Apparently there's a new firmware for the Airpods Max for the USB Type C version that came out shortly after this video. I need to get a new one in to test, but based on the measurements it looks like it significantly improves on its key shortcoming in the ear gain. It's still a bit on the heavy side but I expect I'd put it in B or even A tier, but I can't know for sure without hearing it. I'll try and get a new one in.
Just a suggestion for the tier list videos- you could consider adding the names of the headphones below the images they look very similar and it is difficult to follow which one went where
Yeah, at least for the ones that looks similar. It was a nightmare on the big headphone ranking list, so many Beyerdynamics, Audeze and Hifiman looks pretty much the same.
@@ResolveReviews I think he means on the picture itself :), kinda need to look at the small preview window before and after to see where it ends up. The timestamps are a nice though.
Just a couple of notes since I know some folks will miss this: 1. The criteria section is important to watch to make sense of this ranking. It's not based just on ANC capability or sound quality, it's to do with the product as a whole and how well it fits with its intended purpose. 2. I haven't had the chance to test all the ANC products out there yet, some are harder to get in for review than others. I'm currently working on getting more in, but just know nothing was omitted or ignored intentionally. 3. The product names are all indicated by the timestamps below the video. I had considered adding them to the tiles themselves but then people would just skip all of the context for each product, which I feel is important to consider for why a given product gets ranked the way it does.
I highly recommend the newly-released Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 for review if you can get a hold of it. I'd describe it as Bathys-tier sound quality with more consistent performance during outdoor/movement. It also has a user-replaceable battery to prevent it from becoming e-waste and is about 1/3 of the price of the Bathys.
I would recommend at least going over the noise cancelling In Ear space. Also, I quite liked my QC45s. However, the way that I used them was quite weird in that I mostly just used them like electronic earmuffs and had IEMs in my ears underneath it. Not the most comfortable, but for an airplane, good enough.
The comparison I'd love to see: • Beyerdynamic Aventho 300 • Cambridge P100 • AKG N9 Hybrid • Shure AONIC gen 2 • KEF Mu7 Would love your take on those.
Something almost always missing with anc headphone reviews is their performance in noisy environments, and i don't mean anc performance, I mean sound quality performance in noisy environments. Most of the high end headphones have adaptive eq (/whatever the different manufacturers name it) and i would like to guess that just like the same headphones can have different frequency response curves depending on the listeners anatomy, the sound of different headphones can differ depending on different environments. I would love to see something like a frequency response curve in 2-3 different standardized background sounds, something like low end, mid and high end noise. Just food for thought.
This. For example, I actually like a bit of extra bass on these "out and about" headphones, as ANC is better at canceling treble noise but worse at canceling bass noise. So I feel this type of headphone benefits from a little higher bass, that I might call too much for home listening.
Would love to see the Cambridge Audio Melomania p100 tested, I believe it is the only model on which you can swap batteries yourself (to increase longevity) and it's one of the few that supports all aptx codecs (lossless too), with a fairly competitive price too
I completely agree with your remarks on the Px8 from a sound quality standpoint. It is extremely comfortable though, and the noise cancelling is quite good without causing the eardrum suck effect I get from Bose and others. For that reason alone, I’m sticking with it for travel.
I like Px8's sound profile. It's different and I can enjoy its sound flavour even though I recognize it's not typical hi-fi. It's more intimate and fun at the same time. And craftsmanship is top notch!
I like px8 sound a lot ( after some eq ), it has very warm sound . it’s sound stage is so good. And with cable it is actually as good as hifi sound profile. For the price of 350 only edition xs can compete with it , but it has different problems
thank you for clarifying correctly in the title what this is about. So many websites say "best headphones of the year" and only talk about ANC bluetooth headphones, but then throw in the HD800s as a singular example (every time) of a wired headphone (after saying, oh but the design is open so you will hear everythiing and everyone can hear your music, without even bothering to say why that's a good thing.). Even RTINGS did that sadly....
One thing to mention with the Bathys, is the sound leakage, like even in some transports, like train, people around you can hear your music (was listenning around 65%)
Would love to hear your thoughts about the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100. In my comparison their tuning is slightly better than Momentum 4 and miles ahead of the PX7se
Very curious to see how some of the newer offerings like the AKG N9 Hybrid and Cambridge Melomania P100 do amongst all these. Heard good things about both but it doesn't seem like they're too widely listened yet.
To me it seems like some newer headphones are just being ignored. The ones you mentioned have certainly been out long enough to be at least mentioned by the more prominent audio reviewers. Yet you can’t really find many in depth reviews here on TH-cam.
I listened to Melomania P100, it has a typical rock sound. They have great stereophony and fantastic ANC. I haven't heard such noise reduction for a long time, and I have been interested in headphones with ANC since the Bose QC3.
Very useful video! One brand I'm completely missing here is Bang & Olufsen. I recently purchased the HX. Although they're not really backing up the price with ANC performance (just satisfactory), they do with build quality. The sound quality also surprised me, especially in the soundstage department and nothing being too offensive. (I also own a Hifiman HE4XX for reference)
Maxwell is not a good recommendation to anyone but audiophiles, as they are just way too heavy. As a headphone reviewer you may be used to wearing heavy headphones, as most audiophile headphones are a lot heavier than them (especially in Audeze's ballpark), but 490g / 1.1lb is not bearable for someone who only used gaming headsets, ANC over-ears and in-ears their whole life. I'm 1.83m/6ft, visit the gym regularly and have a fairly big head, but I can't even wear my Focal Clear (450g / 1lb) for more than 2-3 hours, until I start getting a headache because of their weight. The Maxwell are not suitable to be a daily driver and I couldn't imagine wearing something that heavy for an intercontinental plane ride or a cross country train ride and someone who's never had something more heavy than 250g /0.5lb on their head will return them in an instant.
Since weight distribution on the head matters a lot I think you overestimate the negative effect of the weight. I have been using my Maxwell for nearly 2 years and barely had issues with the weight as it distributes well. Some people have headrests on their chairs which also helps if it becomes an issue.
I wonder if your problems with the Clear have less to do with the weight than the headband design. I found the LCD-2F a lot more comfortable than the Clear despite it weighing 100+ grams more.
Honestly I regularly use Maxwell for 4-5 hours straight without any problem whatsoever. I also use Atlas Air and those may be way above Maxwell in terms of comfort, but if I need immersion and sound quality, the choice if very simple :)
Some one is skipping neck day... Lol. Just kidding I have the maxwell and I can wear them for 5-8 hours with no real issues, I find that clamping force and weight distribution are equally if not as important as weight, maxwell are pretty good on my head so 490 gram isn't bad. And as you guy like to throw height I'm 173cm, I don't go regularly to the gym...
You're not alone with bose's quality control issues, after returning two seperate bose headphones for channel imbalance, I finally plunged on the QC Ultra, figured the higher price would reduce these issues, and when I finally got them the channel imbalance was _worse_ , not only with sound, but the anc was far stronger in one ear, leading to increased pressure in that one ear.
Returning the XM5. I like everything about it, it's light, but the weight distribution is abysmal given the thin head piece. Also returning the Sennheiser M4. I have plenty of Sennheiser products, I love the sound signature, but 300g is too heavy for long strenuous hours of studying. Trying out the QC Ultra's next!
