September 2023
Wireless Headphones: MetaRanking
This page highlights the aggregate summary of wireless headphones rankings posted by key online experts, as of September 2023.
Summary
On 6 Sep 2023, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 101 headphones endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.
62 headphones were endorsed in total, only 16 made it into this month's ranking. (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included)
As of 6 Sep 2023, Sony WH-1000XM5 takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed headphones with 8 expert endorsements. 6 experts out of 8 recommended it as the '#1 headphones' this month.
Brand breakdown
-
Sony: 9 headphones
(#1 is Sony WH-1000XM5)
-
Bose: 5 headphones
(#1 is Bose 700)
-
Sennheiser: 4 headphones
(#1 is Sennheiser Momentum 4)
-
JBL: 4 headphones
(#1 is JBL Tour One M2)
-
Anker: 4 headphones
(#1 is Anker Soundcore Space Q45)
Price breakdown
At a glance - September Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | Headphones |
What Hi-Fi
|
IGN
|
Digital Trends
|
Wirecutter
|
Rtings.com
|
PCMag
|
T3
|
Old Time Music
|
Tom's Guide
|
CNET
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
-
|
5
|
1
|
-
|
1
|
1
|
|
2
|
- | $349 |
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.
|
-
|
6
|
6
|
-
|
2
|
11
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
3
|
|
3
|
- | $299 |
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.
|
-
|
3
|
2
|
-
|
7
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
|
4
|
- | $199 |
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.
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
10
|
2
|
|
5
|
+1 | $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
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
2
|
10
|
-
|
9
|
8
|
|
6
|
-1 | $479 |
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
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
5
|
|
7
|
- | $100 |
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.
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
|
8
|
- | $279 |
Bose QuietComfort II
The Bose QuietComfort II earbuds offer top-notch sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, and connectivity, making them a great choice for various activities.
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
|
9
|
- | $348 |
Sony WH-1000XM4
The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are highly praised for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them a top choice for a premium audio experience.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
10
|
- | $98 |
Sony WF-C500
The Sony WF-C500 wireless earbuds provide excellent sound quality, comfortable design, impressive battery life, and a range of additional features, making them a great choice for everyday use and workouts.
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
13
|
- | $150 |
Anker Soundcore Space Q45
The Anker Soundcore Space Q45 headphones are highly praised by experts for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and durability, making them a great choice for music lovers and frequent travelers.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
9
|
|
14
|
New * | $298 |
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.
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
15
|
-1 | $136 |
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.
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
16
|
-1 | $249 |
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.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
10
|
|
17
|
-1 | $278 |
Sony WF-1000XM4
The Sony WF-1000XM4 true wireless earbuds have received positive reviews for their sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort, battery life, connectivity, and additional features, making them a reliable choice for users who prioritize these aspects in their earbuds.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
-
|
12
|
|
18
|
- | $200 |
Apple AirPods 3
The Apple AirPods 3 offer a well-balanced sound signature, mixed noise cancellation performance, mixed comfort reviews, decent battery life, and convenient connectivity features, making them suitable for audiobooks, podcasts, and non-bass-heavy music genres, but not ideal for active noise cancellation or intense workouts.
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
12
|
-
|
12
|
-
|
We ranked Sony WH-1000XM5 #1 in September 2023 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 6 experts ranked Sony WH-1000XM5 as #1.
What Hi-Fi
New design, same result for Sony’s latest premium noise-cancelling 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
|
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
|
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
|
T3
The best wireless over-ear headphones for most people
|
Very light and comfortable
Excellent sound quality
Fantastic noise cancellation
|
No aptX support
|
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
|
We ranked Sennheiser Momentum 4 #2 in September 2023 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
Digital Trends
Best for sound quality
|
Amazing battery life
Outstanding sound
Effective wind noise reduction
Comfortable
Effective ANC
|
No auto-off function
|
PCMag
Most Stylish Headphones
|
Excellent audio performance with robust bass, detailed highs
Effective noise cancellation
Strong Bluetooth codec support
Handsome design with easy-to-operate on-ear controls
|
Underwhelming in-app EQ
App sometimes has trouble connecting to headphones
|
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
|
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 September 2023 ranking
What Hi-Fi
IGN
Digital Trends
Wirecutter
Rtings.com
PCMag
T3
Old Time Music
Tom's Guide
CNET
We ranked Bose 700 #3 in September 2023 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
Digital Trends
Best for comfort and conference calls
|
Excellent noise canceling
Extremely comfortable
Remarkable voice clarity for calls and voice assistants
Connect to multiple devices at once
USB-C brings convenient quick-charging
|
Boost to lower treble comes off as harsh
Requires Bose Music App to control many functions
|
T3
The best noise cancelling headphones for call quality
|
Astonishing voice pick up
Top-tier noise cancelling
Very good sound quality
|
Battery life not great
Not as many features as Sony
|
Tom's Guide
The best wireless headphones for ANC
|
Slick, attractive design
Adjustable ANC levels
Precise, balanced audio
Smart, intuitive buttons and touch controls
|
Shorter battery life than the Sony WH-1000XM5
Sound tuning may be a bit bass light for some
|
We ranked Apple AirPods Pro 2 #4 in September 2023 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Apple AirPods Pro 2 as #1.
