Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the necessity of running a wire from your audio device. They are an excellent choice for public transportation, at work, or at home.

Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are usually packed in a stylish case.

Soundcore Life Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears 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're more polished. You can even swap the 3.5mm cable for a better USB-C version so that you can connect them to stationary Hi-Fi systems and mobile Hi-Res players. They also feature dual microphones that work well in our tests for bluetooth head phones FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a wide variety of EQ presets that can be saved and adjusted to listen to podcasts and music in the style that you like. The Soundcore app is simple to use and sets these headphones apart.

When ANC is on, the Q30's 40mm drivers cut out almost all ambient noise and make for an extremely pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sounding signature that leans a little on the treble side, which some may feel is lacking in bass response (we got better results with the Bass Booster EQ preset). This can be fixed easily with the Soundcore App, which has an eight-band Equalizer.

The left earcup has an power button as well as a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right earcup has buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. Double-clicking these controls lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to change modes or set alarms. You can also cover the right ear cup by using your hands to activate ambient modes, so that you can hear the world around you without having to remove the headphones.

These headphones have a great battery life. In our tests with ANC enabled, the Q30 ran for almost an hour longer than its rivals. This gives you plenty of time for long flights or working for a long time. The USB-C cord included in the kit lets you quickly recharge the batteries. You'll also get an alert when your battery is about to run out.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that feature 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 on the move. The headphones are a little higher priced than comparable headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is what makes them stand out.

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

The 600mAh battery will last for a whole day of casual listening. They also include an audio input so that you can connect wired. When connected wirelessly, they're paired via bluetooth headphones wireless and you can manage their functions via an app (now known as Focal & Naim which is probably in line with their English Naim brand's products for audio that are network-aware) or via the button on the left ear cup that scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' transparent' and full.

Utilizing the app, you are able to alter different settings, including the LED brightness as well as EQ presets that include a "music profile' that sounds more neutral and brighter than other presets and their battery duration. You can also choose the ANC level and mode as well as select an 'acoustic environment' to adjust the sensitivity in order to simulate the sound of headphones in a different room.

The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds additional warmth, punch and impact to your favorite tracks. As a result, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix and can sound veiled while details like cymbals and vocals are somewhat less prominent than you'd expect from other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancelation when compared to other over-ears with higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are renowned for their quality and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It is at the top of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle market in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. This means the XM5s come with a high cost, but when you can afford it, there are a few more superior wireless over-ear headphones out there.

The XM5s are loaded with features that help listeners and, in certain instances, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near-high resolution) is also included as well as support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows high-quality audio to be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone for making calls without hands.

The XM5 headphones aren't different from the previous generation of headphones from WH, in regards to noise cancellation. They are among the top in reducing the constant drones that are heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s are also great at separating listeners from the hum of busy airports and streets.

The sound quality is also great. The XM5s don't have as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however they do possess an increased sense of clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass in Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys power and clarity, without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s also have the ability to deliver precise and tight bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is also very excellent, offering up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active and 40 hours when it's off. This is plenty to last for a weekend getaway or several days of heavy usage.

The XM5s are not dust or water resistant. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or wear them in the rain. This might not be a problem for a lot of people, but it could cause a problem for anyone considering the XM5s who spend a lot of time at the gym or lives in a city that is rainy.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones with bluetooth headphones over-ear that come with bluetooth head phones (pedigree.setter-anglais.fr) technology and noise cancellation. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral sound profile that focuses on mids and highs without going overboard. This makes them perfect for movies and music. They also have better sound quality than many competing pairs of headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight design that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed of memory foam and covered with a woven fabric. They are comfortable to wear without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide an incredibly firm, yet not too much clamping force to ensure that the ear cups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

You can toggle noise cancelling by pressing a small button at the top of the right earcup. You can also utilize a pushable jog dial-like button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it to control the volume and press it one three, twice, or times to playback the controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and pressing the button. These buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I was disappointed that there wasn't the power button that could switch off the headphones when they're not in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode when removed from your ears or placed in their case. They only wake up when you put them on your head again.

Another great feature is spatial audio, which makes use of the accelerometers and gyroscopes of the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out where you're moving, then repositions sound to appear as if they're coming from those places. This creates a cinema-like experience for movies and videos recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to be used, and it won't allow you to experience it on other devices.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd be a bit disappointed when I spend $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the second-generation model would be better in the next year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, making it hard to justify the extra cost for most people.