I came across Kef Mu7 which doesn't seem to have a lot of reviews. Perhaps it could be added to the next list or maybe it's not popular enough to be added. I just like how clean it looks
Graet video, nearly same thoughts as I testet very much headphones side by side. Now im going for the momentum 4 and I hope the balance problem which some people had, wont occur on mine.
I would be interested in you getting the AKG 9 Hybrid. I recently got the chance to try one and they sounded reasonable with good if not outstanding ANC quality. They have a dongle that makes it versatile (even though the quality is subpar).
Thanks so much for this tier list! As a dissapointed user of the PX8 I wanted to check some other options. I've been a fan of Sennheiser for a long time, in fact a pair of HD650 is coming home for Christmas. I might check the Momentum too. For those wanting to get a PX8 I warn you: it's probably the worst choice I've made with a product as a consumer. Why? - Super expensive - Head band started to rip apart too soon (even though the rest of the headphone seems so well built) - Sound quality not great - Noise Cancelling good but I assume there might be others doing better - If you have a mac and play games, it entirely breaks for some reason when using Discord and gaming at the same time. It's like if the sound got put on slow mode, everything sounds distorted, awful.
Hi. Great video. Thanks. I was thinking about getting the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones. However, as many have suggested missing from the list Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 and Technics EAH-A800E. Cheers.
Yep, own the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 headphone. It def is a more intimate listening experience than your A tier Bose QCU. If most untrained people like the Bose QCU there’s no reason why they shouldn’t enjoy Px8. It’s def not for analytical listening, but it def has a sound that the average consumer would enjoy. Did you re-review your original Px8 or buy a new one? I ask because among any headphone, there may be variances. Most reviews (including the ones that led me to consider them) all say the Px8 is inaccurate, but detailed and enjoyable sound quality.
@@TheNikull dang I'm sorry to hear that! I haven't had any issues, but I def read up on them when I researched/tested the four headphoens currently on sale from Bose and Bowers & Wilkins. What have yours gone through? Do you have a 2022, 2023 version or newer?
@@mhm35 yeah I bought it last year (2023), so they're a bit but: bottom of headbad unglued, have a lot of audio issues with my mac (like connecting to a Discord call and after some time getting the sound pitch down as if it was playing in slow mode, horrible). Issues to connect, wrong battery indicator. Some times after spending some time charging it, I turn it on and I get the "battery low" message and they turn off again. Anyways, yeah, quite frustrating!
@ResolveReviews, I would be curious about your take on the Dyson OnTrac. I know it sounds like a joke but I remember Crinacle quite liking the "air-purifying" Dyson Zone from an audio-quality standpoint.
I got the chance to compare these with the PX8's in an audio store and preferred PX7 S2e's. The PX8's sounded like they were trying to sound more "serious" and "audiophile-like", but weren't enjoyable to listen to. In contrast, the PX7 S2e's sounded like they were tuned for fun to me and managed to achieve that kind of sound.
Bought the Maxwell and after 10 minutes knew I’d be returning them. Just awful to wear for any length of time. Stupidly big, bulky and heavy. So uncomfortable. I even bought third party pads. They did sound so good. Best headphones I’d ever heard. But even with that I never considered keeping them. Bought the QC Ultra. Don’t nearly sound as good obviously but better in every other way.
Oh I know! Even the reviews never talk about how the weight could be an issue for some. I had the AirPods Max. So I had worn some pretty heavy headphones. Those were easy to wear for hours. I couldn’t wear the Maxwells for any time at all.
I don't consider the Maxwell's as something for on the road.. so also not in this list :). But I have mine for over a year now and they are still a joy to use.
@ People love them that’s for sure. I couldn’t even just sit statically and enjoy them. I never tried to walk around with them. Once I felt how uncomfortable and plus didn’t like the controls either. But I know they are great sounding. But for me comfort is the most importantly feature for headphones and true wireless earbuds
Did you get a bad copy of the PX8’s? I have both those and the Airpods Max and the PX8’s blow the Max’s away in terms of clarity, detail, and tight punchy bass. The Max’s have a nicer wider soundstage and sound better at low volumes but the PX8’s win in all other aspects of sound imo
I genuinely love my bathys, but I do need to point out that even using it with care, I had to buy replacement earpads by focal thru an online vendor and that cost me 90 bucks or so. The pads last me less than a year and the inside seam ripped on one of them within…7 months? So yeah, new pads going strong, they’re the official pads, etc but still. That’s a negative for me on my otherwise amazing bathys
Would love if you also took a look at the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, as they seem very promising soundwise. Only thing that people seem to have reported is issues with the noise cancelling while moving around, which I'm curious whether this is still an issue.
Good to know! Then they are still worth considering, as I probably would aim for the Momentum 4 instead. I like the idea that you can replace the batteries on the P100, probably the biggest selling point for those to me (although my old Audio Technica SR50BT are still working after what, 6 years now?).
Quick question for @ResolveReviews: Why don't you objectively test ANC on measurement rigs? Set up a battery of standard noise (tone generator - both simple tones and sweeps, recording of cabin noise from an airplane, ambient sounds on a busy street) at a standard volume (say 70 dB at nose of the rig) and then see what each headphone measures with ANC on but no music playing. You could also show passive isolation properties of the headphone with ANC off vs on. I like traveling with Airpods Pro due to size, relatively good ANC during flights, and Apple ecosystem integration but now I'm very tempted by the Focal Bathys.
I am a musician, and the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 has been a wonderful discovery for me. It has a sense of rhythm that makes you tap your foot, and above all, it delivers rich and realistic tones. It needs to be broken in for at least 20 hours. After that, the level of precision and musicality is truly impressive. It truly deserves to be talked about more.
Would be interested to hear your opinion on the Sony ULT Wear. Aside from the boomy bass which can be dialed back, they are priced better than the XM4, use the same chip for ANC as the XM5, and have solid ergonomics.
I'm in the market for one this black friday, and some days ago I was so sure to get the PX8 after watching tons of reviews saying it sounds good and bring joy to the music, then I found that multiple people have problems with the headband despite the high price, and then you channel and now this new video. Your opinions on some of the headphones I tried align so I believe you. Bit of a shame as I also value design and love how it looks.
FYI, I was feeling the same way as you. Still went ahead with Px8 and I'm enjoying them despite not being the typical audiophile sound signature. I use their app to eq them slightly. And sound is both intimate and fun at the same time! Nowhere near a D-tier in my books. Even though I find Dali Io-12 sound signature more natural overall...
25:00 Also, price. I think that's one of the most important aspects, personally. I don't mind spending a ton of money on what I use at home, but on the go, I don't need the most expensive thing ever.
I have the Momentum 4 headphones, I usually lower the bass with an EQ app on android and I am listening to Spotify, mainly to Soul, Jazz, Funk. What wired headphones would you recommend for around 500-700$ and what Amp for around 300$ , so that I could have a wow effect comparing to the Senheiser Momentum 4? (i already have a ifi Signature One DAC, which I use for Ruark mk2 speakers) I would really apreciate your answer, because I wonder if there is such a big difference with wired headphones and should I invest so much money and would I really feel so much difference to sacrifice the portability of the wireless headphones or should I just calm down and keep listening to the speakers with the ifi dac thanks!
