I’ve worked in recording studios for over 15 years and this topic is always discussed without a comprehensive approach to what makes something “sound good”. The headset is just one piece of it. A foundamental part is the Signal that comes out from your music device (smartphone, laptop etc) with a major role played by the audio interface. You have to think about it similarly to what a video interface works with a gaming monitor. You can buy a top gaming monitor but if your pc is 10 years old you still won’t see good graphics. Now you have to consider most smartphones and even how music is mixed for spotify is specifically directed to cheap devices and headsets, eg. full of mid frequences. This means the music, the platform and most devices are not designed (or capable) to fully leverage the capabilities of a high end headset. You are consequently wasting your money because there won’t be huge differences in the oversll experience between these headsets and a 50€ one. You want a really good quality? buy a good audio interface like apogee ones (eg for apple), a studio headset like beyerdynamics (a brand that specializes in this) for half of the price and much better quality (steel arch instead of plastic). Do you need a headset for your smartphone ~ then anything above 100€ is a waste
@@eliadracinicome scritto nel commento la musica mixata x piattaforme di streaming è molto spinta su frequenze medie e dunque ottimizzata per suonare rendere al massimo su dispositivi economici perché questa è l’utenza generale. Cuffie costose sono come il servizio di posate d’argento per andare al mcDonald
I buy them for the ANC because of travelling at work. So there are other perspectives then sound/Audio. Been rocking Bose QC and Sony XM2 and XM4. Been happy so far. Wear them out roughly every 2-3years. Use them about 1300h a year so they are definitely worth the price.
Inability to turn ANC off on the Bose QC Ultra is what led me to ultimately return them. I dont always want the cabin air pressure effect on my head, especially in quiet environments when I don't need (or want) ANC anyway.
Its there, but its convoluted. You need to create a custom mode from the settings and set ANC levels to zero and save the mode. Once done, you can access that mode by pressing the ANC button on the headphone. But ya! a simple on and off would be much better.
Great insightful comparison of these headphones!! And the ridiculous amount of hours you had put into the testing!! Would be nice if you could have included a honourable mention list... Eg Momentum 4 (read some viewers comments) and you could explain why those didn't make your top 8...
Thanks a lot! It's hard to have honourable mentions though because...where do you stop? Lots of great options that could have been talked about. I already increased the list from 7 to 8 entries from last year. But at 30 minutes long you've got to be careful with balancing the amount of content you feature vs the video length. Unfortunately I can't talk about all the great headphones out there - there are too many now!
Just picked up a pair of Momentum 4 for 240 dollars new. The sound is a big step up from my wh-1000mx3, with a few eq settings changed they are at another level. And the ANC was better than I expected. A lot of criticism of them seems to come from launch, where firmware/software were problematic but has since been fixed, and using incorrect ANC settings. I can recommend them, but please see to it that hey have latest firmware (update in app), and read about ANC settings (turning wind mode off for example), also choose best quality bluetooth mode in phone/sennheiser app.
XM5 1 year in review: matte film has begun to peel off, hinge on the right side of the headphone broke. XM4 had a similar issue 😪. Worn daily 5 days a week during work and commute.
Do you think you could add/mention the inner cup sizes in the future ? This info is notoriously hard to find online and really important for the comfort.
If lots of people care about this, then of course! I always thought this was quite niche though, so for most people that sort of info would just clutter up the screen. I'll always give people a general idea though by describing the size (e.g. 'deep', 'large' etc).
Disappointed the Sennheiser Momentum 4's weren't included, they easily still make it in the list of best headphones and I recommend them to anyone that looks at getting the most value of their money at their category/price, including the Soundcore Space Q45's which at their price are king. For the reference of the viewer, they'd probably be a 4th spot in this list. They'd be 2nd or 3rd in controls, 4th in build quality, 4th in comfort, and for sound quality they'd be beaten only by the H95's, and it would be a close fight between them and the Px7 S2e for the 2nd/3rd spot. They fall behind in ANC and Transparency but they are not necessarily bad just not at the level of Bose and Sony. Mic quality is fine, mid of the pack, and sound leakage is fine, probably in the mid rank in these categories if squeezed in this list. Also, for the new connectivity category to rate them would be very subjective, but they'd probably be through the last spots, since some people have issues with the headphones disconnecting while some not.
First of all, great analysis and insights here! I would hope you don't actually feel 'disappointed' though because this is only my list after all! There's only such much you can be objective and so much of a headphone is down to personal experience and preference. As soon as you tweak the weighting you assign each category, the list can really change a lot. Take out ANC, transparency, mic quality and comfort and Sennheiser are one of the best out there. Amazing sound (especially for the price), fantastic control system and great build (love the fabric headband). They actually came in 9th overall and less than a single point separated them from Soundcore. It was unbelievably close. I tried a few variations on my ranking system before finalising the results (especially since Sennheiser made the 2023 cut) but there was no way to include them 'fairly' ahead of other entries. This is why I like to emphasise that it's all about what 'you' as the individual want from a pair of headphones!
I guess mic quality is super important lol, I don't know why. Momentum 4 would be near the top of the list for me, anc and transparency are it's downfall and if they were slightly better it would have made it. Connectivity doesn't seem to be an issue for most anymore after updates. I feel like the mic quality is important for some but it seems like most people use it or don't entirely, so it's a bit odd for them to also loose to some of these because of that. Comfort might impact people with different size heads but it seems like it can't be that uncomfortable, I've used them for hours, and not gotten too hot or heavy.
I also don't understand how momentum 4 touch controls aren't amazing, for touch. I liked them way more than xm4's. I also prefer double tapping for transparency, rather than holding my hand up to have it work.
Hi, I wanted to ask for your opinion as I’ve been binging your earbud ranking videos and decided on 4 earbuds, the Sony LinkBuds S, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i, the JBL Tune Flex, and the Nothing ear (2). I wanted something with great sound quality, great anc, and comfort. Thank you so much and know that I really appreciate your high quality content! ❤️
Thank you! 4 good options there but I’d have to recommend LinkBuds S from that list - they’re just fantastic all round and comfort is really good. Some people find they don’t stay in their ears particularly well - maybe not a great gym choice. But I’d personally definitely choose those 👍🏼
Excellent comparison, taking in all the factors and features. Helped me to finalise xm5. For me anc, mic quality, comfort are top priority. Transparency mode is extra for me. 40 hrs battery life is enough for me. And finally the sound quality is good in all of them.
I have found that sound clarity can get even better for the XM5`s if you load in the Harman-profile for XM5 in the Wavelet-app. This becomes a new underlying baseline or EQ which is tuned in towards the Harman standard of neutrality for headphones. Then you can add the usual EQ you prefer on top of that in a different EQ-menu. Highly recommended to test, the app`s free. Just remember to default the EQ-settings in the Sony Headphones app first to get a true experience of the Wavelet Harman-profile.
Thanks for this video! Just grabbed the Soundcore 45s for $99 as a deal on amazon for even more of a bang for the buck. My bose q 35 ii gave up after years of good use. Now I couldn’t be happier with my choice thanks to your great rankings, tables, and thoughtfulness. It makes choosing a headphone that is right for you a breeze rather than regurgitating a one size fits all kind of headphone many other youtubers tend to do. Your method leaves objectivity and transparency as a priority.
Good question! The Momentum 4 were literally the 9th-placed finish for me. If you look at sound quality alone, they'd definitely make it. But when you consider the other factors too (even putting the most importance on sound quality) they're narrowly beaten by soundcore overall. Definitely still a great option though and one of my favourites!
@@insidetechltd oh ok ok. Yea i just bought the momentum 4 for their sound..wonderful. I dont care about the othe things although they're pretty good to me.
If I compare the Momentum 4 with for example the Bose QC regular, I enjoy the QC sound better, for example, I don't have to crank the volume to almost max to feel impact on the bass, the Momentum 4 is comfortable but is too big in some areas, I still use the Momentum 4 a lot but some headphones just do things better than others, still, for me, my daily drivers are the Bose QC and the Momentum 4.
Any chance you could add a comparison table at the end of the video on this particular video? I find the visual comparison very helpful otherwise think your videos are quite thorough and clear. Also, in comparison to other reviewers, I would say the tone and speed at which you speak is also pleasing versus others who cause their reviews to drag and lack.
@insidetechltd grat and helpful video! Unfortunately don't know if it's only me, but I can't see what's written in the comparison table . Video quality is too poor. I tried switching to higher resolution but it doesn't work. Maybe u could include link to that table?
I noticed you briefly featured the Focal Bathys when talking about the sound quality of the H95 while saying you tested it against competitors of comrable sound quality and I'm curious as to why they did not feature in the video, in fact, after browisng your channel it appears that you do not have a review of the Focal Bathys and I'm curious what your comparison of the sounds of the Bathys are to the H95 considering both seem to be getting alot of praise as audiophile tier headphones. Which would you say sounds better and why?
So the reason I specifically showed Bathys is because I felt they were the closet competitor to the H95 in terms of sound quality. Almost everything I said about the H95 applies to Bathys except for one key difference: bass. The H95 low end is richer and offers a more complete bass frequency reproduction - that's why I put them ahead. There's an argument to be made about how expressive and how well the separated instruments are in Bathys mid range, but on the whole...H95 have better sound quality. As for the other aspects...Bathys don't make the top 10. They're let down in areas like mic quality and ANC so they wouldn't make it into this video
@@insidetechltd All right, thank you very much for this! I'll definitely save up to get the H95 now! Also wonderful review, you just earned yourself a subscriber!
