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Bluetooth Headphones: The Hot Christmas Gift for 2022

Ryanna Ritting, Student Writer|December 22, 2022

With Christmas coming up, it is the perfect time to find the perfect gift for friends, family, or a significant other. Bluetooth headphones have been one of the most wanted gifts of this year. But with so many different options, how do you know which has the best quality and the most reasonable price? The following list is the top-rated headphones as of 2022. This list includes Bowers & Wilkins Px8, Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2, Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, Clever Enduro ANC, Technics EAH -A800, and the Apple AirPod Max.

The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 is seen as a little pricier at $699. The Px8 comes in two colors, black and tan. It has cast aluminum arms and a Nappa Leather Trim. The creators of the Px8 also opted for physical buttons instead of the popular touch buttons. The Px8 comes with free delivery, a free 30-day return policy, and a two-year warranty. There is also an option to pay in installments of $59 a month, interest-free when using Affirm. The Px8 comes with noise cancellation that is efficient, but some sources say irregular noise is able to get past it. Its charge lasts for 30 hours and has a wear-on/off function, although reviews say it sometimes can be erratic. The Headphones come with an app that can control the treble and bass of the headphones. Even though the Px8 claims to have excellent sound quality, some say that the sound can be limp or weak at lower volumes. Despite having six different microphones, the Px8 is not ideal for calls in noisy environments.

For a Better price of $329, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 is a better choice. These headphones come in three colors, black, blue, and gray. The Px7 also comes with free delivery and a 2-year warranty, along with a 30-day free return. The Px8 is described to have a natural and detailed sound that lasts 30 hours. With a minimalist design, comfort is key. The Px7 has a fabric finish and memory foam earpads meant for long-term listening. The noise canceling has three settings: on, passthrough, and off. Reviews say that the noise canceling on this model is better than the Px8, but high-frequency noises may still be able to make their way past. There is also no minijack input, which means the wireless headphones cannot be converted into wired headphones.

On the other hand, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are even cheaper for the price of $299.95. The Sennheiser comes in two colors, black and white, and offers free shipping. It has adaptive noise cancellation, including a transparency mode, however, some reviews state that it struggles to block out regular noises. The headphones come with a carry case and a charger. The Sennheiser has one of the longest-lasting battery life at 60 hours of listening time. Despite this, the sound quality is seen to be mediocre and has a poor passive soundstage. “Even for the cheaper price, I expected better quality,” says Paige Agnew, a Sennheiser headphone user. The Sennheiser also reportedly does not have the most secure fit. The headphones come with an app that makes it easy to control and personalize your listening experience.

The Cleer Enduro ANC headphones are the cheapest on the list at $199.99 and are a great option to stay within the budget. The Enduro ANC comes in two colors, navy and light gray. Similar to the Sennheisers, the ANC also has a battery life of up to 60 hours. The ANC does have noise canceling, but many have reviewed it as medium quality. The quality also transferred over to the build of the headphones. The smaller headband, button controls, and plastic material make the ANC very flexible. These headphones are also collapsible for easier portability. The ANC only has two microphones, which is considerably less than most others. Because of this, the microphones tend to pick up wind noise. The ANC also comes with an app that can be used to control and customize many features, including the light-up features.

The Technics EAH-A800s come in black and silver. At a price of $349.99, they offer many special features. The 8 microphones result in Dual hybrid feedback, wind noise reduction, and a clear sound. The A800s have two modes for noise reduction, this includes transparency mode and attention mode which is similar but with reduced sound. The A800s also have a long-lasting battery life of up to 50 hours. However, some users are not amazed. “Compared to other Bluetooth headphones and earbuds I’ve had, I haven’t been amazed by the sound quality,” Emily Cattie, an experienced A800 user says, “Sometimes it sounds almost congested and just overall not a very detailed sound,” she says.

Finally, the Apple Airpod Max is one of the most popular headphones of the year. On the pricier side, the Airpod Maxs are $549. The headband is made from a mesh knit canopy and aluminum cups reduce the weight. The frame is stainless steel for a clean look. These headphones come in five different colors, white, black, blue, salmon/pink, and white/green. Although the Airpod Maxs have six microphones, the quality has not been viewed as great. Many complaints have been voiced that the proximity and voice sensors do not work on Android or Windows devices. The headphones essentially only work on Apple devices. When in the case, they enter a low battery state to preserve power. Out of the case, the Airpod Maxs have a charge of up to 20 hours. The smart case, however, provides little to no protection for the headset. The noise cancellation also has a transparency mode that can be controlled from the digital buttons along with the volume.

Whether you are looking for a cheap way to listen to your music or an investment in something with good quality, there are many options out there. There are many different types of headphones out there, but hopefully, this helped to narrow down your search for the perfect Christmas gift.

Sources/Links:

https://www.bowerswilkins.com/en-us/product/headphones/px8

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/bowers-and-wilkins-px8

https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/bowers-and-wilkins-px8-review/

https://www.bowerswilkins.com/en-us/product/headphones/px7-s2

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/bowers-and-wilkins-px7-s2-headphones

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/bowers-wilkins-px7-s2-review/?sh=653a76346121

https://www.sennheiser-hearing.com/en-US/p/momentum-4-wireless/

https://www.soundguys.com/sennheiser-momentum-4-wireless-review-76876/

https://www.rtings.com/headphones/reviews/sennheiser/momentum-4-wireless

https://cleeraudio.com/headphones/enduro-anc-noise-cancelling-wireless-headphones/

https://www.reviews.org/au/technology/cleer-enduro-anc-review/