March 2023

Wireless Headphones: MetaRanking

This page highlights the aggregate summary of Headphones rankings posted by key online experts, as of March 2023.

Summary

Between 14 Mar 2023 and 16 Mar 2023, ReviewFinder team examined a total of 106 Headphones endorsements from 10 reputable publishers.

63 Wireless Headphones were endorsed in total, only 18 made it into this month's ranking (ReviewFinder requires a minimum of 2 endorsements to be included).

As of 16 Mar 2023, Sony WH-1000XM5 takes the cake as the most critically-acclaimed headphones with 7 expert endorsements. 6 experts out of 7 recommended it as the '#1 headphones' this month. It is followed by Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Bose 700 , with 7 and 5 expert endorsements respectively.

Brand breakdown
Show all brands

Price breakdown
As can be seen in the chart below, lowest high-ranking wireless headphones start at $27.99 (Creative Sound Blaster Jam) and go up to $799 (HiFiMan ANANDA-BT). Median headphones cost $159.95 (Beats Fit Pro).
$27.99
$799

At a glance - March 2023 Ranking

Scroll horizontally to browse this ranking table
Rank Change Price Headphones
Rtings.com
Old Time Music
Digital Trends
T3
CNET
IGN
Wirecutter
PCMag
What Hi-Fi
Tom's Guide
1
- $398
Sony WH-1000XM5
-
-
1
1
1
1
-
4
1
1
2
- $265
Sennheiser Momentum 4
2
-
6
-
3
6
-
11
15
5
3
- $329
Bose 700
7
-
2
4
-
3
-
-
-
2
4
- $348
Sony WH-1000XM4
1
-
-
8
-
-
3
-
3
-
5
- $234
Apple AirPods Pro 2
-
-
-
-
2
-
-
1
7
10
6
- $329
Bose QuietComfort 45
-
-
-
10
6
4
-
2
-
9
7
- $480
Apple AirPods Max
-
-
3
-
4
8
-
9
-
8
8
- $299
Bose QuietComfort II
-
-
-
-
5
-
-
3
5
-
9
- $198
Sony WF-1000XM4
-
-
-
6
10
-
-
-
8
-
10
- Check price
Sony WF-C500
-
-
-
3
-
-
-
-
2
-
13
- $149
Anker Soundcore Space Q45
3
-
-
-
7
-
-
-
-
-
14
- $169
Urbanista Los Angeles
-
-
4
-
-
-
-
7
-
-
15
- $100
Jabra Elite 45h
-
-
-
-
14
-
2
-
-
-
16
- $399
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2
-
-
-
-
8
-
-
-
-
4
17
- Check price
Mark Levinson No. 5909
-
-
9
-
-
-
-
-
6
-
18
- $50
Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus
-
-
-
9
-
-
-
-
11
-
19
- $200
Apple AirPods 3
-
-
-
12
-
-
-
-
-
12
20
- $191
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
-
-
-
-
12
-
-
-
14
-

Sorted by price:

Position in ranking Price Headphones
#18 $49.99 Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus [buy] [more info]
#15 $99.99 Jabra Elite 45h [buy] [more info]
#13 $148.99 Anker Soundcore Space Q45 [buy] [more info]
#14 $169.15 Urbanista Los Angeles [buy] [more info]
#20 $191 Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 [buy] [more info]
#9 $198 Sony WF-1000XM4 [buy] [more info]
#19 $199.99 Apple AirPods 3 [buy] [more info]
#5 $234 Apple AirPods Pro 2 [buy] [more info]
#2 $265 Sennheiser Momentum 4 [buy] [more info]
#8 $299 Bose QuietComfort II [buy] [more info]
#3 $329 Bose 700 [buy] [more info]
#6 $329 Bose QuietComfort 45 [buy] [more info]
#4 $348 Sony WH-1000XM4 [buy] [more info]
#1 $398 Sony WH-1000XM5 [buy] [more info]
#16 $399 Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 [buy] [more info]
#7 $479.99 Apple AirPods Max [buy] [more info]

We ranked Sony WH-1000XM5 #1 in March 2023 because:

  • 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
  • Out of those, 6 experts ranked Sony WH-1000XM5 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
Digital Trends

The best wireless headphones overall

Pros
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

Cons
Fold-flat, but don’t fold up

Go to ranking

T3

The best wireless over-ear headphones for most people

Pros
Very light and comfortable
Excellent sound quality
Fantastic noise cancellation

Cons
No aptX support

Go to ranking

CNET

Best new noise-canceling headphones

Go to ranking

IGN

Best Wireless Headphones

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best for Audiophiles / Editors' Choice

Pros
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

Cons
Expensive

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

New design, same result for Sony’s latest premium noise-cancelling headphones

Pros
Sensational sonic clarity
Nice to use
Punchy and precise, agile bass

Cons
Build seems a little less premium than before
Don’t fold away completely

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

The best wireless headphones overall / Editor's Choice

Pros
Articulate and engaging sound
Great control options
Impressive noise-cancelation

Cons
Redesign and eco credentials ups the price
Gets hot around the ears during longer listening

Go to ranking

We ranked Sennheiser Momentum 4 #2 in March 2023 because:

