Bluetooth Headphones - Audiophile or So-So?

Have Bluetooth headphones reached a standard where they are a real option for audiophiles? I have a pair of Sennheiser M500s about 5 years old. I pair them with my phone and they sound pretty good. But when I use the optional lead to plug them into a source directly, there is a notable improvement.

I'm thinking of getting some decent headphones for hifi use, and I'd really like a wireless pair for comfort and convenience. I would even sacrifice a small amount of sound quality for this convenience....just not too much. Has the technology reached the stage where they are comparable with wired 'phones, or will there always be a performance hit?

 

It's not the headphones, it's Bluetooth. It's not lossless.

 

I have the Sony 1000XM2 headphones and like them a lot. They have a lot of DSP n them along with noise cancellation that makes things very listenable. If you have an Android phone they use a better Bluetooth codec.

 

I love my Beyerdynamic Aventhos - and there are moments where I think, 'really, this is all I'll ever need' - but I've sunk a lot of money on my wired collection.

 

I think the Sony 100oMX series is the best on the market. But BT is still BT. You're giving up some sound for convenience.

 

There are different codecs supported with Bluetooth, so the quality will also vary based on the codec supported by your headphones and the device.

 

I’m far from being a headphone expert. Anyone is more than welcome to tell me how I’m wrong but my feeling is if you have a nice system in a dedicated space, BT headphones are the wrong choice. They don’t sound as good as hard wired and it is a bummber to throw a blanket over a system you have put a lot of money and effort into. Do it right.

now if you are using your phone as source and listening in a space you otherwise wouldn’t, game on.

 

Get a headphone that sounds good, a wired one.
No sacrifice in sound quality.

Get yourself a portable Bluetooth receiver: The Well-Tempered Computer
This turns any wired one in a portable one

IMHO you have a very flexible solution.