The Best Wireless Headphones in Canada

In our previous iteration of this article, the Sony WH1000XM3 was a top pick of ours. Now, several years later, Sony’s latest in the WM1000XM5 only improves upon what we liked about the previous version of headphones. Released earlier in 2022, these headphones are out top pick in our revision of this article.

The Sony WH1000XM5 scores strong across the board in terms of audio, noise-cancelling, and accessibility. In general, the WH1000XM5 is a great sounding headphones, with strong bass performance. The noise canceling is really strong with these headphones, with the design filtering a good portion of sound before you turn on the ANC. The active noise cancelation is some of the best available, able to isolate mid and treble frequencies, reducing chatter and other office related background sound. However, these don’t block low-end frequencies as much as some other ANC headphones.

The strong noise cancellation, combined with four beamforming microphones for strong call quality makes these strong for work. Otherwise, the controls aid productivity greatly. The WH1000XM5’s speak-to-chat mode allows you to use your voice to control, and touch-sensitive surface on the right-side cup, and physical buttons on the left-side cup, which can be customized to a limited extend via the companion app.

The tech specifications of the Sony WH1000XM5 offer flexibility and dependability of use. The wireless connection is powered by Bluetooth. With a 27-hour continuous battery life, these headphones are long-lasting, and can get through a few days before you need to charge. Using the USB-PD compatible AC adapter, you can get 3 hours of charging time in just 3 minutes.

The WM1000XM5 features a similar design to previous iterations but is ultimately lighter and sleeker than those prior versions. The feel on your head is stable, although some users noted that they were not stable enough for them to use these headphones for exercising. Made from recycled-ABS plastic and plant-based materials, we appreciate this ecological consideration made by Sony’s design team. The WH1000XM5 has a snug yet comfortable fit for most people, so it’s great to wear on outside the house or when you are exercising. One change in the design is that the design does not fold, so they cannot pack down as small as the XM3 or XM4 could.

While the Air Pods have been around for a long time with a few iterations, the 2^nd generation of Apple’s innovative Bluetooth earbuds stand out as some of the best. For when you are on the go, the Airpods stand strong, especially for Apple users, with some of the best noise cancelling available in an earbud.

The AirPods Pro offer impressively strong sound and noise cancellation, and the best among other earbuds we researched. Inside each pod is Apple’s H1 headphone chip, which powers all the different capabilities inside, including optical sensors, motion & speech-detecting accelerometers, and more. In terms of sound, both high- and low- end possess cleanliness and clarity. The AirPod’s Adaptive Transparency feature blocks distracting chatter from the world around you, while sound from outside is not filtered out – letting you to hear people speaking to you while blocking surrounding conversations. However, no adjustable EQ means you cannot tune the sound profile to your liking.

Like all Apple products, the 2^nd generation Air Pods are incredibly synergistic with any Apple products you may have. Set-up with your iPhone or tablet is fast. With Audio Sharing, you can share audio between two sets of AirPods, so you can watch a TV show or enjoy a song with another AirPods user.

Use of your Airpods is so convenient, that some of the controls are even automized: taking an AirPod out of your ear stops any playing audio. They are also responsive to a variety of touch controls: swiping can control the volume, pressing the touch panel lets you answer or end calls, and holding the touch panel lets you switxh between listening modes. Siri otherwise makes other control options completely hands free.

Talking about the physical properties of the design, these headphones offer some decent features. The battery life of these AirPods is only 6-hours with Active Noise cancellation on, but when we consider the MagSafe Charging Case, the lifespan jumps up to 30 hours of playtime including ANC. These earbuds are only protected by an IPX4 waterproof rating, which means protection from light splashes only. Out of the box, the AirPod Pro 2 comes with 4 different ear-tip sizes, so you can find the perfect fit for your ears.

Overall, if you want earbuds that can do all the tasks the modern headphone can, the AirPods Pro are the best choice. Strong ANC, clear audio, the ability to make and take calls are all awesome – but with a small stature with a charging case.

