Wireless headphones for long usage

[Ulysses499]

Greetings!
 

Since the inner panels of my Beats Studio 3 wireless have cracked multiple times (I had to put tape on them ) and the pads also have lost all "leather" (repair would cost around 60% of new value) I am starting to plan out which ones should replace them.

Preferably I'd like something that can be used for longer periods of time and that does not crack from wearing them while sleeping.

I am using them on a MacBook & iPhone and I also own a pair of AirPods Pro for portable use.

I was looking at the AirPods Max because they are at ~450€ on Amazon, but to be honest I am not that "deep" in the headphone game so I would like some opinions.

Besides the AirPods, what other wireless headphones with ANC (and if possible a transparency mode) that are in my price range and how do they compare to the AirPods in terms of built quality (I don't want another cracked panel)?

I am fairly uninformed so please excuse these unspecific terms, if you need any information for evaluation please ask away ! 

[m1lk3y]

LTT has done some great wireless headphone roundup videos in the past that are still pretty applicable today (although I wouldn't mind an updated one since some new stuff has come out recently). Two other (popular) companies making decent ANC headphones are Sony with their WH1000XM4s and Bose with their QC series, or even their Noise Cancelling 700 (not sure of the exact name). Both are decent build quality as far as I know, I've had my original QC35s from Bose for about 8 years now with no issues! I don't know much about Apples offering other than that the ANC and Transparency mode are both very well done but sound quality could be better. Obviously the transition from device to device (for the Apple ecosystem anyway) makes things easier as well. I know Microsoft has an offering of ANC headphones as well, but I don't know much about those other than that they look nice. Hopefully this helps!

[Ulysses499]

This helped me a lot actually. I really did not know where to start. i will check out the ones you mentioned.
To be honest I could care less about the eco system stuff if I am sure the headphones will not break easily/have great wearing comfort since after pairing its nearly identical anyways.

If you had to choose a favourite out of the ones you mentioned which would it be?

 

Edit : After having a look at all the options listed (& 2 I found as alternatives to those) I am a bit closer to my solution but not fully there yet.
The Sony are not an option because you can not use them while charging.

The Bose are also not an option, since the ANC seems to cause a rustle.
I have also looked at the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless and the B&W PX7.
Both seem like options to me, however built quality does not seem on parr with the AirPods.

If anyone has any other suggestions (up to 500€) I would love to hear them  , 

Edited October 22, 2021 by Ulysses499
Looked up the headphones

[Spuriae]

Try them out in a store if you can. I personally didn't like the Airpods Max because:

• They're too heavy and clamp too hard compared to the competition. This is the downside of a metal build: it's hard to make them comfortable for long durations. Perhaps for other people they fit fine, though. The stock Sony 1000XM3 isn't super comfortable either (though certainly better than the Max), but the headband can be adjusted to clamp less.
• The sound quality is at best on par with Bose and Sony.
• The noise cancellation is impressive but not any better than the Bose and Sony.

In other words, they're nice but overall I see them as a more expensive and less comfortable alternative to the competition. Maybe they'd be excellent for people who treat their headphones roughly, hate using cases, and have massive ears and stiff necks.

 

If you're rough with your headphones I can imagine the Sony 1000XM3 breaking the same way your Beats did; although they've reinforced that area quite a bit since their first generation headphones had issues, the overall construction there is still similar. I don't think Bose ever had that issue.

 

Another reason to try them out in store is that for some people ANC causes a painful "pressure" sensation in the ears, and different ANC implementations affect people differently.

 

I don't know what you mean by the ANC causing a rustle. I never had that issue on my QC35.

[Ulysses499]

6 hours ago, Nimrodor said:

I don't know what you mean by the ANC causing a rustle. I never had that issue on my QC35.

In some comments people said they heard a NC rustling which I find very irritable.

I think you are right though. Besides all of the on paper features it's really hard choosing without being able to listen first hand to them. I will visit my local store once I find one who has all of them  

Thanks for the advice guys! 

[Ulysses499]

On 10/23/2021 at 7:05 PM, IAmNotASmartMan said:

Apparently you can still use WH1000XM4s, without the ANC, with slightly worse sound, whilst charging, that budget is pretty close to the price of 2 pairs anyway. The 30 hour battery life has often been surpassed, uncharged. You can get extra efficiency if you charge it for 10 minutes every 5 hours (48 minutes per day), since it has a lightning charge for 5 hours of the total life.

I wear my WH1000XM4s in bed, even as a front/side sleeper, by having one cup grip my forehead. The only damage on my headset is from when I keep accidentally turning my head into the kitchen cupboard door, because I forget I'm wearing them.

Build quality can very between each individual product, I've always thought of mine as being exceptionally good build quality, the materials feel so nice.

This is good to hear. I asked another friend of mine who owns a pair to borrow for a day to test them. 
Besides the materials they sound like the better choice.

 

[Ulysses499]

On 10/24/2021 at 11:23 PM, IAmNotASmartMan said:

That great that you can try them like that, I suspect that your concerns over the material will disappear when you hold them, let us know what you think when you try them!

Will do

edit (update) :

After trying out both my verdict is the following. I like the AirPods more as a package, but not 200€ more, so I will pick up my own XM4s this month 

Edited November 3, 2021 by Ulysses499
Update