- DALI io12 - PSB m4U 9 - Heavys H1H (by Axel Grell) I really want to hear your take on these three brands. I haven’t heard Heavys yet. Dali IO12 was impressive for a short listen that I had it, the $1700 CAD price tag a bit less. And PSB M4U also sounded alright but would have love to have more time with it. Others to consider: Bang&Olufsen JBL Technics
i've been studying the internet on what anc wireless headphones to purchase. and it seems the Sennheiser Momentum 4 is the way to go. at least the arrows lead that direction as i look for something with good sound quality. and given you have the eq app you can do a lot with just that, plus 60 hours of battery life, and the ANC doesn't have to be completely isolating for my preference. If it can reduce the noise coming from my laptop fan i'll be very happy. The second place would go to xm5s because it's sony and also has an eq app but Sennheiser is the one leading in the race. i can't wait to make a purchase
@@majcyl I'm really curious myself. I hear many great things about the H100 or even the H95, but the frequency response for these (or at least on RTings) looks objectively bad. And I don't think any audiophile channel have reviewed them yet.
@@Benzo97 I have the dali io-12 which I commute with daily. I don't care if it looks like I glued two big speakers to my head because I think it sounds so good. I've tried momentum 4s, batheys, 5909 and px8 which io-12 is better. But not tried the h100s or h95 so want to see where they compare.
@@ganshengkai7060 demo the io-12s. Try BT vs usb c vs passive with power on. The drop off is not massive, BT sound still very nice and consistent. Next headphones coming is Fiio FT1 Pro
I've been hoping that you guys would try a couple of the Technics products. They've been world renowned on the field of audio for many decades, but, before I consider buying into them (compared to Sony, Sennheiser, Meze, Bose etc etc), I wanted you guys to try the EAH-A800E-S headphones (yeah nice name lol), and theEAH-DJ1200 headphones. There are some reviews, but, I've learned that you guys ARE trustworthy with regards to your reviews... 🤔😏 😎🇬🇧
Also, while it is a bit of a meme and not necessarily always in good taste, when it comes to testing ANC headphones, it would be interesting to get your take on the Valco VMK-25. It is focused on its tuning for its value and it is considerably cheaper than many of the options - likely even after shipping.
I use the XM5 and it’s amazing. For work, commuting, it’s great and comfortable. Sound- use the eq. Heavily discounted. Oh and call quality is fab and transparency is good too.
I have also tested some of the headphones in this list. I totally agree with your opinion on the B&W for example. I have also listened to the Sennheiser as I also own some wired Sennheiser headphones. However, when it comes to wireless headphones, I have chosen the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95, which I am very happy with. They are the first wireless headphones that I am satisfied with in terms of sound. The ear-cups are not too large, but luckily they fit my ears. One downside though: they are quite expensive and it took me a while to swallow the bitter pill of spending so much money I haven't yet been able to check whether I like the newer B&O H100s just as much or even better, as I haven't been able to listen to them yet. But perhaps the H95 and / or the H100 would be worth a test?
My take is this: get the headphones you like, fits you well and has the features you want for the price you want to pay. Then: adjust the frequency response via EQ. There are great apps like wavelet, usb audio player pro, poweramp equalizer, etc. The one click autoeq feature of wavelet is pretty awesome! It stopped me from returning my Soundcore headphones since they have a muddy sound by default. With autoeq, they are listenable... great even! Hope this helps
Buddyyyy where is the B&O H95 and H100 ? Does are my personal top of the line for ANC headphones. When I dont have my stack and open backs around I always find myself grabbing the H95 and love it
Thank you. Really great tier list. The headphones I wish to be on this list is the newest Beyerdynamic Aventho 300. I am wondering how its compete vs Bose Ultra.
It would be interesting to see, and a sort of public service if you could, try to sort out whether any of the affordable, more mass market models have any decent options. I find there's a huuuuge selection of around 100-200€ ANC headphones, but they are really tough to find any reviews for. Or well, you do find some, but they're from general tech reviewers rather than audio specialists.
Passive noise canceling is enough for traveling in my opinion. I actually use my Porta Pros on flights because I find them crazy comfortable, planes are so quiet now adays.
do you have a closed-back passive (or combined) wireless headphone tier list? I don't care about ANC, but I also don't want to broadcast what I'm listening outside, and sound quality comes miles ahead of all other aspects other than it has to be wireless and closed-back
Agree with your rankings. I've had most of these. Was happiest with the Momentum 4 for a while, but has been replaced with the QC Ultra. Better sound, better comfort, better ANC, and less buggy.
Unfortunately the Bose QC Ultra also has multiple QC issues, I'm on my third pair because my previous units had mechanical issues in the yokes despite the light use, seems like its a lottery to get a good unit.
Hey, the headphone show, what ANC headphones would you recommend for the gym? My AirPods Pro second generation just broke, and I'm looking for a new pair of over-ear headphones for Christmas. I want something comfortable, a nice ANC so I can't hear the outside world, good sound quality that doesn't fall out of my ears, and a decent battery life.
My go-to ANC headphones are the Sennheiser Momentum 3s, because their sound quality is very, their ANC is decent and to the point you made several times in this video their ear cups are spacious and actually fit around my large ears. It was very frustrating to me that the momentum 4s went to the more modern style of smaller ear cups that smash into my ears, so I had to return them. The Bathys are the only ones on the market that have the same style, which is consistent with what you pointed out, and they do sound great, but not sure I’m ready to drop that $$$.
I am proud to have picked the Momentum 4 as a guy who cares about sound quality. Have you tested it with aptX adaptive and not with iphone's AAC bs? It sounds great. The bass is a bit too much but I play with it at 0 or -3db. You are right about passive ones. I also use a pair of Fiio iems with a Bluetooth amp and they are killing the Momentums.
like my momentum 4 but they get too hot and uncomfortable on my ears during prolonged use, looking for better breathable pads but can't find any good compatible ones. given up on over the ear headphones after trying so many, the fit gets in the way of listening pleasure. very happy with my samsung buds 3 pro, sound is as good as the momentum 4 imo and comfort miles better even for in ears that I don't usually get along with. would be interested to see your in ear tier list. keep up the good work.
Love that you mentioned the Dali io-12 imo. they blow all these headphones out of the water with sound quality, Great soundstage. The anc is meh,but that was a concious desicion made by Dali , as they didnt want to compromise the sound quality to much. Another great anc headphone is the Bang and olufsen beoplay 95. And the look great, imo of course.
I have to say, i would love to see the b&o products in the list, I love the way they look, but havent listened to a pair for a while. And while there are reviews out there they mostly seem sponsored and not very neutral. But besides that, great video!!
Would love to see a version of this list where the Edifier WH950NB or Edifier Stax Spirit S3 or S5 are included. Curious if you may have given them a try or might try them in the future. The Edifier Stax ines don't have anc but they're both relatively well-tuned planar BT headsets for ~500usd or less.
The best anc headphones I've ever tried is the noble audio fokus Apollo, they are a bit expensive but not overly so, the build feels great, they sound audiophile grade and compete with normal closed backs at the price comfortably, and have the greatest feature I've ever seen in wireless headphones, they have the capacity to be wired, which fully bypasses the electronics and turns them into competent normal passive headphones, which is invaluable once the battery inevitably kicks the bucket.
