B&O Beoplay HX
Design
There’s no doubt that the HX look and feel the part. There’s a luxuriousness to the headphones that feels miles ahead of competitors: a slimline sophistication, amazingly lightweight feel and smooth, aluminium finish that make the HX a premium product for any wearer. B&O is also continuing to commit to a more sustainable way of working, with anodised, pearl-blasted recycled aluminium forming part of the cans.
You can tell that the materials used have been deliberated over for an almost unhealthy amount of time. The memory foam ear cushions really do make a difference to comfort: we had no issues wearing these for prolonged periods and would be confident of keeping them on for a long haul flight without any uncomfortable readjustment.
They have enough weight to them to feel sturdy, without becoming an issue for your neck after a few hours of listening. Battery life comes in at 35 hours with ANC switched on and 40 without, comfortably outstripping rivals such as the 30-hour Sony WH-1000XM4 and 20-hour Bose noise cancelling headphones 700 and Apple AirPods Max.
It’s almost become a bit of a cliché to like B&O’s Scandinavian design aesthetic, but it’s a cliché that will persist as long as the brand continues to make some of the most attractive audio products in the world. Bang & Olufsen simply makes beautiful headphones.
Sound
It’s a safe bet that anything Bang & Olufsen will ooze audio quality, and the HX are no exception. There’s a real feeling of consideration when it comes to audio here, delicate handling of treble, mids and bass that manages to keep their elements distinct but merged enough to create a sound impressively faithful to original recordings. Even without ANC, the cans seem to completely envelop you in your music, and the Bluetooth 5.1 keeps the audio consistent, with no instances of breaking up or distortion.
The adaptive ANC works a treat, analysing your surroundings impressively quickly and tweaking itself accordingly. However, there’s still a slight change in audio quality when you switch to ANC mode. This is understandable: no brand has yet managed to retain complete sound quality when paired with high-tech ANC. The HX have improved the difference, however, with a much less discernible change when listening to both music and podcasts. Passive noise cancellation (PNC) is also here in abundance, thanks to the design of the HX’s cups serving to form a comfortable barrier around your ears, and calls are easy and clear, thanks to both the PNC and the four microphones on offer. Those cold callers will thank you.
As we’ve mentioned previously, the corresponding B&O app is the best around, with a clean, simple layout and plenty of options for sound EQ and connectivity. You can also choose between noise cancellation modes, including a transparency mode, giving you the option of both hearing more of your surroundings and being able to sing along to your music while not treating your neighbours to an overly-loud amateur rendition of Circle of Life.