Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to music or podcasts anywhere without having to run an audio Wire Less Head Phones to your device. They're an excellent choice for public transport, at work or at home.

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

Soundcore Life Q30

These earphones are a significant improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They appear better, feel more durable, and have a more polished appearance. The hinges are more secure, and the soft leather cups are a bit larger. They are still largely made of plastic, however they are more polished. You can replace the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable and connect them to portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also have two microphones built-in, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge selection of EQ presets that can be adjusted and saved to allow you to listen to podcasts and music in the style you prefer. This is the thing that sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate the majority of ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This creates an extremely pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sound signature that is a bit on the treble side, which some might feel is lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). It is possible to fix this using the Soundcore App, which has an eight-band Equalizer.

These headphones have a power button and pairing button on the left ear cup and the USB-C port for charging. The right ear cup has play/pause, the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or repeat previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to switch modes or set alarms. You can also cover the right earcup with your fingers to enable ambient modes to allow you to hear everything around you without having to remove the headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is excellent and the battery life is also excellent. The Q30 was able to last for a full hour in our tests when ANC was on than its competitors. This leaves plenty of time for a long flight or working for a long time. They can be quickly recharged with the included USB-C cable, and you'll see warnings when they're about to run empty.

Focal Bathys wireless headphone

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 as a pair of premium headphones that are ideal for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also sound amazing when used to listen to audiophile music at home as well. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their outstanding sound quality is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a slim, compact and attractive, white, Wire Less Head Phones fabric-finished box with all the accessories you require inside. There's a fold-flat headphone carry case, USB-C-to-USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

The 600mAh battery will last for a whole day of casual listening. They also have an audio input to make use of wired. Wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now called Focal and Naim in the same way as English sister brand Naim’s network-aware products) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft transparent,' and 'full.

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

The Focal Bathys come with bass-rich, rich sound profiles that adds extra energy, impact and warmth to your favourite tracks. The result is that vocals and instruments can be muted, while other certain elements like cymbals could be less prominent than other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation 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 headphones are no exception. It is a top pick in the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle area where brands such as Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s are expensive however, if you are able to find them, there's not a better pair of wireless headphones for over-ear use.

The XM5s have a lot of features that make life easier for the listener and automate some tasks that they would have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res) as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology, are included. This allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. The built-in microphone is capable of making calls hands-free.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation of headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. They're among the best-performing cans to block out the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s also excel in separating the listener from the hum of busy airports and streets.

The sound quality is also great. The XM5s lack as much detail in the low-frequency range like the XM4, however, they do have a greater sense clarity and a greater sense of openness. For instance the bass work on Rage Against The Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real power and definition, while not sagging the other elements. The XM5s also have the ability to deliver precise and tight bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

The battery life is also excellent, offering up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active and 40 hours when it's off. That's more than enough to last for a weekend getaway or a long period of use.

The XM5s are not waterproof or dust-proof. In fact, Sony recommends that you don't sweat into them or wear them out in the rain. This may not be a major issue for everyone else however for those who spend a lot of time in the gym or live in a humid area, it could be a significant issue.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm, with a neutral sound profile that focuses on highs and mids, but not going too loud. This makes them ideal for both movies and music. They also offer superior fidelity compared to most competing pairs of headphones.

The headphones are lightweight and feel comfortable on your head. The earcups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, sit comfortably over the ear, do not put pressure on the sides or forehead. The earcups can also tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer an incredibly firm, yet not too strong clamping force that ensures the earcups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

A small button at the top of the right ear cup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. It also has a pushable Jog-dial-like button, akin to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and press it once twice or three times for playback controls. Siri is activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I would have liked the power button that could turn the headphones off when not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when removed from your ear or placed in their case. They only wake up when you slide them over your head once more.

Another great feature is spatial audio, which uses the gyroscopes and accelerometers in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out where you're moving, then repositions sound to make it seem like they're coming from those locations. This creates a cinema-like experience for videos and movies recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to spatial audio.

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 next-generation model will be better in the next year. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have better battery life and advanced features.