Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the need to run an audio cable from your device. They're ideal for public transportation, at work, or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones are available in a variety of designs and noise cancelling capabilities. They typically come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore 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 tighter, and the soft ear cups are a bit larger. They're still made of plastic, however they're more polished. You can replace the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable to connect them to mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also come with two built-in mics that worked well in our tests using FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a vast selection of EQ presets, which can be adjusted and saved to listen to music or podcasts in the way you prefer. This is what sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones, Bluethooth Headphones and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers eliminate most ambient noise and make for very pleasant listening. The Q30's sound quality is natural, but it is a bit the treble. Some may find the bass response lacking (we got better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer). You can fix this easily with the Soundcore App, which comes with an 8-band Equalizer.

The headphones come with an power button and a pairing button on the left ear cup along with the USB-C port for charging. The right ear cup has play/pause and the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking on these buttons allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to switch modes or set alarms. The right ear cup can also be covered with your hand to activate ambient mode, to allow you to hear what is going on around you without removing the headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is great as well. In our tests with ANC switched on, the Q30 ran for almost an hour longer than its rivals. This lets you enjoy an extended flight or a busy day at work. The USB-C cable included allows you to quickly charge them. You'll also get a warning when the battery is nearing 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 designed to be a premium, high-end headphone wireless that are great for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but sound fantastic when used to listen to audiophile music at home as well. They're slightly more expensive than other similar headphones but their superior sound quality is their main selling feature.

The Focal Bathys come in a compact attractive white box with a fabric finish. It comes with all the accessories you'll need. The package also includes a fold-flat carrying case for the headphones and a USB-C cable to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

They're powered by a decent 600mAh battery that can take you through a whole day of listening to music and have an audio input for wired use. Wirelessly, they are paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now called Focal & Naim in line with English sister brand Naim’s products that are network-aware) or 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, including the brightness of the LEDs as well as the EQ presets (including music's profile, which is more neutral and brighter than other profiles) and the battery life. You can also select the ANC mode and level and set an 'acoustic environments setting to alter the sensitivity in order to simulate the sound of the headphones in a different room.

The Focal Bathys have an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives additional warmth and punch to your most loved tracks. This means that vocals and instruments are nudged back in the mix and sound muffled, while details like cymbals and vocals are slightly less prominent than you'd expect from other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancellation when contrasted with other headphones that have more advanced technology, like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are known for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It is the best of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and borders the luxury lifestyle segment in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. This means the XM5s are expensive in price tag but, when you can afford it, there are better over the ear wireless headphones out there.

The XM5s have a lot of features that simplify the lives of the listener, and also automate tasks that they would be required to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music that has been compressed to near high-res) as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are all included. This allows streaming of high-quality audio at rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone for making calls without hands.

Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. They are among the best at cutting down on the constant drones that can be heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s are also great in separating the listener from the noises of airports and busy streets.

The sound quality is also very good. The XM5s don't have as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, but, they do have more clarity and openness. The bass on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys power and clarity, without affecting the rest the music. The XM5s are also able to provide precise and accurate bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is also very good, providing up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active, and 40 hours when it's turned off. That's more than enough for a weekend trip or a few days of heavy use.

The XM5s do not come with water resistant or dust resistant. In fact, wireless bluetooth stereo headphones (http://www.kmgosi.co.kr/g5/bbs/board.php?Bo_Table=my6of333xm&wr_id=10863) Sony recommends that you don't sweat into them or wear them in the rain. This might not be a problem for some people, but it might prove a stumbling block for anyone considering the XM5s who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a city with rain.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair over-ear wireless headphones which feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple created dynamic drivers that measure 40mm, with a neutral sound profile that focuses on mids and highs without going overboard. This makes them perfect for both music and movies. They also have superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.

The headphones are light in construction that is comfortable on the head. The earcups, which are made of memory foam covered with woven fabric, and sit comfortably over the ears they do not place pressure on the sides or forehead. Ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer a strong, but not too strong clamping force to ensure that the ear cups stay in position during listening sessions.

A small button located on the the right ear cup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. It also has the jog dial that is a push-button similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it around to control volume and press it once, twice, or three times for playback controls. Siri is activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed, but I would have liked to see the power button that could shut off the headphones when not in use. The Bluethooth Headphones automatically go into standby mode after being removed from your ears or placed in their case, and they only wake up when you slide them over your head again.

Spatial audio is another great feature. It utilizes accelerometers, gyroscopes, and iPads or iPhones to determine where you are moving. Then, it alters the position of the sound so that they appear to come from the location you are in. This creates an immersive theater experience for films and videos made in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to audio in spatial format.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would feel a bit ripped off if I spent $549 in an Apple Store knowing that the second-generation model would be better in the next year. AirPods Pro are more expensive however they offer more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.