A rating consists of 'IP' plus two numbers – the first number indicates the level of protection against solid objects, while the second number represents the level of protection against water. The introduction of higher-end wireless headphones such as the Apple AirPods Max and Mark Levinson No. The answer to this FAQ is less black and white, as both headphones and earbuds have their strengths over one another.

Bowers and Wilkins PX Headphones connecting to Windows 10 Bowers and Wilkins PX Headphones connecting to Windows 10

Sony has sacrificed a little bit of the fun that was so appealing in their predecessors, but they’re an improvement in almost every other respect. In the WF-C500, Sony has managed to bring a lot of what makes its flagship WF-1000XM5 earbuds (below) such a success without cutting too many corners.Some alternatives are a punchier and more ‘exciting’ listen, but very few strike a more convincing sonic balance. Yes, it's another Sony – which just goes to show how consistent the brand is across the headphones space. Our round-up of the best wireless headphones above includes several over-ear designs, which – as you might've guessed – sit over your ears, with the earcups connected by a headband. The Pro 2 are five-star stunners that ensure Apple loyalists who want noise cancellation aren't settling for less than great.

Best wireless headphones 2023: Bluetooth - What Hi-Fi? Best wireless headphones 2023: Bluetooth - What Hi-Fi?

If you are looking for a new pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones, your auditioning should start here. True to its Solitaire name, the T+A are gems, alone in a territory of wireless performance quality that no other pair we’ve heard can occupy. Yes, the WF-C500 can be bettered for battery life (they offer 20 hours from the buds and case combined), but you’ll be hard-pushed to find a more comfortable pair. So if sound quality is key and you don't mind sacrificing cable-free convenience and noise cancellation to get it, wired is still the way to go.Most wireless headphones have touch controls or physical buttons that include an answer/hang-up key, though pairs with built-in voice assistants let you do that simply by using your voice, completely hands-free.

is a big bonus, and the Bose app allows you to alter the amount of noise-cancelling on offer via a number of customisable presets. Smaller and lighter than the original Bose QC Earbuds, the Earbuds II provide a comfortable fit and lots of features. Which numbers corresponds to which levels of protection can be found on our IP ratings explained advice article. We certainly didn’t expect them to trouble the best-in-class competitors such as the Sony WF-1000XM5 and Bose QC Earbuds II (both above), but with the AirPods Pro 2 Apple has put in a good fight and come very close to the benchmark.Traditionally, and in most cases, this is possible as the analogue (wired) output does not required the headphones' digital circuitry to work. If you’re on a very strict budget but want a decent set of over-ear wireless headphones then you won’t do better than the What Hi-Fi? While they don’t match the performance of the more expensive headphones in this list, including their big brother the WH-100XM5, during our checks we were amazed at how few compromises Sony has had to make to keep costs down.