Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H100 Review – Is It Worth $2,200?

The short answer: yes – but only if you’re the right kind of listener.

When Bang & Olufsen releases a new flagship, it’s never just about the sound. It’s about how sound becomes an experience. With the Beoplay H100, B&O distils nearly a century of acoustic mastery into an over-ear headphone that doesn’t just silence the noise, it commands the moment.

But at $2,200 in the US, this is one of the most expensive consumer headphones on the market. So let’s go beyond the beautiful imagery and talk about what you actually get for that price and whether it justifies the investment.

The unboxing experience alone signals that you’ve entered a different category. The H100 arrives in a matte black box that feels more like unwrapping a luxury watch than opening a tech purchase. Inside you’ll find the headphones nestled in tissue paper, a premium pebbled leather carry case, a USB-C charging cable, and a USB-C to 3.5mm cable for wired listening. Every detail communicates considered luxury, nothing feels like an afterthought.

Shop the Beoplay H100 on Amazon

The H100 is built from anodized aluminum, titanium, and lambskin leather. At 375 grams it has genuine weight and solidity, like holding a precision-made mechanical object rather than a plastic consumer device.

What sets it apart from every other headphone at this price is the modular design philosophy. The ear pads are magnetically attached and replaceable in seconds. The headband fabric is removable. Even the battery can be swapped at a B&O service centre years down the line. In a tech industry obsessed with disposability, B&O has deliberately engineered these to last a decade or more.

The rotating bezels on each ear cup are tactile, precise, and deeply satisfying to use. Controls are identical on both sides, once you learn them, muscle memory takes over completely. You stop thinking about the headphones and just listen.

Available in three colourways: Infinite Black, Hourglass Sand, and Sunset Apricot.

This is where the H100 earns its flagship status.

The 40mm titanium and neodymium drivers deliver a sound signature that is bold, emotional, and deeply engaging. This is not a flat studio monitor, it is music with genuine soul.

Bass: Deep, elastic, and controlled. It hits hard without ever losing composure. Electronic music and hip hop benefit enormously from the authority in the low end.

Midrange: Intimate and present. Vocals feel close and personal almost conversational. The stage isn’t the widest you’ll find at this price, but the depth of involvement more than compensates.

Treble: Bright, airy, and atmospheric. Clearly separated from the midrange, adding sparkle and space without becoming harsh or fatiguing over long listening sessions.

The H100 supports Bluetooth 5.3 with AAC and SBC codecs at launch. LDAC hi-res wireless support has been confirmed via a future firmware update, when that arrives, these headphones will sound even better than they do today. For wired listening via USB-C, the improvement in clarity and separation is already noticeable.

The in-app Beosonic tuner allows you to customise the sound profile with a simple visual interface, even beginners can dial in their preferences without navigating complex EQ settings.

The ANC on the H100 is exceptional. Ten precision microphones across both ear cups, four dedicated to crystal-clear call quality, the rest handling noise cancellation, give the H100 some of the most accurate audio processing in any consumer headphone.

In practical terms: long-haul flight cabin noise disappears almost completely. Open office background noise becomes a distant memory. The transparency mode is equally impressive, allowing you to hear your environment naturally when needed without removing the headphones.

This is not just good ANC for the price, it is competitive with the best ANC headphones available from any brand.

At 375 grams, the H100 is not the lightest option in this category. However the weight distribution is so well engineered that most listeners report wearing them for several hours without fatigue. The ear cups fully enclose the ears, and the clamping force, while slightly firm initially, provides excellent passive isolation before ANC even engages.

One honest caveat: listeners with smaller heads or those sensitive to clamping pressure may find extended sessions uncomfortable. If possible, try before you buy at a B&O boutique or authorised retailer.

Up to 32 hours with ANC active. Up to 30 hours with Spatial Audio and head tracking enabled. A five-minute quick charge delivers five hours of playback, enough to get through a long-haul flight if you forgot to charge overnight.

These are class-leading numbers for a headphone of this calibre.

The H100 features full Spatial Audio with head tracking, a first for B&O. When watching compatible content, sound moves realistically as you turn your head, anchoring the audio to the screen rather than your ears. For immersive content like films and certain music mixes, this promotes the experience noticeably.

Feature	Beoplay H100	Beoplay HX	Sony XM6
Price	~$2,200	~$500	~$350
Driver Size	40mm titanium	40mm	30mm
ANC Quality	Exceptional	Very Good	Excellent
Battery (ANC on)	32 hours	35 hours	30 hours
Codec Support	AAC, SBC (LDAC coming)	AAC, SBC	LDAC, AAC, SBC
Spatial Audio	Yes	No	Yes
Modular/Repairable	Yes	No	No
Build Materials	Aluminum, titanium, leather	Aluminum, leather	Plastic, synthetic
Colourways	3	4	Multiple
Best For	Luxury, long-term ownership	Premium on a budget	Feature-first value

The honest verdict on the comparison: The Sony XM6 offers better codec support at launch and exceptional ANC at a fraction of the price. The Beoplay HX delivers the B&O aesthetic and sound quality at a far more accessible price point. The H100 justifies its premium through build quality, repairability, Spatial Audio, and the intangible but very real experience of wearing something that feels like it was made to last twenty years.

The Beoplay H100 is not for people who enjoy endlessly comparing headphones. It is for listeners who already know what good sound feels like and want something they can live with for years.

• A frequent long-haul traveller who values silence, comfort, and design equally
• Someone who buys fewer things but buys them right
• A B&O owner who wants the absolute flagship experience
• A professional who wants headphones that look as serious as they sound

• Primarily focused on codec specifications and technical measurements
• On any kind of budget constraint
• Someone who frequently loses or damages headphones

People don’t buy Bang & Olufsen to compare. They buy it to stop comparing.

The Beoplay H100 is B&O’s most complete headphone to date. Exceptional ANC, emotionally engaging sound, class-leading battery life, and a modular design built for longevity justify the premium for the right buyer.

One honest limitation at launch: the H100 doesn’t yet support LDAC, Sony’s premium wireless audio codec that transmits significantly more detail than standard Bluetooth. For most listeners this won’t be noticeable, but dedicated audiophiles will feel its absence. The good news is B&O has confirmed LDAC support is coming via a free software update, meaning these headphones will automatically sound even better in the future without you spending another cent.

If you are considering the H100, you almost certainly already know you want it. This review exists to confirm that your instincts are correct.

Rating: 4.7 / 5

Not quite ready for the H100? The Beoplay HX delivers the B&O experience at a more accessible price point.

But for those seeking peak Bang & Olufsen, the H100 is the true flagship.

People don’t buy Bang & Olufsen to compare, they buy it to stop comparing.

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