Review on Shure AONIC 50 Black Wireless Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones by Ricky Bedell

Bought Sony WH-1000XM3, Sennheiser Momentum 3 and these Shure headphones to compare and will be returning 2 of them. By far the best sounding are the Shure AONIC 50 headphones (with the exception of the noise cancellation). I've been working from home testing them and there's a two year old running around so it's not quiet. I appreciate the sound quality in every respect. Listened to Tidal Hi-Fi and Spotify wirelessly on my iPhone. I'm sorry it took longer than I expected. so much bass, but you can use the in-app equalizer to get it to the level you want) - BETTER noise reduction (I was surprised at how well the noise reduction works, the best I've heard and there are several adjustable options in the app) - In general, the sound quality is good/excellent depending on the song - Suitable for short-term use, but most uncomfortable in a band. The strap on the top gave me a headache and a slight headache after a day's work. The touch controls on the outside of the right earcup are a fun feature. After about an hour I got used to it. The earcups fold into the headband and can be rotated to lie flat. The hard storage box protects them well and compact for travel. Third place Sennheiser Momentum 3 ($60 more than Sony): More balanced sound quality, which I prefer over the Sony, but fewer differences between instruments. At times some songs sounded dirtier than I would have liked, but overall it sounded great. However, the in-app equalizer is annoying. - The noise cancellation was decent and doesn't come close to the performance of the Sony. - More convenient than Sony. I had no headaches at the end of the day and had to move the riser less often. - No touch controls, there are physical buttons on the edge of the right earcup. Easy to use - Headphones fold into the headband but can't be rotated to fit - Feels more premium than Sony and the leather smells amazing - Really nice feature when you take the phone off your ear to chat with someone speaking, the music will automatically pause and play when it returns to your ear. Even if you put the headphones on your head instead of on your ear, there will be no misfires. It was perfect - The case is softer and not hard, so the least protection in the group - Second place Shure AONIC 50 ($110 more than Sony): - Very balanced sound quality with the most detail in the group. I enjoyed listening to them more than other headphones. Most songs let me pick an instrument and follow it through the song. Songs with heavy bass or songs with lots of treble, it doesn't matter these headphones sound the best. I've never heard a song where the high frequencies screeched enough to make you feel like your throat was being stabbed, which I've actually experienced with other headphones. (I listened to my regular music as well as various headphone test playlists to help you get a feel for every aspect of your headphones. I recommend the What Hi-Fi? playlist on Spotify and Tidal. The song "You 've Got to Have Freedom" by Pharoah Sanders made me feel like it pierces my throat in other headphones, FYI.) One disappointing thing about the equalizer: it can't be used unless you're listening to your personal one Music stored on your phone The equalizer Doesn't work with Spotify or Tidal but after a week of use I still wouldn't bother adjusting the EQ so it's not a problem for me My volume is in the range of However, 50-75% drowned out most of the noise, so that's negligible in my situation.Some reviews on audio sites say they have excellent noise cancellation, but that's not my experience Be aware that your mileage can be very comfortable in that group. No headaches and occasional top strap adjustments, even after a full day's work. The earbuds don't fold (uncomfortably for passengers) but roll up for a slimmer profile. The largest case, but rigid, so excellent protection. Sennheiser quality. Both have more metal than Sony. The leather is also high quality and smells great. - First Place All 3 headphones are good enough to buy and you will love them, especially considering the price difference. I stick with Shure because they sound the best to my ears.