The most comfortable headphones: How Bose, Sennheiser, Beats, more compare

Read Mashable's full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) headphones.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) headphones are for the non-stop music listener who prioritizes comfort and wants excellent all-around performance. Fantastic sound paired with long battery life (up to 30 hours) and unbeatable ANC make up the perfect pair for all-day wear. 

In hindsight, maybe we shouldn't have been surprised that this second-gen release would be our top pick. Comfort is literally in the name. Still, we can't get over just how great these things feel to wear. As soon as we put them on, we were immediately impressed with the fit. The cushions are soft and plush, and the adjustable headband always stays in place when changing length. They never felt too tight, although at some points they would become a bit loose if we turned our head too quickly (not a dealbreaker by any means). A lot of headphones advertise "all-day comfort" as a feature, but rarely is that literally true. With the QC Ultra, we wore them throughout an entire workday and felt zero soreness. 

At $449 (a $30 increase from the previous version), you need to be offering something more than comfort to justify the purchase. Thankfully, these headphones sound incredible, too. The sound quality is comparable to other premium-level headphones, delivering robust low, mid, and high tones for music and crystal-clear speaking voices when listening to podcasts or taking phone calls. It's not the absolute best audio experience we've ever had, but it still sits amongst the greats. 

The QC Ultras (Gen 2) have four different listening modes: Quiet, Immersion, Aware, and Cinema. Quiet is Bose’s ANC mode that works exceptionally well; it did a remarkable job of keeping us focused and blocking out distractions. Immersion mode keeps ANC on and swaps over to a spatial audio experience compared to Quiet mode's stereo style. We didn't notice too much of a difference between the two. However, Immersion mode sounded slightly fuller. Aware mode lets in some outside noise, so you're not completely sealed in. Cinematic mode makes its debut and is forgettable (all it does is increase the volume of special effects).

We also love the uptick in battery life when using Quiet mode. Other notables include strong connectivity with multipoint pairing and portability, with the cans folding up and fitting into a nifty carrying case.

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If you want a similar vibe to the Bose QuietComfort Ultras, but don't want to spend over $400, the Anker Soundcore Space One headphones are a great budget alternative. These cans offer comparable features like ANC, an intuitive companion app, a long battery life, and of course, a comfortable form factor that you can wear for long listening sessions.

We can best describe the Anker Soundcore Space One headphones as a budget version of the Bose QuietComfort Ultras. They boast a lot of similar features for a fraction of the price of the Bose model (even though they may not be up to the same sound quality). In terms of comfort, the Space Ones are wonderful, especially at this price point. We had no issues wearing them all day — the earcups and headband are super soft, and both are endlessly adjustable, so you can fit them to your noggin just right. The rotatable earcups also allow you to fold the headphones so they fit in the included carrying bag, although it was a tight squeeze. Still, we appreciate portability.

Sound quality is really good for the price. Even though these are a "budget" pair of headphones, they certainly don't sound that way. Audio is very balanced overall, with the one sticking point being the high tones — they can sound a bit tinny. They don't feel like budget headphones, however. The materials aren't premium, but they definitely aren't the cheap, plastic-like stuff you'd expect to find with a more inexpensive pair of headphones. Battery life is solid at around 35 to 40 hours with ANC active, and we never had any issues pairing them via Bluetooth.

The Anker Soundcore Space Ones come with a surprising amount of extra features for their price. You can switch to Adaptive ANC and transparency modes with on-ear controls or the Soundcore app. The app is home to even more fun perks like HearID, which conducts a quick hearing test in order to create a personalized sound profile, and Easy Chat, which lets you place one hand on the left earcup to switch from ANC to transparency mode for quick conversations.

For $99, the Anker Soundcore Space One headphones are a certified steal. We'd say you get what you pay for, but in this case, we feel you get a bit more than that.

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Read Mashable's full review of the Sonos Ace.

Whether you’re a brand enthusiast or devoted home audio nerd, the Ace headphones offer a surreal indoor listening experience. They work best when paired with a current Sonos soundbar, but their versatile connectivity and wireless audio performance carry over to desktops/laptops, smartphones, and TVs.

No one predicted that Sonos’ first-ever headphones would be this awesome. Not only do they sound superb, but they’re well-crafted and can be worn for hours on end, which speaks to homebodies who want to privately indulge in their music and movie collections.

