Best Over the Ear Headphones

wireless bluetooth stereo headphones headphones allow you to listen to music and podcasts without the requirement of connecting a wire to your audio device. These headphones are great to use on public transport, in the office or at home.

Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature an elegant design and bt headphones Wireless superior noise cancellation. They are usually packed in a sleek case.

Soundcore Life Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones look better, feel sturdier and are generally more polished. The hinges are more secure and the soft ear cups have been a bit larger. They are still largely made of plastic, but they are more polished. You can switch the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and connect them to mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also come with two microphones built-in, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a vast selection of EQ presets that can be customized and saved to listen to music or podcasts in the style you prefer. This is what makes these headphones stand out from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.

When ANC is turned on, the Q30's 40mm drivers block out most of the ambient noise, and provide excellent listening. The Q30's sound is natural, however it lags it's a bit harsh on treble. Some might not be a fan of the bass response (we got better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). This can be fixed easily using the Soundcore App, which has an 8-band Equalizer.

The headphones feature an power button and a pairing button on the left ear cup as well as a USB-C port for charging. The right ear cup features play/pause, volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. They also support an option to speak to them, so you can request to switch the mode or set an alarm. The right earcup can also be covered with your hand to activate ambient mode, so you can hear what's happening around you, without removing the headphones.

The Q30 headphones offer a long battery life. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than the other models. This allows you to enjoy an extended flight or a full day at work. The included USB-C cord allows you to quickly recharge them. You'll also receive an alert when the battery is nearing empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offer active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They are designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or while on the move. The headphones are a higher priced than comparable headphones, but their superior audio quality is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packed in a small, attractive white box with a cloth finish. It comes with everything you will need. The package also includes a fold-flat carrying case for the headphones as well as a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

They're powered by a respectable 600mAh battery that can get you through a full day of casual listening and have an audio input for wired use. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you'll be able manage their functions via an app (now named Focal and Naim which is probably in the same line as their English sister brand Naim's network-aware audio products) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup which scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' 'transparent' and 'full'.

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

The Focal Bathys feature a bass-rich sound profile that adds more warmth and punch to your favourite tracks. As a result, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix, and sound muffled, while details like cymbals are slightly less prominent than you'd expect on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation, compared to other headphones that feature higher-end technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are known for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It sits at the upper end of the mainstream headphones for over-ear, and is slipping into the luxury lifestyle sector where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. The XM5s are expensive however, if you are able to, there aren't many better wireless over-ear Bt headphones Wireless.

The XM5s are loaded with features to make life easier for listeners and, in certain instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is also included, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This lets high-quality music to be streamed at bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. The built-in microphone is capable of making hands-free phone calls.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different than the previous generation headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. These headphones are among the top in cutting down on the constant drones that can be heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s are great at their job of shielding listeners from the background noise of busy airports and streets also.

The sound quality is very good. The XM5s aren't quite as precise in the lower frequencies as the XM4, but there's a more pronounced sense of clarity and realism, too. The bass in Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys' power and definition without affecting the rest of the music. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's ability to create accurate and precise bass notes.

The battery life is fantastic, with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is on and 40 hours if it's off. This is enough to last the weekend or a few days' heavy use.

The XM5s aren't waterproof or dust-proof. Sony recommends not sweating in the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for some people, but it could cause a problem for those who spend a lot 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 that fit over the ear that come with bluetooth wireless headphone technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a a neutral audio profile that is focused on the mids and highs while not going too loud on either end of the spectrum. They are great for music and movies. They also provide superior fidelity compared to most rival headphones.

The headphones are lightweight and comfortable on the head. The earcups, which are constructed of memory foam and covered with woven fabric, fit comfortably over the ear and do not place pressure on the sides or forehead. The earcups can also tilt and rotate to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges have a strong but not too strong clamping force, which makes sure that the ear cups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

A small button on the top of the right ear cup lets you toggle 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 turn it to control the volume and press it once three, twice, or times for playback controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and pressing the button. These buttons are placed well and simple to use, however I would have liked the power button that could turn off the headphones when they're not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when removed from your ear or placed in their case, and they only come back on when you place them on your head once more.

Spatial audio is another great feature. It makes use of accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPhones and iPads to determine where you are moving. Then, it alters the position of the sounds to make them appear to come from that location. This creates an immersive theater experience for films and videos made in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to be used, and you won't be able to enjoy it on other devices.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be somewhat smug entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone next year by the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and better battery life, making it difficult to justify the cost for the majority of people.