Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts and music without the requirement to connect wires to your audio device. These headphones are great for public transport, in the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear cans are offered in a variety of styles and noise cancellation capabilities. They are typically packaged in a stylish case.

Soundcore Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears look better, feel sturdier and are generally more polished. They're still mostly plastic, however the hinges are more secure and the soft protein leather ear cups are larger. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a higher quality USB-C cable to 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 variety of EQ presets that can be adjusted and saved to allow you to listen to music and podcasts in your preferred style. The Soundcore app is simple to use and dj makes these headphones stand out.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate nearly all ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This results in an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound is natural, but a little on treble. Some may be disappointed by the bass response (we have had better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). However, you can fix this with the Soundcore app, as there's an eight-band equalizer that can help you tweak.

These headphones have the power button and a pairing button on the left earcup and the USB-C port for charging. The right ear cup features play/pause, and 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 ask them to switch modes or set alarms. You can also cover the right ear cup with your fingers to enable ambient modes to allow you to hear everything around you without removing the headphones.

These headphones have a great battery life. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was switched on than its rivals. This lets you enjoy the long flight, or a long day at work. The USB-C cable included allows you to quickly recharge them. You'll also get an alert when the battery is nearing empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of powerful over-ear headphones that offer both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're designed as an elite headphones that are ideal for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also sound fantastic when used for home use by audiophiles as well. They're a little more expensive than similar headphones but their superior audio quality is the primary selling factor.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact elegant white box with a cloth finish. It contains everything you'll require. The headphone bluetooth carry case folds flat, and comes with a case, USB-C to USB cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

The 600mAh battery will last for a whole day of listening to music casually. They also include an audio input so that you can make use of wired. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you'll be able to manage their functions via an app (now known as Focal and tntech.kr Naim, probably in the same vein as their English Naim brand's products for audio that are network-aware) or using the button on the left earcup which scrolls between ANC profiles like'soft','silent transparent' and 'full'.

The app allows you to adjust various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs and the EQ presets (including the 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 that adjusts the sensitivity to mimic the sound of headphones in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich profile that adds additional warmth and punch to your favorite tracks. This means that instruments and vocals can sound muted, while details like cymbals might be less prominent than other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation compared to other over-ears with more advanced technology such as 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 also falls within the 'luxury' lifestyle area where brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s are expensive in price tag but, should you be able to afford it, there are a few more superior wireless over-ear headphones out there.

The XM5s have a lot of features that simplify the lives of the listener and automate tasks that they would have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near hi-res) is included as well as support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio at rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making calls hands-free.

The XM5 headphones are no different from the previous generation WH headphones in terms of 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 are great at their job of shielding listeners from the traffic noises of airports and busy streets, too.

The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s may not be as detailed in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, there's a more pronounced sense of clarity and openness also. For instance the bass on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys muscles with real power and definition without flattening everything else. The XM5s also have the ability to produce precise and precise bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.

The battery life is fantastic, with up to 30 hours listening time when ANC is active and 40 hours if it's off. This is more than enough to last for a weekend getaway or a long period of usage.

The XM5s do not come with waterproof or dust-proof. In fact, Sony recommends that you don't sweat into them or wear them in the rain. This may not be a problem for the majority of people, but for those who spend a lot of time in the gym or live in a humid area this could be a big issue.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral sound profile that focuses on highs and mids, but not going overboard. This makes them ideal for both music and movies. They also provide better sound quality when compared with other headphones.

The headphones are lightweight and comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed from memory foam covered in woven fabric, and they sit comfortably on the ears without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can be flipped and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a solid but not overly robust clamping force that ensures that the earcups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

A small button located on the top of the right ear cup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. You can also use an earphone-style jog dial with a push button similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it around to control volume and press it one, twice, or three times to playback the controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed however, I would like to have an option to power off or shut off the headphones when not in use. The headphones go into standby mode when removed from your ears or if they are placed in their case. They only come back to life when you place them on your head.

Another great feature is spatial audio, which makes use of the gyroscopes and accelerometers in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're going, and then repositions sounds to create the illusion that they're coming from these locations. This creates an immersive theater-like experience for videos and movies recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only catch is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to use it and it won't allow you to enjoy it with other devices.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would be a bit disappointed when I spend $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the newer model would be better within a year. AirPods Pro are more expensive, but they have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.