Thanks for this great video ! I got a question for the bluetooth multipoint features , which is a major point for me : is the " Shure's aonic 50 gen 2 " the only one in the list able to mix 2 different sources ( 2 sources at the same time ), instead of just switching from one to the other ?
Thanks! So it's not 2 sources at the same time with Shure either. Shure is unique in that you can choose how the multipoint behaviour works. So either the source will immediately switch as soon as you press play on the other device (dynamic mode). Or it won't change over until you press pause on the first device, and then press play on the second (static mode). Shure lets you choose either behaviour, but it's not 2 sources at the same time mixed.
I was just reading the comments, and seeing how much you reply to a lot of of them is just wow! You’ve just got a new sub :) I do have a question of my own tho, since the Shures is the new third place holder in sound quality (‘replacing’ the Sennys from last year) I wonder how do the 2 compare? Do you think that the spatial audio helps?
I do try to reply to as many as I can! I actually don't think the spatial audio helps, no. I don't factor this in when ranking sound quality because I find it diminishes the quality. Whilst it can be cool to try out, i'm not a big fan of spatial audio in general. I had the two ranked literally once place apart, so it's close. But I found the overall clarity to be slightly higher with Shure. The sound is more expansive and Shure offers better EQ options for making fine-tweaks
@@insidetechltd Thank you very much! Since they are that close, I might just go with the Shures for the extra features :) (I’ve only used entry level headphones, so they should be a worthy upgrade for me)
Let me educate on most important factors when buying a headphone. 1. By far Sounds Quality 2. Battery life. 3. Comfort and fit. 4. ANC/Ambient and Mic. 5. Price 6. Features usability and codec support. 1 most important, followed by 2,3, and 4. This is for most average consumer. And for you not to include the momentum 4 in that list is criminal lol. Momentum 4 easily ● Top 2 in sound quality, ● Has the BEST battery life by far ● Top 2 in Features after the Sony ● Best price for its class ● Anc/Ambient is very good just not as good as Sony,Bose or Airpdd Max. ● Very great comfort and fit, although i prefer Bose but better than Sony with its tiny head band ● Mics definitely above average. ● Great codec support and usability. ● And its definitely definitely better than the Xm5 outside of ANC. I have tested a couple of them. So your list is 🗑 without Momentum 4. Simple
Really depends on your specific use case whether that is commuting, sports, work or gaming. Comfort and fit basically matters the most followed closely by sound. Even the best headphones on the market are useless if they’re too heavy, have bad clamping force or just a straight up bad design and materials.
Hi, great video. Could you please give me some advice? My ears are sensitive to the cabin pressure sensation which the Sony WM5 headphones give me. Can you give me a few examples of other headphones that have less ANC which won't have the same cabin feel issue? I'm more bothered about sound quality than ANC. Thanks
So obviously all of the headphones here aside from Bose have less effective ANC than Sony. But I would perhaps try one with an adjustable level of ANC e.g. JBL, Shure, Soundcore, H95, Technics. I can't guarantee what your experience with that cabin pressure-like sensation will be - everyone is different. But at least with an adjustable level you can try to lower it to improve the experience for you
Same here… noise cancelling has always made me nauseous and I’m surprised how often that feature takes such priority over quality and loudness. Eg the Soundcore Q45s seemed like a no brainer until I actually got them and found the volume to be p-ss poor while all other metrics were fine
This video is absolutely fantastic, thank you! Given my frequent business travels, I prioritize headphones that offer both comfort and excellent sound quality. Since I spend a lot of time on business calls, having a reliable built-in microphone is essential, although I'm open to using an external one if needed. While the Bose QC headphones are impressive, their microphone performance falls short. Could you suggest any alternatives that meet my requirements?
They're literally in 9th place and would definitely rank higher for a lot of people - it's all about priorities. They featured last year, but i've since tweaked the algorithm for ranking as I get feedback about what people and (myself prioritise), change the weightings for the categories and also account for new updates...this year they narrowly missed out in the end!
Great video as always, how would you say the Beoplay H95 compares to the Mark Levinson 5909 or the Focal Bathys or the Sennheiser Momentum 4's? I know you showed off the Focal Bathys and mentioned Mark Levinson as well and by reading some other comments here I see that you think the Bathys has a comparable sound quality to the H95 but I don't know what your opinion is on the Mark Levinson or the Momentum 4s. Also will you be making an earbud video this year? I'm wondering what this year's winner will be in terms of sound quality and how that would compare to the H95's as well because I hear that wireless IEMs have equal sound quality to wireless over ear headphones. I know last year you crowned the Beoplay EX as the sound quality winner and I wonder if those still hold up and if they're equal to the H95 or even better than them in terms of sound quality in your opinion.
Thank you. So Focal are very close to the H95, but don't have quite as rich a low end. That's the defining audio characteristic that puts the H95 on top. They each offer better instrument separation and a more distinctive bass response than the 5909. Momentum 4 sit behind these 3 and don't quite have the same refinement and clarity (but certainly offer better sound : cost value). Yes there will be an earbuds awards video in a couple of weeks time - gathering the finalists at the moment. The earbuds don't really compete with the high end headphones. You can't get the same sense of soundstage with in ear designs. It's a completely different experience though and difficult to compare like for like
I returned my Focals for the 5909. After that switch I found that I'm a fan of the Harmon Curve. Great clarity and as close as I can get to my wired AKG N90Q. My wife has the H95's and they sound great too. Not as clear as the 5909, but look much more premium.
can you please tell me if i can completely turn off anc as well as the transparent/ambient mode on Sony wh1000xm5 and just use them as regular headphone in a quiet environment without any special effects going on
Sony is obviously better for long flights, but Px7 S2e still a very good option! If you're flying very often, you probably want something lighter than the S2e, but they'll do the job as well
In your opinion which of these would be the best for a loud work environment like a factory? I need it to be in transparency mode but something that makes hearing voices easier as well as turning off when a really loud sound happens.
The one you buy, depends on what items are essential to you. For me it was sound and built quality. So H95 became mine two years ago. And I’m still very happy with the H95. I use them at home and the Bose Quiet Ultra earbuds during gym. A very nice combination, because wearing the H95 at the gym, is a no no to me: to much sweating doesn’t go with a headphone.
@@nordmannenfrank6066 I don’t use them for movies. I have a Sonos system: arc, 300 and bass unit. That works excellent. I can plug H95 into the tv system, but not my thing.
Thank you for the excellent video, you can see that a lot of effort was put into it. However, the question is, if this is the top of the best headphones, how do you like the Anker Q45 more than the Momentum 4?
Thanks! The key area soundcore pulled ahead in was comfort. That was a high priority category and gave soundcore a boost. There were smaller things too like better transparency, newer Bluetooth version, slightly better battery life. It was extremely close between those two - but soundcore had an edge in the end
Hard to recommend these when they don't have IP ratings to protect them against sweat for gym use. If you want to risk it though, i'd get something light and comfortable
Thank you. Just recently getting into exploring sound and you got my sub. It would be nice if you shared the excel file, so we can add a weighting average thing based on what one considers important . I am all for the Px7. Not too pricey. If only they could do more on the comfort dept. I care about Sound Q, Build Q and comfort. Passive playback should be a standard. I dont see why anyone removes it, especially the brands that dont have it!! Great job man!!
Thanks a lot! Yes I know sharing the spreadsheet would be helpful and I do plan to. But there is a lot of ongoing work to be done. I need to get round to adding all the entries i've ever tested onto it, I need to tweak the algorithm as people's needs/wants changes and the industry develops. For example earbuds used to get more points for having multipoint. But now this is becoming so common and 'standard' that it's more of a drawback when earbuds don't have it. So there are adjustments that need to be made to improve how the earbuds get ranked as the industry changes!
@insidetechltd well understood. Looking forward. Now I am sure I want B&W. I am torn between the Px7 S2e and the PX7 Carbon Edition. What is the advantage of the Carbon vs the S2e? I am in Kenya, so most of my purchase decisions are made from videos like yours. There's no retail outlets for the premium brands here
@musyokimusyoka4875 the carbon edition of the Px7 is not really any better at all. The S2e model is the successor and has better specs and sound quality. So I would get those instead if you can
Thanks for the detailed comparison! I know it's been a while since this upload so not expecting a response, but was hoping for some advice. The most enticing cans from this list to me is BW Px7 S2e for its build quality and sound. However, the ANC is a bit of a contention point for me. Coming from the Sony WH1000 Xm4, the noise cancelling has grown on me, but recently those headphones broke so looking for a replacement. Do you think the Xm4 s ANC and the Px7 S2e are comparable? If the quality in ANC isn't a drastic difference, I might definitely go with the Px7!
