Best Over Ear Headphones 2021: Bose, Sony, Sennheiser, & More!

David and David tell you about the best over-ear headphones of 2021. This is a six month follow-up to our previous review.

We read your comments and added tested several new pairs of over-ear headphones, including the Shure Aonic 50, Wyze Active Noise Cancelling Headphones, Microsoft Surface Headphones 2, and Sennheiser Momentum Wireless.

Despite testing several new pair headphones, three from our first round of reviews continued to stand out from the pack.

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1. Introduction [0:00]
2. We heard you! [0:07]
3. Why you can trust our reviews [0:20]
4. Songs we used for testing & what we listened for [0:26]
5. Apple AirPods Max: Review highlights [0:46]
6. AKG K371-BT: Review highlights [1:19]
7. Anker Soundcore Life Q30: Review highlights [1:53]
8. Beyerdynamic Lagoon ANC: Review highlights [2:25]
9. Bose Noise Cancelling 700: Review highlights [3:02]
10. House Of Marley Exodus: Review highlights [3:39]
11. JBL Tour One: Review highlights [4:16]
12. Koss BT540i: Review highlights [4:47]
13. Microsoft Surface Headphones 2: Review highlights [5:20]
14. Sennheiser HD 450BT: Review highlights [5:55]
15. Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless: Review highlights [6:27]
16. Shure Aonic 50: Review highlights [7:03]
17. Sony WH-1000XM4: Review highlights [7:37]
18. Wyze Active Noise Cancelling Headphones: Review highlights [8:14]
19. Introduction: Best Over-Ear Headphones Of 2021 [8:49]
20. #3 Best: Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT [8:55]
21. #2 Best: Sony WH-1000XM4 [9:34]
22. #1 Best Over-Ear Headphones Of 2021: Bose Noise Cancelling 700 [10:24]
23. Dishonorable Mention: Apple AirPods Max [11:10]
24. Introduction: The Worse Over-Ear Headphones Of 2021 [11:55]
25. David P.'s #3 Worst: Sennheiser HD 450BT [11:59]
26. David L.'s #3 Worst: Wyze Active Noise Cancelling Headphones [12:27]
27. David P.'s #2 Worst: Wyze Active Noise Cancelling Headphones [12:36]
28. David L.'s #2 Worst: House Of Marley Exodus [13:04]
29. David P.'s #1 Worst: House Of Marley Exodus [13:33]
30. David L.'s #1 Worst: Skullcandy Crusher Wireless [13:47]
31. Dishonorable Mention: Bowers & Wilkins PX7 [14:31]
32. Dishonorable Mention: JBL Tour One [14:44]
33. Dishonorable Mention: Beyerdynamic Lagoon ANC [15:11]

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Tracks We Used For Testing:
🎵 "Get Lucky" by Daft Punk — Pristine, well-recorded track: Overall clarity, space
🎵 "Jack Of Speed" by Steely Dan — Pristine, well-recorded track: Overall quality, 3D space
🎵 "Weird Fishes" by Radiohead/Noordpool Orchestra — Wide Dynamic Range: Clarity from loud to soft & "big" soundstage
🎵 "Tin Pan Alley" by Stevie Ray Vaughan — Wide Dynamic Range: Clarity from soft to loud & "live" sound
🎵 "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson — Bass: Makes you want to move but not overpowering
🎵 "Morning" by Beck — Bass: Not too much or too little (Goldilocks zone)
🎵 "Brass Monkey" by Beastie Boys — Bass: Powerful but doesn't get muddy / rumbly
🎵 "Waterwheel" by Kronos Quartet — Dynamic range & space: Sounds like sound is coming from outside your head

Get Social With Payette Forward:

[thepylonperspective]

I don’t care what anyone says…

The Crushers are the ultimate memephones…

[Styxintheriver]

Definitely need this info for my new job at best buy. Gotta know what I'm talking about!!

