Premium headphones see some of the deepest Black Friday discounts in tech. Sony WH-1000XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Apple AirPods Pro 2, and AirPods Max all see 30-50% off MSRP typically.
Expected Black Friday 2026 Headphone Pricing
Over-Ear ANC Headphones
Model
MSRP
Black Friday Expected
Discount
Sony WH-1000XM5
$399
$249-299
25-38%
Sony WH-1000XM4 (older)
$349
$179-229
35-49%
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
$429
$279-349
19-35%
Bose QuietComfort 45
$329
$179-229
30-46%
Apple AirPods Max
$549
$379-449
18-31%
Sonos Ace
$449
$329-379
16-27%
True Wireless Earbuds
Model
MSRP
Black Friday Expected
Discount
Apple AirPods Pro 2
$249
$179-199
20-28%
Apple AirPods Pro 1 (refurb)
$169
$99-129
24-41%
Sony WF-1000XM5
$299
$179-229
23-40%
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
$299
$199-249
17-33%
Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
$249
$149-199
20-40%
Wired/Studio Headphones
Model
MSRP
Black Friday Expected
Discount
Sennheiser HD 660S2
$599
$399-499
17-33%
Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro
$599
$399-499
17-33%
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
$169
$99-129
24-41%
Best Black Friday Headphone Buys
Best Overall: Sony WH-1000XM5
Expected $249-299 (from $399 MSRP).
Why best deal:
Industry-leading ANC (Active Noise Cancellation)
30-hour battery life
Excellent for: travel, office, focus work
LDAC + AAC + AptX support
Strategy: Available at multiple retailers. Best Buy, Amazon, B&H Photo all compete. Match retailer to preference (in-store pickup vs delivery speed vs cashback).
Best Earbuds Deal: Apple AirPods Pro 2
Expected $179-199 (from $249 MSRP).
Why best earbuds:
Best Apple ecosystem integration
Excellent ANC (closest to over-ear)
Hearing health features
Sweat resistant
Strategy: Apple rarely discounts directly. Best Buy, Costco, and Amazon offer the best discounts. Often bundled with Apple Watch or iPad.
Best Over-Ear Budget: Sony WH-1000XM4
Expected $179-229 (from $349 MSRP).
Why XM4 vs XM5: 95% of XM5 performance at significantly lower Black Friday price. Sony WH-1000XM4 is still excellent product.
Strategy: XM4 is older model, deeper discounts available. Some consider XM4 actually better fit/comfort than XM5.
Best Premium: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Expected $279-349 (from $429 MSRP).
Why for Bose users: Bose's signature comfort, premium ANC, exceptional mic for calls.
For Apple users: Stick with AirPods Max for ecosystem integration.
Best Studio: Sennheiser HD 660S2
Expected $399-499 (from $599 MSRP).
Why for audio enthusiasts: Reference-grade open-back headphones. Best for: critical listening, audio production, audiophile setups.
Headphone Selection by Use Case
Office/Work From Home
Best: Sony WH-1000XM5 ($249-299 BF)
Why: Best ANC blocks office chatter. 30-hour battery handles 5-day work week. Microphone for calls is excellent.
Travel
Best: Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Why: Both excellent for plane/train noise blocking. Bose slightly more comfortable for long flights.
Gym/Active
Best: AirPods Pro 2 or Sony WF-1000XM5
Why: True wireless earbuds with secure fit. ANC for crowded gyms. Sweat resistant.
Audio Listening (Music)
Best: Sennheiser HD 660S2 or Audio-Technica ATH-M50x (wired)
Why: Open-back design produces wider soundstage than ANC over-ear. Best for music enthusiasts willing to use wired connection.
Software Considerations
Different headphones favor different ecosystems:
Apple Ecosystem
Best: AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Max
Why: Spatial Audio, automatic switching between Apple devices, "Hey Siri", Find My integration.
Trade-off: Sound quality slightly behind Sony/Bose at same price.
Android Ecosystem
Best: Sony WH-1000XM5 (with LDAC), Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
Why: Best support for Android ecosystem features.
Multi-Device
Best: Sony WH-1000XM5 (multipoint connection — connect to 2 devices simultaneously)
Why: Most flexible for users moving between Mac, iPhone, Android, Windows.
Common Black Friday Headphone Mistakes
1. Buying for Apple ecosystem without confirming: Some Sony features don't work with iPhone as well as AirPods
Black Friday is one of best times to buy premium headphones — 30-50% off MSRP is typical. For users replacing failing headphones or upgrading from cheap pairs: November is the right month.
Best strategy: Set price alerts in October. Compare retailers (Best Buy vs Amazon often $20-50 different on same model). Buy first day of Black Friday for best stock.
Preguntas frecuentes
What is the best Black Friday headphone deal expected in 2026?
Sony WH-1000XM5 at $249-299 (from $399 MSRP) — industry-leading ANC + 30-hour battery. For earbuds: Apple AirPods Pro 2 at $179-199 (from $249 MSRP). For budget value: Sony WH-1000XM4 (older model) at $179-229. For Bose users: QuietComfort Ultra at $279-349.
AirPods Pro 2 or Sony WF-1000XM5 for Black Friday?
AirPods Pro 2 for iPhone users — ecosystem integration is unmatched. Spatial Audio, automatic switching, Find My. Sony WF-1000XM5 for Android users — superior ANC, LDAC support. For users with both Apple and Android devices: WF-1000XM5 works with both better than AirPods work with Android.
How much do Bose headphones discount on Black Friday?
Bose typically: 25-40% off premium models. Expected 2026: QuietComfort Ultra $279-349 (from $429), QuietComfort 45 $179-229 (from $329). Bose discounts are often slightly less than Sony equivalents but still meaningful. For Bose loyalists: Black Friday is the right time to upgrade.
Equipo de investigación de productos · VersusMatrix
El equipo editorial de VersusMatrix evalúa productos usando nuestro motor de puntuación impulsado por IA combinado con investigación práctica sobre especificaciones, reseñas de usuarios y benchmarks de expertos. Nuestro objetivo es ofrecer comparaciones objetivas y basadas en datos para ayudar a los consumidores a tomar decisiones de compra más inteligentes.