Thanks a lot! I try to respond to any comments I see, no matter how old the video is :) So the honest answer is that the XM4 ANC is better, and if you listen closely you can hear the difference. But in a real world situation when you’re actually using the headphones, music playing…the difference is far from ‘drastic’. I would certainly say that what you gain in build quality and sound quality outweighs the smaller loss in ANC. The Px7 S2e ANC is still quite good. So on that basis I would go for the Px7 S2e! I should say that with those more premium materials, you get an increased weight. You might miss the comfort from Sony - but that’s always the case when you move to one of the more premium sounding headphones
@@sportscommentaries4396 The AirPods Max are older than all of these models. Newer doesn't necessarily mean better - this video is an objective view of the best wireless headphones available. The fact that the AirPods Max weren't reviewed should tell you something.
Yes the age doesn’t matter at all. When you say you want something “better” what are you looking to improve? What do you not like about the AirPods Max? You need to identify that first, and then you can see if there is anything that does those things better. There’s always going to be newer, “better” tech. Always. So I wouldn’t go chasing that just for the sake of it. Find something you actively dislike about what you have, then we can see what would suit you better 👍🏼
@@insidetechltd ah fair enough, the main thing that bothers me about them is the battery is now starting to get worse, I’ve had them for 3 years, so i guess age plays a tiny part of it. I also find that the noise cancellation is getting worse as time goes on. I don’t know if I’m better off getting a new pair, waiting for the second version, or just getting something completely new. I have every apple device there is basically so I’m leaning towards getting a new pair or the second version when they release.
Thanks a lot! The honest answer is that it changes all the time. Because of the nature of my work i'm constantly changing what i'm using. I must admit I tend to use earbuds day to day more than my headphones (except in winter when it's very cold out, i'll use over ear headphones mainly). Right now i'm using soundcore's aerofit 2 since I just put out a video on them and like to follow up videos I publish with extended use in case I can answer any questions people might have on them!
Is it ok to buy xm4's this year. i heard its anc is better than jbl tour one m2 and senheiser but it would have been an easy option to choose the xm4 except for the fact they are 4 years old. What do you think? Should i buy xm4 as they are on a great deal in amazon. Please reply fast as i dont know when the deal might stop.
Really great video! I’m nearly convinced to get the B&W Px7 S2e myself. Just one thing holding me back. I really need good ANC for commuting in trains since they are quite noisy. Currently I’m using Sony WH-1000XM3, how does the ANC compare to these ones? It really feels like only bose and sony can nail the ANC which is quite annoying tbh. Probably too many patents in their name.
Thank you! I honestly think the ANC is fairly comparable with the M3. And when you factor in playing your music as well...I don't think the difference is significant anyway. If you're looking to get a noticeable improvement with the Px7 S2e though...I would say: don't expect one. You're right that the Bose and Sony latest flagships are a step up and you would certainly notice the improvement there. But I think if you like the Px7 S2e anyway, there are still reasons to get them! They're gonna sound a lot better and the build is gorgeous
Nice one👌 I have an issue with my Sony headphones with comfort, after some time(~less than 1h) it becomes unpleasant on the top my head😅 Is there a huge gap between the s2e and the xm5 regarding sound quality?
It's interesting, you're not the first to say about the comfort at the top of the head - that's why I wanted to mention it specifically this year (although I find it fine myself). As for the sound quality difference...I agree with the other reply...different leagues!
@@insidetechltd So the S2e has better comfort and better sound, when compared to the XM5? Why does the Sony get 2nd place for comfort then? Great video by the way - thanks for all the hard work that must have gone into this video.
Didnt want to do endless researching, so based on that video I bought B&W bc of great sound and reasonable price. ONe thing for sure I can say, they're soo loud on max setting 😨
I'm content and happy with souncore q35 & q45 and space one headphones. (I actually like them because of comfortability, sound/LDAC and ANC/battery life).
Excellent video, excellent comparisons between the current crop of ANC headphones. THANK YOU! Curiously for my case; I bought the Sony XM5 on a whim just to see if it can replace my stalwart XM3. I find myself liking the comfort and sound quality of the XM3 more than the XM5. So the XM5 only comes out during travel because the NC performance is much better than my XM3.
I've been using the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless (not the Evo), but I want a modern upgrade. I'm on my 2nd pair of these Crushers and the plastic joints just don't hold up after a year (I also sleep in them a few times a week). I want something with metal joints that won't fail me, with a similar form factor and focus on bass performance.
You left out the best 4 Bluetooth headphones available. The Focal Bathys, Mark Levinson 5909, T+A Solitare and the clear winner Dali IO12. Can’t take your list seriously without them.
@@insidetechltd When you say, "outside the gameling industry", do you mean not commercially available? I ended up going with the Sony WH-1000XM5 (thank you Amazon Prime Day) but I still want to eventually get what I really want lol.
The price difference between the bose qc ultra and B&w is around 50 cad ryt now. Which one will u recommend? My main priority is sound and anc(especially for using during trains and studying in noisy environments) . Currently using the aipods pro 2 and i am fully into the apple ecosystem. Can you help?
The problem you've got is you've got B&W for sound and Bose for ANC. I'd perhaps get the cheaper one and see if you're happy with it - if you find the ANC/sound isn't good enough for you, you can switch to the other pair and see if they're better! Don't worry about being in the Apple ecosystem, it won't be relevant for this headphone choice 👍🏼
This is an excellent review. The passive playback info was in particular nicely flagged. I wish to know why the AirPods Max weren’t included. Though they are due an update and it may not be fair on them to include them in the review due to how long in the tooth they are. I do know that they do not support passive playback and the current lightning iteration doesn’t support true lossless playback.
Thank you very much! You'll have to see my 2023 video for why AirPods Max aren't included. Essentially it's a comfort and features issue though - potentially a good choice for Apple lovers though!
Seriously appreciated colleague. I miss the "Sennheiser Momentum 4" in this gallery of wireless over-ear headphones, which would fit in so well in this test. I would really be very curious to hear your opinion...
Don’t really care much about buying the most expensive headphones. Just need a decent wireless headphone since the one I have broke awhile ago. If Soundcore Space Q45 is what I can afford then I’ll purchase that.
Bose QC Ultra "slighlty bass heavy default soound" ? it's literally the opposite lol Also no Sennheiser M4s ? way better sound overall than most of these headphones
Sound is subjective, we all hear differently! Agreed on Sennheiser's sound quality - but the end summary explains fully how these headphones were ranked
Hey mate congrats on a well put together video!. With your knowledge in audio can you please explain to me why wireless headphones in general lack a max volume output? Occasionally i like to really crank the volume but find the max volume about 3 notches off what i would call loud. I have JBL live 770 and Sennheiser momentum 4. Both are great (M4's definitely are mind blowing in terms of sound). I remember 35 years ago having wired headphones on a walkman and discman that reached higher volume than today's wireless.
Thanks a lot! I think it's all to do with power. Wireless headphones are relying on the battery for power, so it would likely be too costly/inefficient to produce those loud max volumes and still offer a decent playback time. That at least makes sense to me as to why the general volume may be lower with this design
Regular subscribers know my entire channel is one big advertisement for Paramore 😅 The Momentum 4 came super close this year, but they missed out by one place!
Hey, i wana ask when the top budget headphones of 2024 video will be made, im in the market right now and wana make sure i get the best value as there are many new headphones releases, and want ur in depth opinions on them. Thanks!
Thanks for the nice and structured review! Two requests: 1.) Why don‘t you also include the Apple Air Max (as a potential alternative for those trapped in the Apple ecosystem)? 😅 2.) Could you also mention in your reviews what material each headphone is using for the cushings? Partly you do but for me that has become an important point as many of them nowadays use synthetic leather which lasts around 2 years and then they fall apart. It is extremely annoying when you suddenly find yourself covered in hundreds of small black particles because the coating on the paddings is dissolving.
It seems to be a must for companies to go towards so called „vegan leather“ as the very young generation claims to know what is good for mother earth but if you think about it in a more comprehensive way then you realize that this micro plastic that we produce is far worse for the nature (and ourselves) than just using every part of the animals which we kill anyway to have food! Not speaking of the waste which we produce as nobody wants to wear headphones which make you look as if you just came out of a chimney.
Excellent video, I currently am saving up for a pair of Beoplay H95 because of this video. Have you tried the Focal Bathys? I'm curious about your thoughts on them and how they stack up against the H95 considering both tend to be put at the top of people's lists in terms of sound quality yet surprisingly few people have ever done a (fair) comparison between the two in my opinion. Thank you :)
Thank you! Yes, I have tested Bathys. It's the pair you see on the right at 20:30. I made sure to show them in the video this year because people often wonder about them. The sound quality is fantastic, but the H95 has a fuller and richer low end frequency response. I personally think these are the number 1 and 2 pairs for sound quality though
If you’re saving up for a premium sounding wireless headphone, and if sound quality is topmost on your priority list, my advice would be to keep on saving and skip past the H95 and the Bathys. Instead, go for the Dali IO-12. It’s superior IMHO and I own all three of these headphones. Go and try them out at your nearest hi-fi dealer/shop, and especially try the Dali IO-12, you owe it to yourself! 👌
What would be a great headset for working out? I’d be curious on your thoughts. Earbuds always fall out unfortunately and I prefer the better noise cancellation in over ears
The problem with over ear headphones is they almost all don’t have any sweat or water resistance - you could probably get away with it (loads of people do) but it would be unprofessional of me to actually recommend a pair for the gym that aren’t protected. If you still want to, I’d go for something with good comfort for gym use
The main reason I chose the Bose QC Ultra vs Sony XM5 was because the Sony just felt very cheap compared to the Bose. They barely stayed on my head or had a seal around my ears. I also found the touch feature more convenient where Bose located it rather than Sony. Appreciate your vid, it helped me narrow my options lol
I‘m indecisive between the b&w and the Bose, I want to use them on longer flights and while at home. I’ve had jbl headphones before, which had great noise cancelling but every review marks the b&w‘s ANC not on the level of the competition. Would you rather suggest I should compensate on a bit of sound quality and comfort over the better ANC for my flights or do you think the ANC is enough?