My guess about the reason for small inner cups on these ANCs is that the smaller air volume makes it easear to attenuate noise. It takes less energy to move the smaller amount of air.
Are the momentum 4's ANC & comfort good enough for studying? Currently at uni and looking for headsets that are comfortable for many hours in a row & that cancel out other people's yapping (that gets fairly loud at times). The momentum 4s seem pretty bang on especially since I'd be able to get them for about 230€/$230 right now, also considering the XM5s since their ANC is apparently one of the best (although the momentum 4s seem to beat them in pretty much everything else).
Just to clarify, they aren’t good at cancelling voices without any music playing. However, when you’re playing music at a decent volume, they are fairly effective.
@@TiredMikee thanks, yeah most of the time I´d of course be playing something and really the only reason for getting the XM5s would be for the (even) better ANC all around, otherwise the M4s seem to beat them in almost every regard (comfort idk, the M4s don´t have a lot of cushioning whereas the XM5s have bit more + less clamping force, but the headband is narrower...)
ANC is a must bc no matter how good the quality is, without anc youre gonna have a closed off echochamber effect thats not pleasant or if you go with open back theyre everyone around you is gonna hear you and youre gonna hear everything around you which means higher volumes and bad for your ears. ANC just adapts and creates the ideal conditions for you on the fly while keeping your volume low.
I own and agree with you on the sound quality of the Sennheiser Momentum 4, yet mine will not connect half the time to my iPhone 15 Pro. Deal breaker for me, never use them because I'm burnt out on troubleshooting their connection. My Focal Bathys and Sony XM5 always connect, never once troubleshoot them. Sony give me comfort and Focal Bathys give me sound quality. Really enjoyed the video. Nicely done!
I have the Soundcore, stock tuning is bad but Oratory has an eq to get it close to harman and the noise cancellation for the price as well as wear detection/battery life (I got mine on clearance for $50) is great. I also have the Maxwell with Defean pads so I care about sound quality but too heavy for commuting, I bought and returned the Senni because it got too hot especially during the summer with the stock pads (wicked cushions have cooling pads but it affects the sound from what I've read), thanks for the review.
Real buttons like an on and off switch is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. - I just smashed my Bose Quiet Comfort Ultras to bits due to the auto sensing nonsense that even when switched off, still just cuts out the sound and you then cannot get them to turn on again. Utterly, utterly maddening.
the momentum 4 sound quality is nice, but i find the anc to be near non existent. maybe i was too use to the airpod pros anc being so amazing but the momentum 4 kinda feels like normal closed back headphones. blocks nothing at all and sometimes even makes things like my fridge seem louder. i enjoy the bass with it though as a mostly bass genre listener
I disagree. I find that going from ANC fully on to full transparent mode via the ear cup double tap the difference is really noticeable. The Momentum 4s are really good at muffling low end rumble like on trains and planes, which is possibly why it can seem like higher end sounds like your fridge are more noticeable - there's less total ambient noise so you can hear some things more clearly. Sounds paradoxical, I know.
@ transparency mode actually boost outside noise which is why it sounds so different, it amplifies sounds, also fridges are in the very low end range if u will. My momentum 4s are one of the few that cant block it. Even low rumble sounds of noises from outside my house arent blocked by it. Unless my unit is defective somehow, out of all my anc headphones, it is 100% the worst anc quality by a mile. Just has some of the better audio quality from my bluetooth headphones
Does anyone know if Final Audio UX3000 and AG WHP01K are the same in terms of sound quality? I have the latter, but I am not sure if I am missing out on anything by getting the AG one instead of the Final one.
JBL Tour One M2 and Edifier WH950NB are my go to picks when it comes to recomending ANC headphones. Both have fairly decent ANC (worse than QC Ultra, but usable), both are comfortable for long use and both sound fairly decent. Something to remember is that TOM2 have smart amplifying turned on out of the box and it makes them sound off to me.
There are only very few reviews of the Yamaha YH-L700A. I have owned this one for a few years and actually like it as my over-ear ANC headphone. Would be interested in your take on it.
Apparently there's a new firmware for the Airpods Max for the USB Type C version that came out shortly after this video. I need to get a new one in to test, but based on the measurements it looks like it significantly improves on its key shortcoming in the ear gain. It's still a bit on the heavy side but I expect I'd put it in B or even A tier, but I can't know for sure without hearing it. I'll try and get a new one in.
In a Reddit thread, the Soundguys User said the measured unit in their recent review was actually from the Lightning version.
@brianm2850 good to know. I'm looking into this.
I'm still tilted I can't turn them off. It just feels like a bad product with on purpose bad design. Gonna sell them soon
Just a suggestion for the tier list videos- you could consider adding the names of the headphones below the images they look very similar and it is difficult to follow which one went where
Yeah, at least for the ones that looks similar. It was a nightmare on the big headphone ranking list, so many Beyerdynamics, Audeze and Hifiman looks pretty much the same.
Even just a short XM3, FB, Q65 or whatever would be plenty.
He doesnt care, he just wants you watching video
If you look at the timestamps on TH-cam, it indicates what the products are for each section.
@@ResolveReviews I think he means on the picture itself :), kinda need to look at the small preview window before and after to see where it ends up. The timestamps are a nice though.
Just a couple of notes since I know some folks will miss this:
1. The criteria section is important to watch to make sense of this ranking. It's not based just on ANC capability or sound quality, it's to do with the product as a whole and how well it fits with its intended purpose.
2. I haven't had the chance to test all the ANC products out there yet, some are harder to get in for review than others. I'm currently working on getting more in, but just know nothing was omitted or ignored intentionally.
3. The product names are all indicated by the timestamps below the video. I had considered adding them to the tiles themselves but then people would just skip all of the context for each product, which I feel is important to consider for why a given product gets ranked the way it does.
Great Video - Liked the format and the content!
I highly recommend the newly-released Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 for review if you can get a hold of it. I'd describe it as Bathys-tier sound quality with more consistent performance during outdoor/movement. It also has a user-replaceable battery to prevent it from becoming e-waste and is about 1/3 of the price of the Bathys.
Please do a closed back tier list 2024 edition :(
I would recommend at least going over the noise cancelling In Ear space. Also, I quite liked my QC45s. However, the way that I used them was quite weird in that I mostly just used them like electronic earmuffs and had IEMs in my ears underneath it. Not the most comfortable, but for an airplane, good enough.
considering your ear canals are blocked, does anc still work in this context or do you use them as passive noise blockers? @kontanaizumi
The comparison I'd love to see:
• Beyerdynamic Aventho 300
• Cambridge P100
• AKG N9 Hybrid
• Shure AONIC gen 2
• KEF Mu7
Would love your take on those.
Something almost always missing with anc headphone reviews is their performance in noisy environments, and i don't mean anc performance, I mean sound quality performance in noisy environments. Most of the high end headphones have adaptive eq (/whatever the different manufacturers name it) and i would like to guess that just like the same headphones can have different frequency response curves depending on the listeners anatomy, the sound of different headphones can differ depending on different environments. I would love to see something like a frequency response curve in 2-3 different standardized background sounds, something like low end, mid and high end noise. Just food for thought.