For those in the Samsung ecosystem, these buds give you everything you need in a small, earbud-shaped package. While they are not as fully featured as some of the headphones on this list, these work good, and great with your Samsung device.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro improves on many aspects of the earbud from the past iteration. For starters, the sound is solid, as Samsung partnered with AKG for the development of headphones. The audio profile sounds good, with the mids turned down and the highs boosted, for clear audio quality albeit some higher-pitched instruments might become more dominant in the mix than they’re supposed to be. Where the Galaxy Buds 2 really improve on their predecessor is the active noise cancelling, which is surprisingly really good, especially for the smaller stature of these earbuds.

While we considered headphones as personal listening devices you can make calls on and use realistically for both work and play, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 are not ideally suited for the former. This is in-part due to the limited controls, and in-part due to the lesser-quality phone quality. One button is customizable, and the touch + hold command on each earbud is semi-customizable, as you can choose different options for the set, but not each earbud. These options make sense for their purposes (Play/Pause, Volume Up/Volume Down) but robs you of some agency when setting up your headphone’s settings. In terms of the audio response if you want to use these earbuds for calls, these buds pick up your voice, but do extenuate other aspects, like those sibilant s’s . Not ideal, especially for professional use.

Included with these earbuds are three sizes of silicone ear tips are included: 11mm, 13mm, 15mm. For users who struggle getting certain buds to fit, having different sizes available is a requirement. The fit is secure enough to make it a great exercise earbud, while still being strongly comfortable. Stabilizers and hooks would only further boost these aspects, but are absent on the Buds2 Pro. At least the IPX7 rating means you do not need to worry about water or sweat disrupting your headphones.

With more tech companies branching out, they all are pushing you into their ecosystem of products. Samsung is no different, unfortunately this is not as strong a push as it is to stay within ecosystem as it is to stay within Apple’s.  One example of how this synergy is implemented is though compatibility with the Galaxy Wearables app. However, upon connecting the two, the number of non-optional data permissions it asks for is disappointing. If you care about data privacy, generally Samsung is a company I would advise you to stay far away from.

In the app, you do have some options available:  EQ presets (not customizable), the ability to change your settings, and turn on modes like Ambient sound mode so you don’t hear your voice talking during your calls.

The battery life is unfortunate, lasting just under 5 hours of charge with ANC on. Depending on your commute, one charge might not even cover your journey to work and back.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro are the top choice if you have a Samsung phone to get the most out of them with. Their own Codec, advanced options, and synergy with their app make it great for those loyal to the company. Beyond this, they are decent headphones. However, there’s more than a few things that would make myself pause before ordering a set, and I currently have a Samsung phone. The data permission options that are anything but, the battery performance, and the microphone for calls, are three examples of this.

Looking for a pair of headphones to take with you on your next run? Or maybe you want a pair of wireless headphones that’s sure to stay in on your next bike ride. These Jaybird Vista wireless headphones may be the best wireless headphones for cycling, running and even other sports. 

Let’s take a look at their IPX rating – these wireless headphones have an IPX rating of IPX7, which makes them waterproof – you should be able to take a run or a bike ride in the rain or snow no problem. Plus, you won’t have to worry about your sweat damaging your earphones. Incidentally, these headphones would also technically be able to survive being dropped into 1 meter of water for less than 30 minutes. You should note that the charging case that comes with these wireless headphones isn’t waterproof, so you should do your best to avoid getting the charging case damp. 

If you happen to lose your headphones, you can use the Jaybird App to locate where they are. You can also control audio settings through the app – for example, you can control how much bass you want to hear. 

If you struggle to find headphones that fit your ears, you might find a good fit here – these wireless headphones come with three different sizes of interchangeable ear gels so you can ensure that your headphones won’t fall out of your ears.

The battery life on these is in between average and a little above average – on a full charge, they will last you six hours. If you’ve forgotten to charge your headphones and you’re in a hurry, that won’t be a problem with these earbuds – just five minutes of charging will get you an hour of playtime. That’s enough for a quick morning run. 

Overall, people are pretty satisfied with these headphones – many reviewers on Amazon note that these earbuds fit comfortably and don’t fall out while you’re running. However, the Jaybird Vista doesn’t come with active noise cancellation, so you might still hear your surroundings if you’re in a particularly noisy environment. 

