This article rounds up the best wireless headsets, which are also known as headphones with microphones.
If you are confused about the name used for the headset, headphones or earphones, please check out our article about the differences between headphones, earphones and earbuds.
- Jabra Evolve2 85 Headset
- Sony WH-1000XM4
- Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95
- Jabra Evolve2 75
- Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Jabra Evolve2 85 Headset[tie_index]Jabra Evolve2 85 Headset[/tie_index]
| Form Factor | Over-ear Headband, foldable including boom mic |
| Size | 160×77.3×198.6mm (6.3×3.05×7.82in) |
| Weight | 286grams |
| Control Type | Button control |
| Speaker Driver | 40mm, stereo speakers, 50mW Input Power |
| Microphone | 8 mics (4 analog, 6 digital MEMS) |
| Battery Life | Music (ANC on): 32 hours (37 with ANC off) Talktime (ANC on): 20 hours (30 with ANC off) |
| Battery Charging | Wireless charging, up to 140mins for 37 hours battery life. Fast charge 15 mins for 8 hours battery life. |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, 30 meters range |
| Features | Adjustable hybrid ANC and hear through levels Foldable microphone boom, Busy lights indicator Music equaliser Ear detection Multi-connect up to 2 devices (total 8 pairing list) 3.5mm jack on earcup Mute/answer calls using the foldable boom arm |
| Price | USD 449 |
Buy Jabra Evolve2 85 Wireless Headphones
The Jabra Evolve2 85 is a wireless, over-ear headphone with hybrid ANC, 40mm driver with 50mW input power, and battery life of 32 hours with ANC on. The over-ear headphone design provides good sound insulation where required, while the ANC and hear through can be adjusted or customised according to the current surrounding using the Jabra phone app. It has a very long battery life of 32 hours for music playback with ANC on, and the fast charge is only 15 mins for 8 hours of battery which will last a full workday.
The Jabra Evolve2 85 has good sound quality and noise isolation for office use, as well as games, and conference calls or any home use.
Most of the operations are either push or press and hold using buttons located on the ear cups. The two wired connections are located on the left ear cup, namely the 3.5mm and USB Type-C port.
The Jabra Evolve2 85 comes with a carrying case (see below), Jabra Link 380 Bluetooth adapter, USB-A to USB-C cable, and the two-pin flight adapter. The wireless charging stand is optional and can be purchased at Jabra.com.
Those who prefer on-ear wireless headphones can look at the Jabra Evolve2 75 to be launched around the end of 2021. The main disadvantage for the Jabra Evolve2 85 is the price at USD 449, which is USD 100 more than the Sony WH-1000XM4 at this time of writing.
The Jabra Evolve2 85 has received 61% 5-star ratings at this time of writing, out of a total of 507 users:
- Many users praised the noise cancellation which effectively blocks noises such as loud co-workers, vacuuming sound, lawnmowers.
- They like the “busy lights” on the headset which tell others that they are busy talking on the headset.
- Several users are happy with the sound clarity and noise cancellation during Zoom and Microsoft Team meetings.
- Several users find it comfortable to use the headsets for as long hours, from 6 and up to 12 hours by one of the users.
- Many users are happy with the long battery life and ability to use it while charging.
The Jabra Evolve2 85 has received 10% 1-star ratings at this time of writing:
- One user commented that the mic is not as adjustable as the Evolve2 65 which has a lower price.
- One user commented that the sidetone is must be used together with the hear through, which means in order to hear his own voice “naturally”, there will also be noises from surrounding.
- There are several cases of defective products, which we believe Jabra took care of them as they always do. There appear to be no systemic or batch issues (i.e. similar problems).
Overall, based on the number of users who purchased and feedback on the Jabra Evolve2 85, 75% and above rated 4 to 5 stars, while 16% rated 1 to 2 stars. Only 8% awarded an average score of 3-stars. The overall rating is 4.1/5.0 from a substantial number of users (507).
