Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay HX

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX is a premium wireless ANC over-ear headphone with outstanding build quality, warm and detailed sound, and effective adaptive noise cancellation. At $749, it's expensive, and the 35-hour battery life trails some competitors. But if you want luxury materials and refined audio in one package, this is one of the best options on the market.

Sound quality is where the Beoplay HX earns its keep. The 40mm electro-dynamic drivers pump out a 20Hz to 22kHz frequency response with a 95dB sensitivity rating, and the tuning is classic B&O: slightly warm, very controlled, with excellent separation. In our database, the sound score lands in the 94th percentile, which puts it ahead of most wireless ANC headphones we've tested. Hi-Res audio support over AAC and aptX helps when you're streaming from a decent source, though you'll need a wired connection for true lossless.

The adaptive ANC is genuinely good. It adjusts automatically based on ambient noise, and in our testing it ranks in the 92nd percentile for noise cancellation. It won't completely erase a crying baby on a flight, but it takes the edge off engine rumble and office chatter better than most. The four MEMS microphones handle calls well too, with a mic score in the 89th percentile. Call quality is clear enough for Zoom meetings, and the noise-cancelling mic does a decent job filtering out background noise. Battery life checks in at 35 hours with ANC enabled, which puts it in the 80th percentile. Not the longest-lasting option out there, but enough for a full work week of commutes.

The most direct competitor is the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2, which trades blows with the HX on build quality and sound but costs even more. The Px8 has a slightly more energetic tuning, while the HX leans warmer and more relaxed. If you want excitement, go B&W. If you want refinement, go B&O. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 is the value play here, with a 60-hour battery that absolutely embarrasses the HX's 35 hours, and sound quality that's arguably just as good for hundreds less. But the Momentum 4's plastic build feels cheap next to the HX's leather and aluminum.

The Apple AirPods Max is another obvious comparison, especially for iPhone users. The AirPods Max has better ANC and spatial audio tricks, but it's heavier and the smart case is a joke. The HX is lighter, more comfortable for long sessions, and works better across platforms thanks to aptX support. The Sony ULT WEAR and Technics EAH-A800 are both cheaper alternatives with strong ANC, but neither matches the HX's premium materials or sound refinement.

At $749, the Beoplay HX is firmly in flagship territory, and that's where the value conversation gets tricky. You're paying a premium for the B&O name, the lambskin leather, and that minimalist Scandinavian design. If pure sound quality per dollar is your metric, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 delivers comparable audio for less money. But if you want a headphone that feels like a luxury object and sounds like one too, the HX justifies its price better than most fashion-forward audio gear. The IP53 rating and included fabric case add some practical value, though we'd have liked to see a hard case at this price point.

The Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX sits in that premium wireless ANC over-ear headphone bracket where you're paying for design and materials as much as sound. At $749 in our database, it's not cheap, but B&O has never really aimed at budget shoppers. These are lambskin leather, memory foam, and machined aluminum territory, and the build quality lands in the 96th percentile of everything we've tested. That's top of the charts stuff.

People searching for luxury Bluetooth headphones with active noise cancellation usually want to know two things: does it sound like a $749 headphone, and is the ANC actually good? The short answer is yes on both. The 40mm neodymium drivers deliver a warm, detailed signature that sits in the 94th percentile for sound, while the adaptive ANC auto-adjusts to your environment and ranks in the 92nd percentile. It's not the absolute best noise cancelling on the market, but it's close enough that most people won't notice the gap.

Battery life is rated at 35 hours with ANC on, which is solid but not class-leading. You get Bluetooth 5.1 with multipoint, a 3.5mm jack for wired listening, and an IP53 rating for dust and light water resistance. At 285g, they're not featherweight, but the memory foam cushions do a lot of heavy lifting for comfort.

Skip the Beoplay HX if you're a frequent flyer who needs maximum noise cancellation and battery life above all else. The Sony ULT WEAR or Bose QuietComfort line will serve you better for long-haul travel at a lower price. Studio users should also look elsewhere, since the HX's studio score of 70.4 is its weakest area, and the closed-back tuning isn't ideal for critical mixing. And if you're on a budget, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 delivers comparable sound quality for significantly less money, even if the build feels less premium.

Should you buy the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX? If you want a wireless ANC headphone that looks and feels like a luxury product, sounds genuinely excellent, and you're willing to pay for the privilege, then yes. This is one of the best-built wireless headphones we've tested, and the sound quality backs up the price tag. The adaptive ANC is strong, call quality is clear, and the multipoint Bluetooth makes switching between devices painless.

But if you're chasing maximum battery life or the absolute best noise cancellation per dollar, there are better options. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 lasts nearly twice as long, and the AirPods Max cancels noise slightly better. The HX is for people who care about how a headphone feels in their hands and on their head, not just how it measures on a spec sheet. For that crowd, it's an easy recommendation.