Está na hora de você virar youtuber.
This. For example, I actually like a bit of extra bass on these "out and about" headphones, as ANC is better at canceling treble noise but worse at canceling bass noise. So I feel this type of headphone benefits from a little higher bass, that I might call too much for home listening.
Agree that the Momentum 4 is a good value at the current price. I bought mine last year with Black Friday sales and have been happy with the purchase.
Would love to see the Cambridge Audio Melomania p100 tested, I believe it is the only model on which you can swap batteries yourself (to increase longevity) and it's one of the few that supports all aptx codecs (lossless too), with a fairly competitive price too
just ordered the m100 buds, im always eying up those headphones though.
I completely agree with your remarks on the Px8 from a sound quality standpoint. It is extremely comfortable though, and the noise cancelling is quite good without causing the eardrum suck effect I get from Bose and others. For that reason alone, I’m sticking with it for travel.
I like Px8's sound profile. It's different and I can enjoy its sound flavour even though I recognize it's not typical hi-fi. It's more intimate and fun at the same time. And craftsmanship is top notch!
I like px8 sound a lot ( after some eq ), it has very warm sound . it’s sound stage is so good. And with cable it is actually as good as hifi sound profile. For the price of 350 only edition xs can compete with it , but it has different problems
thank you for clarifying correctly in the title what this is about. So many websites say "best headphones of the year" and only talk about ANC bluetooth headphones, but then throw in the HD800s as a singular example (every time) of a wired headphone (after saying, oh but the design is open so you will hear everythiing and everyone can hear your music, without even bothering to say why that's a good thing.). Even RTINGS did that sadly....
One thing to mention with the Bathys, is the sound leakage, like even in some transports, like train, people around you can hear your music (was listenning around 65%)
The bathys are trash for ANC, I find, it’s unfortunate, and I hate the fit of them…
I hope Resolve can do a TWS tier list from time to time.
i hope he includes the devialet gemini ii
Would love to hear your thoughts about the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100.
In my comparison their tuning is slightly better than Momentum 4 and miles ahead of the PX7se
Very curious to see how some of the newer offerings like the AKG N9 Hybrid and Cambridge Melomania P100 do amongst all these. Heard good things about both but it doesn't seem like they're too widely listened yet.
To me it seems like some newer headphones are just being ignored. The ones you mentioned have certainly been out long enough to be at least mentioned by the more prominent audio reviewers. Yet you can’t really find many in depth reviews here on TH-cam.
I listened to Melomania P100, it has a typical rock sound. They have great stereophony and fantastic ANC. I haven't heard such noise reduction for a long time, and I have been interested in headphones with ANC since the Bose QC3.
@@mariozet3139Have you tried Sony XM4/5? How does the ANC of the P100 compare?
You gotta try the DALI iO12, they are amazing I think, but absolutely massive. Apparently they use Sony chips for their ANC tech.
Very useful video! One brand I'm completely missing here is Bang & Olufsen. I recently purchased the HX. Although they're not really backing up the price with ANC performance (just satisfactory), they do with build quality. The sound quality also surprised me, especially in the soundstage department and nothing being too offensive. (I also own a Hifiman HE4XX for reference)
I think many would be interested in the Cambridge Audio ANC headphones.
Nice list. Would like to hear your thoughts on the Cambridge Audio P100.
Maxwell is not a good recommendation to anyone but audiophiles, as they are just way too heavy. As a headphone reviewer you may be used to wearing heavy headphones, as most audiophile headphones are a lot heavier than them (especially in Audeze's ballpark), but 490g / 1.1lb is not bearable for someone who only used gaming headsets, ANC over-ears and in-ears their whole life. I'm 1.83m/6ft, visit the gym regularly and have a fairly big head, but I can't even wear my Focal Clear (450g / 1lb) for more than 2-3 hours, until I start getting a headache because of their weight. The Maxwell are not suitable to be a daily driver and I couldn't imagine wearing something that heavy for an intercontinental plane ride or a cross country train ride and someone who's never had something more heavy than 250g /0.5lb on their head will return them in an instant.
Since weight distribution on the head matters a lot I think you overestimate the negative effect of the weight. I have been using my Maxwell for nearly 2 years and barely had issues with the weight as it distributes well. Some people have headrests on their chairs which also helps if it becomes an issue.
I wonder if your problems with the Clear have less to do with the weight than the headband design. I found the LCD-2F a lot more comfortable than the Clear despite it weighing 100+ grams more.
Honestly I regularly use Maxwell for 4-5 hours straight without any problem whatsoever. I also use Atlas Air and those may be way above Maxwell in terms of comfort, but if I need immersion and sound quality, the choice if very simple :)
I can wear my Focal Elegias all day. I'm 183 cm too. I don't gym.
Some one is skipping neck day... Lol.
Just kidding I have the maxwell and I can wear them for 5-8 hours with no real issues, I find that clamping force and weight distribution are equally if not as important as weight, maxwell are pretty good on my head so 490 gram isn't bad.
And as you guy like to throw height I'm 173cm, I don't go regularly to the gym...
You're not alone with bose's quality control issues, after returning two seperate bose headphones for channel imbalance, I finally plunged on the QC Ultra, figured the higher price would reduce these issues, and when I finally got them the channel imbalance was _worse_ , not only with sound, but the anc was far stronger in one ear, leading to increased pressure in that one ear.
Returning the XM5. I like everything about it, it's light, but the weight distribution is abysmal given the thin head piece. Also returning the Sennheiser M4. I have plenty of Sennheiser products, I love the sound signature, but 300g is too heavy for long strenuous hours of studying. Trying out the QC Ultra's next!
I came across Kef Mu7 which doesn't seem to have a lot of reviews. Perhaps it could be added to the next list or maybe it's not popular enough to be added. I just like how clean it looks
Graet video, nearly same thoughts as I testet very much headphones side by side. Now im going for the momentum 4 and I hope the balance problem which some people had, wont occur on mine.
I would be interested in you getting the AKG 9 Hybrid. I recently got the chance to try one and they sounded reasonable with good if not outstanding ANC quality. They have a dongle that makes it versatile (even though the quality is subpar).
Okay, that B-roll for the Mark Levinsons which I have to assume was an intentional John Darko reference got me.
It was not, I do not understand this reference
Dude, I thought it was him for a sec too ahhaha
Same here! Was laughing at this insider joke!
Yep, definitely thought it was a snippet of Darko too!
For a sec I thought that was Darko. Did a rewind to see any mentions. Lol
The absolute best anc headphone is the Dali io-12, I’m interested in seeing it compared to the new Bang and Olufsen H100.
I would say sound wise Dali is the best but their Anc is just ok. Which they did on purpose. The B&O 95 could also be a contender imo
Fully agree on Dali's sound quality. Most natural one. But ANC just OK.
interesting, i found tremble to be peaky, and overall sound quality is just normal. i compared it with solitaire t and i preferred the latter.
Thanks so much for this tier list! As a dissapointed user of the PX8 I wanted to check some other options. I've been a fan of Sennheiser for a long time, in fact a pair of HD650 is coming home for Christmas. I might check the Momentum too. For those wanting to get a PX8 I warn you: it's probably the worst choice I've made with a product as a consumer. Why?