@@rezwankarim1561 I went for the B&W because I liked the materials more and I have not been disappointed yet. When flying they aren’t dead quiet but I just turn up the volume a notch.
@@leoniii.4986 how good is it for like a noise area? Like if i wanna study in public or something? For me anc n sound quality both are pretty important
hello mate, im looking for a headphone purely on sound quality, battery life, and deceny enough comfort. I know the momentum 4's fall behind on anc, build quality, etc, but are they a viable option based on the qualities i look for, and enough to edge the xm5?. Great video as always, cheers
Thank you! For sound quality and battery: definitely yes. Comfort is more subjective. For me the XM5 are much more comfortable because they've got a really light clamping force. Momentum 4's is considerably tighter. But Sennheiser also has thicker padding and some users complain about Sony's headband padding, so you may find the comfort is fine either way. I would still call the Momentum 4s 'comfortable'
Genuinely wonderful video out of the 4-5 wireless headphones I’ve tried I personally think that the Quietcomfort ultras sound marginally better than the Sony’s. My favorite headphones are the momentum’s but the ear ups were a bit small for me. I ended up with the Quietcomfort ultra’s which I want to emphasize are not worth the price but they were the best option for me prioritizing comfort, sound quality, and connectivity. The low latency mode is nice for gaming. It’s no where near wired (I measured 160ms LL, 300ms normal BT, 60ms wired) when I checked with a fairly inaccurate tool online that made sounds with the headphones and measured latency with the computer mics but it’s comparable in between and I do notice a difference in shooters. QCs definitely have the widest cups and they’re angled so ears that point out like mine are very well accommodated. Used to use the XM4s before this because they were the best on the market imo at the time of release and I accepted the discomfort. Agree with all your points, you’re scoring seems super accurate and balanced. And from the research I’ve done it lines up with other reviewers and platforms like RTings and it’s presented very effectively.
Great review. I would recommend the previous Sony model WH-1000XM4. It is better built than the newer model and still readily available for a very reasonable price. I used it on various trips, and especially for travelling on planes, trains and buses, it is an excellent choice
Wonderful video! I'm a bit sorry I only found it now after I bought my headphones, but the algorithm keeps recommending me reviews/channels. Subscribed in any case since this seems comprehensive, and liked the different ratings if you value different things. I ended up with buying the Bose QC Ultras as I saw them go on sale (here in Mexico) and they where essentially the same price as the Sony's. Working from a home office with young kids means ANC is very welcome and fully agree with the comfort/ANC rating on these. I'd owned a few other ANC headsets but these are far and away the best ones. I'd had some 1st gen QC35 and while they where ok, the multipoint implementation was so annoying, and it kept having connectivity issues w my laptop. I then got some (1st gen) Shure Aonic 50. I'm happy to see the second gen adresses some of my main gripes with them (call quality + more software flexibility), though ignore others (ANC being not that good). Living in Mexico my main gripe is kind of unexpected: replacement ear cushions. Wicked Cushions is available here and they're my go to brand for my QC35s (which my wife uses very happily in combination with Airpods), and it was a factor for when I just made my change to the QC Ultras. The Shure's replacements are not sold by them, and for the longest of times I just couldn't find ones. Finally I got some generic ones, but they seem of poor quality, and they let a lot of sound in, there's very very little difference from activating ANC and turning it off, as you guys pointed in that the ANC isn't too good and they seem to do most of their isolation passively. I'll keep them as "normal" headphones since the sound quality really is good and very neutral. That + being able to be used "wired" is great.
Honestly they are very close - I have them ranked next to each other for sound quality. I think Sennheiser gives you a more typical, consumer-friendly sound tuning. I expect the majority of average listeners will prefer them, they're perhaps a tiny bit more bass-heavy than Shure. Whereas Shure offers a slightly more expansive and open sound, possibly a tad more clarity as well
It's the Q45 overall. But I have a direct comparison detailed as a community post comparing the two - there are reasons that Space One might be considered better still
What's the name of the headphones near the bottom right of the screen at 0:10-0:12? With a slight bronze/golden rim around the back of the earpieces. I don't believe it was among those reviewed in the video. Thanks!
![Best Premium Headphones 2024 [Tested & Compared!] - AirPods Max vs Bose vs Sony vs Sennheiser..](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/l5qootmFQx0/mqdefault.jpg)
![Best Premium Headphones 2024 [Tested & Compared!] - AirPods Max vs Bose vs Sony vs Sennheiser..](/img/tr.png)
![[MV] A leap of faith...ความเชื่อใจครั้งสุดท้าย (From "Petrichor the series")](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/U1piZH2CNXA/mqdefault.jpg)
Here's a link to the best headphones under $200 for 2024 🔥 👉🏼 th-cam.com/video/b3GG7V1IKJI/w-d-xo.html
I’ve worked in recording studios for over 15 years and this topic is always discussed without a comprehensive approach to what makes something “sound good”. The headset is just one piece of it. A foundamental part is the Signal that comes out from your music device (smartphone, laptop etc) with a major role played by the audio interface. You have to think about it similarly to what a video interface works with a gaming monitor. You can buy a top gaming monitor but if your pc is 10 years old you still won’t see good graphics. Now you have to consider most smartphones and even how music is mixed for spotify is specifically directed to cheap devices and headsets, eg. full of mid frequences. This means the music, the platform and most devices are not designed (or capable) to fully leverage the capabilities of a high end headset. You are consequently wasting your money because there won’t be huge differences in the oversll experience between these headsets and a 50€ one. You want a really good quality? buy a good audio interface like apogee ones (eg for apple), a studio headset like beyerdynamics (a brand that specializes in this) for half of the price and much better quality (steel arch instead of plastic). Do you need a headset for your smartphone ~ then anything above 100€ is a waste
Ciao, ho visto sei italiano, per quanto riguarda l’ascolto da Tidal su iPhone? Comunque inutile spendere più d’una certa cifra?
@@eliadracinicome scritto nel commento la musica mixata x piattaforme di streaming è molto spinta su frequenze medie e dunque ottimizzata per suonare rendere al massimo su dispositivi economici perché questa è l’utenza generale. Cuffie costose sono come il servizio di posate d’argento per andare al mcDonald
Very very true. Well written.
@@eliadracini
I buy them for the ANC because of travelling at work. So there are other perspectives then sound/Audio. Been rocking Bose QC and Sony XM2 and XM4. Been happy so far. Wear them out roughly every 2-3years. Use them about 1300h a year so they are definitely worth the price.
Without including the Focal Bathys, you really can't take this shootout seriously
Inability to turn ANC off on the Bose QC Ultra is what led me to ultimately return them. I dont always want the cabin air pressure effect on my head, especially in quiet environments when I don't need (or want) ANC anyway.
Its there, but its convoluted. You need to create a custom mode from the settings and set ANC levels to zero and save the mode. Once done, you can access that mode by pressing the ANC button on the headphone. But ya! a simple on and off would be much better.
Did you actually have them? It's super easy to turn off. Makes me wonder if you 'actually' did....
Great insightful comparison of these headphones!!
And the ridiculous amount of hours you had put into the testing!!
Would be nice if you could have included a honourable mention list...
Eg Momentum 4 (read some viewers comments) and you could explain why those didn't make your top 8...
Thanks a lot! It's hard to have honourable mentions though because...where do you stop? Lots of great options that could have been talked about. I already increased the list from 7 to 8 entries from last year. But at 30 minutes long you've got to be careful with balancing the amount of content you feature vs the video length. Unfortunately I can't talk about all the great headphones out there - there are too many now!
The mere fact that sennheiser isn't even on the list and the soundcore trash is
Just picked up a pair of Momentum 4 for 240 dollars new. The sound is a big step up from my wh-1000mx3, with a few eq settings changed they are at another level. And the ANC was better than I expected. A lot of criticism of them seems to come from launch, where firmware/software were problematic but has since been fixed, and using incorrect ANC settings. I can recommend them, but please see to it that hey have latest firmware (update in app), and read about ANC settings (turning wind mode off for example), also choose best quality bluetooth mode in phone/sennheiser app.
XM5 1 year in review: matte film has begun to peel off, hinge on the right side of the headphone broke. XM4 had a similar issue 😪. Worn daily 5 days a week during work and commute.
Do you think you could add/mention the inner cup sizes in the future ? This info is notoriously hard to find online and really important for the comfort.
If lots of people care about this, then of course! I always thought this was quite niche though, so for most people that sort of info would just clutter up the screen. I'll always give people a general idea though by describing the size (e.g. 'deep', 'large' etc).
@@insidetechltdI think the h95 build quality is better than bower and Wilkins px7 s2e
I think the fact that the XM4 and XM5 have a common issue of the cups falling off is something of note too.
