Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to music and podcasts without the requirement to connect a wire to your audio device. They are an excellent choice for public transport, at work or at home.

blue tooth wireless headphones over-ear headphones may have an elegant design and outstanding noise cancellation. They typically come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore Life Q30

A major upgrade 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 also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C model to make use of them with 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 has a huge range of EQ presets that can be customized and saved so you can listen to music or podcasts in the style you prefer. This is what makes these headphones stand out from most other ANC headphones, and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.

When ANC is turned on, the Q30's 40mm drivers block out most of the ambient noise, and provide very pleasant listening. The Q30's sound is natural, but a little on treble. Some may not be a fan of the bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster EQ). But, you can solve this issue with the Soundcore app, as there is an 8-band equalizer to allow you to tweak.

The left earcup has an power button as well as a pairing button and an USB-C charging port. The right ear cup features play/pause, volume up/down buttons. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or repeat the previous one. They also come with the ability to speak, so you can request them to change the mode or set an alarm. The right earcup can also be covered with your hand to activate ambient mode so that you can hear what is going on around you, blue Tooth wireless headphones without removing the headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is excellent as well. In our tests with ANC turned on the Q30 lasted nearly an hour longer than its rivals. This leaves plenty of time for long flights or a day at the office. They can be quickly recharged using the USB-C cable included, and you'll see a warning when they're approaching empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys wireless bt headphones are a set of premium over-ear headphones that feature active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. These headphones are designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the move. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their superior sound quality is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact, slim and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that contains all the accessories you require inside. The package also includes a fold-flat carrying case for the headphones, a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

They're powered by a respectable 600mAh battery that will get you through a whole day of casual listening and include an audio input that can be wired for use. When connected wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth and you can manage their functions via an app (now named Focal and Naim which is probably in the same vein as their English Naim brand's network-aware audio products) or by pressing the button that's on the left ear cup which scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' 'transparent' and full.

The app lets you modify various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs, Blue Tooth Wireless Headphones the EQ presets (including a'music' profile which is more neutral and brighter than other profiles) and the battery life. It also lets you to choose the ANC mode and the level as well as setting an 'acoustic' setting that will adjust the sensitivity of your music to simulate what it will sound like when used in a space with different audio acoustics.

The Focal Bathys come with a bass-rich profile that adds additional warmth and punch to your favourite tracks. In the end, instruments and vocals are pushed back into the mix, and can sound veiled while details like cymbals are not as prominent as you'd expect from other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation, compared to other headphones that feature higher-end 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 the best of the mainstream over ear headphone market and is in the luxury lifestyle segment 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 over-ear headphones.

The XM5s come with features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in certain cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to handle manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res) and Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are both included. This lets high-quality music to be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's a built-in mic for making calls hands-free.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. They are among the top in cutting down on the constant drones that are heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s also excel in separating the listener from the noises of airports and busy streets.

The sound quality is also great. The XM5s don't have as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however they do have more clarity and openness. For example the bass track on Rage Against The Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real power and definition without flattening the other elements. In the same way, Massive Attack's grooving Angel shows off the XM5s' ability to deliver tight and precise bass notes.

The battery life is also good, with up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is enough to last for an entire weekend or a few days of heavy 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 might not be a problem for some people, but it might be a problem for anyone who spend a lot of time at the gym or lives in a city that is rainy.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones over-ear that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a neutral audio profiles that concentrates on the highs and mids without going overboard at either end of the spectrum. This makes them ideal for movies and music. They also provide better sound quality than many other headphones.

The headphones are light and feel comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam covered with woven fabric, fit comfortably over the ear, do not put pressure on the sides or the forehead. Ear cups can be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges feature a strong but not too strong clamping force, which makes sure that the ear cups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button located at the top of the right earcup. It also has a pushable jog dial-like button like 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 pressing the button. The buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I would have liked an option to switch off the headphones when not in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode when they are removed from your ear or placed in their case. They only wake up when you put them on your head once more.

Another feature that is quite cool is spatial audio, which makes use of 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 locations. This creates a theater-like experience when watching movies and videos made in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices are able to listen to spatial audio.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would feel a little ripped off if I spent $549 in an Apple Store knowing that the next-generation model will be better after a year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and improved battery performance, making it difficult to justify the additional expense for most people.