Buy Jabra Evolve2 85 Wireless Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones with Microphone[tie_index]Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones with Microphone[/tie_index]
| Form Factor | Over-ear headphone with microphone/ closed headphone/ foldable |
| Size | NA |
| Weight | 254grams |
| Control Type | Touch control |
| Speaker Driver | 40mm, stereo speakers, neodymium magnets |
| Microphone | 5 mics |
| Battery Life | Music (ANC on): 30 hours |
| Battery Charging | USB-C charging, up to 140mins Fast charge 10 mins for 5 hours battery life. No wireless charging |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, 10 meters range, NFC |
| Features | Digital noise cancellation Multi-connect up to 2 devices Ear detection 3.5mm jack on the earcup |
| Price | USD 348 |
Buy Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphone with Mic
The Sony WH-1000XM4 is called a headphone with a mic instead of a headset because it does not have a microphone boom. It is an over-ear headphone that is just slightly lighter than the Jabra Evolve2 85, but yet it is a completed different form factor due to its foldable design as shown in a user photo below. In fact, the foldable design with a storage pouch is an attractive feature for the Sony WH-1000XM4.
Sony WH-1000XM4 has no wireless charging capability, even though it has NFC functionality. However, we are uncertain about the purpose of the NFC functions for a headphone as most of the connections are taken care of by Bluetooth. On the other hand, the lack of wireless charging could be rather inconvenient in the current time as more people are gradually getting used to putting devices on a wireless plate to charge.
The need to plug in USB-C for charging every day or so could become a disadvantage once wireless charging takes over as the norm.
Apart from the above issues, the headphone is well-built with great sound and noise cancellation. Regarding noise cancellation, there is a note from Sony’s guide for information:
| The noise-cancelling function senses external ambient noise (such as the noise inside a vehicle or the sound of air conditioning inside a room) with built-in microphones and produces an equal-but-opposite sound that cancels out the ambient noise. ––The noise-cancelling effect may not be pronounced in a very quiet environment, or some noise may be heard. ––The noise-cancelling function works for noise in the low-frequency band primarily. Although noise is reduced, it is not cancelled completely. ––When you use the unit in a train or a car, noise may occur depending on street conditions. ––Mobile phones may cause interference and noise. Should this occur, locate the unit further away from the mobile phone. ––Depending on how you wear the unit, the noise-cancelling effect may vary or a beeping sound (howling) may occur. If this happens, take off the unit and put it back on again. ––Do not cover the microphones of the unit with your hands or other objects. Doing so may prevent the noise-cancelling function or the Ambient Sound Mode from working properly, or may cause a beeping sound (howling) to occur. If this happens, take your hands or another object off of the microphones of the unit. |
We find the above interesting as some users (probably on Amazon) complaining about other noise-cancelling not as good as Sony, and not everyone reads the fine prints. Even Sony is honest about noise not being cancelled completely and it depends on the external conditions.
If the requirement is to shut off noise completely, perhaps an ear muffler is required instead of a headphone. An example of ear mufflers
There are 23,500 ratings for the popular Sony WH-1000XM4, out of which 81% is rated 5-stars, and only 3% is rated 1-star. The overall rating is very high at 4.7/5.0 by a big group of users.
Buy Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphone with Mic
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95[tie_index]Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 [/tie_index]
| Form Factor | Over-ear headphone with microphone/ closed headphone/ foldable |
| Size | Headphones: 185x165x80mm. Carrying case: 200x180x63mm |
| Weight | 323grams (headphones); 500g (carrying case) |
| Control Type | Touch control |
| Speaker Driver | 40mm, electro-dynamic titanium driver w/ neodymium magnets |
| Microphone | Total 6 microphones: 4 Digital MEMS Voice Mic (2 mics sharing with ANC) 4 Dedicated MEMS Mic for ANC (2 mics in each earcup) |
| Battery Life | Music (ANC on): 38 hours Music (ANC off): 50 hours |
| Battery Charging | USB-C charging time is up 120mins (5V/3A, 1200 mAh battery) No wireless charging |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.1, 10 meters range |
| Features | Adaptive ANC Ear detection Multi-connect up to 2 devices 3.5mm jack on the earcup |
| Price | USD 849 |
The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 has one of the longest battery life among wireless Bluetooth headphones with microphones. The 38 hours battery life with ANC is powered by a 1,200 mAh battery that accepts 15W charging via standard USB-3A Type C. We also like the luxury aluminium, hard carrying case which packs the foldable headphone neatly inside and prevents crushing damages. The wiring is hidden inside the compartment below the headband.
One thing we like about Bang & Olufsen is that they are very open to providing details of their design engineering such as the type of digital MEMS and special features about the 40mm driver. Moreover, very few brands provide as much information about the battery used in portable audio devices, unlike smartphones. This is very important for product reviewers, especially when we focused on reviewing the specs on paper.
The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 is also one of the heaviest at 353 grams, and it does not support wireless charging. However, these features do not affect audiophiles as they are focused on the sound and the build quality.