- Super expensive
- Head band started to rip apart too soon (even though the rest of the headphone seems so well built)
- Sound quality not great
- Noise Cancelling good but I assume there might be others doing better
- If you have a mac and play games, it entirely breaks for some reason when using Discord and gaming at the same time. It's like if the sound got put on slow mode, everything sounds distorted, awful.
Hi. Great video. Thanks.
I was thinking about getting the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones. However, as many have suggested missing from the list Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 and Technics EAH-A800E. Cheers.
For travelling it's the Airpods Pro 2 for me, they sound good, the ANC is just okay but the form factor of a TWS is always my go to for travel.
Yep, own the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 headphone. It def is a more intimate listening experience than your A tier Bose QCU.
If most untrained people like the Bose QCU there’s no reason why they shouldn’t enjoy Px8.
It’s def not for analytical listening, but it def has a sound that the average consumer would enjoy.
Did you re-review your original Px8 or buy a new one? I ask because among any headphone, there may be variances. Most reviews (including the ones that led me to consider them) all say the Px8 is inaccurate, but detailed and enjoyable sound quality.
Nonsense
@@bobbydazzler1780 A thoughtless comment without response to any of the points made? Agreed. It is nonsense.
I've had so many issues with my PX8 that I think at this point it might be a faulty unit. I can't believe people enjoy it but good that you do!
@@TheNikull dang I'm sorry to hear that! I haven't had any issues, but I def read up on them when I researched/tested the four headphoens currently on sale from Bose and Bowers & Wilkins.
What have yours gone through? Do you have a 2022, 2023 version or newer?
@@mhm35 yeah I bought it last year (2023), so they're a bit but: bottom of headbad unglued, have a lot of audio issues with my mac (like connecting to a Discord call and after some time getting the sound pitch down as if it was playing in slow mode, horrible). Issues to connect, wrong battery indicator. Some times after spending some time charging it, I turn it on and I get the "battery low" message and they turn off again. Anyways, yeah, quite frustrating!
It would be good to see a test about sound isolation between ANC vs IEMs + Hearing Protection
I would like the request a review for the new Cambridge Audio ANC headphones. I think the have potential to be a really good recommendation.
love to see a TWS tier list vid! 👍👍I'd like to see the opinions on the Devialet Gemini II. I have absolutely loved mine over any other TWS I've tried.
@ResolveReviews, I would be curious about your take on the Dyson OnTrac. I know it sounds like a joke but I remember Crinacle quite liking the "air-purifying" Dyson Zone from an audio-quality standpoint.
i enjoyed your video. I am using px7 s2e. I would like to know your opinion about this product.
I got the chance to compare these with the PX8's in an audio store and preferred PX7 S2e's. The PX8's sounded like they were trying to sound more "serious" and "audiophile-like", but weren't enjoyable to listen to. In contrast, the PX7 S2e's sounded like they were tuned for fun to me and managed to achieve that kind of sound.
@joshuapatton675 Thank you for your kind reply. Have a nice day.
Bought the Maxwell and after 10 minutes knew I’d be returning them. Just awful to wear for any length of time. Stupidly big, bulky and heavy. So uncomfortable. I even bought third party pads. They did sound so good. Best headphones I’d ever heard. But even with that I never considered keeping them.
Bought the QC Ultra. Don’t nearly sound as good obviously but better in every other way.
Yes Maxwell is really an acquired taste from a comfort standpoint! Can't believe people could play with it for hours onwards!
Oh I know! Even the reviews never talk about how the weight could be an issue for some. I had the AirPods Max. So I had worn some pretty heavy headphones. Those were easy to wear for hours. I couldn’t wear the Maxwells for any time at all.
I don't consider the Maxwell's as something for on the road.. so also not in this list :). But I have mine for over a year now and they are still a joy to use.
@
People love them that’s for sure. I couldn’t even just sit statically and enjoy them. I never tried to walk around with them. Once I felt how uncomfortable and plus didn’t like the controls either. But I know they are great sounding. But for me comfort is the most importantly feature for headphones and true wireless earbuds
Did you get a bad copy of the PX8’s? I have both those and the Airpods Max and the PX8’s blow the Max’s away in terms of clarity, detail, and tight punchy bass. The Max’s have a nicer wider soundstage and sound better at low volumes but the PX8’s win in all other aspects of sound imo
The Noble Focus can utilize LDAC, did you try it?
I genuinely love my bathys, but I do need to point out that even using it with care, I had to buy replacement earpads by focal thru an online vendor and that cost me 90 bucks or so. The pads last me less than a year and the inside seam ripped on one of them within…7 months? So yeah, new pads going strong, they’re the official pads, etc but still. That’s a negative for me on my otherwise amazing bathys
Would love if you also took a look at the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100, as they seem very promising soundwise.
Only thing that people seem to have reported is issues with the noise cancelling while moving around, which I'm curious whether this is still an issue.
Have a pair of these - the recent firmware update was targeted at this issue and it completely fixed the problem for me.
Good to know! Then they are still worth considering, as I probably would aim for the Momentum 4 instead.
I like the idea that you can replace the batteries on the P100, probably the biggest selling point for those to me (although my old Audio Technica SR50BT are still working after what, 6 years now?).
Love the review, but definitely missing the Dali io-12, Beoplay H95 & H100, Master & Dynamic MW75, and the Dyson OnTrac.
Quick question for @ResolveReviews: Why don't you objectively test ANC on measurement rigs? Set up a battery of standard noise (tone generator - both simple tones and sweeps, recording of cabin noise from an airplane, ambient sounds on a busy street) at a standard volume (say 70 dB at nose of the rig) and then see what each headphone measures with ANC on but no music playing. You could also show passive isolation properties of the headphone with ANC off vs on. I like traveling with Airpods Pro due to size, relatively good ANC during flights, and Apple ecosystem integration but now I'm very tempted by the Focal Bathys.
Thx for the list and opinions
I am a musician, and the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 has been a wonderful discovery for me. It has a sense of rhythm that makes you tap your foot, and above all, it delivers rich and realistic tones. It needs to be broken in for at least 20 hours. After that, the level of precision and musicality is truly impressive. It truly deserves to be talked about more.
Would be interested to hear your opinion on the Sony ULT Wear. Aside from the boomy bass which can be dialed back, they are priced better than the XM4, use the same chip for ANC as the XM5, and have solid ergonomics.
I'm in the market for one this black friday, and some days ago I was so sure to get the PX8 after watching tons of reviews saying it sounds good and bring joy to the music, then I found that multiple people have problems with the headband despite the high price, and then you channel and now this new video. Your opinions on some of the headphones I tried align so I believe you. Bit of a shame as I also value design and love how it looks.
FYI, I was feeling the same way as you. Still went ahead with Px8 and I'm enjoying them despite not being the typical audiophile sound signature. I use their app to eq them slightly. And sound is both intimate and fun at the same time! Nowhere near a D-tier in my books. Even though I find Dali Io-12 sound signature more natural overall...
25:00 Also, price. I think that's one of the most important aspects, personally. I don't mind spending a ton of money on what I use at home, but on the go, I don't need the most expensive thing ever.
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100.
