Best Over the Ear bt headphones wireless

Wireless headphones let you listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the need to run an audio cable from your device. They are an excellent choice for public transportation, at work, or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones may have an elegant design and superior noise cancellation. They typically come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore Q30

These earphones are an important upgrade from the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They appear better and feel more durable and have a more polished finish. They're still largely plastic but the hinges are tighter and the soft protein leather cups are bigger. You can even swap the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version so that you can use them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have dual mics built-in that worked flawlessly during our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a vast variety of EQ presets, which can be adjusted and saved to listen to music or podcasts in the way 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 eliminate most background noise, making for excellent listening. They have a natural sounding signature that is a bit on the treble side, which some might find lacking in bass response (we got better results with the Bass Booster EQ preset). You can fix this easily with the Soundcore App, which includes an 8-band Equalizer.

The left earcup has the power button as well as a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right ear cup has play/pause and the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you skip tracks or repeat the previous one. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct for a change in mode or set alarms. You can also cover the right ear cup with your hand to enable ambient modes to allow you to hear everything around you without taking off the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is excellent, too. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than its rivals. This lets you enjoy a long flight, or a busy day at work. They can be charged quickly by using the USB-C cable that comes with them and you'll get a warning when they're approaching empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offers both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're designed to be an elite headphones that are great for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also sound fantastic when used to listen to audiophile music at home too. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their superior sound is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys come in a small, slim and attractive fabric-finished white retail box with all the accessories you'll need in. There's also a fold-flat carry case for the headphones and a USB-C cable to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

The battery's capacity is 600mAh, which can last for a full day of listening to music casually. They also include an audio input so that you can connect wired. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now named Focal & Naim in line with English sister brand Naim’s network-aware products) or by pressing the button on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft transparent,' and 'full.

The app lets you alter various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs as well as the EQ presets (including the music profile, which sounds brighter and neutraler than the other profiles) and the battery life. It also gives you the ability to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment which adjusts the sensitivity of your audio to simulate what it will sound like if it were placed in a room with different soundproofing.

The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich sound that adds extra energy, impact and warmth to your favorite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix, and can sound dull, while details like cymbals and vocals are slightly wire less head phones prominent than you'd expect from other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation contrasted to other headphones with higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are well-known for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It's located at the top portion of the headphones for over-ear, and is slipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. This means that the XM5s have a premium price tag, but should you be able to afford it, there are few better wireless over-ear headphones out there.

The XM5s are loaded with features that make life easier for listeners and, in certain cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res) and Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are included. This lets high-quality music to be streamed at bitrates which are higher than 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're among the top in cutting down on the constant drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job of shielding listeners from the noise of airports and busy streets, too.

The sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s aren't as precise in the lower frequencies as the XM4, but there's a more pronounced sense of clarity and openness, too. The bass in Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys power and clarity, without affecting the music. The XM5s are also able to deliver precise and tight bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is excellent, with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is on and 40 hours if off. That's more than enough for a weekend trip or a long period of usage.

The only issue is that the XM5s lack any dust or water resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or wear them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for many people, but it could prove a stumbling block for those who spend a lot of time at the gym or lives in a city with rain.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers designed by Apple with an audio profile that is neutral and concentrates on the highs and mids while not going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them great for both movies and music. They also offer superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight construction that is comfortable on the head. The earcups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, sit comfortably over the ear they do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. The ear cups can 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 stay in position during listening sessions.

A small button located on the top of the right ear cup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. There's also a pushable, jog-dial-like button, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to control volume and press the button once twice or three times to playback control. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. These buttons are well-placed and easy to use, but I missed having a power button to turn the headphones off when not in use. The headphones are put into standby when removed from your ears or when placed in their case. They only come back to life when you put them on your head.

Spatial audio is a cool feature. It uses the gyroscopes, accelerometers, and iPhones or iPads to determine where you're moving. Then, it alters the position of the sounds to make them seem to be coming from the location you are in. This creates an immersive theater experience for films and videos recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices are able to listen to audio in spatial format.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, wire less head Phones but I would feel a bit ripped off when I spend $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the next-generation model will be better within a year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, making it difficult to justify the additional cost for most people.