The PX8 Wireless Over-Ear
headphones wireless bluetooth Review
The PX8s might be costly but their design and sound are superior to other headphones. A carbon cone 40mm driver and Nappa leather elevate the design. And a DAC mode supports hi-res audio.
This
Bluetooth flagship comes with Bose's world-class ANC as well as excellent control. It also has a a sleek and comfortable design. The battery life is the most important selling point.
Sound Quality
In general, wireless headphones tend to sound better than earbuds because they fully surround your ears. They also come with larger and more powerful drivers that can deliver high-quality bass and a wide soundstage. But this comes at a price: over-ear headphones typically are more expensive, with flagship models starting around $250 / PS250 / $450 and often with active noise cancellation.
It's ultimately a matter of personal preference and how you use your headphones. If you prefer comfort over quality and want to listen to music while in a noisy location such as the Jabra E50 or JBL Move Wireless are excellent choices. If you want to spend a bit more, the I-MEGO Throne Gold have a stunning sound quality and battery life while the Focal Bathys are specifically designed for serious audiophiles, with their DAC mode that supports hi-res audio over USB-C.
There are some excellent headphones in the mid-tier price bracket. A range of brands make headphones that are great sounding at a low cost. Poly's (formerly Plantronics') BackBeats pro 2 is an excellent example. They have a powerful bass and bright treble that are ideal for pop and rock music However, they also have a clear midrange that keeps instruments and vocals in the forefront. The new Sennheiser Momentum 4 are another excellent choice, with improved ANC and a useful companion app with presets to suit different listening styles. If you're a big fan of Bose's premium headphones, check out the QC35 II for a similar experience with more passive noise cancellation and a more robust design.
Audiophiles are trained to differentiate between headphones. But even casual listeners will be able to discern the difference in sound quality between wired and wireless headphones, since the wireless protocol has numerous issues that can affect audio quality. For instance, audio codecs may alter the sample rate, bandwidth and the latency of wireless transmissions which can cause distortion and loss of detail.
These issues have been solved by the latest wireless headphones,
Bluetooth which utilize the latest Bluetooth technology. They also have advanced audio codecs, such as Qualcomm AAC. Most wireless over-ear headsets that we test offer high-quality audio at affordable prices.
Noise Cancellation
Whether you want to block out the hum of your workplace or get some shut-eye on the plane, wireless over-ear headphones are an excellent choice. These big headphones are typically more comfortable than earbuds. Many models also come with active noise cancellation that helps to make your music and audio clearer.
Active noise cancellation employs microphones to detect ambient noise and then use frequencies to counteract it, effectively isolating you from the surrounding. The majority of over-ear headphones that have this feature also have an inbuilt microphone to ensure your voice is clearly heard during phone calls. If you're looking for a pair of low-cost wireless noise cancelling headphones take a look at the Audio-Technica M20xBT, which comes with Bluetooth multipoint connectivity and up to 60 hours of battery life. These over-ear headphones are the perfect choice for commuters and are small enough to fit into a bag or purse.
If you're looking to invest a bit more in your audio experience The Focal Bathys are a great pair of premium wireless over-ear headphones with exceptional audio quality and sophisticated noise cancellation. The first wireless headphones made by a French high-end audio company The Focal Bathys are an audiophile's dream. They feature an open back design with luxurious materials, such as leather and aluminum accents. The headphones come with features, such as a companion app that includes an equalizer graphic and presets to fine-tune your listening experience. They provide excellent isolation with their 40mm Beryllium-coated drivers as well as the acoustic leather cups. Additionally, they support lossless audio playback which allows them to function as high-end hi-fi headphones when wired.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly alternative Monoprice BT-600ANC is a comfortable, lightweight pair of wireless over-ear headphones that have high-quality sound and impressive noise cancellation for the price. The headphones offer a wide variety of features, like ambient awareness and ANC modes, touch controls and aptX and AAC support for high-quality audio on Android and iOS. The BT-600ANC is one of only a few pairs of headphones that feature an adjustable ambience awareness mode. This lets you listen to ambient noise at a lower volume, without having to shut off the music.
Battery Life
The last thing you need is to get out of the way on your long commute or during an exercise. Wireless headphones are a great alternative to a cord and offer the most convenient solution. But their battery power drains over time, so you require a pair with exceptional endurance capabilities.
Certain models can stay up and running for several days or weeks on just one charge. However, this endurance has its drawbacks. In order to get there, manufacturers need to reduce the size of their batteries or reduce other features. The most effective wireless headphones offer an excellent balance between battery capacity and performance.
Over-ear headphones typically have larger batteries, but the bulky design means that they consume more power for features like active noise cancellation. On-ear headphones, on the other hand are more compact in design, which makes them more lightweight. However, they don't have the same noise-blocking capabilities as their more bulky counterparts.
In terms of battery life, the Cleer Enduro ANC and Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless have set the bar for wireless headphones. Both over-ear headphones can play for a whopping 60 hours when ANC enabled. They can easily outlast other top headphones that are in similar prices like Sony's WH-1000XM5 and Bose's 720 III.
The first wireless headphones from Focal are ideal for audiophiles. The Focal Px8 over-ear headphones sport an open back design that's comfortable to wear and easy on the eyes. The headphones deliver a dynamic sound quality with a focus on thumpy bass and bright trebles. The Focal headphones Px8 come with a companion application that allows you to customize the sound.
On the other side, Focal's wireless headphones are also among the most expensive on the market. This is due in part to their high-end materials and premium design. They also come with the ability to charge quickly, which gives you two hours of listening within just 15 minutes of charging. The Focal Px8 headphones are an excellent choice if you're willing to trade in a longer battery life for a high-quality sound and a comfortable fit.
Comfort
In contrast to earbuds, the over-ear headphones rest on the ears,
Bluetooth not around them. This means that the earpads do not press against your ears as much, which reduces pressure on your earlobes. This allows you to listen longer. The ear cups also assist in helping to keep your music in place which makes it more immersive and provide an amazing audio experience. This experience is also more immersive and improves audio quality because you can feel the subtleties of a song, without being distracted by background noise or your personal voice.
On the other hand, many over-ear headphones aren't as compact as earbuds.