At this time of writing, the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H95 is rated 4.6/5.0 by 42 users, which is a much smaller number than the 507 who rated for the Jabra Evolve2 85. According to users, the H95 has one of the best sounds and 5-star ratings in this category, thanks to feedback from 81% (34 users) including audiophiles who compared this to other headphones. Among the remaining 5% who rated the H95 1-star, some felt that it is overpriced, and the sound quality is not as good as they had expected.
Buy Beoplay H95 Wireless ANC Over-Ear Headphones ($700 – Nov 2021)
Jabra Evolve2 75[tie_index]Jabra Evolve2 75[/tie_index]
| Form Factor | On-ear Headband with foldable boom mic |
| Size | 145x67x190mm |
| Weight | 197grams |
| Control Type | Button control |
| Speaker Driver | 40mm, stereo speakers, 30mW Input Power |
| Microphone | 8 mics (4 analog, 4 digital) |
| Battery Life | Music (ANC on): 33 hours Talktime (ANC on): 19 hours |
| Battery Charging | USB-C charging, up to 160mins. Fast charge 15 mins for 6 hours battery life. Wireless charging. |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.2, 30 meters range |
| Features | Adjustable Advanced ANC and hear through levels Foldable microphone boom, Busy lights indicator Music equaliser Multi-connect up to 2 devices (total 8 pairing list) Peakstop |
| Price | To be released |
The Jabra Evolve2 75 is a wireless, on-ear headphone released by Jabra in Nov 2021. As expected, the on-ear design is much smaller and lighter than the over-ear Jabra Evolve2 85 by close to 90 grams. The Jabra Evolve2 75 also has two fewer microphones than the Jabra Evolve2 85, but the overall specifications such as battery life and connectivity options are quite similar to the bigger sibling.
The Jabra Evolve2 75 is not available at this time of writing, but in the meantime, you can check out the existing version:
Buy Jabra Evolve 75 Wireless Headphone (old model, fyi only)
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700[tie_index]Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700[/tie_index]
| Form Factor | Over-ear Headphone with microphone |
| Size | 165x203x50.8mm (6.5 x 8 x 2 in) |
| Weight | 252grams |
| Control Type | Touch Button control |
| Speaker Driver | 40mm, stereo speakers, 30mW Input Power |
| Microphone | Total 8 microphones: 6 microphones for Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) 4 microphones for Voice Pickup (2 are shared with ANC) |
| Battery Life | Music (ANC on): 20 hours |
| Battery Charging | USB-C charging, up to 150mins. Fast charge 15 mins for 3.5 hours battery life. No wireless charging. |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0, 30 meters range |
| Features | |
| Price | $379 (Nov 2021) |
The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 has a sleek, curvy steel headband that gives it a futuristic look. The ear cushions are made from protein leather which is a type of artificial or synthetic leather that is made by combining protein powder with resin to form a durable pliable sheet of material with a similar feel and look like real leather.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 is also the only headphone we reviewed that has dual control mode, i.e. using both buttons and capacitative touch control. The touch sensor is used to control call, volume and music, while the low profile buttons control the power, noise-cancelling and activating digital assistance like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant.
Bose Noise Cancelling 700 also features 8 microphones like the Jabra Evolve2 but uses 6 microphones for noise cancellation while 2 of these 6 microphones combine with another two microphones for enhanced voice pickup.
| A beamform array isolates your speech, suppressing everything else that’s audible. A rejection array adds a second line of defence, tracking then blocking the most disruptive remaining sound — from a coffee grinder to other dialogue nearby. It all happens in real-time, adapting as you move or your environment changes. It works with any VPA, any phone paired to the 700s, or any phone or phone/headphone combination on the far-end. |
The adjustable noise cancellation has up to 11 levels of control where users can adjust according to the current surrounding. Some of the users feedback that the sound cancellation does not affect the quality of sound and cause any distortion. Once the noise cancellation is turned to the highest level, users claimed that they cannot hear anything at all. It is so quiet that they feel safe to use it at home or on the plane.
The Bose Noise Cancelling 700 comes with a leather carrying pouch with an internal wiring compartment that conceals the wiring. This is what we call good “attention-to-detail” in design.
The Bose Noise Cancelling 700 was released in mid-2019, and has received a combined rating of 4.5/5.0 from 19,548 users with 77% awarded 5-stars, while 5% awarded 1-stars.
Buy Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 at $304.99 (Black, Nov 2021)
This is an ongoing article that will be updated as we perform micro design reviews on other headphones.
