Bluetooth headphones review 2022

Over-ear, in-ear, for sports, with active noise canceling or without – GIGA audio expert Stefan presents his selection of the best headphone models with a wireless connection via Bluetooth.

Bluetooth headphones 2022: All test winners and recommendations at a glance

Buy Bluetooth headphones: the most important questions

What does sound quality mean?

Over sound a lot is written and discussed, also here at GIGA. Nevertheless, one must be aware that it is a individual sensory perception acts. One listener likes a neutral sound (straight frequency response), another finds it sterile and boring. A classical music fan has different requirements from a headphone than someone who likes tech house. The trend is that high-quality headphones are particularly good at mastering all the different challenges and a kind All-round tool to be. Bad-sounding headphones, on the other hand, can hardly be saved even with software equalizers via app.

Why is the seat so important?

Headphones are something that you wear directly on your body (“wearable”). That means a good fit crucial is. In order to avoid expensive bad purchases and annoying returns, you should try out the model you want yourself beforehand – whether it’s on loan from a friend or in a shop (where, to be fair, you can buy the right item right away).

With in-ear models, it depends on the silicone fittings whether the fit in the ear canal is correct. Only good insulation ensures a rich sound: If the housing is too loose in the ears, the bass will be lost. If they are too tight, this leads to an uncomfortable feeling of pressure and even pain within minutes. Flexible memory foam adapters are recommended. When handling in-ears, you should also pay attention to hygiene (clean hands) – after all, you put an object near your eardrum.

Are Bluetooth headphones harmful to health?

On the subject of health, there are also isolated concerns about the radiation exposurethat emanates through Bluetooth devices. Although the electromagnetic fields can be clearly measured, they are not that easy to interpret even for scientists. “According to the current state of knowledge (…) the high-frequency radiation generated by Bluetooth networks is too weak to (…) trigger acute health effects,” says das Fact sheet from the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (PDF). The German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) generally recommends minimizing radiation exposure in order to keep possible but “unrecognized health risks” low (Info sheet as PDF). Further information can be found in the GIGA article: “Is Bluetooth harmful or harmless? Easily explained.”

Bluetooth Multipoint: Why is it important when using multiple players?

Wireless headphones with multipoint support stay connected to multiple paired devices at the same time. This means that you can easily switch between different players (e.g. smartphone, tablet) when playing music without having to pair them again each time.

What about mobile apps and what about privacy?

In principle, anyone who buys modern Bluetooth headphones not only pays for the headphones themselves (hardware), but also for the firmware and app that goes with it (software). Some headphones can be used without smartphone app not use it to its full extent – that then comes into focus when you start using the app Log in must create, on the turn data collected and transferred to the manufacturer. Anyone who attaches great importance to data protection should take this aspect into account and find out beforehand how the manufacturer has imagined the use.

Noise canceling (ANC) in headphones: what does the technology do?

The topic noise cancelling has been penetrating consumers more and more in recent years. The active reduction of external noise through anti-noise can actually ensure a pleasant rest, in particular by blocking out low-frequency and monotonous sources of interference (engine hum, air conditioning noise). But you should be aware that some advertising promises made by manufacturers exaggerated is. Even the best ANC headphones cannot achieve absolute silence like in an anechoic room, which is technically not (yet) feasible. However, it is audibly more pleasant to enjoy music on air or train journeys. Occasionally, users also ask themselves whether noise canceling is harmful to their health: the answer is no, as an ENT expert from the University of Dresden confirmed to us on request.

The best Bluetooth headphones: this is how we tested and selected them

How we test at GIGA and why you trust our judgement we have explained here:

I’ve been passionate about headphones for over 20 years, and I’ve tried almost all of the Bluetooth headphones discussed here extensively myself. For some of the products you will also find detailed test reports on GIGA, which are linked to the respective model. The test samples were made available to us by the manufacturers. Current and popular headphone models are also presented here, which have received special praise from the press and customers and are therefore recommended for purchase.