  • 7 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Rtings.com

Best Upper Mid-Range Bluetooth Headphones

Go to ranking

Digital Trends

Best for sound quality

Pros
Amazing battery life
Outstanding sound
Effective wind noise reduction
Comfortable
Effective ANC

Cons
No auto-off function

Go to ranking

CNET

Best Sennheiser noise-canceling wireless headphones

Go to ranking

IGN

Best High-End Wireless Headphones

Go to ranking

PCMag

Most Stylish Headphones

Pros
Excellent audio performance with robust bass, detailed highs
Effective noise cancellation
Strong Bluetooth codec support
Handsome design with easy-to-operate on-ear controls

Cons
Underwhelming in-app EQ
App sometimes has trouble connecting to headphones

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

Highly competitive premium over-ears in the sound and features departments

Pros
Clean, neutral, musical sound
60-hour battery life
Effective ANC
Wired listening doesn’t require battery

Cons
Drops predecessors’ classy aesthetic
Earcups don’t fold inwards

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

Best-ever battery life for a wireless headphone with ANC

Pros
Spectacular battery life
Great sound
Effective noise-cancelling performance
Reliable touch controls
Robust design with plain styling (if you like that sort of thing)

Cons
Anonymous styling
Earpads may make ears hot
Flaky connectivity issues with Smart Control app

Go to ranking

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 March 2023 ranking

We ranked Bose 700 #3 in March 2023 because:

  • 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Rtings.com

Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones For Calls

Go to ranking

Digital Trends

Best for comfort and conference calls

Pros
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

Cons
Boost to lower treble comes off as harsh
Requires Bose Music App to control many functions

Go to ranking

T3

The best noise cancelling headphones for call quality

Pros
Astonishing voice pick up
Top-tier noise cancelling
Very good sound quality

Cons
Battery life not great
Not as many features as Sony

Go to ranking

IGN

Best Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

The best wireless headphones for ANC

Pros
Slick, attractive design
Adjustable ANC levels
Precise, balanced audio
Smart, intuitive buttons and touch controls

Cons
Expensive

Go to ranking

We ranked Sony WH-1000XM4 #4 in March 2023 because:

  • 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
  • Out of those, 1 expert ranked Sony WH-1000XM4 as #1.
Critic endorsements:
Rtings.com

Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Go to ranking

T3

The former best wireless over-ear headphones ever

Pros
Very light and comfortable
Excellent sound quality
Fantastic noise cancellation

Cons
No aptX support

Go to ranking

Wirecutter

Best wireless headphones for the office

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

Sony’s premium wireless headphones deliver a sonic masterclass

Pros
Dynamic, detail-rich sound
Sensational sense of timing
Lightweight, comfy and clever

Cons
No IP rating
No aptX support

Go to ranking

We ranked Apple AirPods Pro 2 #5 in March 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.
Critic endorsements:
CNET

Best lightweight noise-canceling wireless earbuds

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best Earphones for iPhone Users / Editors' Choice

Pros
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

Cons
No hi-res codec support
Offers only non-adjustable EQ presets

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

Apple's best-sounding AirPods yet are up there with the best

Pros
Clear, detailed and powerful sound
Excellent noise-cancelling
Longer battery life
Smooth, intuitive use with iOS devices

Cons
Many features restricted to iOS devices only
Customisable ANC modes would be useful

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

Apple's best-ever ANC AirPods

Pros
World-class noise cancellation
Volume controls right on the stem
Dolby Atmos spatial audio
Improved battery life

Cons
Audio performance needs finessing
Lackluster call quality
Lanyard costs extra

Go to ranking

We ranked Bose QuietComfort 45 #6 in March 2023 because:

  • 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
T3

Best wireless headphones for noise-cancelling

Pros
Impressive noise-cancelling
24 hours of battery life
Sound you can listen to for hours

Cons
Can’t turn off noise-cancelling entirely
No manual EQ settings

Go to ranking

CNET

Best QuietComfort from Bose

Go to ranking

IGN

Best Closed-Back Wireless Headphones

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones / Editors' Choice

Pros
Best-in-class noise cancellation
Sculpted audio with rich bass and crisp highs
Exceptionally comfortable

Cons
ANC can’t be adjusted
Sound signature isn't accurate for true audiophiles

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

Inexpensive noise cancellation with lengthy playtime

Pros
Elite active noise cancellation
Refined sound signature
Increased battery life
Fantastic comfort and connectivity

Cons
Can’t disable ANC mode
Dip in call quality

Go to ranking

We ranked Apple AirPods Max #7 in March 2023 because:

  • 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Digital Trends

Best for iPhone users

Pros
Best-in-class ANC
Amazing transparency mode
Excellent build quality
Excellent sound quality
Top-notch call quality

Cons
Charges via Lightning cable
Heavy on head

Go to ranking

CNET

Best high-end Apple wireless headphones

Go to ranking

IGN

Best High-End Wireless Headphones for Apple Users

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best Headphones for iPhone Users

