
2
|
- | $429 |
Bose Ultra Headphones
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones have received positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, and connectivity, making them a recommended choice for those seeking a versatile and enjoyable listening experience.
|
9
|
1
|
3
|
-
|
2
|
3
|
-
|
1
|
2
|
-
|
|
3
|
+1 | $519 |
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max receive positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, and connectivity, making them a top choice for an outstanding audio experience.
|
8
|
6
|
8
|
8
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
6
|
|
4
|
+1 | $299 |
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are highly praised for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them a recommended choice for music enthusiasts who value strong bass and treble, effective noise cancellation, comfort for extended use, and durability for various activities.
|
2
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
|
5
|
-2 | $269 |
Apple AirPods Pro 2
The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are highly praised for their exceptional sound quality, advanced noise cancellation, comfortable design, and convenient features, making them a top choice for everyday use.
|
5
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
6
|
- | $342 |
Sennheiser Momentum 4
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones have received highly positive reviews for their exceptional sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them a top choice for various listening needs.
|
-
|
3
|
6
|
6
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
|
7
|
- | Check price |
Sony CH-720N
|
7
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
|
8
|
- | $379 |
Bose 700
The Bose 700 headphones have received positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them ideal for travel, work, or leisure activities.
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
-
|
|
9
|
- | $278 |
Sony WF-1000XM5
The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds have received highly positive expert reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation capabilities, comfort, battery life, connectivity features, and additional features, making them a top choice for premium true wireless earbuds.
|
-
|
14
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
|
10
|
- | Check price |
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2
The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 headphones are highly praised for their exceptional sound quality, effective noise cancellation, comfort, impressive battery life, versatile connectivity options, and durability, making them suitable for various use cases.
|
17
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
12
|
- | $139 |
Urbanista Los Angeles
The Urbanista Los Angeles headphones receive positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, and build quality, making them a recommended choice for bassheads and those seeking a powerful sound experience.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
|
13
|
- | $329 |
Bose QuietComfort 45
The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones have received positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them a versatile and reliable option for users.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
14
|
- | $75 |
1MORE SonoFlow
The 1MORE SonoFlow headphones receive positive reviews for their sound quality, customizable EQ presets, effective noise cancellation, comfort, long battery life, reliable Bluetooth connectivity, and durability.
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
|
15
|
- | Check price |
Master & Dynamic MH40
|
12
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
|
16
|
- | $699 |
Focal Bathys
The Focal Bathys headphones are highly praised for their exceptional sound quality, effective noise cancellation, comfort, long battery life, strong connectivity options, and durability, making them a top choice for audiophiles and music lovers.
|
15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
We ranked Sony WH-1000XM5 #1 in April 2024 because:
- 9 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 6 experts ranked Sony WH-1000XM5 as #1.
CNET
Best noise-canceling headphones from Sony
|
More refined sound and even better noise canceling
Slightly more comfortable
Best-in-class voice call quality
Robust feature set
|
Higher price tag than the previous model
Larger carrying case (headphones fold flat but not up)
|
Tom's Guide
The best wireless headphones overall / Editor's Choice
|
Articulate and engaging sound
Great control options
Impressive noise-cancelation
|
Redesign and eco credentials ups the price
Gets hot around the ears during longer listening
|
T3
The best noise cancelling headphones for most people
|
Superb noise cancellation
Stunning sound
Great battery life
Very comfortable
|
Don't fold
Pricier than predecessors
|
PCMag
Best Headphones for Audiophiles / Editors' Choice
|
Excellent audio performance with robust bass depth and crisp highs
Top-notch active noise cancellation
Intuitive on-ear controls
App offers an adjustable EQ and other customization settings
Comfortable, stylish design
|
Expensive
|
Digital Trends
The best wireless headphones overall
|
Excellent sound
Very good comfort
Ultra-clear call quality
Best-in-class noise canceling
Very good battery life
Hi-res compatible (wired/wireless)
Hands-free voice assistant access
Classy, modern design
|
Fold-flat, but don’t fold up
|
What Hi-Fi
New design, same winning result for Sony’s latest premium wireless headphones
|
Sensational sonic clarity
Nice to use
Punchy and precise, agile bass
|
Build seems a little less premium than before
Don’t fold away completely
|
We ranked Bose Ultra Headphones #2 in April 2024 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 2 experts ranked Bose Ultra Headphones as #1.