@@RealistReviewer4 years later and there has not been one issue with my XM4s
@@insidetechltdI know this is months after but I second this
Producer: Hey, how many headphones do you want to review?
InsideTech: Yes
Disappointed the Sennheiser Momentum 4's weren't included, they easily still make it in the list of best headphones and I recommend them to anyone that looks at getting the most value of their money at their category/price, including the Soundcore Space Q45's which at their price are king.
For the reference of the viewer, they'd probably be a 4th spot in this list.
They'd be 2nd or 3rd in controls, 4th in build quality, 4th in comfort, and for sound quality they'd be beaten only by the H95's, and it would be a close fight between them and the Px7 S2e for the 2nd/3rd spot. They fall behind in ANC and Transparency but they are not necessarily bad just not at the level of Bose and Sony. Mic quality is fine, mid of the pack, and sound leakage is fine, probably in the mid rank in these categories if squeezed in this list. Also, for the new connectivity category to rate them would be very subjective, but they'd probably be through the last spots, since some people have issues with the headphones disconnecting while some not.
First of all, great analysis and insights here! I would hope you don't actually feel 'disappointed' though because this is only my list after all! There's only such much you can be objective and so much of a headphone is down to personal experience and preference. As soon as you tweak the weighting you assign each category, the list can really change a lot. Take out ANC, transparency, mic quality and comfort and Sennheiser are one of the best out there. Amazing sound (especially for the price), fantastic control system and great build (love the fabric headband).
They actually came in 9th overall and less than a single point separated them from Soundcore. It was unbelievably close. I tried a few variations on my ranking system before finalising the results (especially since Sennheiser made the 2023 cut) but there was no way to include them 'fairly' ahead of other entries. This is why I like to emphasise that it's all about what 'you' as the individual want from a pair of headphones!
Yep..i have the momentum 4s too. Great sound and ro me everything else is pretty. At least to me. Sound is number 1 for me
They sound great but it's a shame they don't fold...
I guess mic quality is super important lol, I don't know why. Momentum 4 would be near the top of the list for me, anc and transparency are it's downfall and if they were slightly better it would have made it. Connectivity doesn't seem to be an issue for most anymore after updates. I feel like the mic quality is important for some but it seems like most people use it or don't entirely, so it's a bit odd for them to also loose to some of these because of that. Comfort might impact people with different size heads but it seems like it can't be that uncomfortable, I've used them for hours, and not gotten too hot or heavy.
I also don't understand how momentum 4 touch controls aren't amazing, for touch. I liked them way more than xm4's. I also prefer double tapping for transparency, rather than holding my hand up to have it work.
Why the focal bathys are not there?
Yeah, they are absolute
If you take money and business goals out of all this, you win sennheiser momentum 4!
Hi, I wanted to ask for your opinion as I’ve been binging your earbud ranking videos and decided on 4 earbuds, the Sony LinkBuds S, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 5i, the JBL Tune Flex, and the Nothing ear (2). I wanted something with great sound quality, great anc, and comfort. Thank you so much and know that I really appreciate your high quality content! ❤️
Thank you! 4 good options there but I’d have to recommend LinkBuds S from that list - they’re just fantastic all round and comfort is really good. Some people find they don’t stay in their ears particularly well - maybe not a great gym choice. But I’d personally definitely choose those 👍🏼
ALMOST 100K SUBSCRIBERS!!! Thanks for the video man! I was looking for a new headphone, your video definitely helped me decide.
Glad to hear it, i'm here to help!
Which ones did you get?
@@insidetechltdI love this video too bro
Excellent comparison, taking in all the factors and features. Helped me to finalise xm5.
For me anc, mic quality, comfort are top priority. Transparency mode is extra for me. 40 hrs battery life is enough for me. And finally the sound quality is good in all of them.
Thank you very much!
I have found that sound clarity can get even better for the XM5`s if you load in the Harman-profile for XM5 in the Wavelet-app. This becomes a new underlying baseline or EQ which is tuned in towards the Harman standard of neutrality for headphones. Then you can add the usual EQ you prefer on top of that in a different EQ-menu. Highly recommended to test, the app`s free. Just remember to default the EQ-settings in the Sony Headphones app first to get a true experience of the Wavelet Harman-profile.
Thanks for this video! Just grabbed the Soundcore 45s for $99 as a deal on amazon for even more of a bang for the buck. My bose q 35 ii gave up after years of good use. Now I couldn’t be happier with my choice thanks to your great rankings, tables, and thoughtfulness. It makes choosing a headphone that is right for you a breeze rather than regurgitating a one size fits all kind of headphone many other youtubers tend to do. Your method leaves objectivity and transparency as a priority.
I appreciate that, thank you!
I notice the Senn momentum 4 are no longer on your list, why not?
Good question! The Momentum 4 were literally the 9th-placed finish for me. If you look at sound quality alone, they'd definitely make it. But when you consider the other factors too (even putting the most importance on sound quality) they're narrowly beaten by soundcore overall.
Definitely still a great option though and one of my favourites!
@@insidetechltd oh ok ok. Yea i just bought the momentum 4 for their sound..wonderful. I dont care about the othe things although they're pretty good to me.
@@insidetechltd thank you for responding and your insight.
They sound great but it's a shame they don't fold, same for the Sony's...
If I compare the Momentum 4 with for example the Bose QC regular, I enjoy the QC sound better, for example, I don't have to crank the volume to almost max to feel impact on the bass, the Momentum 4 is comfortable but is too big in some areas, I still use the Momentum 4 a lot but some headphones just do things better than others, still, for me, my daily drivers are the Bose QC and the Momentum 4.
the table at the end is really a game changer for a perfect decision, never seen such a detailed information before.
Glad it helps!
Any chance you could add a comparison table at the end of the video on this particular video? I find the visual comparison very helpful otherwise think your videos are quite thorough and clear. Also, in comparison to other reviewers, I would say the tone and speed at which you speak is also pleasing versus others who cause their reviews to drag and lack.
There already is a comparison table at the end of the video!
@insidetechltd grat and helpful video! Unfortunately don't know if it's only me, but I can't see what's written in the comparison table . Video quality is too poor. I tried switching to higher resolution but it doesn't work. Maybe u could include link to that table?
I noticed you briefly featured the Focal Bathys when talking about the sound quality of the H95 while saying you tested it against competitors of comrable sound quality and I'm curious as to why they did not feature in the video, in fact, after browisng your channel it appears that you do not have a review of the Focal Bathys and I'm curious what your comparison of the sounds of the Bathys are to the H95 considering both seem to be getting alot of praise as audiophile tier headphones. Which would you say sounds better and why?
So the reason I specifically showed Bathys is because I felt they were the closet competitor to the H95 in terms of sound quality. Almost everything I said about the H95 applies to Bathys except for one key difference: bass. The H95 low end is richer and offers a more complete bass frequency reproduction - that's why I put them ahead. There's an argument to be made about how expressive and how well the separated instruments are in Bathys mid range, but on the whole...H95 have better sound quality.
As for the other aspects...Bathys don't make the top 10. They're let down in areas like mic quality and ANC so they wouldn't make it into this video
@@insidetechltd All right, thank you very much for this! I'll definitely save up to get the H95 now! Also wonderful review, you just earned yourself a subscriber!
Wow the production of this video is off the charts - much appreciated!
That’s great to hear, thanks a lot!
@@insidetechltdhow is the bowers and Wilkins 7 s2e better sound compared to shure gen 2??
Good camera and white table yeah.
Thanks for this great video !
I got a question for the bluetooth multipoint features , which is a major point for me : is the " Shure's aonic 50 gen 2 " the only one in the list
able to mix 2 different sources ( 2 sources at the same time ), instead of just switching from one to the other ?
Thanks! So it's not 2 sources at the same time with Shure either. Shure is unique in that you can choose how the multipoint behaviour works. So either the source will immediately switch as soon as you press play on the other device (dynamic mode). Or it won't change over until you press pause on the first device, and then press play on the second (static mode). Shure lets you choose either behaviour, but it's not 2 sources at the same time mixed.
I was just reading the comments, and seeing how much you reply to a lot of of them is just wow! You’ve just got a new sub :)
I do have a question of my own tho, since the Shures is the new third place holder in sound quality (‘replacing’ the Sennys from last year)
I wonder how do the 2 compare? Do you think that the spatial audio helps?
I do try to reply to as many as I can!
I actually don't think the spatial audio helps, no. I don't factor this in when ranking sound quality because I find it diminishes the quality. Whilst it can be cool to try out, i'm not a big fan of spatial audio in general.
I had the two ranked literally once place apart, so it's close. But I found the overall clarity to be slightly higher with Shure. The sound is more expansive and Shure offers better EQ options for making fine-tweaks
@@insidetechltd Thank you very much!
Since they are that close, I might just go with the Shures for the extra features :)
(I’ve only used entry level headphones, so they should be a worthy upgrade for me)
Let me educate on most important factors when buying a headphone.
1. By far Sounds Quality
2. Battery life.
3. Comfort and fit.
4. ANC/Ambient and Mic.
5. Price
6. Features usability and codec support.
1 most important, followed by 2,3, and 4. This is for most average consumer. And for you not to include the momentum 4 in that list is criminal lol.
Momentum 4 easily
● Top 2 in sound quality,
● Has the BEST battery life by far
● Top 2 in Features after the Sony
● Best price for its class
● Anc/Ambient is very good just not as good as Sony,Bose or Airpdd Max.
