Bluetooth headphones review 2023

Bluetooth headphones come in all Colors, shapes and above all price ranges. The areas of application and preferences for wireless headphones are also diverse. while the one value sound quality the other person may use the Bluetooth function for sports and therefore has different demands on it processing of the headphones. That's exactly why we tested 5 Bluetooth headphones and will use the Bose QuietComfort 35, the JBL E45BT, the B&W P7 Wireless, the Sennheiser HD4.40BT and the Sennheiser PXC550 now compare.

Bluetooth headphones - what to look out for?

Bluetooth headphones, wireless headphones – whatever. What is important is the independence from the old and seemingly outdated cable. There are a dime a dozen reasons to buy Bluetooth headphones. In most cases, however, it is a decision towards practicality. Once the pairing, i.e. the connection of the end device with the headphones via Bluetooth, has been completed, wireless use gives you a lot of freedom of movement - whether it's jogging, in the gym or washing the dishes in the kitchen. Although some loss of quality is to be expected due to the wireless connection, this is hardly noticeable for everyday users and the advantages of convenience outweigh the disadvantages. One thing is clear – Bluetooth headphones are a wise investment for anyone who cannot do without music. However, it is not so easy to decide which headphones to choose. Does it have to be Beats by Dre or are cheaper Bluetooth headphones enough? We have therefore considered the following:

The criteria of the Bluetooth headphones comparison

In order to guarantee an objective, uniform rating, we have selected criteria specially tailored to the subject of Bluetooth headphones. These were set prior to any headphone testing to avoid subconscious interpretation of the criteria in favor of a particular product.

In addition, the individual rating points are weighted differently in the overall rating. This is made up as follows:

• sound – 35%
• Usability - 30%
• Price – 20%
• Processing – 15%

Why the sound dominates in the weighting does not have to be argued in a Bluetooth headphone test. Usability – basically how good the general user experience is – accounts for a similarly high proportion of the overall rating. That's because a lot of wireless headphones should be about comfort. We have given the price a medium weighting, knowing full well that this weighting can vary for you depending on the size of your wallet. That is why we will also give special recommendations in this comparison, such as a low-budget solution. Ultimately, only the actual, tangible quality and nature of the materials and the manufacture of the Bluetooth headphones flow into the processing.

Sound (35%) - objective subjectivity

The sound is quite difficult to communicate - especially via text. In addition, not only does every sound sound different, but it may also have other preferences as to how the Bluetooth headphones you have chosen should sound. So within this rating category we've tried to be a little more general, as specific descriptions often only bring up the wildest adjectives, which in turn are different for everyone. So in the end it came down to this:

• Balance highs, mids, lows
• bass quality
• sound volume
• volume

The winner of this category is the B&W P7 Wireless. B&W attaches great importance to the audio quality of its headphones and you can hear it! Not far behind are the Bose QuietComfort 35 and the Sennheiser PXC550 with a little less volume but better noise cancelling. The differences between these two are so infinitesimal that we'd like to keep them on the same step of the podium. The Sennheiser 4.40BT and the JBL E45BT remain in the same order. The difference between these two headphones is small but actually disappears again. And for those who might not make it to the price category: The JBL45BT is again significantly cheaper and therefore clearly our low budget recommendation.

In addition, there is an overview of the volume levels of all 5 Bluetooth headphones – mind you, the ones we determined in the real test:

Decibel (dB) is not a unit, but a ratio. One dB corresponds to one tenth of a bel. We already perceive an increase of +10dB as a doubling of the volume. For comparison: A car horn corresponds to about 90dB, while 50dB corresponds to about room volume.

Usability (30%) - the degree between options and usability

A lot falls into this category and what counts most is the overall impression: how practical are the headphones? How is it served? How is the padding?

Ultimately, usability could be expressed colloquially as follows: How quickly and how much do the headphones get on my nerves in any way?
The optimal answer would of course be "never" and "not at all" and luckily none of the Bluetooth headphones really failed in our test.

