Marques Brownlee — MKBHD — has reviewed more headphones than most people will ever own. He's been doing tech reviews on YouTube since 2009, and headphones have been a consistent part of his coverage.
But there's a difference between headphones he reviews for a video and headphones he actually uses. Here's what he actually reaches for.
His Daily Wireless Headphones
MKBHD has been open about his headphone preferences across podcasts, videos, and social posts. His main wireless headphones are:
Sony WH-1000XM5 (~$279-350) — He's consistently praised the XM5 for its class-leading noise cancellation and sound quality balance. The XM5 folds flat (unlike the XM4 which folded smaller), has improved mics for calls, and sounds genuinely excellent for the price. It's his most recommended pair for general use.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (~$349) — The Bose QC Ultra added "Immersive Audio" spatial audio to what was already the most comfortable wireless headphone on the market. MKBHD has said Bose wins on comfort — if you wear headphones for 6+ hour stretches, the QC Ultra doesn't create pressure points the way many Sony headphones do.
He goes back and forth between these two depending on what he's doing. The XM5 when he wants the best ANC and sound quality. The QC Ultra when he's going to be wearing them for a long session.
What He Uses for Studio Work
For critical listening — when he's checking audio on a video or doing focused editing work — casual wireless headphones aren't the right tool. For monitoring, he uses something like the Sony MDR-7506 (~$100), which is the standard studio monitoring headphone that you'll find in every professional recording setup.
The MDR-7506 isn't exciting. It doesn't have ANC. It's wired. But it's accurate — what you hear on them is what the audio actually sounds like, which is exactly what you need for editing.
The "Currently Reviewing" Factor
One thing that makes MKBHD's setup unique: he's always wearing something new. He reviews 30+ pairs of headphones per year, so at any given time he might be testing Jabra, Sennheiser, Apple AirPods Max, or something unreleased.
His personal daily drivers (XM5, QC Ultra) are what he returns to when he doesn't have a review unit to test. That's the tell — what do you reach for when you're not required to use anything specific.
How This Helps You Buy
The most useful thing about following what MKBHD uses isn't copying his exact picks — it's understanding his decision framework:
- Sony WH-1000XM5 if sound quality and ANC are your priority
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra if all-day comfort is more important
- Wired monitoring headphones for serious audio work
These aren't the only good options. But if you're looking for a shortcut, the fact that someone who has tested essentially every headphone on the market still comes back to these two is meaningful signal.
The Full Headphone Comparison at Each Level
| Budget | Best Pick | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Under $80 | Sony WH-CH720N | Basic ANC, decent sound, lightweight |
| $100-150 | Anker Soundcore Q45 | Good ANC, comfortable, solid sound |
| $180-220 | Sony WH-1000XM4 | Previous gen XM, still excellent, often discounted |
| $280-350 | Sony WH-1000XM5 | Best ANC + sound at this price |
| $350 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra | Best comfort, spatial audio, premium Bose build |
| $100 (wired, studio) | Sony MDR-7506 | Reference monitoring, industry standard |
The Honest Take
If you can spend $280-350, buy the Sony WH-1000XM5. This is the pick MKBHD comes back to most often, and it's the pair most audio reviewers put at the top of the consumer ANC category.
If you wear headphones all day long and comfort matters more than squeezing out the last bit of sound quality, go Bose QuietComfort Ultra. The pressure-free fit is genuinely different from anything else.
If you need studio monitoring headphones, the Sony MDR-7506 is what professionals use and there's no reason to argue with that at $100.
Don't overthink it beyond these options. MKBHD has tried essentially everything and he comes back to the Sony and Bose. That's probably enough information to make the decision.