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 Personal "Can't Live Without" Picks
In 2024 MKBHD publicly named his two desert-island headphones, and they're not the consumer ANC pairs most reviewers expected. His personal picks:
Apple AirPods Max - The AirPods Max is what he reaches for in his daily life. Tight integration with the Apple ecosystem (instant switching between Mac, iPhone, iPad), excellent ANC, and the build quality you'd expect at the price. He's said this is one of his can't-live-without pairs. The original AirPods Max is no longer available on Amazon - the current model is the Apple AirPods Max 2 (USB-C), which is the direct successor.
64 Audio Volür (~$2,499) - These are professional in-ear monitors used by mixing engineers and touring musicians, not consumer headphones. MKBHD has said the Volür are what he uses for video and audio editing - the accurate, neutral sound stage makes them the right tool for hearing exactly what's in his audio. Outside most readers' budgets at $2,499, but they're his pick.
So the truthful answer to "what headphones does MKBHD use" is the AirPods Max for everyday listening and the 64 Audio Volür for editing.
What About Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra?
He's reviewed both of these favorably and they're widely considered the best consumer wireless ANC options - but they're not his personal daily drivers.
Sony WH-1000XM5 (~$279-350) - His review was titled "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back" - he was critical of Sony dropping the compact-folding design from the XM4 generation, but said the noise cancellation and sound quality are class-leading. For most readers shopping for consumer wireless ANC, this is still the pair his review steers you toward.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra (~$429-449) - He's praised the QC Ultra for being the most comfortable wireless headphone on the market and for adding "Immersive Audio" spatial audio. If you wear headphones for 6+ hour stretches, the QC Ultra doesn't create pressure points the way many Sony headphones do.
These are the headphones he recommends to most viewers - not the ones he reaches for personally. That distinction is useful.
What He Uses for Studio Work
For critical listening - checking audio on a video or doing focused editing - casual wireless headphones aren't the right tool. MKBHD uses the 64 Audio Volür IEMs (mentioned above) as one of his main editing tools. The Sony MDR-7506 (~$100) remains the affordable studio monitoring option you'll find in essentially 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 is what the audio actually sounds like, which is exactly what editing requires. Most viewers don't need IEMs at the Volür's price - the MDR-7506 does the same "accurate reference" job for $100.
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 (AirPods Max, Volur IEMs) 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. The XM5 and QC Ultra are what he recommends to viewers in reviews, which is a different thing.
How This Helps You Buy
The interesting thing here is that MKBHD's personal picks and his public recommendations are different - and understanding why is more useful than just copying either list.
His personal picks (AirPods Max + Volür IEMs) reflect his context: deep Apple ecosystem integration plus professional video and audio editing. Most readers don't share both of those.
His public recommendations (Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra) are what he steers general consumers toward in his reviews. Those recommendations still hold up.
Practical framework based on what you actually need:
- Apple ecosystem, $549 budget: Apple AirPods Max - what MKBHD personally uses
- Best consumer wireless ANC: Sony WH-1000XM5 - what he recommends in reviews
- Most comfortable for long sessions: Bose QuietComfort Ultra
- Studio monitoring on a budget: Sony MDR-7506
- Professional audio editing: 64 Audio Volür (high-end IEMs, not for general use)
The Full Headphone Comparison at Each Level
| Budget | Best Pick | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Under $80 | Sony WH-CH720N | Basic ANC, decent sound, lightweight |
| $100 (wired, studio) | Sony MDR-7506 | Reference monitoring, industry standard |
| $100-150 | Anker Soundcore Q45 | Good ANC, comfortable, solid sound |
| $200-250 | Sony WH-1000XM4 | Previous gen XM, still excellent, often discounted |
| $280-350 | Sony WH-1000XM5 | Best consumer ANC + sound at this price |
| $429-449 | Bose QuietComfort Ultra | Best comfort, spatial audio |
| $549 | Apple AirPods Max 2 | Current successor to what MKBHD personally uses, Apple ecosystem |
| $2,499 | 64 Audio Volür | Pro editing IEMs (MKBHD's editing pick) |
The Honest Take
If you can spend $280-350 and want the consumer wireless pair most audio reviewers put at the top of the ANC category, buy the Sony WH-1000XM5. This is the pair MKBHD recommends to general viewers in his reviews.
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 at this price.
If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem and have the budget, the Apple AirPods Max 2 is the current successor to what MKBHD personally uses (the original AirPods Max isn't on Amazon anymore) - seamless switching with iPhone, iPad and Mac.
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. What MKBHD personally uses (AirPods Max, 64 Audio Volür) is shaped by his Apple ecosystem and professional editing work. What he recommends to most viewers (XM5, QC Ultra) is what most readers should actually consider buying.