CNET
Best new noise-canceling headphones
|
Design is an upgrade
Lightweight and very comfortable
Excellent sound and great noise canceling
Voice-calling performance is top-notch
Immersive Audio mode offers some sound-quality enhancements
|
Higher price than the previous model
No USB-C audio
Immersive Audio mode hurts battery life
|
Tom's Guide
The best wireless headphones for ANC
|
Modernized design
Effective Immersive Audio experience
Intuitive controls
Best-ever ANC
|
High cost compared to most rivals
Middling battery life for a flagship design
|
T3
The best noise cancelling headphones for travel
|
Active noise cancelling really works
Compact, comfortable, lightweight
18-hour battery life
|
Not the cheapest
Limited touch controls
|
PCMag
Best Headphones for Noise Cancellation / Editor's Choice
|
Class-leading active noise cancellation
Crisp audio with rich bass
Adjustable EQ
Immersive audio modes with spatial effects
|
Expensive
Adaptive noise cancellation might cause ear pressure
|
Digital Trends
Best noise canceling
|
Premium materials and design
Excellent comfort
Best-in-class noise canceling
Natural-sounding transparency
Impressive spatial audio
Hi-res compatibility
|
Tricky volume control
ANC can't be turned off
|
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend wireless headphones.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of wireless headphones, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for April 2024 ranking
WIRED
CNET
Tom's Guide
IGN
T3
PCMag
Wirecutter
Rtings.com
Digital Trends
What Hi-Fi
We ranked Apple AirPods Max #3 in April 2024 because:
- 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
CNET
Best high-end Apple wireless headphones
|
Surprisingly comfortable for their weight
Impressive sound and build-quality
Adaptive noise canceling is top-notch and so is transparency mode
Good headset performance for calls
Spatial audio virtual surround for iPhones and iPads is a sweet bonus feature
Automatic switching between iOS devices on your iCloud account (multipoint Bluetooth)
|
Expensive, heavy and the smart case may be too smart for its own good
No cable included for wired use
|
Tom's Guide
The best over-ear wireless headphones for iOS users
|
Luxury design
Excellent noise cancellation
Spatial Audio sounds great
|
Expensive
|
PCMag
Best Headphones for iPhone Users
|
Excellent audio performance with rich lows and crisp, detailed highs
High-quality active noise cancellation, especially for low-frequency rumble
Stunning, unique design
Adaptive EQ and Spatial audio
Hands-free Siri access
|
Expensive
Sound signature and Adaptive EQ/spatial audio aren't for purists
No user-adjustable EQ
Button placement makes it easy to misfire when adjusting fit
Smart Case does little to protect the headphones
|
Digital Trends
Best for iPhone users
|
Best-in-class ANC
Amazing transparency mode
Excellent build quality
Excellent sound quality
Top-notch call quality
|
Charges via Lightning cable
Heavy on head
|
What Hi-Fi
For Apple users, these sensational over-ear AirPods are hard to beat
|
Superb audio and noise-cancelling
Cinematic spatial audio
Exceptional build quality
|
Near-pointless case
Audio cable not included
Practically Apple-only
|
We ranked Bose QuietComfort Ultra #4 in April 2024 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
CNET
Great noise-canceling
|
Excellent sound and best-in-class noise canceling
Fit Kit ear tips and stabilizer system gets you a secure, comfortable fit
Immersive Audio creates a different listening experience
Slightly improved voice-calling
|
No wireless charging or multipoint Bluetooth
Immersive Audio mode hurts battery life
|
T3
Best noise-cancelling earbuds
|
Top notch sound
Incredible comfort
Unrivalled noise cancellation
|
Case is larger than some
Pricier than most
|
PCMag
Best Earphones for Noise Cancellation / Editor's Choice
|
Best-in-class noise cancellation
Crisp, full-bodied audio
Active Aware feature blends noise cancellation and transparency modes
Spatial audio support with head tracking
Good Bluetooth codec support
|
Case doesn’t support wireless charging
No multipoint connectivity
|
What Hi-Fi
Bose's premium wireless ANC earbuds sound the business
|
Punchy, musical sound
Solid, weighty bass
Excellent ANC
|
Immersive Audio slashes battery life
No multipoint Bluetooth
No wireless charging
|
We ranked Apple AirPods Pro 2 #5 in April 2024 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Apple AirPods Pro 2 as #1.
