Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music and podcasts without the requirement to connect an audio wire to your device. They are ideal for public transportation, at work, or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones are available in a variety of styles and noise cancelling features. They are typically packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Life Q30

These earphones are a significant upgrade from the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They look better and are more durable and have a more polished look. They're still mostly made of plastic, but the hinges are tighter and the soft leather ear cups are a bit bigger. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version to make use of them with stationary Hi-Fi systems and mobile Hi-Res players. They also come with dual built-in microphones, which work well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge variety of EQ presets, which can be customized and wiresless headphones saved so you can listen to music and podcasts in your preferred style. The Soundcore app is simple to use and sets these headphones apart.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively block out most of the ambient noise, and provide very pleasant listening. They have a natural sound profile that leans slightly to the treble side, which some may find lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). This can be fixed easily with the Soundcore App, which includes an 8-band Equalizer.

The headphones feature a power button and wiresless Headphones pairing button on the left earcup and the USB-C port for charging. The right ear cup features play/pause, volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or repeat previous ones. They also have an option to speak to them, so you can ask to switch the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right earcup with your fingers to activate ambient modes to allow you to hear the world around you without having to remove the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is fantastic and the battery life is also excellent. The Q30 was able to last for a full hour in our tests when ANC was switched on than the other models. This gives you plenty of time to prepare for a long flight or working for a long time. They can be charged quickly by using the USB-C cable that comes with them, and you'll see an alert when they're getting empty.

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 designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the move. They're more expensive than other similar headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is the main selling point.

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

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

Utilizing the app, you are able to alter various settings such as the brightness of the LED as well as EQ presets that include a "music profile' that is more neutral and brighter than the other ones and their battery duration. It also lets you to choose the ANC mode and its level, and also set an 'acoustic' environment that will adjust the sensitivity of your audio to simulate how it would sound like when used in a space with different audio acoustics.

The Focal Bathys have an incredibly bass-rich sound that adds extra energy, impact and warmth to your favorite tracks. This means that instruments and vocals can sound muted, while details like cymbals might be less prominent than other wiresless headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation, compared to other over-ears with higher-end technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has a stellar reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It is the best of the mainstream over ear headphone market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle area where brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s can be expensive, but if you can, there aren't many better wireless headphones for over-ear use.

The XM5s come with a variety of features that make life easier for the listener and automate some tasks they would otherwise need to perform manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music headphones wireless compressed to near hi-res), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology, are included. This lets high-quality music to be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's a built-in mic 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 eliminating the constant drones that are heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also excellent at isolating the listener from the hum of busy streets and airports.

The sound quality is also great. The XM5s don't have as high a resolution in the low frequency range as the XM4, but they do have more clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass on Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys power and clarity without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s also have the ability to provide precise and accurate bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.

The battery life is fantastic, with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is active and 40 hours if off. That's more than enough for a weekend getaway or several days of heavy use.

The XM5s are not waterproof or dust-proof. In fact, Sony recommends that you avoid sweating on them or take them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for anyone who spend a lot of their time at 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 that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers designed by Apple with neutral audio profiles that is focused on the mids and highs while not going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. They are perfect for music and movies. They also have superior fidelity compared to most competing pairs of headphones.

The headphones have a light construction that is comfortable on the head. The earcups are made from memory foam covered in weaved fabric. They are comfortable to wear without pressing on the sides of the face. The ear cups can tilt and rotate to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer a strong, but not too much clamping force to ensure that the ear cups remain in place during listening sessions.

A small button on the top of the right earcup lets you toggle noise cancelling modes. There's also a pushable, like a jog-dial, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to control volume and press once, twice or thrice to control playback. Siri is activated by pressing and holding the button. These buttons are placed well and simple to use, however I would have liked the power button that could switch off the headphones when they're not in use. The headphones go into standby when removed from your ears or if they are placed in their case. They only come back into use when you place them on your head.

Another cool feature is spatial audio, which utilizes the gyroscopes and accelerometers in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to determine the direction you're going, and then repositions sounds to make it seem like they're coming from those places. This gives you a theater-like experience when watching movies and videos recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices are able to listen to spatial audio.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would be a bit disappointed for spending $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the next-generation model will be better after a year. AirPods Pro are more expensive, but they have better battery life and advanced features.