● Very great comfort and fit, although i prefer Bose but better than Sony with its tiny head band
● Mics definitely above average.
● Great codec support and usability.
● And its definitely definitely better than the Xm5 outside of ANC. I have tested a couple of them. So your list is 🗑 without Momentum 4. Simple
The best sounding headphones in the world aren’t much use if they are too uncomfortable to wear!
@robgretton3721 So which one is not comfortable to wear ? M4's ?
That would depend on head size and shape
Really depends on your specific use case whether that is commuting, sports, work or gaming.
Comfort and fit basically matters the most followed closely by sound. Even the best headphones on the market are useless if they’re too heavy, have bad clamping force or just a straight up bad design and materials.
@Yu7Zi Any one spending over $350 on a headphone 🎧 is basically for the reason i told and majority is according to the order of importance i placed
Still loving your ranking system super helpful with picking out the best features I prioritize.
Thank you!
Do you still suggest bowers Wilkins s2 over s2e if i am getting s2 for $200 at cosctco which offers longer warranty@insidetechltd
Hi, great video. Could you please give me some advice? My ears are sensitive to the cabin pressure sensation which the Sony WM5 headphones give me. Can you give me a few examples of other headphones that have less ANC which won't have the same cabin feel issue? I'm more bothered about sound quality than ANC. Thanks
So obviously all of the headphones here aside from Bose have less effective ANC than Sony. But I would perhaps try one with an adjustable level of ANC e.g. JBL, Shure, Soundcore, H95, Technics. I can't guarantee what your experience with that cabin pressure-like sensation will be - everyone is different. But at least with an adjustable level you can try to lower it to improve the experience for you
Same here… noise cancelling has always made me nauseous and I’m surprised how often that feature takes such priority over quality and loudness.
Eg the Soundcore Q45s seemed like a no brainer until I actually got them and found the volume to be p-ss poor while all other metrics were fine
WM5.... don't know that model😂
@@HarryLoveTV Which one did you go with instead in the end?
This video is absolutely fantastic, thank you! Given my frequent business travels, I prioritize headphones that offer both comfort and excellent sound quality. Since I spend a lot of time on business calls, having a reliable built-in microphone is essential, although I'm open to using an external one if needed. While the Bose QC headphones are impressive, their microphone performance falls short. Could you suggest any alternatives that meet my requirements?
Yes, I think Sony’s WH-1000XM5 would be great for that use case
@insidetechltd thank you for the quick reply. I will look into getting a pair this week
Thanks for the great effort, though I miss the momentum 4! I hopped to see it in these selection
They're literally in 9th place and would definitely rank higher for a lot of people - it's all about priorities. They featured last year, but i've since tweaked the algorithm for ranking as I get feedback about what people and (myself prioritise), change the weightings for the categories and also account for new updates...this year they narrowly missed out in the end!
Aka Sennheiser aren't giving him enough kickback. Momentum 4 are miles better than the Sony! And most on this list
Which do you think is better value or which would you choose between soundcore space one vs q45?
I've got a post on the community tab detailing all of the differences!
Will these get small enough for small heads? Thx.
Great video as always, how would you say the Beoplay H95 compares to the Mark Levinson 5909 or the Focal Bathys or the Sennheiser Momentum 4's? I know you showed off the Focal Bathys and mentioned Mark Levinson as well and by reading some other comments here I see that you think the Bathys has a comparable sound quality to the H95 but I don't know what your opinion is on the Mark Levinson or the Momentum 4s. Also will you be making an earbud video this year? I'm wondering what this year's winner will be in terms of sound quality and how that would compare to the H95's as well because I hear that wireless IEMs have equal sound quality to wireless over ear headphones. I know last year you crowned the Beoplay EX as the sound quality winner and I wonder if those still hold up and if they're equal to the H95 or even better than them in terms of sound quality in your opinion.
Thank you. So Focal are very close to the H95, but don't have quite as rich a low end. That's the defining audio characteristic that puts the H95 on top. They each offer better instrument separation and a more distinctive bass response than the 5909. Momentum 4 sit behind these 3 and don't quite have the same refinement and clarity (but certainly offer better sound : cost value).
Yes there will be an earbuds awards video in a couple of weeks time - gathering the finalists at the moment. The earbuds don't really compete with the high end headphones. You can't get the same sense of soundstage with in ear designs. It's a completely different experience though and difficult to compare like for like
I returned my Focals for the 5909. After that switch I found that I'm a fan of the Harmon Curve. Great clarity and as close as I can get to my wired AKG N90Q. My wife has the H95's and they sound great too. Not as clear as the 5909, but look much more premium.
Important edit: B&W absolutely can playback passively. They even have a dedicated in-unit dac for that purpose.
I don't think that's correct. A built-in DAC would need power, right? That's why they need to be turned on to play back wired
@@insidetechltd you’re right. I thought for sure they could be used wired while off.
This guy has the best reviews for headphones & earbuds!
Just ordered the JBL's!
can you please tell me if i can completely turn off anc as well as the transparent/ambient mode on Sony wh1000xm5 and just use them as regular headphone in a quiet environment without any special effects going on
Between B & W and B&O, which plays louder and has the best bass via bluetooth?
Question sir,
Is the px7 s2e good for long flights ? Despite that the ANC ranked lower in comparison to the others ? Or should I choose the sony xm5?
Sony is obviously better for long flights, but Px7 S2e still a very good option! If you're flying very often, you probably want something lighter than the S2e, but they'll do the job as well
In your opinion which of these would be the best for a loud work environment like a factory? I need it to be in transparency mode but something that makes hearing voices easier as well as turning off when a really loud sound happens.
The one you buy, depends on what items are essential to you. For me it was sound and built quality. So H95 became mine two years ago. And I’m still very happy with the H95. I use them at home and the Bose Quiet Ultra earbuds during gym. A very nice combination, because wearing the H95 at the gym, is a no no to me: to much sweating doesn’t go with a headphone.
That's a smart and sensible set up you've got there
How is it for Movies?
@@nordmannenfrank6066 I don’t use them for movies. I have a Sonos system: arc, 300 and bass unit. That works excellent. I can plug H95 into the tv system, but not my thing.
@@nordmannenfrank6066 just put one up for you. It sounds perfect. Even some immersive audio sound for a movie with dolby athmos.
Thank you for the excellent video, you can see that a lot of effort was put into it. However, the question is, if this is the top of the best headphones, how do you like the Anker Q45 more than the Momentum 4?
Thanks! The key area soundcore pulled ahead in was comfort. That was a high priority category and gave soundcore a boost. There were smaller things too like better transparency, newer Bluetooth version, slightly better battery life. It was extremely close between those two - but soundcore had an edge in the end
Nice video. Does Bose support Apple Lossless Music?
which one would you recommend for sports like running and gym?
Hard to recommend these when they don't have IP ratings to protect them against sweat for gym use. If you want to risk it though, i'd get something light and comfortable
Thank you. Just recently getting into exploring sound and you got my sub.
It would be nice if you shared the excel file, so we can add a weighting average thing based on what one considers important .
I am all for the Px7. Not too pricey. If only they could do more on the comfort dept. I care about Sound Q, Build Q and comfort.
Passive playback should be a standard. I dont see why anyone removes it, especially the brands that dont have it!!
Great job man!!
Thanks a lot! Yes I know sharing the spreadsheet would be helpful and I do plan to. But there is a lot of ongoing work to be done. I need to get round to adding all the entries i've ever tested onto it, I need to tweak the algorithm as people's needs/wants changes and the industry develops. For example earbuds used to get more points for having multipoint. But now this is becoming so common and 'standard' that it's more of a drawback when earbuds don't have it. So there are adjustments that need to be made to improve how the earbuds get ranked as the industry changes!
@insidetechltd well understood. Looking forward. Now I am sure I want B&W.
I am torn between the Px7 S2e and the PX7 Carbon Edition. What is the advantage of the Carbon vs the S2e?
I am in Kenya, so most of my purchase decisions are made from videos like yours. There's no retail outlets for the premium brands here
@musyokimusyoka4875 the carbon edition of the Px7 is not really any better at all. The S2e model is the successor and has better specs and sound quality. So I would get those instead if you can
Really like the vid. im thinking abt upgrading from some hs70 pro wireless and cant decide between soundcore 1s or q45.
Thanks for the detailed comparison! I know it's been a while since this upload so not expecting a response, but was hoping for some advice. The most enticing cans from this list to me is BW Px7 S2e for its build quality and sound. However, the ANC is a bit of a contention point for me. Coming from the Sony WH1000 Xm4, the noise cancelling has grown on me, but recently those headphones broke so looking for a replacement. Do you think the Xm4 s ANC and the Px7 S2e are comparable? If the quality in ANC isn't a drastic difference, I might definitely go with the Px7!
