Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the need to run a wire from your audio device. They're an excellent choice for public transport, while at work or at home.

Wireless over-ear cans are offered in a variety of designs and noise cancelling features. They usually come with a sleek storage case.

Soundcore Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones are more attractive, feel more durable and generally feel more polished. They're still mostly plastic, however the hinges are more secure and the soft protein leather ear cups are larger. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version so that you can connect them to portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have dual built-in microphones, which work well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a vast range of EQ presets, which can be adjusted and saved to allow you to listen to music and podcasts in the way you prefer. The Soundcore app is simple to use and makes these headphones stand out.

The Q30's 40mm speaker effectively block almost all ambient sound when ANC is turned on. This makes for a very pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound quality is natural, but a little on the treble. Some might be disappointed by the bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster EQ). However, you can rectify this using the Soundcore application, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands that can help you tweak.

The left earcup has the power button and a pairing button and USB-C charging port. The right earcup has play/pause, the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. They also come with the ability to speak that allows you to ask to switch the mode or set an alarm. The right earcup can also be covered with your hands to activate ambient mode so that you can hear what's happening around you, without removing the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is great and the battery life is also excellent. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than its competitors. This allows you to take advantage of an extended flight or a busy day at work. They can be easily recharged with the included USB-C cable and you'll be able to see a warning when they're approaching empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of high-quality headphones for over-ear use that offer both active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. These headphones are designed to be high-end, premium headphones that can be used at home or on the go. They're more expensive than other similar headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is the main selling feature.

The Focal Bathys come in a compact elegant white box with a textured finish. It comes with all the accessories you'll require. There's also a fold-flat carry case for the bluethooth headphones as well as a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

The 600mAh battery can last 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 manage their functions via an app (now named Focal & Naim which is probably in the same vein as their English sister brand Naim's products for audio that are network-aware) or by pressing the dedicated button on the left ear cup which scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' transparent', cordless Bluetooth headphones and full.

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

The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds more punch and warmth to your favorite tracks. This means that instruments and vocals can sound muted, while details such as cymbals may be less prominent than other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancelation when contrasted with other wifi headphones that have more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has a fine reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is not an exception. It sits at the upper portion of the over-ear headphone market, but it is also dipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. The XM5s can be expensive, but if you can get them, you won't find a better wireless over-ear headphones.

The XM5s have features to make life easier for listeners and, in some instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to handle 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 both included. This lets high-quality music to be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Cordless bluetooth Headphones. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making hands-free calls.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation WH headphones in terms of noise cancellation. They're among the top-performing headphones for cutting out constant drones heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s also excel in separating the listener from the hum of busy streets and airports.

The sound quality is also great. The XM5s may not be as detailed in the low frequencies as the XM4, but there's a greater sense of clarity and transparency, too. The bass in Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys' power and definition but without affecting the rest the music. Similarly, Massive Attack's brooding Angel shows off the XM5s' ability to deliver tight and precise bass notes.

Battery life is also excellent, offering up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active, and 40 hours when it's turned off. This is more than enough to cover a weekend getaway or Cordless bluetooth Headphones several days of heavy usage.

The XM5s do not come with dust or water resistant. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or take them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for a lot of people, but it could cause a problem for anyone considering the XM5s who spends much of their time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with a neutral audio profile that concentrates on the highs and mids without going overboard at either end of the spectrum. This makes them ideal for both music and movies. They also offer higher fidelity than most rival headphones.

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

Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button located at the top of the right earcup. There's also 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 thrice to playback control. Siri is activated by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed but I would have liked to have a power button that would switch off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode after being removed from your ears 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 accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out where you're moving, then repositions the sound to create the illusion that they're coming from these locations. This creates a cinema-like experience for videos and movies that were recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to the spatial audio.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be somewhat smug going into an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew they'd be outdone in a year by the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery life, making it difficult to justify the cost for most people.