Best Headphones of 2025

Though Bose's new flagship QuietComfort Ultra Headphones may not be a huge upgrade over the company's Noise Cancelling 700 headphones, they feature a more premium design along with Bose's new Immersive Audio feature, which delivers some sound-quality enhancements. Along with excellent sound and great noise canceling, the QC Ultra Headphones are also superb for making calls, with top-notch background noise reduction. A worthy adversary to Sony's highly rated WH-1000XM5 and Apple's AirPods Max, we called them the best new noise-canceling headphones of 2023, and they remain a top noise-canceling headphones pick in 2025.

Panasonic's premium Technics EAH-AZ80 true-wireless earbuds came out in 2023 and made our list of best-sounding wireless earbuds. Now Panasonic has released a new set of flagship earbuds, the EAH-AZ100, which feature a more compact design along with improved sound quality, noise canceling and voice-calling performance. One of the key upgrades here is Panasonic's newly developed proprietary Magnetic Fluid Driver that it says creates "clean, high-resolution, low-vibration and low-distortion sounds for the most authentic, balanced audio that's true to the original source." According to Panasonic, the "magnetic fluid" is an oil-type liquid filled with magnetic particles that is "injected into the space between the driver magnet and voice coil that enables low-distortion playback." This type of driver is found in Technics high-end EAH-TZ700 wired in-ear monitors ($1,200), and it's been miniaturized for use in the AZ100s, which do indeed sound great, offering satisfying clarity, bass definition and openness.

Like all great sounding headphones, the AZ100s come across as natural and accurate and bring out those little details and nuances in tracks that are missing when you're listening to lesser headphones are earbuds. As for features, the AZ80s allowed you to connect to 3 devices simultaneously and the AZ100s retain this triple multipoint Bluetooth pairing option. The AZ100s add Dolby Atmos spatial audio with head tracking, a nice bonus that you'd expect in a pair of $300 earbuds.

Designed to fit more ears comfortably, Panasonic says the Technics AZ100s are 10% smaller and 16% lighter than the AZ80s. A fifth medium-large ear tip has also been added to ensure more users get a tight seal, which is crucial to optimizing sound quality and noise-canceling performance. 

Battery life was one of the strong points of the AZ80s and the AZ100s also appear to have very good battery life. They're rated for up to 10 hours with noise-canceling on at moderate volume levels using the AAC audio codec. If you use the LDAC audio codec that's available with many Android devices, battery life is reduced to up to 7 hours with noise canceling on. After testing the buds for a few weeks (and updating the firmware once), I also thought the noise-canceling and voice-calling were both improved from what I experienced with the AZ80s.

While the QC Ultra Earbuds aren't a major upgrade over Bose's excellent QC Earbuds 2 that were released in 2022, they're definitely a little better. They should fit most ears very well, and they feature superb noise canceling, arguably the best out there. A natural-sounding transparency mode with a new ActiveSense feature kicks in some ANC should the sound get too loud around you (it's sort of similar to the AirPods Pro's Adaptive Audio feature). They also sound slightly better overall, with a touch more clarity, and their new Immersive Audio feature opens up the sound a bit.

Why I Like Them

The Edifier W830NB headphones stand out for their exceptional value. Lightweight with memory-foam ear pads, they’re comfortable enough for long-term wear. Sound quality exceeds expectations for budget headphones, delivering decent clarity and well-defined bass across an amply wide soundstage. I'm particularly impressed by their modern feature set, including Bluetooth 5.4 and lossless wired connectivity as well as support for premium audio codecs like LDAC and AAC. The companion app adds further value by allowing sound profile customization to match personal preferences, while the noise cancellation makes them viable for moderately noisy environments.

Who They're For

These headphones are perfect for budget-conscious consumers who want the best value option with essential features and a lower price point. Listeners who enjoy customizing their sound experience will value the companion app's EQ capabilities. The W830NB headphones are particularly well-suited for Android users who can take advantage of the LDAC codec for higher-quality wireless audio. Anyone upgrading from basic headphones who wants to experience modern features like noise cancellation and premium codec support without breaking the bank will find these to be an excellent entry point.

Who Should Avoid Them

Frequent travelers will be frustrated by the absence of a carrying case for protection during transport and might prefer headphones with a more compact design. Users who rely on traditional 3.5mm headphone connections will be disappointed by the lack of a standard headphone jack, particularly if they need to connect to devices without USB-C ports. Those who expect sound quality on par with premium brands like Bose and Sony will notice the limitations in overall audio refinement. Professionals who need the absolute best noise cancellation for very loud environments should consider investing in more premium options, as the W830NB's noise cancellation, while decent, doesn't match top-tier performance from industry leaders.

QCY is another Chinese brand, like Tribit, Earfun and plenty of others, that make budget-priced headphones that sound better than you'd think they would for their relatively low price (the company says the Q stands for quality, C stands for creative and Y stands for youth). Its new-for-2024 H3 Pro headphones are similar to models in this price range from 1More, Tribit and Edifier, but they arguably sound a touch better, and I found them relatively comfortable to wear, as they feature a lightweight design and memory foam ear pads.

The sound quality on these budget models tends to vary a bit from track to track. While I encountered some occasional distortion on badly recorded material and the treble just can't produce the clarity and detail you get with more-premium headphones, all in all the sound quality was quite respectable. The noise canceling also is fairly decent -- there are a few different modes to choose from in QCY's companion app for iOS and Android, which has a low-frills-looking interface but is robust enough under the hood -- and callers said the voice-calling performance was also good, especially given the price of these headphones.

