In, on and around the ear: These Bluetooth headphones are test winners

Stiftung Warentest publishes its latest hit parade of the best Bluetooth headphones from wireless plugs to circumaural headset. For the test winners, you have to dig pretty deep into your pocket, only with the earphones a cheaper device prevails.

Bluetooth headphones are becoming more popular, and not just because more and more smartphones no longer have a jack socket. If you want to move, the devices are simply much more practical because no cable can get tangled and there are no noises caused by chafing strings. The selection is now huge, Stiftung Warentest helps with its list of the best, which has been supplemented by 16 current headsets for the latest issue of "test" magazine.

Powerful sound plugs

For the completely wireless earphones (True Wireless), Stiftung Warentest has the JBL Reflect Flow relatively cheap plugs at the top, which you can get from 110 euros. They offer the best sound in their class (1.6) and otherwise performed at least well in every discipline. For this there was an overall grade of 1.7. They received the same quality rating Plantronics Backbeat Pro 5100that cost around 180 euros. They beat the JBL competition in terms of comfort and handling, but the testers didn't find their sound quite as good (1.7).

Third place is occupied by the Sony WF-1000XM3that scored even better in other tests, primarily because of their sound properties. Stiftung Warentest only gave them a 1.9 in this discipline, which is why the true wireless earphones, which cost almost 200 euros, have to be satisfied with an overall grade of 1.8.

Great sound on the ear

With the supra-aural headphone, the Bowers & Wilkins PX5 with the quality rating 1.8 test winner. The examiners rewarded us with a grade of 1.6 for its great sound and the device is quite comfortable for on-ear headphones (2.3). Otherwise, the premium headphones, for which you have to pay at least 250 euros, received almost only good and very good grades. However, because third parties can quickly and involuntarily listen in, there was only a satisfactory rating for the interference (2.6).

Just as elegant and expensive (around 250 euros) is the second-placed Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H8iwho got an overall grade of 2.0. But in terms of sound (1.8), comfort and Bluetooth performance, it cannot quite keep up with the test winner. The third place of the small on-ear competition took the Beats Solo Pro, the product test attested similar small weaknesses as the Beoplay. In terms of sound, the headphones, which cost almost 225 euros, are almost the same (1.9).

Comfortable premier class

The triumphed not only in the premier class of circumaural headphones Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (3rd generation), he is also overall number 1 at Stiftung Warentest. The headphone, which costs 350 euros, owes its quality rating of 1.7 primarily to its excellent sound, for which it was the only test candidate to be rated very good (1.4). In terms of comfort, too, it is ahead with its large leather shells (1.9). Placed just behind the overall winner Bose Noice Canceling Headphones 700 with an overall grade of 1.8. Warentest rated its sound somewhat weaker (1.7), but the headphones are much cheaper than the test winner (250 euros).

With a single note of 1.6, the 260 Euro belongs Bang & Olufsen H4 (2nd generation) to the devices with the best sound. Because the app for the premium headphones is too curious, it was only enough for 3rd place (quality rating 1.9). The Sennheiser are on par PXC 550-II Wireless (250 euros) and the Sony WH-1000XM3 (250 euros), the sound of which the examiners rated 1.8.