Now, to be clear, my previous best headphones list from last year is still relevant today, as they are still among the best. That’s how good they are! Even after a whole year, they’re hard to beat, and they might even be on promo now since they’ve been out for a while.
But today I’m adding some new releases to the list, just the ones that made a huge impression, so if it’s not on this list, it doesn’t mean it’s not good, just that these are the ones that come to mind easily if we’re talking about the best wireless headphones launched this year.
Soundcore Space 2 Pro
First we have the Soundcore Space 2 Pro. The Space 2 Pro isn’t that expensive but they easily have the best mic pickup. Even if I’m taking the call in extremely noisy conditions, the person on the line with me thinks I’m in a quiet room. And I don’t even have to be speaking loudly, I can be whispering, and the Space 2 Pro can pick up my voice, clean it up, and amplify. That’s how good it is.
They also have great noise canceling, and as for sound, they sound very enjoyable, with that classic Soundcore tuning which is clean, crisp and punchy, with deep and textured bass. And they’ve got a pretty strong set of features like Hi-res wireless streaming, and a fantastic suite of custom sound options.
Comfort wise, these have thick plush cushions that are like pillows on my face. There is a lot to like about them, but really, I am including the Space 2 Pro in this list for having the best mic pickup, period.
👉🏻 Link to Review
✅ Check latest price - https://link.amazon/B06kZacMa
Nothing Headphone (1) Pro
Next we have the Nothing Headphone (1) Pro. If you don’t mind the hard carrying case, the Headphone (1) Pro is one of the best headphones you can get for the price because they are truly unique. And I’m not just talking about the design! They have triple drivers per side which isn’t something you see often, and you can even actually customize 2 out of those 3 drivers with its parametric EQ, to achieve the sound that you want.
A simpler equalizer is also there for those who prefer that, but I think most people won’t even need to use it, since it sounds quite awesome out of the box. For me though, since I’m a bit more fussy than most people, I’ve created a custom profile to clean up the upper mids a bit more.
There’s also a ‘Flat’ mode toggle which bypasses the onboard processing to give you the raw, unfiltered sound, so they can also be used for content creation. And finally, the Headphone (1) Pro is quite well-rounded performance-wise, which is why I feel safe listing them as one of the best headphones this year.
👉🏻 Link to Review
✅ Check latest price - https://link.amazon/B0iBdfbHT
Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen)
Next is the Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen). The QC Headphones Gen 2 is not the flagship, that would be the Ultra which has better build quality, touch controls and more features. But for the QC2’s lower price point, you’re getting flagship level performance because their noise canceling is so good, that it’s even a little better thant he Ultra, cutting a bit more in the midrange.
And as for sound, I love their soundstaging and smooth character. They also have spatial audio with head tracking, and USB-C audio which provides a cleaner signal path and USB Mic feature, while charging the headphones at the same time. And these are also very comfortable to wear, with spacious earcups and a headband that doesn’t clamp too tightly. Where they can be a little better is in terms of mic pickup.
When I’m on a call, the mics do capture and filter my voice very well, but it could be amplified a bit louder. Nonetheless, these are one of the best releases this year, and when they’re on promo, the QC2s are easily one of the best value for money headphones you can buy.
👉🏻 Link to Review
✅ Check latest price - https://link.amazon/B0hfHzZ4g
The Sennheiser Momentum 5 is easily one of the best headphones. They sound great, having a nice emphasis on midrange detail, yet still punchy in the bass registers. They also have a very clean, smooth and relaxed signature which makes them fantastic for orchestral music, or any music with a high density of tracks and instruments that would typically sound messy.
They’re also very comfortable to wear, they’re very rich in features and settings, and in addition to Hi-Res wireless streaming, they support USB-C Lossless audio. And after firmware 6.25.1, it’s also the best noise canceler in Sennheiser’s lineup which makes it a great alternative to the best headphones from Sony and Bose, and that’s why they’re on this list. But of course, they’re not perfect.
Their mic pickup quality is quite average, and using their graphic EQ to customize their sound is problematic. You can make some minor changes, but anything more will cause the DSP to fight back with gain changes across the board. I don’t like that, but since they already sound fantastic out of the box, it doesn’t change the fact that these are some of the best headphones right now.
👉🏻 Link to Review
✅ Check latest price - https://link.amazon/B05qpFxAV
Technics A1000
Next we have the Technics A1000. I’m extremely impressed with the A1000 because it’s the only one so far that performs at a very high level in all aspects. If you want the best sounding headphones, these sound awesome. Very Hi-Fi, crisp and resolving, generous with bass but sounding clean, textured, and well separated from the mids, open soundstaging, in fact this is the kind of sound that I aim towards when I EQ headphones.
The A1000 also has the best noise canceling of all, its transparency is great for general awareness and face to face convos. Its mic quality is also one of the best, not as good as the Soundcore Space 2 Pro because the mics don’t pick up whispers very well, but it’s good for even in extremely noisy conditions.
They’re also one of the very few headphones with 3-way multipoint pairing so you can connect up to 3 devices at the same time. Aside from that, it has USB-C audio, spatial audio with head tracking and a great graphic equalizer. And these are also very comfortable to wear, with spacious earcups and plush cushions. What is not so great about them is that they don’t have sidetone, so if you want voice passthrough, you’ll have to turn on transparency.
On their default settings they do have some audio lag when watching videos on PC, but it can be fixed by switching it into low latency mode. And they’re not that loud, even at max volume they’re like 80% of the Sony’s loudness. That doesn’t bother me because I never go beyond 70% - have to protect my hearing or I’ll be out of a job, but others may feel that the A1000 is too subdued. Still, these are easily the best headphones released so far.
👉🏻 Link to Review
✅ Check latest price - https://link.amazon/B06BU60VA
So those are this year’s top headphones, but like I said, the ones that I nominated last year are still fantastic choices, very current and competitive even today! Comment below if you disagree with the nominees, or if you have wireless headphones that you feel are the best!
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