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A talented lineup of classy wireless cans go head to head in our group test - but which pair will truly top the bill on the premium headphone stage?

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It's fair to say that not much good came out of 2020. But still, that year did at least herald a significant development in the world of head-fi: the launch of Apple's AirPods Max.

Seen as pricey at the time, but undeniably proving worth the money, these luxurious over- ears opened the gates for rivals to join them in the new premium headphones category.

Five years on and we have seen such hi-fi stalwarts as Bowers & Wilkins, Sony, Bose and Dali enter the fray. The AirPods Max themselves have had a minor upgrade in 2024, but their sound quality remains consistently high and, for Apple fans especially, they remain the benchmark at their kind of money.

For this group test, we have rounded up four potential rivals to the Max - the latest models of undeniably premium headphones from the aforementioned brands. These are all five-star pairs, which we heartily recommend. Which pair is right for you, though, is another matter.

That's why we have dug deep into their relative build quality, feature sets and, most importantly, audio performance, so that you can make a more informed choice if you're thinking of taking the plunge with what is, after all, a fair sum of money.

At this level, expect sound quality to be exceptional, though differences in sonic approaches may ultimately sway you one way or another. Build quality is expectedly high, too, while comfort is paramount for the long listening sessions you may be planning, either at home or while travelling or commuting.

Active noise cancelling and call quality are of a superb standard at this level, but different approaches, from Bose’s ‘vacuum’ of sound to Apple's more natural delivery of the technology, will be down to personal preference.