I have the Momentum 4 headphones, I usually lower the bass with an EQ app on android and I am listening to Spotify, mainly to Soul, Jazz, Funk. What wired headphones would you recommend for around 500-700$ and what Amp for around 300$ , so that I could have a wow effect comparing to the Senheiser Momentum 4? (i already have a ifi Signature One DAC, which I use for Ruark mk2 speakers)
I would really apreciate your answer, because I wonder if there is such a big difference with wired headphones and should I invest so much money and would I really feel so much difference to sacrifice the portability of the wireless headphones or should I just calm down and keep listening to the speakers with the ifi dac
thanks!
- DALI io12
- PSB m4U 9
- Heavys H1H (by Axel Grell)
I really want to hear your take on these three brands. I haven’t heard Heavys yet. Dali IO12 was impressive for a short listen that I had it, the $1700 CAD price tag a bit less. And PSB M4U also sounded alright but would have love to have more time with it.
Others to consider:
Bang&Olufsen
JBL
Technics
i've been studying the internet on what anc wireless headphones to purchase. and it seems the Sennheiser Momentum 4 is the way to go. at least the arrows lead that direction as i look for something with good sound quality. and given you have the eq app you can do a lot with just that, plus 60 hours of battery life, and the ANC doesn't have to be completely isolating for my preference. If it can reduce the noise coming from my laptop fan i'll be very happy.
The second place would go to xm5s because it's sony and also has an eq app but Sennheiser is the one leading in the race. i can't wait to make a purchase
Dali IO-12 & B&O H100 need to know
@@majcyl I'm really curious myself. I hear many great things about the H100 or even the H95, but the frequency response for these (or at least on RTings) looks objectively bad. And I don't think any audiophile channel have reviewed them yet.
Tried B&O H100. S-tier for the build quality, comfort, and technology. C or D-tier for the sound quality. D-tier for the value.
@@Benzo97 I have the dali io-12 which I commute with daily. I don't care if it looks like I glued two big speakers to my head because I think it sounds so good. I've tried momentum 4s, batheys, 5909 and px8 which io-12 is better. But not tried the h100s or h95 so want to see where they compare.
@@ganshengkai7060 demo the io-12s. Try BT vs usb c vs passive with power on. The drop off is not massive, BT sound still very nice and consistent. Next headphones coming is Fiio FT1 Pro
@@ganshengkai7060 Replace your ears then. C or D-tier. LOL
I've been hoping that you guys would try a couple of the Technics products. They've been world renowned on the field of audio for many decades, but, before I consider buying into them (compared to Sony, Sennheiser, Meze, Bose etc etc), I wanted you guys to try the EAH-A800E-S headphones (yeah nice name lol), and theEAH-DJ1200 headphones. There are some reviews, but, I've learned that you guys ARE trustworthy with regards to your reviews... 🤔😏 😎🇬🇧
Also, while it is a bit of a meme and not necessarily always in good taste, when it comes to testing ANC headphones, it would be interesting to get your take on the Valco VMK-25. It is focused on its tuning for its value and it is considerably cheaper than many of the options - likely even after shipping.
Great Video. I'm probably the only person that LOVES the Sonos Ace. Sounds good enough and I think it's really comfortable.
Me too. I do not agree on this review about the Sonos ace.
I know you reviewed the Px8s, but what about the Px7 S2es?
Yeah, and the S2e are currently on sale for $249, would be great to know if they perform any better the PX8
I use the XM5 and it’s amazing. For work, commuting, it’s great and comfortable. Sound- use the eq. Heavily discounted. Oh and call quality is fab and transparency is good too.
I have also tested some of the headphones in this list. I totally agree with your opinion on the B&W for example. I have also listened to the Sennheiser as I also own some wired Sennheiser headphones. However, when it comes to wireless headphones, I have chosen the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95, which I am very happy with. They are the first wireless headphones that I am satisfied with in terms of sound. The ear-cups are not too large, but luckily they fit my ears. One downside though: they are quite expensive and it took me a while to swallow the bitter pill of spending so much money
I haven't yet been able to check whether I like the newer B&O H100s just as much or even better, as I haven't been able to listen to them yet. But perhaps the H95 and / or the H100 would be worth a test?
My take is this: get the headphones you like, fits you well and has the features you want for the price you want to pay.
Then: adjust the frequency response via EQ. There are great apps like wavelet, usb audio player pro, poweramp equalizer, etc.
The one click autoeq feature of wavelet is pretty awesome! It stopped me from returning my Soundcore headphones since they have a muddy sound by default. With autoeq, they are listenable... great even!
Hope this helps
wavelet app is a scam, at least on iPhone. It doesn't connect to any of my 6 bluetooth headphones. All you have to do is read reviews on apple store.
Buddyyyy where is the B&O H95 and H100 ? Does are my personal top of the line for ANC headphones. When I dont have my stack and open backs around I always find myself grabbing the H95 and love it
Thank you. Really great tier list. The headphones I wish to be on this list is the newest Beyerdynamic Aventho 300. I am wondering how its compete vs Bose Ultra.
I got an Edifier S3 for half off and been really happy with it. Audeze driver, good presets, clean sound.
It would be interesting to see, and a sort of public service if you could, try to sort out whether any of the affordable, more mass market models have any decent options. I find there's a huuuuge selection of around 100-200€ ANC headphones, but they are really tough to find any reviews for. Or well, you do find some, but they're from general tech reviewers rather than audio specialists.
Passive noise canceling is enough for traveling in my opinion. I actually use my Porta Pros on flights because I find them crazy comfortable, planes are so quiet now adays.
Amazing video 💗
2024 still waiting for wife noise cancelling headphone 😢
Great video, it was helpful
Can you test the new AKG N9? great video btw!
do you have a closed-back passive (or combined) wireless headphone tier list? I don't care about ANC, but I also don't want to broadcast what I'm listening outside, and sound quality comes miles ahead of all other aspects other than it has to be wireless and closed-back
Agree with your rankings. I've had most of these. Was happiest with the Momentum 4 for a while, but has been replaced with the QC Ultra. Better sound, better comfort, better ANC, and less buggy.
i'm waiting for you guys to review the melomania p100 by cambridge audio
Please do a tier list on gaming headphones especially the more modern ones
just get normal headphones and a mic separately
Unfortunately the Bose QC Ultra also has multiple QC issues, I'm on my third pair because my previous units had mechanical issues in the yokes despite the light use, seems like its a lottery to get a good unit.
That's disappointing. I buy qc 25s for desktop use... never had a defective unit.
Nice ..❤When you are going to do Focal Lensys?
Hey, the headphone show, what ANC headphones would you recommend for the gym? My AirPods Pro second generation just broke, and I'm looking for a new pair of over-ear headphones for Christmas. I want something comfortable, a nice ANC so I can't hear the outside world, good sound quality that doesn't fall out of my ears, and a decent battery life.
My go-to ANC headphones are the Sennheiser Momentum 3s, because their sound quality is very, their ANC is decent and to the point you made several times in this video their ear cups are spacious and actually fit around my large ears. It was very frustrating to me that the momentum 4s went to the more modern style of smaller ear cups that smash into my ears, so I had to return them. The Bathys are the only ones on the market that have the same style, which is consistent with what you pointed out, and they do sound great, but not sure I’m ready to drop that $$$.
