My New Microphone Top 5 Best Wireless Headphones Under $200

Wireless headphones offer increased mobility over their wired counterparts and do away with the hassle of tangled cables. These types of headphones have become quite popular, partly due to their ease of use and partly due to manufacturers phasing out headphone jacks.

So perhaps you're looking for a great pair of wireless headphones but don't want to spend a great deal of money. In this article, we'll look at the top 2 wireless headphones that fit within a $200 USD budget.

The Top 2 Best Wireless Headphones Under $200 Are:

Sennheiser HD 450BT
Razer Opus

There are plenty of excellent options at this price cap. The models listed above are the best.

Since we're having a discussion within the context of a price cap, I figure I should leave a link to a related My New Microphone article: Are Expensive Headphones (Or Cheap Headphones) Worth It?

What Makes A Great Wireless Headphone?

Though the term “best” is subjective, we should still list the criteria used to determine what makes a great pair of wireless headphones.

Comfort: this is perhaps the simplest yet most important criterion of any headphone. Though highly subjective, specifications such as weight; contact pressure; earpad shape/material; stiffness, and the overall dimension play a role in comfort. We should also consider the amount of heat that could get trapped around the ears during longer listening sessions.
Battery life: because wireless transmission requires power, wireless headphones will require batteries. The amount of time it takes for the battery to drain from fully charged is an important factor to consider.
Wireless specifications: do the headphones use the Bluetooth protocol or some other type of wireless transmission? Will they be compatible with your current set up? These are questions worth asking.
Frequency response: a great pair of headphones should be able to reproduce the full audible spectrum from 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz with clarity.

Noise cancelling is also an important thing to consider when choosing wireless headphones. Note that passive noise-cancelling ties into the fit of the headphones and whether they are closed-back or not. Active noise cancelling further reduces noise with active feedback/feedforward mic/speaker systems.

With that, let's get into our top 2 best wireless headphones for under $200!

To learn more about wireless headphones before we jump into the best models under $200, please consider reading the following My New Microphone articles:
• How Bluetooth Headphones Work & How To Pair Them To Devices
• How Do Wireless Headphones Work? + Bluetooth & True Wireless

Related articles:

Click here to return to the Recommended Gear Page.

Sennheiser HD 450BT

Sennheiser is one of the most respected and well-known audio equipment manufacturers in the world. Let's discuss the Sennheiser HD 450BT.

| My New Microphone — Sennheiser HD 450BT

The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a circumaural (over-ear) closed-back headphone with Bluetooth 5.0 wireless and active noise-cancellation (ANC) technology. High-quality wireless codec support includes SBC, AAC, AptX and aptX Low Latency.

To learn more about closed-back headphones and active noise cancellation, check out my articles The Complete Guide To Open-Back & Closed-Back Headphones and Passive Vs. Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones, respectively.

The headphones' built-in lithium-polymer battery has an operating time of 30 hours with both music playback via Bluetooth with ANC activated. A depleted battery will take 2 hours to get fully charged via the USB-C charging cable.

In the case that you're not interested in using Bluetooth connectivity, the HD 450BT comes with a 4-pin 3.5mm audio cable for secure and quality wired connectivity.

Each of the headphones in Sennheiser's HD line is crafted with high-quality materials for superior durability and sonic performance. The 450BT combines these traits with excellent wireless connectivity.

The dynamic drivers and closed-back design offer great bass response along with detailed mids and highs. The published frequency response is 18 Hz – 22,000 Hz, which is even beyond the range of human hearing.

For more info on frequency response, check out my article What Is Headphone Frequency Response & What Is A Good Range?

Use the dedicated Sennheiser Smart Control App to tailor the overall response of the headphones to your liking with intuitive EQ control. Update firmware, check on the battery life and even set the headphones to “podcast mode” to increase speed intelligibility for speech-heavy media via this easy-to-use application.

The adjustable headband and earcups make for a compactable and ergonomic design that's easy to carry around and comfortable for extended listening sessions.

The right earcup features a dedicated on-headphone control panel with an on/off button for the headphones, ANC and Bluetooth pairing. It also has controls for volume up, volume down, voice assistant and music/call functionality.

MEMS microphones are incorporated into the headphone for call and voice assistant functionalities.

Key Specifications:

Transducer Type: 32 mm Dynamic
Impedance: no info
Frequency Response: 18 Hz – 22,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 108 dB
IP Rating: no info
Open/Closed-Back: Circumaural/Closed-back
Weight: 238 g
Wireless/Wired: Bluetooth 5.0
Microphone: MEMS|80 Hz to 6,000 Hz (-3 dB)

To learn more about headphone specifications, be sure to read my article Full List: Headphone/Earphone Specifications w/ Examples.