Thanks a lot! I try to respond to any comments I see, no matter how old the video is :) So the honest answer is that the XM4 ANC is better, and if you listen closely you can hear the difference. But in a real world situation when you’re actually using the headphones, music playing…the difference is far from ‘drastic’. I would certainly say that what you gain in build quality and sound quality outweighs the smaller loss in ANC. The Px7 S2e ANC is still quite good. So on that basis I would go for the Px7 S2e! I should say that with those more premium materials, you get an increased weight. You might miss the comfort from Sony - but that’s always the case when you move to one of the more premium sounding headphones
@@insidetechltd Thank you so much for the prompt response! I'll be ordering the Bowers and Wilkins shortly :D
Hello, in your opinion, are all of these headphones better than the AirPods Max? This is the set that I currently have
I think they're better overall, but it depends on which aspects you're comparing. They're not better at connecting with Apple devices, for example
Fair enough, I’m just looking for something genuinely better, these are getting a bit old now.
@@sportscommentaries4396 The AirPods Max are older than all of these models. Newer doesn't necessarily mean better - this video is an objective view of the best wireless headphones available. The fact that the AirPods Max weren't reviewed should tell you something.
Yes the age doesn’t matter at all. When you say you want something “better” what are you looking to improve? What do you not like about the AirPods Max? You need to identify that first, and then you can see if there is anything that does those things better.
There’s always going to be newer, “better” tech. Always. So I wouldn’t go chasing that just for the sake of it. Find something you actively dislike about what you have, then we can see what would suit you better 👍🏼
@@insidetechltd ah fair enough, the main thing that bothers me about them is the battery is now starting to get worse, I’ve had them for 3 years, so i guess age plays a tiny part of it. I also find that the noise cancellation is getting worse as time goes on. I don’t know if I’m better off getting a new pair, waiting for the second version, or just getting something completely new. I have every apple device there is basically so I’m leaning towards getting a new pair or the second version when they release.
Very good video! But what do you think about the Audeze Maxwell ?
Great review. Many thanks. Just our of curiosity - which headphone is your daily driver? and why? Thanks :)
Thanks a lot! The honest answer is that it changes all the time. Because of the nature of my work i'm constantly changing what i'm using. I must admit I tend to use earbuds day to day more than my headphones (except in winter when it's very cold out, i'll use over ear headphones mainly). Right now i'm using soundcore's aerofit 2 since I just put out a video on them and like to follow up videos I publish with extended use in case I can answer any questions people might have on them!
Is it ok to buy xm4's this year. i heard its anc is better than jbl tour one m2 and senheiser but it would have been an easy option to choose the xm4 except for the fact they are 4 years old. What do you think? Should i buy xm4 as they are on a great deal in amazon. Please reply fast as i dont know when the deal might stop.
Don’t worry about how old it is. Still a great pair of headphones. If you want them…go for it!
Thanks! 😊
Really great video! I’m nearly convinced to get the B&W Px7 S2e myself. Just one thing holding me back. I really need good ANC for commuting in trains since they are quite noisy. Currently I’m using Sony WH-1000XM3, how does the ANC compare to these ones?
It really feels like only bose and sony can nail the ANC which is quite annoying tbh. Probably too many patents in their name.
Thank you! I honestly think the ANC is fairly comparable with the M3. And when you factor in playing your music as well...I don't think the difference is significant anyway. If you're looking to get a noticeable improvement with the Px7 S2e though...I would say: don't expect one.
You're right that the Bose and Sony latest flagships are a step up and you would certainly notice the improvement there. But I think if you like the Px7 S2e anyway, there are still reasons to get them! They're gonna sound a lot better and the build is gorgeous
@@insidetechltd I want to get the B&W because of better sound, so yeah, thank you :D
Nice one👌
I have an issue with my Sony headphones with comfort, after some time(~less than 1h) it becomes unpleasant on the top my head😅
Is there a huge gap between the s2e and the xm5 regarding sound quality?
Oh trust me, the s2e are a whole other level when it comes to sound quality compared to Sony
It's interesting, you're not the first to say about the comfort at the top of the head - that's why I wanted to mention it specifically this year (although I find it fine myself). As for the sound quality difference...I agree with the other reply...different leagues!
@@insidetechltd So the S2e has better comfort and better sound, when compared to the XM5? Why does the Sony get 2nd place for comfort then? Great video by the way - thanks for all the hard work that must have gone into this video.
Didnt want to do endless researching, so based on that video I bought B&W bc of great sound and reasonable price. ONe thing for sure I can say, they're soo loud on max setting 😨
I'm content and happy with souncore q35 & q45 and space one headphones. (I actually like them because of comfortability, sound/LDAC and ANC/battery life).
Nice 👍🏼
I wanted to get the 45s for the gym and the allotment - is the anc good for blocking out gym noise - particularly loud music?
@es4666 The q45s have better ANC than the q35s. I still prefer the q35s for sound and several other features, though.
@@tracieturner1907
Tracy,what futures please?
I'm choosing between these two bose and I'm also not crazy about absolute silencing ANC.
Excellent video, excellent comparisons between the current crop of ANC headphones. THANK YOU!
Curiously for my case; I bought the Sony XM5 on a whim just to see if it can replace my stalwart XM3. I find myself liking the comfort and sound quality of the XM3 more than the XM5. So the XM5 only comes out during travel because the NC performance is much better than my XM3.
Hello
Should i pick the quitecomfort or the xm5s if the xm5s are 80 euros cheaper?
Thabks
Definitely XM5 for me!
@@insidetechltd thanks 🙏
I've been using the Skullcandy Crusher Wireless (not the Evo), but I want a modern upgrade. I'm on my 2nd pair of these Crushers and the plastic joints just don't hold up after a year (I also sleep in them a few times a week). I want something with metal joints that won't fail me, with a similar form factor and focus on bass performance.
Im the same as you I love my skull candy bass and I wanted to upgrade while keeping amazing bass and I’m not sure what’s the best option
You left out the best 4 Bluetooth headphones available. The Focal Bathys, Mark Levinson 5909, T+A Solitare and the clear winner Dali IO12. Can’t take your list seriously without them.
What would you recommend for a mid/upper end wireless over-ear head phone with wireless charging capability?
I wouldn't. There are barely any wireless charging headphones outside of the gaming industry, sadly
@@insidetechltd When you say, "outside the gameling industry", do you mean not commercially available? I ended up going with the Sony WH-1000XM5 (thank you Amazon Prime Day) but I still want to eventually get what I really want lol.
what about momentum 4 ?
I have the same question….?….
The price difference between the bose qc ultra and B&w is around 50 cad ryt now. Which one will u recommend? My main priority is sound and anc(especially for using during trains and studying in noisy environments) . Currently using the aipods pro 2 and i am fully into the apple ecosystem. Can you help?
The problem you've got is you've got B&W for sound and Bose for ANC. I'd perhaps get the cheaper one and see if you're happy with it - if you find the ANC/sound isn't good enough for you, you can switch to the other pair and see if they're better! Don't worry about being in the Apple ecosystem, it won't be relevant for this headphone choice 👍🏼
do you think it's worth going for xm5 over xm4? The price tags are $160 and $120 respectively
I would do it for that small a price tag - but both of those prices are crazy good!
@@insidetechltd yeah, that's cause i wanna get them used
This is an excellent review. The passive playback info was in particular nicely flagged. I wish to know why the AirPods Max weren’t included. Though they are due an update and it may not be fair on them to include them in the review due to how long in the tooth they are. I do know that they do not support passive playback and the current lightning iteration doesn’t support true lossless playback.
Thank you very much! You'll have to see my 2023 video for why AirPods Max aren't included. Essentially it's a comfort and features issue though - potentially a good choice for Apple lovers though!
Which one would you recommend?Bose QC / Sony XM4 / B&w Px7 2s
Px7 2
Seriously appreciated colleague. I miss the "Sennheiser Momentum 4" in this gallery of wireless over-ear headphones, which would fit in so well in this test. I would really be very curious to hear your opinion...
Don’t really care much about buying the most expensive headphones. Just need a decent wireless headphone since the one I have broke awhile ago. If Soundcore Space Q45 is what I can afford then I’ll purchase that.
Soundcore 45 are Giant Killers!!
I am wondering why you used sound core Q45 instead of Space one for this comparison.
Thank you for making this video, could you please one on mid range or budget one please.
Coming up next week!
Bose QC Ultra "slighlty bass heavy default soound" ? it's literally the opposite lol
Also no Sennheiser M4s ? way better sound overall than most of these headphones
Sound is subjective, we all hear differently! Agreed on Sennheiser's sound quality - but the end summary explains fully how these headphones were ranked
Hey mate congrats on a well put together video!. With your knowledge in audio can you please explain to me why wireless headphones in general lack a max volume output? Occasionally i like to really crank the volume but find the max volume about 3 notches off what i would call loud. I have JBL live 770 and Sennheiser momentum 4. Both are great (M4's definitely are mind blowing in terms of sound). I remember 35 years ago having wired headphones on a walkman and discman that reached higher volume than today's wireless.
Thanks a lot!
I think it's all to do with power. Wireless headphones are relying on the battery for power, so it would likely be too costly/inefficient to produce those loud max volumes and still offer a decent playback time. That at least makes sense to me as to why the general volume may be lower with this design
@@insidetechltdcheers for the feedback.
Cheers for the feedback.
Great advertisment for Paramore)), and nice comparison! Only lacking Shenhaisers...
Regular subscribers know my entire channel is one big advertisement for Paramore 😅 The Momentum 4 came super close this year, but they missed out by one place!
@@insidetechltd I'm new))
Welcome to the team then! 😄
thanks! great in depth coverage to make my first purchase an easy choice.
