Bose, Beats and Sonos headphones make Amazon's Top 100 Black Friday deals – but I've found much better alternatives

a selection of wired and wireless headphones and earbuds on a purple background with a Black Friday deals tag

(Image credit: What Hi-Fi?)

I've covered 12 Black Fridays in my time at What Hi-Fi?, and if there is one thing I've learned spending weeks trawling through sales online every year it is that the very biggest discounts rarely represent the very best deals. The best buys are, in my experience, markdowns on the gear that performs best and is the most recommendable regardless of discounts.

This year, Amazon has curated a Top 100 Black Friday deals section (which it has just started labelling 'Cyber Monday' deals) and the three pairs of headphones in it are on the Sonos Ace, Beats Solo 4 and Bose QuietComfort Headphones, which are up to 51 per cent off.

Beats Solo 4 headphones ~~was $200~~ now $100 (save $100)
Bose QuietComfort headphones ~~was $349~~ now $170 (save $180)
Sonos Ace headphones ~~was $449~~ now $349 (save $100)

All three of these wireless over-ear headphones are attractively discounted, yes, but none is the best you can buy at its price. Below I have found you better alternatives for each.

3 Amazon Top 100 headphones deals

In my mind, the best of Amazon's headphones deals in its Top 100 is the Bose QuietComfort for $170. These are seemingly modest updates to the four-star QuietComfort 45 wireless noise-cancelling over-ears and what I would call good value at their current 51 per cent discount. You can expect fantastic noise cancellation, a 24-hour battery life and decent sound quality.

The Beats Solo 4 for $99 certainly look tempting, I admit. Now, I haven't reviewed this relatively new model myself, but I haven't heard a pair of Beats over-ears I've loved (or to be honest, even liked) in my 12 years of testing headphones, and that includes their predecessors, the Solo 3, which our reviews team awarded only three stars for their lack of detail and subtlety. Even with their 50 per cent discount, I reckon you can do better.

Lastly, we have the Sonos Ace at $100 off. These new wireless noise-cancellers came with high expectations but ultimately were disappointing, mainly due to their uncompetitive sound quality – they lack clarity, dynamic expression and rhythmic drive compared with the class leaders. Our Sonos Ace review describes why they are only three-star performers.

Ultimately, I wouldn't recommend any of these three as your number one choice, but would instead urge you to consider these discounted, similarly priced class-leading alternatives instead:

3 better alternatives

Sony WH-CH720N was $150 now $88 at Amazon (save $62)
For a very reasonable price, the Sony WH-CH720N are a dependably made, enthusiastic-sounding pair of headphones that, while occasionally straying into the realm of excessive bass, deliver good ANC and a strong feature set to the mid-to-low price bracket of the wireless headphone market. Most definitely a job well done and in my opinion a safer bet than the Beats Solo 4 in light of my experience of Beats over-ears.
Read our Sony WH-CH720N review

Sony WH-1000XM4 was $348 now $198 at Amazon (save $150)
Bose may be the king of noise-cancelling, but if you are looking for the best all-rounders below the $200 price point, these Sonys are proven performers that cost only $28 more than the Boses. Expect musical sound, strong ANC and a 30-hour battery life from these oldies (but goodies). If you can stretch your budget a further $30, however, I would go for the newer $230 Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless instead – it's probably my favourite wireless headphone deal this Black Friday.
Read our Sony WH-1000XM4 review

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Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of the brand's sister magazines Down Under – Australian Hi-Fi and Audio Esoterica. During her 11+ years in the hi-fi industry, she has reviewed all manner of audio gear, from budget amplifiers to high-end speakers, and particularly specialises in headphones and head-fi devices. In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.