I’m biased: I am a Sennheiser fanboy. Their headphones just deliver great sound. For under $150, these Sennheiser headphones are a great pick without spending too much.

These Sennheiser headphones are designed for music listening but make the sacrifice of excluding ANC for a cheaper overall price. Users of these headphones did complement these headphones for having more than enough passive noise cancelling to make up for it. Users complemented various aspects of the sound, including the strong bass response of these headphones.

Despite the lack of ANC, these Sennheiser headphones are still solidly suited for office use if your workplace is on the quiet side. The built-in microphone gives you the ability to make calls with these headphones on. Unfortunately, you cannot turn off listening to your voice in calls, which some do not like.

The Sennheiser HD 350BT has a 30-hour battery life, which should last you plenty of time between charges. Since you can fast-charge these headphones with USB-C connection, these headphones are great for people on the go. The wireless connection is primarily powered by Bluetooth 5.0, which offers some of the strongest connections available. With Virtual assistant access – including Google Assistant and Siri – you can control your media hands free. You can also connect to the Sennheiser Smart Control app, which grants access to a custom EQ module, headphone controls, and the ability to update your firmware.

Vinyl cushions make these headphones feel more luxurious than what they are worth. These headphones sit light on your head, so they are comfortable for hours straight. These headphones fold in on themselves so they are easier to pack and bring along with you.

Overall, users like a lot about these mid-priced headphones. The battery life and charging, the sound quality and custom EQ options, the connectivity and feel were all complimented in user reviews. While the phone call quality and lack of ANC will eliminate these headphones from some user’s consideration, we do like that these headphones offer a strong featureset and good audio at a price that is half some of the higher-end performers.

The Skullcandy Hesh headphones are a strong contender for the best headphones with an MSRP below $100. These headphones are comfortable, long-lasting, and play bumping sound. That being said, there are concessions with these savings, which we are here to note.

The Skullcandy Hesh headphones are designed with modern music in mind, with a sound profile that boosts the bass frequencies to bolster those 808 basslines, and boosts the higher frequencies that extenuate leads and synth. However, there is no EQ options to fine tune the audio profile. Concessions.

There is a microphone built-in to make calls. Skullcandy names “Sound Isolating” in this product title, which is debatable. There is no active noise cancelling features, and whatever passive noise blocking these headphones have is minimal. This limits the functionality of these headphones in terms of workplace use and talking on the phone with them. Again, concessions.

One of the strongest aspects of the Skullcandy Hesh is the battery life, capable of 44 hours of continuous playback. For when you are on the go, the Hesh have a rapid charge for 3 hours of playtime after just 10 minutes of charging.

While these fair for light listening and maybe occasional office use, the Bluetooth connection of these headphones are too low latency to really use optimally for gaming for gaming unfortunately.

At less than 100 dollars for the base price, these headphones have a lot of concessions to be so inexpensive. However, once you get over said concessions, you will find these still offer a lot. They are comfortable, sound decent, and have a long-lasting battery. If you can get these on-sale, they are a great bargain gift too!

The best of the cheapest, the JBL Tune 500BT is a well-received pair of earbuds that has a MSRP below $50 CAD. While you are not getting ANC or any other bells and whistles, it has what you need for a functional headphone.

Across most musical genres, the 500BT delivers decent audio quality with big bass and clear mid-range responses, but a wimpy high-end. If these headphones sound thin to you, this is why. However, I really appreciate that inside the app, you can access a parametric EQ to alter the sound profile to your liking. There are headphones that are between six to eight times more expensive that do not offer this feature.

Another feature we like these headphones for is their long battery life, lasting 30 hours of continuous playback.

Other than that, there’s not too much that’s notable about these headphones. They seem to  fit okay, despite the headphones being on the smaller side. But hey, they are cheap!

Anyone with kids knows that, inevitably, a lot of their stuff gets damaged or destroyed. If you need a pair of headphones that are durable but also won’t hurt your wallet too much, these PowerLocus headphones might be worth considering.  Unlike clothes, your kid probably won’t outgrow these earphones – they’re stretchable so you can adjust them to fit as needed. 