Sennheiser

Sennheiser is featured in My New Microphone's Top 13 Best Headphone Brands In The World.

Razer Opus

Last up is the Razer Opus, a superb option from the gaming peripheral company Razer.

The Razer Opus is a circumaural (over-ear), closed-back THX-certified headphone with Bluetooth 5.0 wireless and advanced active noise-cancellation (ANC) technology. It's an excellent choice for gaming, music, movies and more.

With ANC turned on, the Opus will run for 25 hours on a full battery. Charging happens via the included USB-C cable.

A 4-pin 3.5mm audio cable is included with the Razer Opus, making it easy to go wired or wireless depending on the situation.

To learn more about 3.5mm and 6.35mm headphone plugs/jacks, check out my article The Differences Between 2.5mm, 3.5mm & 6.35mm Headphone Jacks.

In order to become THX-certified, the Razer Opus has gone through tests and optimizations by experts in cinematic audio immersion at THX Ltd. The result of such efforts is a HiFi headphone with a rich, balanced soundstage. At such an affordable price, the Opus is a great option for home theatres, gaming systems and, of course, listening to your favourite music.

The active noise-cancellation circuit utilizes 4 microphones does a great job at nullifying exterior noise. Of course, high-end frequencies and transient noises will still be heard, though the passive isolation combined with ANC will attenuate these sounds.

Plush leatherette memory foam ear cushions keep users' ears comfortable. Well-balanced weight and a snug clamping force offer superb comfort for extended periods of time.

In addition to the 4 mics used in ANC, 2 more are used for communication. This dual-mic system ensures the user's voice is heard clearly by picking up the voice and rejecting external noise.

To complement the opposite of ANC, the Opus features a Quick Attention mode. By holding down the ANC button, the circuit will flip to actually enhance the outside noise rather than attenuate it. This allows listeners to hear their environment with improved clarity without taking the headphones off.

The auto pause and play functionality can start and stop audio automatically as the headphone is taken off of or put back on to the listener's head.

In addition to the on/off and ANC/Ambient buttons, the Opus has volume controls and a multi-function button for calls and voice assistant engagement.

Key Specifications:

Transducer Type: 40 mm Dynamic
Impedance: 12 Ω
Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 105 dB/mW
IP Rating: no info
Open/Closed-Back: Circumaural/Closed-back
Weight: 265g
Wireless/Wired: both
Microphone: MEMS|Omnidirectional|100 Hz – 10 kHz|-38 dBV/Pa (1kHz)

Razer is featured in My New Microphone's Top 13 Best Headset Brands (Gaming, Aviation, Communication).

Honourable Mentions

Here are 5 more superb wireless headphones under $200 that didn't make the top 5 but are still worth checking out:

Former Top Wireless Headphones Under $200 Picks

Here are headphones that used to be on this list and the reasons they are no longer.

Bose QuietComfort 35 II (Discontinued)

The Bose QuietComfort 35 II (discontinued) is one of the most popular wireless headphones on the market.

The Bose QuietComfort 35 II is another circumaural (over-ear) closed-back headphone with Bluetooth 5.0 wireless. It also features Bose's renowned active noise-cancellation (ANC) technology.

With music playback via Bluetooth with ANC activated, the QC 35 II's lithium-ion battery has 20 hours of operation time. Charging is made possible via USB.

The 47.2″ 3.5mm audio cable allows users to switch to a wired connection if need be.

On top of superb wireless connectivity, the Bose QC 35 II is designed with Bose's renowned ANC tech. This adjustable noise cancellation circuit continuously monitors outside noise and cancels it by sending an opposite waveform signal to the drivers. This is how typical ANC works. Bose takes it a step further by providing three levels of ANC to best fit your environment.

The Alcantara cushioning on the headband and plush synthetic protein leather earpads make them durable, impact-resistant frame of the QC 35 II comfortable for extended wear. Once adjusted to the proper fit, the noise cancellation can really take place.

Of course, all this design would be for nothing if these Bose headphones didn't sound great. On top of expertly crafter dynamic drivers, these headphones feature a volume-optimized EQ that delivers clear, balanced audio performance at any volume.

If you're familiar with the Fletcher-Munson curves, you'll know that the ear reacts to different loudness levels with varying responses across the audible frequency spectrum. The Bose QuietComfort 35 II is designed to take this into account and present the same sound at all volumes.

In addition to the mics used for ANC, the QC 35 II has a noise-rejecting dual-microphone system to pick up the user's voice, making calls and voice assistant direction clear and easy.

Use these headphones with the Bose Connect app to unlock their full potential. Personalize your listening experience and level of active noise cancellation. Connect to two Bose headphones at once so you and a friend can listen to the same thing at the same time.