Glad I could help!
which have the flattest eq for monitoring/mixing ? thanks
Probably the jbls
How does B&O H95 compare to wired open headphone of Sony MDR-MV1 in sound quality alone?
Truly the best and only useful review I found on youtube.
Thank you very much!
Can any of these headphones provide simultaneous listening wired and wireless? At the same time?
No, I think the aux cable automatically hijacks and disables the bluetooth connection
lack of wearing detection is a feature as far as I'm concerned everything with it loves to pause for no damn reason.
Hey, i wana ask when the top budget headphones of 2024 video will be made, im in the market right now and wana make sure i get the best value as there are many new headphones releases, and want ur in depth opinions on them. Thanks!
I usually drop them in summer time, but i'd be open to doing it sooner! What budget would you want for it?
Hello, after so many videos i can't be sure what to buy for budget around 400$, did you tried Audeze Maxwell to compare with this headsets?
No - that's more of a gaming headset only
@@insidetechltd I would like to know if headset can be better in your category... just because is a mix between categories.
Thanks for the nice and structured review!
Two requests:
1.) Why don‘t you also include the Apple Air Max (as a potential alternative for those trapped in the Apple ecosystem)? 😅
2.) Could you also mention in your reviews what material each headphone is using for the cushings? Partly you do but for me that has become an important point as many of them nowadays use synthetic leather which lasts around 2 years and then they fall apart. It is extremely annoying when you suddenly find yourself covered in hundreds of small black particles because the coating on the paddings is dissolving.
It seems to be a must for companies to go towards so called „vegan leather“ as the very young generation claims to know what is good for mother earth but if you think about it in a more comprehensive way then you realize that this micro plastic that we produce is far worse for the nature (and ourselves) than just using every part of the animals which we kill anyway to have food! Not speaking of the waste which we produce as nobody wants to wear headphones which make you look as if you just came out of a chimney.
Excellent video, I currently am saving up for a pair of Beoplay H95 because of this video. Have you tried the Focal Bathys? I'm curious about your thoughts on them and how they stack up against the H95 considering both tend to be put at the top of people's lists in terms of sound quality yet surprisingly few people have ever done a (fair) comparison between the two in my opinion. Thank you :)
Thank you! Yes, I have tested Bathys. It's the pair you see on the right at 20:30. I made sure to show them in the video this year because people often wonder about them. The sound quality is fantastic, but the H95 has a fuller and richer low end frequency response. I personally think these are the number 1 and 2 pairs for sound quality though
If you’re saving up for a premium sounding wireless headphone, and if sound quality is topmost on your priority list, my advice would be to keep on saving and skip past the H95 and the Bathys. Instead, go for the Dali IO-12. It’s superior IMHO and I own all three of these headphones. Go and try them out at your nearest hi-fi dealer/shop, and especially try the Dali IO-12, you owe it to yourself! 👌
I absolutely love the H95. Good decision!
What would be a great headset for working out? I’d be curious on your thoughts. Earbuds always fall out unfortunately and I prefer the better noise cancellation in over ears
The problem with over ear headphones is they almost all don’t have any sweat or water resistance - you could probably get away with it (loads of people do) but it would be unprofessional of me to actually recommend a pair for the gym that aren’t protected. If you still want to, I’d go for something with good comfort for gym use
The main reason I chose the Bose QC Ultra vs Sony XM5 was because the Sony just felt very cheap compared to the Bose. They barely stayed on my head or had a seal around my ears. I also found the touch feature more convenient where Bose located it rather than Sony. Appreciate your vid, it helped me narrow my options lol
Glad I could help!
Which one of the cushion did you buy that fit on the Sony because I don’t see the headphones as an option when I look at the pads on the website
I can see lots of them on Amazon 🤷♂️
Where you put the Focal Bathys?
I‘m indecisive between the b&w and the Bose, I want to use them on longer flights and while at home. I’ve had jbl headphones before, which had great noise cancelling but every review marks the b&w‘s ANC not on the level of the competition. Would you rather suggest I should compensate on a bit of sound quality and comfort over the better ANC for my flights or do you think the ANC is enough?
What did u end up doing i am on the same boat
@@rezwankarim1561 I went for the B&W because I liked the materials more and I have not been disappointed yet. When flying they aren’t dead quiet but I just turn up the volume a notch.
@@leoniii.4986 how good is it for like a noise area? Like if i wanna study in public or something? For me anc n sound quality both are pretty important
Great video! Simple question, if i want to buy a 150$ dollar headphone, which one? 1 recommendation ! Thanks
Thanks! Soundcore Space Q45 is the best at that price
hello mate, im looking for a headphone purely on sound quality, battery life, and deceny enough comfort. I know the momentum 4's fall behind on anc, build quality, etc, but are they a viable option based on the qualities i look for, and enough to edge the xm5?. Great video as always, cheers
Thank you!
For sound quality and battery: definitely yes. Comfort is more subjective. For me the XM5 are much more comfortable because they've got a really light clamping force. Momentum 4's is considerably tighter. But Sennheiser also has thicker padding and some users complain about Sony's headband padding, so you may find the comfort is fine either way. I would still call the Momentum 4s 'comfortable'
@@insidetechltd thanks!
Genuinely wonderful video out of the 4-5 wireless headphones I’ve tried I personally think that the Quietcomfort ultras sound marginally better than the Sony’s. My favorite headphones are the momentum’s but the ear ups were a bit small for me.
I ended up with the Quietcomfort ultra’s which I want to emphasize are not worth the price but they were the best option for me prioritizing comfort, sound quality, and connectivity.
The low latency mode is nice for gaming. It’s no where near wired (I measured 160ms LL, 300ms normal BT, 60ms wired) when I checked with a fairly inaccurate tool online that made sounds with the headphones and measured latency with the computer mics but it’s comparable in between and I do notice a difference in shooters.
QCs definitely have the widest cups and they’re angled so ears that point out like mine are very well accommodated. Used to use the XM4s before this because they were the best on the market imo at the time of release and I accepted the discomfort.
Agree with all your points, you’re scoring seems super accurate and balanced. And from the research I’ve done it lines up with other reviewers and platforms like RTings and it’s presented very effectively.
That's really kind of you to say, thanks a lot! 💚
seem ok and partial review, thank you
Great review. I would recommend the previous Sony model WH-1000XM4. It is better built than the newer model and still readily available for a very reasonable price. I used it on various trips, and especially for travelling on planes, trains and buses, it is an excellent choice
Yes - also still a fantastic option
What about the Mark Levinson 5909 that I see among the rest of the headphones on the table?
Brilliant video! I love your rankings at the top of the screen. Your details and level of testing are noteworthy.
Thank you ☺️
Wonderful video! I'm a bit sorry I only found it now after I bought my headphones, but the algorithm keeps recommending me reviews/channels. Subscribed in any case since this seems comprehensive, and liked the different ratings if you value different things.
I ended up with buying the Bose QC Ultras as I saw them go on sale (here in Mexico) and they where essentially the same price as the Sony's. Working from a home office with young kids means ANC is very welcome and fully agree with the comfort/ANC rating on these. I'd owned a few other ANC headsets but these are far and away the best ones.
I'd had some 1st gen QC35 and while they where ok, the multipoint implementation was so annoying, and it kept having connectivity issues w my laptop. I then got some (1st gen) Shure Aonic 50. I'm happy to see the second gen adresses some of my main gripes with them (call quality + more software flexibility), though ignore others (ANC being not that good). Living in Mexico my main gripe is kind of unexpected: replacement ear cushions. Wicked Cushions is available here and they're my go to brand for my QC35s (which my wife uses very happily in combination with Airpods), and it was a factor for when I just made my change to the QC Ultras. The Shure's replacements are not sold by them, and for the longest of times I just couldn't find ones. Finally I got some generic ones, but they seem of poor quality, and they let a lot of sound in, there's very very little difference from activating ANC and turning it off, as you guys pointed in that the ANC isn't too good and they seem to do most of their isolation passively. I'll keep them as "normal" headphones since the sound quality really is good and very neutral. That + being able to be used "wired" is great.
Thanks a lot! Good to hear from someone who's used Wicked cushions too
Clearly for audio should I pick momentum 4 or shure Aonic Gen 2
Honestly they are very close - I have them ranked next to each other for sound quality. I think Sennheiser gives you a more typical, consumer-friendly sound tuning. I expect the majority of average listeners will prefer them, they're perhaps a tiny bit more bass-heavy than Shure. Whereas Shure offers a slightly more expansive and open sound, possibly a tad more clarity as well
what do you think about the Freebuds Studio?
Not tested yet but I’m looking forward to getting them in!
Thank you for this video!❤
Thanks for watching!
Why no Focal Bathys on this list? There was a pic of a set of them at the beginning.🤷🏻♂️
Please which overall is a better head phone from sound core, the space one or space Q45 cause I was genuinely surprised it wasn’t in this video
It's the Q45 overall. But I have a direct comparison detailed as a community post comparing the two - there are reasons that Space One might be considered better still
What's the name of the headphones near the bottom right of the screen at 0:10-0:12? With a slight bronze/golden rim around the back of the earpieces. I don't believe it was among those reviewed in the video. Thanks!
Those are sen momentum 4s special edition black and copper
Exactly ^