CNET
Updated Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds
|
Additional dust resistance
MagSafe (USB-C) charging
|
Nearly identical to their Lightning predecessor
High price
|
T3
Best true wireless earbuds for Apple users
|
Supreme sound quality
Excellent adaptive noise cancelling
Longer battery life than predecessor
|
Fairly large headphone body
Android users miss out on some features
|
PCMag
Best Earphones for iPhone Users / Editors' Choice
|
Rich, well-balanced audio performance
Excellent active noise cancellation
Adaptive Transparency mode is genuinely impressive
Charging case has a useful built-in speaker
Seamless integration with Apple devices
|
No hi-res codec support
Offers only non-adjustable EQ presets
|
We ranked Sennheiser Momentum 4 #6 in April 2024 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
CNET
Best Sennheiser noise-canceling wireless headphones
|
Excellent sound
Improved noise canceling and voice-calling performance
Impressive battery life
Good sound personalization features
|
Ho-hum design
Noise-canceling isn't as good as Sony's or Bose's
|
Tom's Guide
Best-ever battery life for a wireless headphone with ANC
|
Spectacular battery life
Great sound
Effective noise-cancelling performance
Reliable touch controls
Robust design with plain styling (if you like that sort of thing)
|
Anonymous styling
Earpads may make ears hot
Flaky connectivity issues with Smart Control app
|
T3
The best noise-cancelling headphones for battery life
|
Energetic, powerful sound
Very effective adaptive ANC
60 hours of battery, fast charging
|
Could look more exciting
EQ control could be more extensive
|
Digital Trends
Best for sound quality
|
Amazing battery life
Outstanding sound
Effective wind noise reduction
Comfortable
Effective ANC
|
No auto-off function
|
We ranked Sony CH-720N #7 in April 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
CNET
Top midrange noise-canceling headphones
|
Lightweight and comfortable
Good sound with very good noise canceling
Good voice-calling performance
35 hours of battery life
|
No carrying case
No ear-detection sensors
No LDAC audio codec support
|
What Hi-Fi
Affordable over-ears with no obvious shortcomings
|
Compellingly clear, direct sound
Decent ANC for the price
Solid, durable build quality
|
A little over-enthusiastic in the bass
Sadly no case or foldability
|
We ranked Bose 700 #8 in April 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
We ranked Sony WF-1000XM5 #9 in April 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
CNET
Best sony earbuds
|
New smaller design
Improved sound, noise canceling and voice calling
Upgraded processors and drivers
|
Pricey
No Find My feature integrated into app
|
PCMag
Best Earphones for Audiophiles / Editors' Choice
|
Rich bass response and crisp, detailed highs
Adjustable in-app EQ
Excellent noise cancellation
Top-tier mic clarity
Case supports wireless charging
Hands-free Alexa and Google Assistant
|
Expensive
Some bloat in companion app
|
What Hi-Fi
Sony's best true wireless earbuds to date, with a price tag to match
|
Class-leading levels of detail and clarity
Top-notch musicality and timing
Comfortable, discreet design
|
Some rivals produce more bass
Could feel more secure
|
We ranked Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 #10 in April 2024 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
Updated premium over-ears with elite sound
|
Great sound
Low-profile designs with smart styling
Effective noise canceling
|
No touch controls
Noise canceling isn't as good as its rivals
|
T3
Best premium ANC headphones
|
Great audiophile grade sound
Motion-sensing features
Stylish and comfortable
|
On the expensive side
ANC isn't quite perfect
|
We ranked Urbanista Los Angeles #11 in April 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
PCMag
Best for Battery Life / Editors Choice
|
Solar-powered charging
Impressive audio performance with rich, deep bass and crisp highs
Quality noise cancellation for the price
Stylish design
|
No in-app EQ
Noise cancellation slightly impacts sound signature
|
Digital Trends
Best for the eco-minded music fan
|
Solar charging really works
Secure fit
Real-time power meter in app
Huge 80-hour battery
|
Only works under optimal conditions
No EQ adjustments
|
We ranked Bose QuietComfort 45 #12 in April 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
T3
Great noise-cancelling headphones for travel
|
Impressive noise cancelling
24 hours of battery life
Folding design, great carry case
|
Can't turn off noise-cancelling entirely
No manual EQ settings
|
We ranked 1MORE SonoFlow #13 in April 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
CNET
Good-performing noise-canceling headphones under $100
|
Comfortable
Good sound quality for their price
Decent noise canceling
LDAC audio codec support for Android users
|
A bit generic looking
Noise canceling only works in wireless mode
|
Digital Trends
Best budget wireless headphones
|
Great sound quality
Very comfortable for long periods
Ridiculous battery life
Solid ANC performance
Great app support
Affordable price
|
No wear sensors
Wired mode disables extra features
|
We ranked Master & Dynamic MH40 #14 in April 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
Digital Trends
Best for the style-conscious buyer
|
Top-quality materials/build
Unique styling
Excellent sound
aptX Adaptive
USB-C digital audio
Good battery life
|
Pricey
No ANC/transparency
May not please bass fans
iPhones miss out on best wireless/digital sound quality
|
We ranked Focal Bathys #15 in April 2024 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