These headphones feature the typical controls such as volume up/down, on/off, pairing, and multi-function (for calls, voice assistant and ANC level).

Key Specifications:

Transducer Type: Dynamic
Impedance: no info
Frequency Response: no info
Sensitivity: no info
IP Rating: IPX4
Open/Closed-Back: Circumaural/Closed-back
Weight: 8.3 oz / 235.31 g
Wireless/Wired: both

AKG N700NC M2 (Discontinued)

AKG makes some excellent and affordable headphones. The AKG N700NC M2 (discontinued) is one such example.

The AKG N700NC M2 is a circumaural (over-ear) closed-back headphone with Bluetooth 4.2 wireless and active noise-cancellation (ANC) technology.

We can even pair two Bluetooth devices at once and intuitively switch between devices.

The polymer lithium-ion battery of the N700NC has a total operating time of 23 hours when Bluetooth and ANC are both activated. Charging is made possible via USB.

Like many great wireless headphones, this pair from AKG has the option to go wired if need be. A new purchase includes a straight audio cable with 3.5mm plugs.

The AKG N700NC M2 brings the studio-quality sound AKG is known for to a wireless on-the-go pair of headphones. The dynamic drivers reproduce audio accurately from bass to treble.

Marketed as “luxuriously comfortable”, the N700NC M2 features soft ear cushions with dual memory foam and a padded adjustable headband for superior comfort over other models in its price class. Extended listening sessions (at appropriate volume levels) are made easy with these comfortable cans and the long battery life.

Like many modern wireless headphones, the N700NC M2 is compatible with an app. The AKG App allows users to adjust bass and treble, turn on the Smart Ambient feature and set up auto-off to save battery life.

The adjustable ANC allows us to control the amount of surrounding noise we let in with the touch of a button. The TalkThru feature drops the music down, allowing us to converse with others without having to remove the headphones.

Key Specifications:

Transducer Type: Dynamic
Impedance: 16 Ω
Frequency Response: no info
Sensitivity: no info
IP Rating: no info
Open/Closed-Back: Circumaural/Closed-back
Weight: 277g
Wireless/Wired: Bluetooth 4.2

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT (Discontinued)

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT (discontinued) is the wireless Bluetooth version of the well-known and respectable ATH-M50x.

mnm 300x300 Audio Technica ATH | My New Microphone — Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT

The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT is a circumaural (over-ear) closed-back headphone with Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology. It has an operating range of 10m (33 ft.).

The lithium polymer rechargeable battery takes a while to charge (about 7 hours to get from 0% to 100%) but boasts a battery life of 40 hours. Charging takes place by connecting the headphone to power via the included USB charging cable.

As mentioned, the Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT is the wireless version of the critically acclaimed Audio-Technica ATH-M50x. A detachable 1.2m audio/controller cable with a built-in microphone effectively turns this headphone into the original wired M50x, only with a microphone!

The superb sound of the ATH-M50xBT is brought forth by the headphone's 45mm large-aperture dynamic drivers, designed with rare-earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils. From 15 Hz to 28,000 Hz, these headphones reproduce clean audio for listeners.

Combine superb sound with wireless technology, and you've got yourself a great pair of cans for busier lifestyles.

Although these headphones do not feature ANC like the others on this list, the closed-back design does provide some amount of passive noise isolation. At the same price point, the M50xBT may very well sound subjectively better than the other 4 on this list in quieter environments.

These Audio-Technica cans feature built-in microphones with on-ear touch controls to engage voice assistants. Use VA and make/take calls with ease when these headphones are paired to your smart device.

In terms of comfort, the circumaural earcups have professional-grade earpads and contour around the ears for a superior fit, allowing listeners longer, more comfortable sessions.

Key Specifications:

Transducer Type: 45 mm with rare earth magnets and copper-clad aluminum wire voice coils
Impedance: 38 Ω
Frequency Response: 15 Hz – 28,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 99 dB
IP Rating: no info
Open/Closed-Back: Circumaural/Closed-back
Weight: 285 g (10 oz), without cable and connector
Wireless/Wired: Bluetooth 5.0
Microphone: Condenser|Omnidirectional|80 – 10,000 Hz|-42 dB (1V/Pa @ 1kHz)

Choosing the right headphones or earphones for your applications and budget can be a challenging task. For this reason, I've created My New Microphone's Comprehensive Headphones/Earphones Buyer's Guide. Check it out for help in determining your next headphones/earphones purchase.

Other Top Headphones/Earphones Articles

Top 2 Best Wireless Headphones Under $200 Of 2024

The Top 2 Best Wireless Headphones Under $200 Are:

What Makes A Great Wireless Headphone?