Best Over the Ear Headphones

wifi wireless headphones headphones let you listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the need to run a wire from your audio device. They're also a great choice for public transport, while at work or at home.

Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They usually come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore Life Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears appear better, feel stronger and generally feel more polished. The hinges are stronger and the soft cups are a bit larger. They're still made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can swap the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable and use them with mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also have dual mics built in that worked well in our tests using FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge range of EQ presets that can be customized and saved to allow you to listen to music or podcasts in your preferred style. This is what makes these headphones stand out from most other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers block out most of the ambient noise, and Cordless Headphones provide an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound signature is natural, however it lags a little on treble. Some may be disappointed by the bass response (we got better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). This can be fixed easily with the Soundcore App, which has an 8-band Equalizer.

The headphones feature the power button and a pairing button on the left ear cup as well as a USB-C port for charging. The right earcup is equipped with buttons for bluetooth headphones quality volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. 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. You can also cover the right ear cup with your hand to enable ambient modes so that you can hear the world around you without having to remove the headphones.

These headphones have a fantastic battery life. The Q30 was able to last for a full hour in our tests when ANC was turned on than its competitors. This leaves plenty of time for long flights or an office day. They can be quickly recharged with the included USB-C cable and you'll be able to see an alert when they're getting empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that feature active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They are designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the go. The headphones are a little higher priced than comparable headphones, but their superior audio quality is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a small, slim and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that includes everything you'll need in. The headphone carry case folds flat, and comes with a case, USB-C to USB cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

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

Utilizing the app, you are able to alter different settings like the LED brightness, EQ presets including a'music' profile that sounds brighter and more neutral than the others and also their battery duration. You can also select the ANC mode and level as well as set an 'acoustic environments that adjusts the sensitivity to simulate the sound of headphones in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys have an incredibly bass-rich sound that delivers extra energy, impact and warmth to your favourite tracks. This means that instruments and vocals be muted, while other details like cymbals might be less prominent than on other Cordless Headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation when compared with other over-ears with more advanced technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has a stellar reputation for its headphones, and the WH-1000XM5 is not an exception. It is a top pick in the over-ear headphone market, which is a mainstream market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle market where brands such as Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s are costly, but if you can get them, you won't find a better wireless headphones.

The XM5s are loaded with features to help listeners and, in a few instances, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is included and also support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows high-quality audio to be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone for making hands-free calls.

As with the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. They're among the top in cutting down on the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are also excellent in separating the listener from the hum of airports and busy streets.

The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s don't have as high a resolution in the low frequency range like the XM4, however they do possess an increased sense of clarity and 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 without flattening everything else. Similarly, Massive Attack's brooding Angel shows off the XM5s' ability to deliver tight and precise bass notes.

The battery life is fantastic, with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is active and up to 40 hours when it's off. That's more than enough for a weekend trip 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 take 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 location it could be a big 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 audio profile that focuses on highs and mids without going overboard. This makes them ideal for both music and movies. They also have higher fidelity than most competing pairs of headphones.

The headphones are light and feel comfortable on your head. The ear cups are constructed from memory foam covered in weaved fabric. They are comfortable to wear without putting pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a firm but not overly strong clamping force, which ensures that the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.

Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button on the top of the right earcup. It also has a pushable Jog-dial-like button, akin to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can twist for volume control and press once, twice or thrice to playback control. Siri is activated by pressing and holding the button. These buttons are well-placed and easy to use, but I was disappointed that there wasn't a power button to switch 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 into use when you place them over your head.

Another cool feature is spatial audio, which utilizes the accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to determine where you're moving, then repositions the sound to appear as if they're coming from those places. This creates an immersive theater-like experience for movies and videos recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only downside is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to use it and you won't be able experience it on other devices.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be slightly smug about entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone next year by the new model. AirPods Pro are more expensive, but they have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.