By Mason in Gear — 26 Sep 2026

The best new headphones and earbuds of 2026 so far, with Australian prices

Sonos, Bose, Sennheiser and Sony have all refreshed their premium headphones and earbuds this year. We compare the five most important new releases, from A$499 to A$749.

Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 5 earbuds. Image: Sennheiser

It has been a busy year at the top end of personal audio. Between February and September 2026, Sony, Sennheiser, Bose and Sonos all released new flagship or near-flagship headphones and earbuds, and most have landed in Australia with local pricing. The good news for buyers is that features once reserved for the most expensive models, from spatial audio to lossless playback, are spreading across the range.

Here are the five releases that matter most, what sets each apart and what they cost here.

Sonos Ace Ultra: A$699

Best for: people who already own a Sonos system.

Announced on 1 September 2026 and shipping from 29 September, the Ace Ultra is Sonos's attempt to make its headphones a true part of the home system. It is the first headphone to use the company's Headphone Engine 2 hardware and can link directly with a Sonos system (initially as an Early Access feature). Pair it with a compatible Sonos soundbar and TrueCinema tuning recreates a surround experience in the headphones.

The hardware is solid: a Sonos-designed 40mm driver, adaptive noise cancelling powered by ten microphones, up to 35 hours of battery with ANC on, and a three-minute fast charge good for three hours of listening. It supports wired listening over USB-C and 3.5mm and comes in Black, Soft White, Agave and Sand.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen): A$549.95

Best for: travellers who want Bose noise cancelling without the Ultra price.

Bose's refresh of its core QuietComfort model, announced on 6 August, is the value pick of the year. It brings Bose's TrueSpatial immersive audio, with Still, Motion and Cinema modes, down from the pricier Ultra range. Noise cancelling has been reworked as QuietControl, using six microphones and adaptive feedforward control to compensate for a poor seal from glasses or hair.

Lossless playback at up to 24-bit/48kHz is available over USB-C, Bluetooth 5.4 supports multipoint, and battery life is rated at up to 24 hours (18 hours with immersive audio). Crucially, Australian pricing has held at A$549.95, the lowest of the three over-ear models here. Black and White Smoke are joined by limited-edition Eucalyptus Green, Dewdrop Mint and Rosewood Mauve.

Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless: A$749

Best for: long-haul listeners and audiophiles who stream on Android.

Sennheiser announced the Momentum 5 Wireless on 25 May, with Australian pre-orders from 25 June. Its headline figure is battery life: up to 57 hours with noise cancelling on, the longest here by a wide margin. Better still, the 700mAh battery is user-replaceable, so the headphones should outlast a single battery's lifespan.

Sound comes from a 42mm transducer, and Sennheiser says the ANC, now using four microphones per side, is up to three times more effective against voices. Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless support will appeal to listeners with compatible Android phones, and Sennheiser plans Dolby Atmos with head tracking via a firmware update. Product manager Sreenath Unnikrishnan said: "With MOMENTUM 5 Wireless, we focused on refining the entire experience without straying from the formula that made its predecessor such a success." It comes in Black, White and Denim.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5: A$499

Best for: earbud buyers who want them to last.

The newest release here, announced on 20 August and on sale in Australia from 3 September, tackles the biggest problem with premium earbuds: batteries that wear out. The Momentum True Wireless 5 has user-replaceable batteries in both the earbuds and the charging case, which Sennheiser says can be swapped with just a compact screwdriver.

They also sound like a flagship on paper. The 7mm TrueResponse drivers are made in Tullamore, Ireland, Bluetooth 6.0 with aptX Adaptive supports hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz, and Dolby Atmos with head tracking is built in. Battery life is up to 12 hours per charge, or 40 hours with the case, and an eight-minute charge gives an hour of playback. A new fin-less shape was rated more comfortable than the previous generation by 73 per cent of Sennheiser's testers, and the buds are rated IP54. Colours are Graphite, Cream, Copper, Denim and Lavender. In Australia they are available from Sennheiser and JB Hi-Fi, with wider retail from 1 October.

Sony WF-1000XM6: A$499.95

Best for: earbud buyers who prioritise noise cancelling.

Sony's flagship earbuds arrived in Australia in February. Sony claims a 25 per cent improvement in noise reduction over the WF-1000XM5, using four microphones per side along with bone conduction sensors. Processing has moved from 24-bit to 32-bit, there is a newly designed driver, and the buds are about 11 per cent slimmer than before. Battery life is eight hours per charge, or 24 hours with the Qi wireless charging case. Gemini assistant integration and LE Audio readiness round out the package. Alongside them, Sony added a Sand Pink colour for its WH-1000XM6 over-ears (A$699.95).

Which should you buy?

If you already live in the Sonos ecosystem, the Ace Ultra is the obvious choice, and its system features are its reason to exist. For everyone else wanting over-ear noise cancelling, the Bose QuietComfort (2nd Gen) is the sharpest value at A$549.95, while the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless justifies its A$749 price with battery life that nothing else here comes close to, plus a replaceable cell.

For earbuds, the choice comes down to Sony's noise-cancelling upgrades versus Sennheiser's focus on longevity. At almost identical prices, the Momentum True Wireless 5's replaceable batteries make a compelling long-term argument.