The music playtime for these headphones is about 11 hours – less than some other over-the-ear headphones but still more than enough to last a car ride. As with most other over-ear earphones, these come with an audio cable so that you can still listen to music even if you run out of power. 

Something unique about this set of headphones is that you can insert an SD card into them and directly play audio from the SD card. If you’ve never been exactly thrilled about having your toddler’s playlist on your phone, this is a good way to get around that. 

These are obviously not going to be the same quality as some of the other pricey headphones available. However, they’re decent enough for casual listeners or for distracting your kid with a movie on a long flight. 

Many people love Bose products for their quality audio. Combine this legacy with some of the best active noise cancelling on the market, and you get the Bose 700. For a high-end headphone, these are hard to beat.

Bose is renown for its Hi-Fi sound quality, and these headphones deliver in this front. Where these headphones also excel is noise cancelling. The Bose 700 has 11 settings offering different levels of noise cancelling for whenever you need to hear more of your surroundings (like when walking downtown) or less of them (like when you are trying to get down to work). With it’s top of the line noise cancelling, the Bose 700 headphones can be a great workplace tool. For high-quality calls, it has an eight-microphone array on the headband that picks up your voice and isolates it from surrounding sound allow you to focus on your calls. Paired with certain noise cancelling modes like Transparency Mode are great on calls too.

Controlling the features of these headphones is simple and intuitive. Only three buttons keeps the layout simple, with touch-control panel in the right ear controlled by swipes: up and down for volume, forward to skip a track and double-tap to play/pause or answer/end calls. All you need to do to access your voice assistant is press a button – and instantly you are greeted with the listening ears of assistants like Google Assistant and Siri. Finally, accessing the Bose Music App allows finer control than previously available, although surprisingly no EQ pre-sets are available.

The adjustable fit, combined with a comfortable headband makes the 700 pass the comfort test in flying colours. Overall, the Bose 700 headphones are unique and worthwhile due to the nuanced noise cancellation adjustments and controls that you can make. However, a few reviewers on Amazon found that connecting to the Bose Music app was difficult and buggy, which is something to think about since the app is integral for controlling this headphone’s settings.

Do you want a comfortable set of wireless headphones to use during your Netflix binges? The Beats Solo3 wireless headphones may be an option worth considering. With a battery life of up to 40 hours, these headphones will be able to survive a weekend Netflix binge without a problem. They also have a relatively fast quick-charge time that gives you a higher than average amount of playtime – 5 minutes of quick charging will get you 3 hours of listening time.

It also doesn’t hurt that they come in a variety of colours – most other earbuds or headphones come in black or white only.

Both critical and positive reviews on Amazon agree that the sound quality is amazing. A couple of downsides that some people have found are that these headphones won’t work well in cold temperatures and that their carrying case forces you to bend these headphones in a way that might damage them just so they fit in the case.

If you’ll be only using these indoors, the aforementioned downsides are negligible – you could just leave them out in your house or store them in a larger case or bag.

No one likes a voice call where you can barely hear the other person because of all the random noises happening around them. The Jabra Elite 75T wireless earbuds feature 4-microphone call technology so that any random noises around you are filtered out, whether they’re from wind or crowds of people. 

As far as battery life goes, one charge will get you about 7.5 hours of listening time. A 15–minute quick charge will give you an hour of listening time. 

Another nice feature about these earphones is that they’re IP55 rated, meaning they’re water and dust resistant. It’s always nice knowing that an unexpected shower won’t ruin your headphones. 

When it comes to sound quality, most reviewers on Amazon are satisfied with it -if you don’t like the sound settings that it comes with automatically, you can always change the EQ settings via the app. 

If you’re not the type of person to carry around a bag to hold your stuff, you’ll like that these earphones don’t have a huge bulky charging case – the case and earphones will fit right into your pocket without a hassle. 

Overall, the Jabra Elite 75T wireless earbuds are a solid option for anyone who wants earbuds with a solid microphone as well as decent water and dust resistance.