What Hi-Fi
Apple's best-sounding AirPods yet are up there with the best
|
Clear, detailed and powerful sound
Excellent noise-cancelling
Longer battery life
Smooth, intuitive use with iOS devices
|
Many features restricted to iOS devices only
Customisable ANC modes would be useful
|
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
|
Tom's Guide
Apple's best-ever ANC AirPods
|
World-class noise cancellation
Volume controls right on the stem
Dolby Atmos spatial audio
Improved battery life
|
Audio performance needs finessing
Lackluster call quality
Lanyard costs extra
|
We ranked Bose QuietComfort 45 #5 in September 2023 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
PCMag
Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones / Editors' Choice
|
Best-in-class noise cancellation
Sculpted audio with rich bass and crisp highs
Exceptionally comfortable
|
ANC can’t be adjusted
Sound signature isn't accurate for true audiophiles
|
T3
Best wireless headphones for noise-cancelling
|
Impressive noise-cancelling
24 hours of battery life
Sound you can listen to for hours
|
Can’t turn off noise-cancelling entirely
No manual EQ settings
|
Tom's Guide
Inexpensive noise cancellation with lengthy playtime
|
Elite active noise cancellation
Refined sound signature
Increased battery life
Fantastic comfort and connectivity
|
Can’t disable ANC mode
Dip in call quality
|
We ranked Apple AirPods Max #6 in September 2023 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
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
|
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
|
Tom's Guide
The best over-ear wireless headphones for iOS users
|
Luxury design
Excellent noise cancellation
Spatial Audio sounds great
|
Expensive
|
We ranked 1MORE SonoFlow #7 in September 2023 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
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 Bose QuietComfort II #8 in September 2023 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
What Hi-Fi
Bose's flagship wireless earbuds sound the business
|
Exceptional noise-cancelling
Fantastic sense of refinement
Beautifully balanced sound
Excellent detail levels
|
Earbud battery life can be bettered
No Bluetooth multipoint
No wireless charging
|
PCMag
Best Noise-Cancelling Earphones / Editors' Choice
|
Engaging audio performance with deep lows and bright highs
Fantastic low- and high-frequency noise cancellation
Useful Active Aware mode
Water-resistant build
|
No way to turn off noise cancellation altogether
Case doesn't support wireless charging
|
We ranked Sony WH-1000XM4 #9 in September 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Sony WH-1000XM4 as #1.
T3
The former best wireless over-ear headphones ever
|
Very light and comfortable
Excellent sound quality
Fantastic noise cancellation
|
No aptX support
|
We ranked Sony WF-C500 #10 in September 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
What Hi-Fi
Real competitors in the budget true wireless earbuds arena
|
Compact and comfortable design
Spirited, well-balanced sound
Fine control app
|
Ordinary battery life
Slightly small-scale sound
|
T3
The best cheap wireless earbuds
|
Excellent sound quality
Manual equaliser settings
Comfortable fit
|
No noise-cancelling
Average battery life
|
We ranked Anker Soundcore Space Q45 #11 in September 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
We ranked Sony WF-1000XM5 #12 in September 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
What Hi-Fi
Sony's best true wireless earbuds to date.
|
Class-leading levels of detail and clarity
Top-notch musicality and timing
Comfortable, discreet design
|
Some rivals produce more bass
Could feel more secure
|
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
|
We ranked Urbanista Los Angeles #13 in September 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
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
|
PCMag
Best for Energy Efficiency / 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
|
We ranked Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 #14 in September 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
Tom's Guide
Premium over-ears with great sound
|
Balanced, engrossing and confident sound
Improved noise-cancelation over its Px7 sibling
Sophisticated looks (if you like that sort of thing)
|
No touch-controls and featured are a bit basic
Noise cancelation is bettered by rivals
Anonymous looks (if you don’t)
|
We ranked Sony WF-1000XM4 #15 in September 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
T3
The best in-ear wireless headphones overall
|
Excellent audio quality
Top-tier noise cancellation
Comfortable in-ear feel
|
Somewhat bulbous design
No aptX
|
We ranked Apple AirPods 3 #16 in September 2023 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best wireless headphones” rankings.
T3
The best ordinary AirPods
|
Great new design
Better battery life
Dynamic and detailed sound
|
Not everyone likes the fit
|
Tom's Guide
The best standard AirPods for voice and FaceTime calls
|
Adaptive EQ with well-balanced sound
Spatial audio support
Improved battery life and ergonomics
H1 chip-powered features
|
No ANC or Transparency mode
Loose fit
|