You do get multipoint Bluetooth pairing, which allows you to connect two devices simultaneously (you have to activate it in the app), but features like wear sensors that pause your music when you take the headphones off are missing. Also, you can set the headphones to automatically turn off after not being in use for a certain amount of time (I set it for 15 minutes), but the headphones turned off in the middle of a long call I was making, not seeming to realize that I was using the headphones. That said, the H3 Pro are all in all a very good value, particularly when their price dips closer to $50.

If you're able to get a tight seal with one of the three sizes of included ear tips, there's little to complain about with Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Yes, the noise cancellation might be a touch better, but the earbuds' excellent sound quality is clearly a step-up from that of the Buds 2 Pro. Plus, they have a robust feature set, and their voice-calling performance is truly top-notch.

Why I Like Them

The Sennheiser Accentum Plus strikes an impressive balance between features and affordability. These headphones deliver a listening experience that punches above their price class, with articulate bass response and excellent clarity across the frequency spectrum. The addition of adaptive noise cancellation transforms the commuting experience, while the inclusion of touch controls brings welcome modern functionality. The combination of USB-C audio for digital connections, a traditional analog port for purists and support for the high-quality aptX Adaptive codec creates a flexible listening solution for virtually any scenario. 

Who They're For

These headphones are tailor-made for the midrange buyer seeking premium audio quality without stretching to flagship prices. Android users will particularly benefit from the aptX Adaptive codec support, which delivers superior wireless audio quality compared to standard Bluetooth connections. Office professionals seeking capable voice-calling performance combined with good noise cancellation will find these ideal for the workday. Practical-minded audiophiles who prioritize sound quality and functionality will appreciate the sensible feature set. The Accentum Plus is an excellent stepping stone for those looking to graduate from entry-level headphones without committing to top-tier pricing. 

Who Should Avoid Them

Those with large or sensitive heads might struggle with the initial tight clamping force, which requires a break-in period before achieving optimal comfort. Audiophiles seeking the absolute pinnacle of Sennheiser sound should invest in the Momentum Wireless 4 instead, which offers larger 42mm drivers and superior sonic refinement. Individuals seeking the most powerful noise-cancellation technology available should consider alternatives from Bose or Sony, as the Accentum Plus, while good, doesn't reach the class-leading levels of isolation offered by those specialized brands. 

We've always been fans of Sony's MDR-7506 wired studio monitor headphones, which have long been favorite headphones of recording engineers and other sound professionals. The 2024 MDR-M1 are essentially a premium version of the 7506, delivering sound that's hard to match for the price. These are the wired headphones that will make you realize what you're missing after listening to wireless headphones for so long. They feature big, open sound with excellent clarity, accuracy and tight bass. Not only is their sound a noticeable step up from the 7506's, but these get high marks for their comfort level (they weigh a svelte 216 grams). No, there isn't any noise canceling, but the soft, cushy ear pads offer good passive noise isolation.

Though they play louder with a headphone amp, they're easy to drive (50 ohms), so you can plug them directly into a computer's headphone port or a smartphone (likely with a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter). They come with 1.2m and 2.5m straight detachable cables and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm screw-in plug adapter, but no carrying pouch or case is included. The only downside I see is that the ear pads aren't all that deep, so it's possible those with large ears that stick out a bit might have some issue with the M1's fit -- your ears might press up against the drivers, which are notable for serving up distortion-free audio, even at higher volume levels. That said, they look and feel like an upgraded version of the 7506, so if those worked for you, these should too.

Noble is an audiophile brand known more for its in-ear monitor headphones, but it's got a new wireless noise-canceling headphone called the Fokus Apollo that sounds terrific and features a special dual-driver design that combines a 40mm dynamic driver with a 14.5mm planar-magnetic driver. The result is rich, open sound, with tight bass and excellent treble detail and clarity, especially for a wireless headphone (it sounds a tad better in wired mode but it's not a huge difference). It's more dynamic than many monitor headphones that have a flatter, more neutral sound profile, but it still leans toward being an accurate, well-balanced headphone.

The design of the headphones is slightly generic looking, but they have some premium accents (Alcantara material on the headband and protein leather ear pads that are replaceable), and they fit my head comfortably. A decent, albeit somewhat large carrying case is included along with a cable for wired listening (USB-C audio is supported). And in case you want to use the headphones for videoconference calls at home or do a little multiplayer gaming, a detachable boom microphone ships with the headphones.

Equipped with a Qualcomm QC3084 chip (Bluetooth 5.3) and an ADI chip, the Fokus Apollo 'phones support a wide variety of audio codecs, including LDAC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and SBC. Interestingly, that's not Qualcomm's higher-end 5-series chip, but I had no issues with wireless performance, and voice-calling performance was good with decent noise reduction.

As with a lot of audiophile active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones, the noise canceling is decent but not up to the level of what Bose, Sony and Apple ANC headphones offer. ANC impacts sound quality, so it's not surprising it's a little lighter with this headphone (there's also a transparency mode and a companion app for iOS and Android that allows you to tweak settings). It's also worth noting that you don't get extra bells and whistles like wear sensors that pause your music when you take the headphones off -- you're really buying this headphone for its sound quality and those dual drivers. That said, battery life is another plus. It's rated for up 60 hours with ANC on at moderate volume levels.

French audio company Focal is known for its high-end speakers and headphones. You might call it the Bowers & Wilkins of France. And now it's finally done what a lot of high-end audio companies have had to do in this age of on-the-go wireless music listening: make active noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones. 

After three years in development, the Bathys cost $799 and feature not only wireless connectivity but also a built-in digital-to-analog converter for USB wired listening with any computer, smartphone or tablet with USB-C. They are easily one of the best-sounding wireless headphones.