[damarekonayaro]

I took a punt on the Anker Q30's (Having not heard of them before) and paid £55 / $75 via a sale on Amazon. Wasn't expecting much tbh but was attracted by very long battery life 30hrs+. Turns out that if you spend a bit of time using their app you can create and save sound profiles to taste and there is a fair amount of flexibility. By no means the best but after a few months of ownership so far incredible value for money.

[stevenwilson]

Thank you for doing this guys! I really appreciate your hard work, dedication, not to mention willingness to part with a LOT of hard earned cash.

[ahmedalsaif]

I really appreciate your hard work gentlemen, the dedication and the passion you put together to make those reviews. I'm new to your channel and now I'm considering myself a fan. even the side talks and jokes are fun and exquisitely spilled.
The editing and cuts are amazingly smooth.

[javtimestwo]

I always look forward to these videos. Keep up the great work. Any chance you can create a video specific to, "Ear hook headphones"? People like myself use these exclusively for comfort and because they do not fall out of ear while walking/running. Look forward to that.

[spiwo]

I like your guys work. Really appreciate the efforts and notes and considerations you make.

That said, I think it would be great if you could be more specific with to whom what is suited. When you say best it’s always a relative perspective. I’ve been testing the AirPods Max, Boss QC35ii and Sony XM4s. For different genres they all have their places. Yet overall I found that the AirPods tend to have a bigger draw. I think the Boss are a more balanced sound though.

What I’m saying basically is that if you would preface it with what kind of sound do you like. What kind of genre do you enjoy most. Then take it from that point. The Crusher Evos are a hit in the Hip Hip, EDM and Dance Music side of things. The same goes for the AirPods, the sub-bass is unrivaled with all those mentioned. So I think your picks are great in terms of the most well balanced ones. Yet balance is not always what is best for certain genres.

Anyway was just adding my 2cents to the conversation.

Oh and as a side note all the other crushers other that the Evos are really terrible. The Evos are still not balanced or well tuned. Yet The difference is a notable one. I wouldn’t say they are amazing, yet they are a lot of fun now. Not as a daily, yet more situational. Unlike the predecessors.

[joshuacooray]

I was actually looking for a good pair of ANC headphones to buy in 2021 and decided to go for the Bose QC 35ii, I didn't go for the NC 700 because when I tested them the ANC on both were similar and the QC 35ii were more comfortable as well, and the reason I chose the QC 35ii over the XM4 was because they were just much more comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and had physical buttons

[hifellowhumans]

Thank you! I've been checking out different sites for the best headphones. This one's super helpful. :)

[ickballgaming]

This is exactly how a review should be done. Quick and honest.

[powercore]

I really appreciate your reviews on all these headphones, keep up the good work, you guys rock!

[annwithaplan]

I knew it was going to be the Bose ones. I remember when the Acoustic Wave Music System came out (I was one of the first door-door sales people in HI to demo and sell them to the public). Millions of $ were spent on the research. I still have one of the original units and demo tape. Dr. Bose came out there several times back then (really nice man, too).

[Al.j.Vasquez]

Concise and straight to the point, this is the type of reviews i want to check everytime i want to know about the sound quality of headphones.

[Mr.Wanted]

Dude this channel should have at least 5M subscribers. Very professional 🤩
Keep up the good work ♥️

[krayozmines]

You guys have a great chemistry. Just found u today. Subbed

[emmanuelgboyegasorunke]

Very honest and to the point…subscribed.

[lesleyanngianopoulos]

How do I get one of your one sweatshirts? I loved those. Your info has saved me lots of (no headaches) lol with always asking my kids many questions like why is my phone doing all these weird things. So thank you for your easy to understand info. Lesleyann

[mhallin]

Great video, it would be amazing if you could add the following headphones to the next review,
- Technics EAH-F70N
- Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 (with Beoplay H9 3rd Gen as an alternative like you did with Bose QC35)
- Avantree Aria Pro 90P

Keep up the good work guys!

[Paulman]

I bought the sony, I though the Bose were way better but the sony was just about half the price. I have not regretted my decision. The sony are very good.

[joycelachman]

First time passing through and decided to stop by and listen to the view on different kind of head phones. Good job 👍