Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to music and podcasts without the need to connect an audio wire to your device. They are also a great choice for public transportation, at work, or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones can have an elegant design and outstanding noise cancellation. They are usually packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears appear better, feel stronger and are generally 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're more polished. You can even swap the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version to use them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also come with dual built-in mics that worked well in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge range of EQ presets, which can be customized and saved so you can listen to music or podcasts in the way you prefer. This is what sets these headphones apart from most other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out nearly all ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This makes for a very pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sound profile that leans slightly to the treble side, which some might find lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster EQ preset). However, you can solve this issue by using the Soundcore app, since there's an eight-band equalizer that can help you tweak.

The Bluetooh headphones (https://thewrightbeef.com/) come with the power button and a pairing button on the left ear cup and the USB-C port for charging. The right earcup has buttons for play/pause, volume control and volume up/down. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. They also support an option to speak to them, so you can request to change the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right ear cup with your hand to activate ambient modes so that you can hear everything around you without having to remove the headphones.

The Q30 headphones offer a long battery life. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than its competitors. This allows you to enjoy a long flight, or a busy day at work. They can be quickly recharged by using the USB-C cable that comes with them and you'll be able to see a warning when they're approaching empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of premium over-ear headphones that feature active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They're made to be an elite high-end headphones that are ideal for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but sound amazing when used for audiophile home use as well. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their superior audio quality is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a small elegant white box with a cloth finish. It includes all the accessories that you will need. 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 can last a whole day of listening to music casually. They also have an audio input to make use of wired. Wirelessly, they are paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now called Focal & Naim in keeping with English sister brand Naim’s network-aware products) or by pressing the button on the left earcup that scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft transparent,' and full.

The app allows you to alter various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including a'music' profile which is more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. You can also choose the ANC level and mode as well as select an 'acoustic environment' to adjust the sensitivity to simulate the sound of the headphones in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich sound that adds more punch, impact and warmth to your favorite tracks. As a result, vocals and instruments are nudged back in the mix and can sound dull, while details like cymbals are slightly less prominent than you'd expect on other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancellation contrasted with other headphones that have higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has a fine reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 headphones are no exception. It is the best of the mainstream over ear headphone market and also falls within the 'luxury' lifestyle area where brands such as Apple, bluetooh Headphones Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s are expensive however, if you can afford it find them, there's not a better pair of wireless headphones.

The XM5s come with features to make life easier for 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 to near-high-resolution) and Bluetooth's LDAC Technology, are included. This allows high-quality audio to be streamed at bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone for making calls hands-free.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation WH headphones in terms of noise cancellation. They're among the most efficient headphones to block out the constant drones found in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are also excellent in separating the listener from the noises of busy streets and airports.

The sound quality is very good. The XM5s may not be as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, there's a greater sense of clarity and transparency as well. The bass on Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys strength and clarity without affecting the music. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's' ability to deliver precise 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 cover the weekend or a few days of heavy usage.

The XM5s aren't waterproof or dust-proof. Sony actually recommends not sweating in the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a major issue for most people however, for those who spend a lot of time in the gym or live in a humid location, it could be a big issue.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm, with a neutral sound profile that focuses on mids and highs without going too loud. This makes them great for Bluetooh Headphones both music and movies. They also have better sound quality when compared with other headphones.

The headphones are lightweight and feel comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed of memory foam and covered with a woven fabric. They fit comfortably on the ears without pressing on the sides of the face. The ear cups also tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide an incredibly firm, yet not too much clamping force to ensure that the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.

A small button located on the top of the right earcup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. It also has an earphone-style jog dial with a push button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can twist it for volume control, and press it once three, twice, or times to playback the controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed, however I would have liked to have the power button that could shut off the headphones when not in use. The headphones are put into standby when removed from your ears, or when they are put in their case. They come back to life when you place them over your head.

Spatial audio is a cool feature. It uses the gyroscopes, accelerometers, and iPads or iPhones to determine where you're moving. Then, it alters the position of the sound so that they appear to originate from the location you are in. This creates a cinema-like experience for videos and movies made in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only downside is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to use it, and you won't be able enjoy it on other devices.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd be a bit disappointed if I spent $549 in an Apple Store knowing that the newer model would be better in the next year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery life, making it hard to justify the extra expense for most people.