I test headphones for a living; these are the only Black Friday over-ear headphones I'm recommending to friends

Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 and Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, on TR's Black Friday poster
(Image credit: Cambridge Audio, Sennheiser)

We're just hours until the big day proper now, and I'm seeing Black Friday deals further discounted left right and center. If you want a great saving on a pair of top-class over-ear headphones, I'm here to separate the wheat from the chaff. My pick of the best includes the Sony WH-1000XM4 for $198 at Amazon, and my favorite, the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 for $239 at Amazon.

I've tested some of the best headphones in the business, and within this list, you'll only find models I love. I won't direct you to anything else – why would I? It doesn't matter if the deal is 58% off if I wouldn't listen to my music on them. If you do want to browse more models, though, you can browse all Black Friday headphones deals at Amazon at that link.

Considering a speaker instead – or even a set of earbuds? I've got a best Black Friday Bluetooth speaker deals page and a best Black Friday earbuds deals roundup. If, however, you want a great set of 'don't talk to me' cans to take you through into 2025, I'd strongly advise a pair of the ones I've listed below.

The 5 best Black Friday headphones deals

Sony  WH-1000XM4
Sony WH-1000XM4: was $348 now $198 at Amazon

★★★★★ rating! Let's face it: despite the waves of newer headphones available today, this excellent set of wireless cans is a modern classic – and although the newer XM5s sound just that tiny bit better, it's a closely run race. These hugely popular over-ear headphones are sonically gifted, boast excellent ANC, and fold up for easier transportation in their included travel case, unlike their younger siblings. Oh, and this is a return to the cheapest they've ever been. If you need a bit of classy retro in your life (along with excellent audio quality), now is the time.

Cambridge Audio  Melomania P100
Cambridge Audio Melomania P100: was $279 now $239 at Amazon

★★★★★ rating! I adore these headphones. Honestly, they are incredible value at their original MSRP thanks to their excellent sound quality, solid ANC, novel voice prompts (select 'Southwark' and you get Matt Berry to tell you whether you've deployed noise canceling) plus a modular design that means you'll even be able to switch out the battery when the time comes. They debuted on July 15, 2024, and frankly, they wowed me – and the wider TechRadar team. If you need more info, my Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 review will provide. Highly recommended at this new lowest-seen price.

Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony WH-1000XM5: was $399 now $294 at Amazon

★★★★★ rating! Quite simply the best in Sony's class-leading wireless over-ear lineup. The older XM4 headphones were outstanding, the XM3 cans before it were excellent, and it'll come as little surprise to know that Sony's XM5 over-ears are also incredibly hard to beat – especially with a whopping 26% off, which is a new lowest-seen price by $4! They don't fold up like the XM4, so they're just a little more bulky to carry around in their travel case (which comes with your purchase), but, as a quick glance at our Sony WH-100XM5 review proves, there's not much else to pick fault with. 

Sennheiser Momentum 4 wireless headphones
Sennheiser Momentum 4 wireless headphones: was $379.95 now $229.95 at Amazon

★★★★★ rating! Another stone-cold winner. While I've seen them selling for as little as $199.95 very briefly, this price is still 39% off the MSRP and well worth a mention – because they're really that good. Their 60-hour battery life and game-changing 'sound zones' are just two reasons they achieved a rare five-star review from me – most rival pairs simply don’t come close. It's a solid buy for this money, as my Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review proves. Will they dip just a tiny bit lower, or back to that sub-$200 lowest-seen price? Time will tell. Watch this space!

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2E
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2E: was $399 now $249.43 at amazon.com

Want seriously gorgeous-looking cans? These look even better in real life. And they sound it, too. The beautiful B&W over-ears you're looking at are barely a year old, and this is their lowest price ever. These September 2023 release over-ears (a minor update on the excellent June 2022 Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2) feature ANC via a total of six mics and, as long as the 'cloud gray' or 'forest green' colorways suit (the other finishes are also on offer but for $279) it's an incredible saving from a revered name in hi-fi.

If I had to pick one pair from the list above, I'd go with the Cambridge Audio option – but I realize it's a little niche. I know, I know, Bose isn't a name that features here. That's because I prefer the sonic performance of the products listed above – you came here for my honesty, right? But if you like its products, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones for $329 (was $449) at Amazon is a joint lowest-ever price, and our Managing Editor, Matt Bolton, rates them highly.

Whichever of this quintet of deals you opt for, I'm confident you're picking a class leader. I've heard them all, and I rate the sound, feature set, stamina, and build quality above all other options. They are quite simply some of the best noise-canceling headphones you can buy today – and even better, they're all on sale!

More of today's Black Friday deals

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Becky Scarrott
Audio Editor

Becky became Audio Editor at TechRadar in 2024, but joined the team in 2022 as Senior Staff Writer, focusing on all things hi-fi. Before this, she spent three years at What Hi-Fi? testing and reviewing everything from wallet-friendly wireless earbuds to huge high-end sound systems. Prior to gaining her MA in Journalism in 2018, Becky freelanced as an arts critic alongside a 22-year career as a professional dancer and aerialist – any love of dance starts with a love of music. Becky has previously contributed to Stuff, FourFourTwo and The Stage. When not writing, she can still be found throwing shapes in a dance studio, these days with varying degrees of success.