The 6 Best Bass Headphones - Summer 2020
Reviews

The best bass wireless headphones we’ve tested so far are the Sony WH-1000XM3. These popular headphones are well-known for having one of the best noise cancelling features currently available, but their bass-heavy sound profile makes them suitable for fans of thump and rumble as well. These Bluetooth over-ears and very comfortable and have a premium and well-built design. Their touch-sensitive controls are easy to use and give you a lot of functionality, and they have a 27-hour battery that should help get you through almost an entire workweek.

While their default sound profile has a good amount of extra bass, it isn't overpowering and won't come across as muddy or dark, making them excellent for bass-heavy music that still has an emphasis on vocals. Despite being quite large, their frequency response consistency is still great, so everyone should experience their bass very similarly. If you want to change their sound to give you even more bass, these headphones are compatible with the excellent Sony | Headphones Connect app which gives you access to a graphic EQ as well as presets.

Unfortunately, as these are very premium headphones with one of the best-developed ANC features on the market, they can be quite expensive. Their touch-sensitive control also may not be for everyone, as it doesn't work properly in cold climates. Overall, these are an impressive pair of headphones for many uses that are versatile enough for almost anything you can throw at them, making them one of the best pairs of headphones currently available.

The Skullcandy Crusher Wireless 2016 are the best headphones with powerful bass that we've tested so far. These Bluetooth over-ear headphones feature a unique design with a bass-slider to enhance their already overemphasized low-frequency delivery; with their slider cranked up to its highest setting, you’ll feel like you just stepped into the world’s largest sub-woofer convention.

On the outside, these headphones feature a fairly premium, understated look, with a sturdy-feeling metal headband and dense plastic ear cups. They also offer a fairly comprehensive control scheme, with physical buttons for track skipping, call/music, and volume, not to mention the aforementioned bass slider on the left ear cup. An outstanding 36-hour continuous battery life means that they’ll last several days on a single charge, and the included TRRS cable means that they can be used as wired headphones if you forget to charge them up.

On the downside, they aren’t especially comfortable, with small ear cups and an overly tight headband. They also let in quite a bit of background noise and are a little bulky, so they might not be the best choice for travel. Still, if you demand skull-rattling bass above all else, it's hard to do better than these.

The best bass headphones with an earbud design that we've tested to date are the Jabra Elite Active 75t. These truly wireless in-ears are quite comfortable thanks to their small earbuds that don't put too much pressure on the inner ear. They have good physical controls that are decently easy to use, and look and feel premium and well-built. Their 6.5-hour battery life is decent for truly wireless headphones, and they have an auto-off timer to help you conserve battery.

Their default sound profile packs a good amount of thump and rumble but is well-balanced enough that vocals and instruments won't get drowned out. If you want to add even more bass, their dedicated companion app gives you access to a graphic EQ and presets, so you can customize their sound to match your taste. While they lack active noise cancellation like some other options, they still do a good job of blocking out background chatter, making them helpful to keep you concentrated at work.

These headphones are a good choice to take to the gym as well thanks to their stable fit and IP57 rating for dust, sweat, and water resistance, though this isn't something we test for. If you aren't planning on using your headphones for working out, you can also check out the slightly cheaper Jabra Elite 75t Truly Wireless that are basically identical but with a slightly lower IP55 rating.

The best bass headphones in the budget category that we’ve tested so far are the Anker SoundBuds Curve Upgraded 2019. These inexpensive in-ear headphones feature a more premium appearance than their price would suggest. They’re a great choice for working out thanks to their lightweight plastic construction, very stable ear-hook design, and IPX7 rating for sweat and water resistance, though that isn't something we test for.

Their over-emphasized (although very even) bass delivery should please fans of EDM and hip-hop without being too overpowering for genres like rock. Their 18.4-hour continuous battery life is also the longest we've tested on a pair of wireless in-ears and they leak very little audio, making them a decent choice for long days at the office.

Unfortunately, while the earbuds and ear-hooks themselves are made of dense plastic, their cable is quite thin and seems a little more fragile. Their microphone is also only mediocre at isolating your voice from background chatter, so they’re not the best choice if you make frequent phone calls in noisy environments. Still, they offer an excellent bass-per-dollar ratio and are among the best headphones we’ve tested to date.