In this category, both the Sennheiser cut PXC 550 well, as well as the Bose QuietComfort 35 - albeit for completely different reasons. Both headphones are very comfortable to wear, although Bose has the edge in the long run and is also lighter. As far as the actual operation is concerned, Bose keeps it simple and does not allow any potential for frustration to arise. Sennheiser, on the other hand, comes up trumps and dares to do something: a touchpad. And one that works damn well. The Bluetooth headphones take different routes, but both master them well!

In the middle is the B&W P7 Wireless, which is a bit heavy and clumsy, but convinces with its stability and the special metal rod mechanism. It gets annoying a little faster with the Sennheiser 4.40BT. The over-ear headphones, which are too small, make long listening uncomfortable.

Not uncomfortable, but in last place due to loose fit is the JBL E45BT. Unfortunately, frequent slipping or even folding away of the listeners means that the answer to the question asked as an intro is not too positive. However, if you don't want to take the on-ear headphones from JBL to sports and generally plan to use them with less movement, this point of criticism shouldn't rob you of your sleep too much.

Price (20%) – wide range of prices, not so big differences

If you look at the absolute price, there is nothing to explain here. The more expensive the headphones, the lower our rating on this point. Set off against the performance of the respective headphones, you end up with an appreciation or depreciation based on the price.

Since the impact of price is forced to be a constant percentage to maintain objectivity, here's an extra value for money estimate for those who need it:

If you're short on cash, you should grab the JBL E45BT. If you have a little more, you should skip the next big step in the form of the Sennheiser 4.40BT. Although the headphones are still relatively cheap, the relationship between the difference in price and the difference in performance is not justified. If you don't like the E45BT, you should, in our opinion, save a bit and go for the Bose QuietComfort35. If you don't have to worry as much about your money, you can basically choose anything, depending on your preference.

Workmanship (15%) - a close race

As already mentioned in the summary of the test criteria, it's really about the materials themselves. How well is the headphone built? What is it made of and what is the quality of these materials? Can something like structural weaknesses be identified? Questions of this nature are all included in the following evaluation.

The B&W P7 Wireless has the best workmanship. The Bowers & Wilkins Wireless Headphones impress with their premium metal construction and overall quality feel. The Sennheiser PXC 550 comes in close behind. The Bose QuietComfort 3 takes third place because the headphones are very light and comfortable, but they lose quality as a result. At least in terms of feel, the Bose headphones somehow feel more plastic-like than our representatives from B&W and Sennheiser. It's no different in our lower price segment, but it's the lower price segment. Here the JBL E35BT lands just before the Sennheiser 45BT. How come? Although the two are relatively similar in terms of material and workmanship, the Sennheiser headphones scratch relatively quickly.

Conclusion on the Bluetooth headphone test

All in all, one can say that now is the time to repeat yourself unnecessarily and to revisit everything that has already been said anyway – only shorter and differently.

Not cool? We think so too! That's why we don't want to bore you here, but rather make concrete recommendations for action.

Your budget is tight, you only use the Bluetooth headphones at home or just want to test them?

The JBL E45BT is your friend. It delivers decent quality at an unbeatable price. Just nothing for sports!

Your day is accompanied by music, music is simply your lifestyle?

Then go for the Bose QuietComfort 35 or the Sennheiser PXC 550. Both headphones do not cause any problems over long periods of use, have long battery life, good quality and phenomenal noise cancelling. Music all day long - everywhere.

Are you obsessed with music, audiophile, studying music or looking for a pair of Bluetooth headphones for professional use for some reason?

Then we recommend the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless. You can overlook the small design flaws and the higher weight in view of the excellent sound!

If you find time to read besides all the good music, be sure to check out our big one eBook reader test at! And if you just can't live with cables anymore, you should check out our series of tests on the Bluetooth keyboards look at.