Music formats for audio nerds are perhaps one of the most contentious audio problems around. Do you want Flac, WAV... the argument is long, tedious and completely unending. What is less contentious is the nature of lossless and lossy audio — when you have a lossless track, you get more data, which means more potential for greater detail, more spaciousness and even more definition. There is just one issue.
Wireless headphones. As much as the sound gains from a pair of wired headphones is always going to better a pair of wireless ones, they are also less convenient. But a Bluetooth connection simply isn't good enough to carry a lossless track, lacking the bandwidth for much larger files. The lossless audio playing wireless headphones is like the holy grail of audiophiles.
We have the technology, however, to transmit a lossless signal over a wireless connection — and its something that's been used in the best smart speakers for some time. It's Wi-Fi, and while it has its own weakeness, it could finally bring lossless audio playback (among other things) to headphones.
What are the benefits of Wi-Fi audio?
For one, Wi-Fi has a substantial bandwidth increase over Bluetooth. It's simply capable of carrying a higher quality, uncompressed track where Bluetooth categorically cannot. That's why streams from the likes of Apple Music and Tidal sound better when you use Tidal Connect or AirPlay to a compatible wireless speaker. This is the most exciting benefit for audiophiles like me.
There's more besides the implied quality increase, though. That higher bandwidth also allows for lower latency, perfect if you want to mix music, watch movies or even play games. Now, it must be said that Wi-Fi is never going to be as quick as a wire — and Bluetooth AptX has made wireless latency near zero already — but it's another bonus for an already growing sheet of reasons to care.
Wi-Fi makes it asier to stream from a range of devices as well. Instead of being tethered to one or two devices like Bluetooth, you could stream music from your laptop, phone, tablet or even smart fridge (what on earth kind of world do we live in now) with just the tap of a screen — no need to delve into a settings menu to get your headphones connected.
There must be some weaknesses...
It's not all sunshine and roses, of course. There are a couple of different issues that might be why we haven't yet seen any actual Wi-Fi-connected headphones. The first is that while you're freed from your phone, you're likely to be tethered to your home Wi-Fi connection. Just like the likes of the Sonos Era 300 and the rest of Sonos' lineup or Bose's selection of smart speakers, the next generation of the best wireless headphones are not going to be able to connect to the internet without a Wi-Fi router nearby.
So the Wi-Fi connection is going to be a strictly home based thing, unless they work out how to turn the Wi-Fi antenna into your phone into some kind of mini router. I am not sure if this is even possible — so, as far as my research tells me, Wi-Fi connected headphones will only be useful at home.
When we first learned about Wi-Fi connected headphones in 2023 (via What HiFi), we where told that they'd have battery life similar to their Bluetooth compatriots. Until I've got a pair on my head with battery life that stands up to the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM5, however, I am skeptical. Wi-Fi generally uses more battery life, so there must be some impressive efficiencies built in so that the headphones don't die the moment you've played a lossless version of Hey, Mr DJ.
Why are we talking about Wi-Fi headphones now?
Everything on the Wi-Fi headphone front has been quiet for the last couple of years. There have been rumblings over the period, though. The Sonos Ace were expected to launch with Wi-Fi connection on board that would stream your music, although they only came with the audio swap feature for soundbars ,which seems to use some mixture of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Actual Wi-Fi streaming though? No dice.
But things are starting to pick up. Budget headphone manufacturer 1More announced the 1More SonoFlow Max at CES 2025, and they are apparently packed with a lossless Wi-Fi connection so that you can listen to those massive tracks. They're not out yet, but this is the first time we've got a really good look at what a pair of Wi-Fi headphones might actually look like. We just want some more information about their audio internals.
Are we likely to see more Wi-Fi headphones in the future? I'm going to go out on a limb and say probably not, although I'd like to be proved wrong. I am fascinated and excited by the idea of Wi-Fi headphones, but I don't think enough people out there are all that interested in playing lossless audio in bed without the need for a cable to be plugged in.
More from Tom's Guide
