Last Updated: October 8, 2026
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H9i is a high-quality, wireless over-ear headphone with ANC and Bang & Olufsen Signature Sound, made of precious materials and an intuitive touch user interface made of aluminum. Enjoy absolute freedom of movement and experience pure music without disturbing noises. The Beoplay H9i is B&O PLAY’s star headphones and now delivers better-quality sound, voice value, a stylish design, and features such as a proximity sensor and transparency mode that let you connect to your environment.
B&O refocused on its traditional strengths by creating a solid range of headphones. The B&O Beoplay H9i reviewed are the company’s flagship on-ear active noise-cancelling headphones.
Table of Contents
Styling
The arms of the headband are brushed aluminum anodized to match the color of the helmet. The aluminum arms slide in and out perfectly smoothly, infinitely adjustable, and it’s not a clunky, click-adjustable headband. Best of all, they don’t slide or move once you set the ear cup arm positions.
You’ll find similar high-quality materials throughout this product. The top of the headband is made from genuine cowhide leather, while the ear cushions are made from an ultra-comfortable form of memory foam wrapped in soft lambskin. If you ever need them, you can replace the entire set of ear cushions for $70.
The ear cups are adjustable and fold up. You’ll have to look closely to see the thin line at the base of the arms of the headband, indicating that its two pieces of metal are joined together. The foldable ear cups accommodate movement and adjustment to fit the contours of your face, and the folding motion is silky smooth.
Features
- Easy listening: adjust volume, change tracks, and take calls with the touch controls on the device. Appreciate added convenience with the proximity sensor that pauses playback when the headphones are removed and resumes when you put them on.
- Hybrid ANC: These excellent headphones feature Hybrid ANC that reduces high- and low-frequency background noise. Transparency mode allows you to reconnect with the outside world with a simple dig to the touchpad.
- Sound Experience: With the new bass port for profound sound and two dedicated microphones for better clarity of voice calls, these Bluetooth headphones offer a Bang & Olufsen signature sound like no other.
- Freedom of movement: The H9i wireless on-ear headphones can be paired with up to two devices simultaneously. An enhanced Bluetooth range of 121 feet lets you enjoy streaming even when you’re not near your music source.
- Music On: Listen longer with these headphones that give 18 hours of playtime while using Bluetooth and ANC, plus an intelligent battery saver and replaceable battery to extend time.
- Solid Battery Life: The proximity sensor also helps Beoplay H9i deliver 18 hours of ANC-enabled Bluetooth playtime on a charge. The number increases to 23 hours if you’re using Bluetooth without noise and up to 24 hours if you use ANC with headphones connected to your music source. It takes about 2.5 hours to charge fully.
Readers interested in modern wireless audio solutions may also want to explore About Wireless Earbuds JBL Club Pro Plus, which covers true wireless earbuds with adaptive noise cancellation, Bluetooth connectivity, customizable sound settings, and all-day listening features that appeal to users seeking a more compact audio experience.
The Beoplay H9i’s Ear Pads are Removable and Replaceable.
The acoustically transparent fabric covering the 40mm electrodynamic drivers is print with a large “L” or “R”. So you can quickly tell which is on the left and which is on the right. The ear cups are made from a plastic polymer and topped with matching B&O branded brushed aluminum discs, and plastic polymer doesn’t look cheap.
Unlikely the cowhide on top. Therefore, the bottom of the headband has a fabric cover with four quadrants of padding, which doesn’t seem to do much. These headphones used to feel uncomfortable after long listening sessions. After about an hour. I felt pressure on the top of my head, forcing me to pull the headphones out or loosen them. It was a bit disappointing, considering the comfort of the ear cushions.
For users who enjoy portable audio products beyond headphones, Jawbone Mini Jambox is another interesting option to explore, offering a compact wireless speaker design that focuses on portability, convenience, and everyday music playback.
Conclusion
From an audio point of view, the Beoplay H9i headphones are fabulous, if a bit pricey. From a noise-canceling standpoint, they’re no match for Bose, which sells the Bose QuietComfort 35 II for $150 less. So if you’re looking for the best wireless headphones with active noise cancellation, Bose is still your best bet. But we’re also fans of the Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless and AKG N60 NC Wireless. At $500, we’d expect more. While B&O Play’s luxurious design justifies some of the price difference between the H9i and the other models, we’d like to see it backed by impeccable noise-cancelling performance.
