John C. Koss is one of the many people whom we have to thank for the advancement of headphones. In 1958, this fine gentleman gave the world the first stereophones, as they were called. They weren’t the first headphones ever made, but they were the first set of mass-market headphones made for music listening, capable of producing stereo sound and of good quality. Quite an innovation for a time when if you had a pair of headphones, you were most likely a telephone or radio operator.
Are you looking to get a pair of high-end Bluetooth headphones, but are struggling to pick from the countless available options out there? You’re in the right place!
Best high-end wireless headphones, a summarized list:
- Jabra Elite 85H – Noise cancelling, 36 hours of battery life, under $200
- Sony WH-1000XM4 – Noise cancelling, 30 hours of battery life, under $400
- Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 – Noise cancelling, 20 hours of battery life, under $400
- Master & Dynamic MW65 – Noise cancelling, 24 hours of battery life, under $500
- Shure AONIC 50 – Noise cancelling, 20 hours of battery life, under $300
- Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 – Noise cancelling, 17 hours of battery life, under $400
- Bowers & Wilkins PX7 – Noise cancelling, 30 hours of battery life, under $400
- Apple AirPods Max – Noise cancelling, 20 hours of battery life, under $600
- Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless – Noise cancelling, 30 hours of battery life, under $600
Jabra Elite 85H
Design: Around the ear, closed back, folds inward
Weight: 10.4 oz (295 grams)
Battery life: 36 hours (with ANC on)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, no aptX
Of course, the Jabra Elite 85H comes with a few sacrifices compared to the competition around here. The design is rather dull and there aren’t any fancy materials used, so if you’re looking for a pair of headphones that compliment your dress to impress outfit, those aren’t it.
Sony WH1000XM4
Design: Around the ear, closed back, folds flat or inward
Weight: 9.0 oz (255 grams)
Battery life: 30 hours (with ANC on)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD and LDAC; NFC pairing
The sound is, of course, also top notch and battery life remains the same, but it was already very good anyway. Owners of the XM3 shouldn’t consider these but for everyone else, these Sonys are definitely worth picking up, and are some of the best wireless headphones in 2022.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Design: Around the ear, closed back, folds inward
Weight: 8.8 oz (250 grams)
Battery life: 20 hours (with ANC on)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, no aptX; NFC pairing
If great active noise cancellation is what you’re looking for in a pair of headphones, the Bose NC Headphones 700 is another option worth exploring. This pair is meant to directly compete with the Sony WH-1000XM3, but it looks better and is made out of more premium materials. Active noise cancelling is pretty much on par with the Sonys, which is quite a compliment in itself. The 700s come with support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, plus touch controls this time around.
Master & Dynamic MW65
Design: Around the ear, closed back, folds flat or inward
Weight: 8.6 oz (245 grams)
Battery life: 24 hours (with ANC on)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX
The message these headphones send is pretty obvious: “I have a lot of money and I’m not afraid to spend it.” We must admit that the Master & Dynamic MW65 look outstanding, made using ample amounts of leather and metal. They’re a big improvement over the MW60s, adding 8 more hours of battery life and active noise cancellation, making the premium price much more justifiable. A lot of the weight has been shed as well, improving comfort during prolonged use.
Shure AONIC 50
Design: Around the ear, closed back, folds flat
Weight: 11.7 oz (331 grams)
Battery life: 20 hours
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX
Shure also has its contender in the high-end wireless headphones space, as you might expect from a known brand like it. Unlike some other models around, however, the AONIC 50 don’t have active noise cancelling but rely solely on the passive one provided by the cups. They are quite bulky and have generous padding, so you should get a good amount of noise reduction anyway. They still have an “Environmental mode”, so you can safely wear them outside without being too separated from your surroundings. The sound of the AONIC 50 is excellent and you can enjoy it for up to 20 hours on one charge, which is okay but not amazing for over-the-ear headphones.
Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless
Design: Around the ear, closed back, folds inward
Weight: 10.7 oz (303 grams)
Battery life: 17 hours (with ANC on)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX
Another pair of headphones with design that makes a statement. The Momentum 3 Wireless look good and sound great. Sennheiser has packed them with the best tech it has available and the result is a pair of banging cans. Unfortunately, the minimalist design comes with a sacrifice: battery life. With barely 17 hours of playback time with ANC on, this pair lasts almost half the time some of the other headphones do. If sound is what matters most to you, however, these are some of the best-sounding wireless headphones out there right now.
Bowers & Wilkins PX7
Design: Around the ear, closed back, folds flat
Weight: 10.7 oz (304 grams)
Battery life: 30 hours
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX
If there’s & in the name, you know it’s something high-end. Jokes aside, the PX7 are a worthy member of the premium wireless headphones club. The elegant design surrounds your ears without adding too much bulk, but still has enough soft padding for comfortable wear. As for the adaptive noise cancelling on board, B&W says that it will give you the best experience for your surroundings. The PX7 have large, 43mm drivers, so you can expect nice and full sound spanning across the frequency range. You can pair them to two devices at the same time for easy switching, which the headphones will even do automatically, if you get a call while watching a movie on your laptop, for example.
Apple AirPods Max
Design: Around the ear, closed back, fold flat
Weight: 13.6 oz (384.8 grams)
Battery life: 20 hours (with ANC on)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, no aptX
The AirPods Max are definitely high-end, and among the best wireless headphones you can get in 2022. If you’re deep within the Apple ecosystem and have an iPhone, an iPad and a MacBook, the AirPods Max will seamlessly switch between the three. The design is extremely Apple-esque and it’s safe to say that people on the streets will recognize that you’re wearing a $550 pair of headphones. For better or worse.
Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless
Design: Around the ear, closed back, don’t fold
Weight: 13.4 oz (380 grams)
Battery life: 30+ hours (no ANC)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX
With the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless, we’re reaching peak audio quality. This pair is for those that put sound quality above all and want to get the best, no matter the price. Going beyond the superior sound, however, those are an odd pair of wireless headphones. The build quality is excellent but it seems that they aren’t meant to be used outside much. First, they’re very bulky, second, the carrying case is enormous because they don’t fold and third, they don’t have active noise cancelling.
They are, however, perfect for enjoying your favorite music all around your house, without worrying about disturbing the neighbors or other members of your household. The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are true audiophile Bluetooth headphones, and if price isn’t an issue, definitely among the best wireless headphones to pick up in 2022.
There we have them – the best wireless high-end headphones you can buy in 2022, whether you want the comfort of closed back headphones or the convenience of ANC. Of course, Bluetooth headphones can get very expensive, even more so than the ones we have here, but after a certain price point the quality improvements you’re getting for your dollar become harder and harder to notice or justify. So even when you’re looking for the best wireless headphones available to buy, in many cases it’s not worth overspending on anything more “premium” than the wireless headphones on this list.
In any case, hopefully you found the best wireless headphones for yourself here. But if you’re looking for more options or other types of headphones, you may also find interesting the following picks:
