Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts and music without the requirement of connecting an audio wire to your device. These headphones are ideal to use on public transport, in the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones can have a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are typically packaged in a stylish case.

Soundcore Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones are more attractive, feel more durable and generally feel more polished. The hinges are tighter, and the soft leather ear cups have been a bit larger. They're still made of plastic, however they are more polished. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a high-quality USB-C version so that you can use them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have dual microphones that perform well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge range of EQ presets, which can be customized and saved to allow you to listen to music and podcasts in the style you prefer. The Soundcore app makes it easy to use and makes these headphones stand out.

When ANC is on, the Q30's 40mm drivers block out most of the background noise, making for excellent listening. They have a natural sounding signature that leans slightly to the treble side, and some might find lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). But, you can rectify this with the Soundcore application, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands to help you tinker.

The left earcup features a power button and a pairing button and an USB-C charging port. The right ear cup features play/pause and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or play previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to ask for a change in mode or set alarms. You can also cover the right ear cup with your fingers to activate ambient modes, so that you can hear the world around you without taking off the headphones.

These headphones have a fantastic battery life. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was switched on than its competitors. This allows you to take advantage of a long flight, or a full day at work. They can be easily recharged with the included USB-C cable, and you'll see an alert when they're getting empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offers both active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. These headphones are made to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or while on the move. The headphones are a little bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their superior sound quality is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a small elegant white box with a fabric finish. It comes with everything you'll need. You can also get a fold-flat carry case for the headphones, a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

The battery's capacity is 600mAh, which can last for a full day of casual listening. They also include an audio input so that you can use wired. Wirelessly, they are paired via bluetooth headphones wireless headphones (https://lorenzen-kloster.blogbright.net). You can control their functions with an app (now called Focal & Naim in the same way as English sister brand Naim’s network-aware products) or the dedicated button on the left earcup that scrolls through ANC profiles like'silent','soft transparent,' and 'full.

The app allows you to change various settings such as the brightness of the LED, EQ presets including a'music profile' that sounds brighter and more neutral than the others and their battery duration. It also lets you to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic environment' that will adjust the sensitivity of your music to simulate what it will sound like if it were placed in a space with different acoustics.

The Focal Bathys come with an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives more warmth and punch to your favourite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix, and can sound dull, while other details such as cymbals sound not as prominent as you'd expect on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation, compared to other over-ears that have more advanced technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has a fine reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is not an exception. It is a top pick in the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle area in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s come with a high cost, but when you can afford it, there are better wireless over-ear blue tooth headphones available.

The XM5s are loaded with features to simplify the lives of listeners and, in a few instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology, are both included. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making calls hands-free.

Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. These headphones are among the top in reducing the constant drones that are heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job of separating listeners from traffic noises of busy streets and airports also.

The sound quality is very good. The XM5s aren't quite as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, there's a more pronounced sense of clarity and openness also. For instance, the bass track on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real force and definition without flattening everything else. In the same way, Massive Attack's grooving Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce tight and precise bass notes.

Battery life is great with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is on and 40 hours if off. This is enough to last an entire weekend or a few days' heavy use.

The only issue is that the XM5s do not have any water resistance or dust resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or take them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for some people, but it might prove a stumbling block for anyone who spends much of their time at the gym or lives in a rainy city.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones over-ear equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with an audio profile that is neutral and emphasizes the mids and highs while not going overboard on either end of the spectrum. They are great for movies and music. They also have higher fidelity than most competing pairs of headphones.

The headphones are light and feel comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam covered with woven fabric, and are comfortable to wear over the ears they do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. Ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges feature a solid but not overly robust clamping force that ensures that the earcups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button at the top of the right earcup. There's also a button that can be pushed, like a jog-dial, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and Bluetooth Headphones Wireless Headphones press the button once twice or three times for playback controls. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed however, I would like to have an option to power off or switch off the headphones when not in use. The headphones are put into standby when removed from your ears, or when placed in their case. They come back into use when you place them over your head.

Spatial audio is another great feature. It uses the accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPads or iPhones to determine where you are moving. Then, it alters the position of the sounds to make them appear to originate from that particular location. This creates an immersive theater experience for videos and movies that were recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices are able to listen to audio in spatial format.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would feel a bit ripped off when I spend $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the next-generation model will be better within a year. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.