Edifier W830NB: The Edifier W830NB are still good noise canceling headphones. They look a little more premium than their predecessor, the W820NB Plus, and are quite lightweight (265 grams) and comfortable, with soft memory foam ear pads. They also sound very good for their price, offering decent clarity and fairly well-defined bass with a fairly wide soundstage (they lack the refinement and depth of higher-end headphones, but you can't expect everything from headphones under $80). You can customize your sound profile in the Edifier companion app for iOS and Android.
QCY H3 Pro: QCY is another Chinese brand like Tribit, Earfun and many others that makes affordable headphones that sound better than you think for their relatively low price (the company says Q stands for quality, C stands for creativity, and Y stands for youth). Its new 2024 H3 Pro headphones are similar to models in this price range from 1More, Tribit, and Edifier, but they arguably sound a little better, and I found them relatively comfortable to wear, as they have a lightweight design and memory foam ear pads.
Bose Quiet Comfort Headphones: When Bose released its new flagship QuietComfort Ultra headphones in late 2023, it also replaced the QuietComfort 45s with a slightly updated model simply called the QuietComfort Headphones. Like the QC 45, this model continues the comfortable, time-tested QuietComfort design that has been around for generations and continues to be loved by many people. The QC Ultra headphones feature Bose's new Immersive Audio feature and have a more refined design with some metallic details (they also have Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.1). But the QuietComfort headphones still have good sound (Ultras offer a slight step up in audio quality), excellent noise cancellation, and strong voice call performance.
Sony WH-1000XM5: Sony has released its new WH-1000XM6 headphones for 2025, but its former flagship XM5 model is still an excellent headphone that often sells for around $300. Their noise cancellation, voice calls, and sound aren't as good as the XM6 (the XM6 sounds a little more detailed with improved bass), and the XM6 has a dual-hinged design that allows them to fold instead of just folding flat. As a result, the XM6's body is slightly smaller. Additionally, the XM6 features the new QN3 chip, which Sony says delivers 7 times the performance of the QN1 chip found in the XM5. That said, while the jump in performance from the XM5 to the XM6 is certainly noticeable, it's not huge; The XM5 still offers good audio, noise cancellation, and voice calling, which should satisfy most people. Read my review of the Sony WH-1000XM5..
Sennheiser Accent Plus: If you can't afford the flagship Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones or other premium models from Bose, Sony, and Apple, the Sennheiser Accentum Plus is a good mid-range alternative that doesn't quite deliver the same performance as higher-end models. However, they provide better build quality and sound than most budget noise-canceling headphones. It's essentially a slightly stripped-down version of the Momentum 4 Wireless, featuring a similar look and touch controls, but with different drivers (the Momentum Wireless 4 has larger 42mm drivers and offers richer, more detailed sound with slightly better bass). Still, they sound good for the money, offer decent noise cancellation, and support wired audio listening via USB-C, as well as the AptX adaptive audio codec, compatible with some Android devices.
Master and dynamic MH40 (2nd generation): All Master & Dynamic headphones are built to last and have a unique retro-modern look. The more expensive MW75 has active noise cancellation and sounds slightly better than the updated MH40 ($400), which features new drivers and a new chipset for improved sound and performance. The MH40 sounds more refined than its predecessor, with greater clarity and clarity, and now offers support for AAC and AptX audio codecs, as well as improved voice call performance. You can also connect a USB-C cable to your computer or Android smartphone for a wired digital connection and high-resolution audio. Battery life is rated at 30 hours.
After Aonik 50 Gen 2: Many of us liked the original Aonic 50 headphones from Shure, but their noise cancellation was relatively mediocre. Well, the 2nd generation version solves this problem – noise cancellation is much improved – and Shure has more than doubled the battery life to about 45 hours (they now have a fast charge feature), and also reduced the size of the headphone carrying case a bit, although it's still not as compact. These updates make the Aonic 50 Gen 2 the best noise-cancelling headphones available. The Aonic 50 Gen 2 is quite heavy at 334 grams and is durable and comfortable to wear, with soft ear pads. They offer excellent sound quality with very good clarity and well-defined bass. Shure calls them “studio headphones,” so the sound profile is fairly neutral, but you can add more bass in the EQ settings in Shure's companion app for iOS and Android (enabling the Spatializer setting in the app widens the soundstage a bit, but doesn't make much of a difference).
Beoplay HX from Bang & Olufsen: Bang & Olufsen's Beoplay HX headphones are the successor to the H9 series headphones (X is the Roman numeral for 10), and like the earlier H9 models, the HX headphones have a list price of $599 (some colors are discounted on Amazon). That price makes it a direct competitor to Apple's AirPods Max, which is heavier at 385 grams compared to the HX's 285 grams. I don't know if the HX headphones are more comfortable than the AirPods Max, but I found both models to be pretty equal in terms of comfort during long listening sessions, and they feature B&O's usual plush ear pads covered in lambskin memory foam. Their sound is quite consistent with that of the AirPods Max—it's generally well-balanced, with deep, well-defined bass, a natural-sounding midrange (where vocals live), and attractive treble detail.
V-Moda M-200: The M-200 from V-Moda is one of the few wired headphones on this list. Released in late 2019, these clear and detailed sounding over-ear headphones have excellent bass response, and the soft earcups mean they're also comfortable to wear. Equipped with 50mm neodymium magnet drivers, CCAW voice coils and precision tuning. Roland engineers – yes, V-Moda is now owned by Roland – the M-200 is Hi-Res Audio certified by the Japan Audio Society. Other V-Moda headphones tend to push the bass a bit, but this set has a more neutral profile that you'd expect from studio monitor headphones. The set includes two cords, one of which has a built-in microphone for calls. It would be nice if V-Moda offered Lightning or USB-C cables for phones without headphone jacks. Please note that last year V-Moda released M-200 ANK ($350), a wireless version of these headphones with active noise cancellation. They also sound great, but their noise cancellation, call quality, and overall feature set don't match that of the AirPods Max.
Mark Levinson No. 5909: These are the first headphones from Mark Levinson's premium audio brand, and yes, they are really expensive at $999. They are also very good. They're built solidly without feeling heavy on your head (read: they're durable without being too heavy), and they're comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to the soft and replaceable leather earmuffs and headband. Read our Mark Levinson No. 5909, practical experience.
OneOdio A10: The OneOdio A10s offer more than you'd expect for their relatively modest price, which is why they're included on several of our best lists. They're built better than you'd think, and at about $90, they're pretty comfortable to wear. They have a dual hinge design and feel durable, weighing in at 395 grams making them ideal headphones for training. They sound surprisingly decent and have fairly good noise reduction with a transparency mode (which introduces a slight hiss). The headphones also have very good battery life. No, they're not as comfortable as Bose and Sony models (they feel a little heavy), and their sound lacks that extra clarity, bass definition, and depth that more expensive headphones typically provide. They exceeded my expectations and come with a decent carrying case, although the OneOdio logo located on it looks a little bright.
Equipment EAH-A800: The Technics EAH-A800 has an old-school vibe—and it's not just the Technics brand that Panasonic has revived over the past few years. Their design feels like a throwback, but these headphones are comfortable and fold and fold flat. They have a powerful, energetic sound with powerful bass and good detail, although it takes a day or two to hear them.