I am proud to have picked the Momentum 4 as a guy who cares about sound quality.
Have you tested it with aptX adaptive and not with iphone's AAC bs? It sounds great. The bass is a bit too much but I play with it at 0 or -3db.
You are right about passive ones. I also use a pair of Fiio iems with a Bluetooth amp and they are killing the Momentums.
I agree to a T. I opted to choose Moondrop Variations for on-the-go audio rather than Bluetooth earphones. I would love to see a TWS list too.
I was hoping to see the Marshall Monitor 3 anc on this list. Have you tried them and what are your thoughts?
like my momentum 4 but they get too hot and uncomfortable on my ears during prolonged use, looking for better breathable pads but can't find any good compatible ones. given up on over the ear headphones after trying so many, the fit gets in the way of listening pleasure. very happy with my samsung buds 3 pro, sound is as good as the momentum 4 imo and comfort miles better even for in ears that I don't usually get along with. would be interested to see your in ear tier list. keep up the good work.
Love that you mentioned the Dali io-12 imo. they blow all these headphones out of the water with sound quality, Great soundstage. The anc is meh,but that was a concious desicion made by Dali , as they didnt want to compromise the sound quality to much.
Another great anc headphone is the Bang and olufsen beoplay 95. And the look great, imo of course.
I have to say, i would love to see the b&o products in the list, I love the way they look, but havent listened to a pair for a while. And while there are reviews out there they mostly seem sponsored and not very neutral. But besides that, great video!!
This has to be the most accurate ANC headphones tier list out there..
Would love to see a version of this list where the Edifier WH950NB or Edifier Stax Spirit S3 or S5 are included. Curious if you may have given them a try or might try them in the future. The Edifier Stax ines don't have anc but they're both relatively well-tuned planar BT headsets for ~500usd or less.
It would be interesting to see how Cambridge Audio P100 fair in this list. Frequency response looks promising and have great features.
For the T+A Solitaire T, try the "Relax" sound profile in the app instead of the default "Flat" profile, you might be very pleasantly surprised...
The best anc headphones I've ever tried is the noble audio fokus Apollo, they are a bit expensive but not overly so, the build feels great, they sound audiophile grade and compete with normal closed backs at the price comfortably, and have the greatest feature I've ever seen in wireless headphones, they have the capacity to be wired, which fully bypasses the electronics and turns them into competent normal passive headphones, which is invaluable once the battery inevitably kicks the bucket.
My guess about the reason for small inner cups on these ANCs is that the smaller air volume makes it easear to attenuate noise. It takes less energy to move the smaller amount of air.
Thoughts on the Technics EAH-A800 would be cool!
Are the momentum 4's ANC & comfort good enough for studying? Currently at uni and looking for headsets that are comfortable for many hours in a row & that cancel out other people's yapping (that gets fairly loud at times). The momentum 4s seem pretty bang on especially since I'd be able to get them for about 230€/$230 right now, also considering the XM5s since their ANC is apparently one of the best (although the momentum 4s seem to beat them in pretty much everything else).
I have the momentum 4’s and they are not very effective at cancelling out people talking, unfortunately.
Bose Quietcomfort Ultra is probably the best option for you based on all of the reviews I’ve read
Just to clarify, they aren’t good at cancelling voices without any music playing. However, when you’re playing music at a decent volume, they are fairly effective.
@@TiredMikee thanks, yeah most of the time I´d of course be playing something and really the only reason for getting the XM5s would be for the (even) better ANC all around, otherwise the M4s seem to beat them in almost every regard (comfort idk, the M4s don´t have a lot of cushioning whereas the XM5s have bit more + less clamping force, but the headband is narrower...)
ANC is a must bc no matter how good the quality is, without anc youre gonna have a closed off echochamber effect thats not pleasant or if you go with open back theyre everyone around you is gonna hear you and youre gonna hear everything around you which means higher volumes and bad for your ears. ANC just adapts and creates the ideal conditions for you on the fly while keeping your volume low.
I own and agree with you on the sound quality of the Sennheiser Momentum 4, yet mine will not connect half the time to my iPhone 15 Pro. Deal breaker for me, never use them because I'm burnt out on troubleshooting their connection. My Focal Bathys and Sony XM5 always connect, never once troubleshoot them. Sony give me comfort and Focal Bathys give me sound quality. Really enjoyed the video. Nicely done!
using momentum 4 n they connect just that i have to do it manually
I have the Soundcore, stock tuning is bad but Oratory has an eq to get it close to harman and the noise cancellation for the price as well as wear detection/battery life (I got mine on clearance for $50) is great. I also have the Maxwell with Defean pads so I care about sound quality but too heavy for commuting, I bought and returned the Senni because it got too hot especially during the summer with the stock pads (wicked cushions have cooling pads but it affects the sound from what I've read), thanks for the review.
Real buttons like an on and off switch is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. - I just smashed my Bose Quiet Comfort Ultras to bits due to the auto sensing nonsense that even when switched off, still just cuts out the sound and you then cannot get them to turn on again. Utterly, utterly maddening.
the momentum 4 sound quality is nice, but i find the anc to be near non existent. maybe i was too use to the airpod pros anc being so amazing but the momentum 4 kinda feels like normal closed back headphones. blocks nothing at all and sometimes even makes things like my fridge seem louder. i enjoy the bass with it though as a mostly bass genre listener
good to know
I disagree. I find that going from ANC fully on to full transparent mode via the ear cup double tap the difference is really noticeable. The Momentum 4s are really good at muffling low end rumble like on trains and planes, which is possibly why it can seem like higher end sounds like your fridge are more noticeable - there's less total ambient noise so you can hear some things more clearly. Sounds paradoxical, I know.
@ transparency mode actually boost outside noise which is why it sounds so different, it amplifies sounds, also fridges are in the very low end range if u will. My momentum 4s are one of the few that cant block it. Even low rumble sounds of noises from outside my house arent blocked by it. Unless my unit is defective somehow, out of all my anc headphones, it is 100% the worst anc quality by a mile. Just has some of the better audio quality from my bluetooth headphones
i second this, basically useless on the bus for blocking engine noise and traffic
Hi, in my humble opinion I would add to your list de Edifier WH950NB...they sound sooo good with great NC
Can you guys look into Meze’s new headphones? They are priced really good for a first pair of audiophile tier headphones
Does anyone know if Final Audio UX3000 and AG WHP01K are the same in terms of sound quality? I have the latter, but I am not sure if I am missing out on anything by getting the AG one instead of the Final one.
JBL Tour One M2 and Edifier WH950NB are my go to picks when it comes to recomending ANC headphones. Both have fairly decent ANC (worse than QC Ultra, but usable), both are comfortable for long use and both sound fairly decent.
Something to remember is that TOM2 have smart amplifying turned on out of the box and it makes them sound off to me.
Interesting missing DALI IO-12, B&O H95, H100, AKG H9.
Right. The heavy hitters.
tested B&O H95, H100. Either C or D tier.
@@ganshengkai7060 Nope.
And Technics EAH-A800 also
There are only very few reviews of the Yamaha YH-L700A. I have owned this one for a few years and actually like it as my over-ear ANC headphone. Would be interested in your take on it.