Pros
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

Cons
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

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

The best over-ear wireless headphones for iOS users

Pros
Luxury design
Excellent noise cancellation
Spatial Audio sounds great

Cons
Expensive

Go to ranking

We ranked Bose QuietComfort II #8 in March 2023 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
CNET

Best noise canceling with top-notch sound

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best Noise-Cancelling Earphones / Editors' Choice

Pros
Engaging audio performance with deep lows and bright highs
Fantastic low- and high-frequency noise cancellation
Useful Active Aware mode
Water-resistant build

Cons
No way to turn off noise cancellation altogether
Case doesn't support wireless charging

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

Bose's flagship wireless earbuds sound the business

Pros
Exceptional noise-cancelling
Fantastic sense of refinement
Beautifully balanced sound
Excellent detail levels

Cons
Battery life can be bettered
No Bluetooth multipoint
No wireless charging
No high-quality BT codec support

Go to ranking

We ranked Sony WF-1000XM4 #9 in March 2023 because:

  • 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
T3

The best in-ear wireless headphones overall

Pros
Excellent audio quality
Top-tier noise cancellation
Comfortable in-ear feel

Cons
Somewhat bulbous design
No aptX

Go to ranking

CNET

Best wireless Sony earbuds

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

Sony's best true wireless earbuds to date.

Pros
Clear, detailed bass performance
Wonderful sense of musicality
Comfortable
Class-leading battery life

Cons
Missing Sony’s Multipoint feature
Lacking ear tip choices
No aptX HD

Go to ranking

We ranked Sony WF-C500 #10 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
T3

The best cheap wireless earbuds

Pros
Excellent sound quality
Manual equaliser settings
Comfortable fit

Cons
No noise-cancelling
Average battery life

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

Real competitors in the budget true wireless earbuds arena

Pros
Compact and comfortable design
Spirited, well-balanced sound
Fine control app

Cons
Ordinary battery life
Slightly small-scale sound

Go to ranking

We ranked Anker Soundcore Space Q45 #11 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Rtings.com

Best Mid-Range Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Go to ranking

CNET

Premium noise-canceling headphone for less.

Go to ranking

We ranked Urbanista Los Angeles #12 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Digital Trends

Best for the eco-minded music fan

Pros
Solar charging really works
Secure fit
Real-time power meter in app
Huge 80-hour battery

Cons
Only works under optimal conditions
No EQ adjustments

Go to ranking

PCMag

Best for Eco-Conscious Music Lovers / Editors' Choice

Pros
Solar-powered charging
Impressive audio performance with rich, deep bass and crisp highs
Quality noise cancellation for the price
Stylish design

Cons
No in-app EQ
Noise cancellation slightly impacts sound signature

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We ranked Jabra Elite 45h #13 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
CNET

Best Budget On-Ear Headphones

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Wirecutter

Best budget wireless headphones around $100

Go to ranking

We ranked Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 #14 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
CNET

Next-gen Bowers & Wilkins noise-canceling headphones

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

Premium over-ears with great sound

Pros
Balanced, engrossing and confident sound
Improved noise-cancelation over its Px7 sibling
Sophisticated looks (if you like that sort of thing)

Cons
No touch-controls and featured are a bit basic
Noise cancelation is bettered by rivals
Anonymous looks (if you don’t)

Go to ranking

We ranked Mark Levinson No. 5909 #15 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
Digital Trends

Best price-is-no-object wireless headphones

Pros
Sumptuous sound
Very comfortable
Excellent call quality
Good ANC and transparency
Excellent codec support
Good case, tons of accessories

Cons
Over-the-top expensive
Annoying voice announcements
Needs ANC mode control

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

Mark Levinson manages to justify the No. 5909’s huge price tag with benchmark wireless performance

Pros
Benchmark wireless performance
Active noise cancellation
Quality construction

Cons
Inaccessible price for most
Basic on-cup controls

Go to ranking

We ranked Cambridge Audio Melomania 1 Plus #16 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
T3

Best affordable in-ear wireless headphones

Pros
Gorgeous, detailed sound
Small case size
Excellent battery life

Cons
Button controls aren't ideal

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

Cambridge’s Award-winning recipe has been refined to include app support and extra sonic clarity and detail

Pros
Extra ounce of dynamic expression
Great clarity for the level
Slick app support

Cons
No noise-cancelling

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We ranked Apple AirPods 3 #17 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
T3

The best ordinary AirPods

Pros
Great new design
Better battery life
Dynamic and detailed sound

Cons
Not everyone likes the fit

Go to ranking

Tom's Guide

The best standard AirPods for voice and FaceTime calls

Pros
Adaptive EQ with well-balanced sound
Spatial audio support
Improved battery life and ergonomics
H1 chip-powered features

Cons
No ANC or Transparency mode
Loose fit

Go to ranking

We ranked Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 #18 in March 2023 because:

  • 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Wireless Headphones” rankings.
Critic endorsements:
CNET

Best Sennheiser True-Wireless

Go to ranking

What Hi-Fi

The True Wireless 3 keep the momentum going strong

Pros
Spacious, refined and insightful sound
aptX Adaptive Bluetooth support
Nicely priced

Cons
Earpieces slightly cheaper looking
Pick up wind noise

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