By What Hi-Fi?
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Looking for a pair of stylish, luxury headphones?
Best B&O headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s round-up of the best Band & Olufsen headphones you can buy in 2020.
Whether you're looking for elegant Bluetooth wireless cans, nifty in-ear noise cancellers or good old wired headphones, Bang & Olufsen has something to suit your needs.
B&O's headphones tend to come with premium price tags, but the Danish audio outfit does deliver a fine mix of premium materials and excellent build quality.
If you're a commuter – or if you hope to be again in the future – you might want to opt for a pair of headphones with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology to block out ambient noise.
If you'd prefer to go cordless, there are plenty of pairs of Bluetooth wireless headphones with solid battery life. If you're lucky, you could get both technologies combined in one pair.
Read on for our round-up of our the best B&O headphones on the market.
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1. B&O BeoPlay H8
Comfy, wireless and noise-cancelling B&O headphones.
Specifications
Type: On-ear
Wireless: Yes
Battery life: 14 hours
Noise-cancelling: Yes
In-line mic/remote: No
3.5mm connector: Yes
Weight: 255g
Reasons to buy
+ Effective noise-cancelling Good dynamics and detail Replaceable battery
Reasons to avoid
- Bass a little fat Slight thud when walking
If you want to cut the cord to your B&O headphones, take a look at the luxurious H8s. These impressive wireless all-rounders serve up effective noise cancelling, plush materials and touch-sensitive playback controls.
Battery life is decent: three hours charging returns 14 hours of Bluetooth and ANC. You can swap out the battery if needs be, and the softness of the lambskin-coated earpads makes them a pleasure to wear.
Read the full review:
2. B&O BeoPlay H3 ANC
A powerful-sounding pair of B&O noise-cancelling headphones.
Specifications
Type: In-ear
Wireless: No
Battery life: 20 hours
Noise-cancelling: Yes
In-line mic/remote: Yes
3.5mm connector: Yes
Weight: 40g
Reasons to buy
+ Solid sounding with good bass weight Detailed and insightful Stylish design
Reasons to avoid
- Needs more attack and excitement Noise cancelling only okay
These Bang & Olufsen headphones are crafted from lightweight aluminium and blessed with plenty of oomph and midrange detail.
They're sleek yet sturdy, with a battery that's good for 20 hours of active noise cancellation. They may not be ruthlessly effective when it comes to drowning out chatter, but they excel at blocking out the vroom of a car or hum of a jet engine.
Would we like a touch more attack? Yes, but B&O has done a commendable job with the H3 ANCs, which sound authoritative and natural at any volume. A classy addition to your commute.
Read the full review:
3. B&O BeoPlay H2
Stylish B&O headphones with an excellent, detailed sound.
Specifications
Type: On-ear
Wireless: No
Battery life: N/A
Noise-cancelling: No
In-line mic/remote: Yes
3.5mm connector: Yes
Weight: 155g
Reasons to buy
+ Hugely enjoyable sound Superb build Comfortable fit
Reasons to avoid
- Nothing of note
Blending performance and musicality, these on-ear headphones are light, robust and comfortable to wear. Once B&O's soft lambskin earcups are in place, you'll be wowed by warm, intimate vocals and crisp treble.
Features are minimal: you get an inline mic and three-button remote to answer calls, skip tracks and tweak the volume. Although there's no active noise cancelling, the ear cups cut out a lot of ambient noise.
The H2s have been around for a few years now, but they still make a stylish statement and deliver B&O's signature sound profile at a tempting price.
Read the full review:
4. B&O BeoPlay H3
A premium, natural-sounding pair of wired B&O earbuds.
Specifications
Type: In-ear
Wireless: No
Battery life: N/A
Noise-cancelling: No
In-line mic/remote: Yes
3.5mm connector: Yes
Weight: 16g
Reasons to buy
+ Detailed and open sound Balanced across the frequency range Easy to listen to over long periods
Reasons to avoid
- Bass could be tighter
Want to go back to basics without sacrificing quality? The wired H3s keep things simple with a three-button in-line remote and a mic for taking calls.
B&O's decision to put all its eggs in the sound quality basket has paid dividends. The H3s deliver a warm, insightful and detailed sound. High frequencies are particularly impressive at high volume.
We'd like a little more precision from the pulsing bass, but that's really our own gripe. If you're not bothered about extra bells and whistles, these polished performers are fantastic value for money.
Read the full review:
- Best headphones 2020: in-ear, on-ear, over-ear
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What Hi-Fi?
What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.
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