Headphones have come a long way since the days of cans giving you tinny output and bass lacking in distinct depth. Today there are a plethora of options available to the discerning gent: in-ear, on-ear and over-ear in particular. For this particular round up Elysium Magazine wanted to focus on the over-ear range, as the development in these cans has been stark since our last feature four years ago.
The wave of music streaming has made the biggest impact in the headphone market, as the trend for music lovers to favour services like Spotify, Apple Music or any of the other streaming services available to match the smartphone trend of removing the headphone jack (iPhone 7) and upping the Bluetooth game. Wires are out, to be replaced by cloud streaming and a tangle-free life.
So what are the options for the discerning gent looking for a new set of cans? Do you go for aesthetics, fit, comfort, and quality of sound or everything? Here, Elysium Magazine picks out five of the best over-ear headphones available right now.
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless
A set of cans where no corners have been cut, the Momentum series from Sennheiser deliver on every account. Starting with the most important aspect, sound, these lightweight headphones provide active noise-cancellation with a wireless sound delivery that is probably the best heard of all the headphones tested by Elysium Magazine – the mid and highs are pitch-perfect. Couple the sound with the ridiculously long battery life and the seriously comfy fit to hit a winning run here.
RRP £379.99 – available from Sennheiser
Bose QuietComfort 35
Bose have been the leader in noise-cancelling headphones for a while and audiophiles will be very familiar with the brand’s sound quality. So what makes the 35’s a contender? Firstly, to have that level of noise-cancellation in a wireless headphone quite something. Take a look the next time you fly to notice how many Bose headphones are in use in possibly one of the loudest forms of travel we know. Comfort is a big draw here too, earcups are well padded and the headphones are light although they pack a lot of features in and the long battery life (20hrs) is enviable.
RRP £329.95 – available from Bose
Bang & Olufsen H9
Sound quality is a given for all the over-ear headphones on review here. Where distinctions are made is with build quality, comfort and design. This is where Bang & Olufsen come into their own, the combination of Danish style, comfort and luxury is a blend that few can claim to, let alone deliver on. The H9’s are the one though –premium build quality and uber cool looks. Sound is delivered through 40mm drivers and 14hrs of battery life from one charge is good going indeed.
RRP £449.00 – available from Beoplay
Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless
Fans of robust and weighty sound – bass-heavy genes from hip hop to EDM – will enjoy the P7s. On first look, the aesthetics are good from the British audio brand. Build design characteristics are the most standout of the line up on review but the sounds is right up there too – powered by two 40mm drivers. With a battery life of 17hrs it’s up there with the best, along with the rest of these headphones.
RRP £279.99 – available from Bowers & Wilkins
Beats by Dre Beats Studio Wireless
Beats are everywhere. They are they cans of choice if you want to be seen or noticed. The bold colours and the chunky design style are now iconic. Active noise cancellation and the 20hr battery life are big plus points – and the sound is good too, but perhaps not the crispness of the others headphones in the line up. At the end of the day, the Beats brand brings with it a certain status, the same way other headphones might provide the status of an audiophile.
RRP £329.95 – available from Beats by Dre