Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts and music without the requirement to connect a wire to your audio device. These headphones are ideal for use in public transport, at the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones may have an elegant design and outstanding noise cancellation. They usually come with a sleek storage case.

Soundcore Life Q30

These earphones are an important upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They are more attractive and are more durable and have a more polished finish. The hinges are more secure, and the soft leather ear cups are a bit larger. They're still made of plastic, however they're more polished. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a high-quality USB-C model to use them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also feature two microphones built-in, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app comes with a wide selection of EQ presets that can be customized and saved to listen to podcasts and music in your preferred style. This is what sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely simple to use.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out nearly all ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This results in an extremely enjoyable listening experience. The Q30's sound signature is natural, however it lags it's a bit harsh on the treble. Some may find the bass response lacking (we got better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer). It is possible to fix this by using the Soundcore App, which includes an 8-band Equalizer.

The left ear cup has a power button as well as a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right earcup is equipped with buttons for play/pause, volume control and volume up/down. Double-clicking these buttons lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct for a change in mode or set alarms. You can also cover the right ear cup with your hand to activate ambient modes, to allow you to hear everything around you without taking off the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is fantastic, too. In our tests with ANC enabled, the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than its competitors. This gives you plenty of time to prepare for long flights or an office day. They can be easily recharged by using the USB-C cable that comes with them and you'll get a warning when they're approaching empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of powerful over-ear headphones that provide both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're made to be a pair of premium, high-end headphone that are great for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also sound fantastic when used for home use by audiophiles too. The headphones are a little more expensive than other headphones, but their outstanding audio quality is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact, slim and attractive, white, fabric-finished box that contains all the accessories you'll need in. There's a fold-flat headphone carry case, USB-C to USB cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

The battery's 600mAh capacity will last for a whole day of listening to music casually. They also include an audio input so that you can make use of wired. Wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions via an app (now named Focal & Naim in the same way as English Naim's products that are network-aware) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles like'silent','soft transparent,' and full.

The app lets you modify various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including the music profile, which sounds brighter and neutraler than other profiles) and the battery life. It also allows you to choose the ANC mode and the level as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment that adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate what it will sound like when worn in a space with different soundproofing.

The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds extra warmth and punch to your favourite tracks. This means that instruments and shop vocals can sound muted, while details such as cymbals may be less prominent than on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation, compared to other over-ears that have more advanced technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are well-known for their quality, and mom-ent.co.kr the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It is at the top of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle market where brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s come with a high cost, but if you can afford it, there are few better wireless over-ear headphones on the market.

The XM5s have features to simplify the lives of listeners and, in a few instances, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to handle 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 with rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making calls hands-free.

Like the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. They're among the best at reducing the continuous drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also excellent at separating listeners from the noises of busy streets and airports.

The sound quality is also very good. The XM5s aren't as detailed in the low frequencies as the XM4, but they have a higher level of clarity and openness also. The bass in Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys strength and clarity but without affecting the rest the music. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel shows off the XM5s' ability to deliver tight and precise bass notes.

Battery life is also very good, with up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active, and 40 hours when it's off. This is more than enough to last an entire weekend or a few days of heavy usage.

The XM5s are not water resistant or dust resistant. In fact, Sony recommends that you don't sweat into them or wear them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for some people, but it might be a problem for those who spends much of their time in the gym or lives in a city that is rainy.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with neutral audio profiles that emphasizes the mids and highs without going overboard on either end of the spectrum. This makes them great for both music and movies. They also provide better sound quality than many other headphones.

The headphones are lightweight and feel comfortable on your head. The earcups are made of memory foam and covered with a woven fabric. They fit comfortably on the ears without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer an incredibly firm, yet not too much clamping force that ensures the earcups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button on the top of the right earcup. There's also a pushable, jog-dial-like button, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can twist for volume control and press it once twice or three times to control playback. Pressing and holding the button will activate Siri. The buttons are simple to use and are well-placed, however, I would like to have a power button that would turn off the headphones when not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when removed from your ears or put in their case, and they only come back on when you place them on your head again.

Another great feature is spatial audio, which uses the accelerometers and gyroscopes of the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to determine the direction you're going, and then repositions the sound to make it seem like they're coming from those places. This gives you a theater-like experience with movies and videos recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to the spatial audio.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd feel a little ripped off for spending $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the next-generation model will be better within a year. AirPods Pro are more expensive however they offer better battery life and advanced features.