Headphone options for holidays by Sony, Bowers & Wilkins, Bose & Sennheiser
Apple’s new headphones have stolen the headlines but there are great established alternatives.
The highly anticipated Apple headphones have received more attention than many of their other products announced this year. Unfortunately, the attention is around the ludicrous price Apple is asking for their first over ear headphones. We look at four alternatives at almost half the price offering experience and specialisation in the category.
Sony WH-1000XM4 – $499
The reputation from this series of headphones from Sony continues to grow. The previous XM3 provided incredible audio and the XM4 is even better. The sound is warm and vibrant but the newest features are in how smart the XM4 is. If you talk to someone while music is playing, your headphones will recognise the audio, pause your track and open the airwaves. Once your conversation is over, the Sony’s automatically resume where you left off. All without taking your headphones off. Perfect for when you need to order another wine during your flight.
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 – $529
In the audio game since 1966, this English founded company takes audio quality down to a science. The PX7 uses carbon composite in the ear cups and has a very discreet overall look. It offers 30 hours of battery life, 10 more than the Apple offers, which means you can take a return international flight without needing to recharge. The audio presented in the PX7 is very natural and expressed the way the artist intended. When you hear music on the PX7 you’re likely to simply close your eyes and let your ears indulge.
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 – $599
A name that needs no introduction. Bose can be considered the official headphones of any airline lounge. There is a reason that Bose is worn by many frequent flyers. They provide reliable and exceptional audio quality, can be worn for hours on end and their noise cancellation will make economy feel like business class. The 700’s have touch controls on the ear cups for volume, playback and call controls. They are excellent for music, but also work really well for remote working. They have a microphone array that cancels ambient and external noise to focus on your voice alone.
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless – $599
The more rugged looking option from Sennheiser doesn’t present touch sensitive controls or elegance in design, but there is plenty under the hood. All controls on the headphones are carried out using physical buttons on the earcups while also having a smartphone app for individual tuning. These headphones have very impressive sound and provide a comfortable fit. Sennheiser has partnered with Tile to help you find your headphones should they ever be misplaced. That’s something we wished all brands adopted.
All of the above headphones work perfectly with Windows, Android, Mac and iOS. They all come with the charging cable, a 3.5mm cable if you need to manually plug in or run out of battery and a sturdy carry case. The list of inclusions with the Apple AirPods Max is limiting and should be factored into the overall cost. The prices in this story are the recommended retail price and shopping around is encouraged.
Geoff Quattromani is a tech commentator across radio, print, online and television. Check out his podcast “Technology Uncorked” for new information each week.
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