Sonos employed bespoke foam cushioning on the headband and soft memory foam on the swappable earpads for soothing wearability. This vegan leather doesn’t heat up as quickly as that on other premium headphones. Rounding out the Ace’s sleek design is the chic and durable travel case.

Advanced audio technologies elevate the Ace above many competitors. Their standard sound profile is balanced, detailed, and energetic. Bass is robust, and midrange production is impressive. ANC raises bass levels a smidge; you can feel the low end more on contemporary tracks. Sonos’ noise-cancelling technology serves well for blocking out common indoor distractions. Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive/Lossless codec dynamically scales audio over Bluetooth. Then there’s USB-C lossless audio with compatible devices.

The Ace fit perfectly within the Sonos ecosystem, allowing users to swap sound output from a compatible soundbar to one or two Ace sets of headphones. Dolby Atmos lets you enjoy spatial audio content on select streaming services (e.g., Apple Music, Amazon Music, Netflix).

Some launch issues remain present, such as restricted speaker support and the wonky companion app. The former isn’t a problem if you’re a committed Sonos owner who frequently upgrades their soundbar. Everyone else gets a comfy and terrific-sounding pair of cans that are more attainable than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) and Sony WH-1000XM6.

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Read Mashable's full review of the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2.

Audiophiles with a taste for exquisite craftsmanship and sound. It’s impossible not to fall in love with these deluxe cans when worn… if they're in your budget.

B&W has a knack for making some of the most attractive and elegantly built audio products. The Px8 S2 are exemplary. Premium aesthetics are just a small part of what makes them special.  

These headphones feel like you have two plush pillows pressed against your ears, thanks to the soft Nappa leather that provides plenty of breathability when worn for long stretches. The leather headband doesn’t push down on top of the skull. Furthermore, the Px8 S2 mold nicely around the head for a steady, secure fit.

Would you believe that these headphones sound better than they look? Facts. Detailed, accurate sonics burst out of the 40mm carbon cone driver, which is paired with a newly developed amp. A warm signature means impactful and snappy bass. Mids and highs sound amazing, and the Px8 S2’s detail retrieval is remarkable for emphasizing the best parts of musical arrangements. Lossless audio is available in wired and wireless modes to gain 24-bit /96 kHz high-resolution sound. Powerful ANC doesn’t compromise sound quality.

Other positives worth noting are the long battery life (up to 30 hours per charge) and spot-on controls.

Is it ideal to spend $800 on wireless headphones? No, especially not in these times. However, as the adage goes, you get what you pay for. The Px8 S2 exhibit some of the best design and sound in the wireless audio category, and for some, that’s worth the premium.

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Read Mashable's full review of the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.

Exercisers, leisurely listeners, and travelers. The latest flagship buds from Beats offer the perfect balance of comfort and fit in true wireless form. Battery life and sound quality have also been improved from the previous generation.

The most comfortable wireless earbuds, let alone Apple buds, are not the AirPods Pro 3. That honor is bestowed upon the Powerbeats Pro 2, which also happen to be the best workout buds overall.

Beats’ signature ear hooks were rebuilt from super-light nickel-titanium alloy. The material is extremely flexible and gentler on ear cartilage. In addition, the sound port was redesigned to sit flush on the concha and form a tight seal.

Audio output is where the Powerbeats Pro 2 truly excel. All media sounds engaging and lively, especially music. Deep bass combined with clear highs and resonant mids culminate in vibrant-sounding mixes. Enabling spatial audio raises the low end to get more punch out of workout tracks. 

These buds check off many more boxes. You’re getting up to 10 hours of playtime per charge — 1 hour more than the original Powerbeats Pro — on top of 45 additional hours via the charging case. Compatibility with iOS/macOS and Android devices remains flawless. New fitness features like built-in heart rate monitoring are serviceable when leaving your Apple Watch at home. Clear voice transmission warrants loud and crisp-sounding voice calls.

Not having the latest Apple listening modes is disappointing, though Beats’ transparency mode is highly sufficient for ambient listening. Just don’t expect much from ANC mode; noise neutralization isn’t as effective as it is on the AirPods Pro 3 and Fit Pro.

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If you're a bona fide audiophile who spends a lot of time listening to vinyl records, t