Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the need to run an audio wire to your device. These headphones are ideal for use in 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 sleek case.

Soundcore Life Q30

These earphones are a significant improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They appear better and Bluetooth headphone feel more durable and have a more polished look. They're still largely plastic however the hinges are more secure and the soft protein leather ear cups are a bit larger. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version so that you can use them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also come with two built-in mics that worked well in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a wide selection of EQ presets that can be saved and tweaked to play podcasts and music in the style that you like. The Soundcore app is easy to use and makes these headphones stand out.

The Q30's 40mm speaker effectively block the majority of ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This makes for a very pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sounding signature that leans a little on the treble side, and some might be unable to reproduce bass (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). This can be fixed easily using the Soundcore App, which comes with an 8-band Equalizer.

The left earcup features an power button, a pairing button, and an USB-C charging port. The right earcup has play/pause, the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. They also have a voice command which allows you to request them to change the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right ear cup by using your hands to activate ambient modes, to allow you to hear the world around you without having to remove the headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is excellent, too. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than its competitors. This lets you enjoy a long flight, or a full day at work. They can be charged quickly with the included USB-C cable, and you'll 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 provide both active noise cancellation and bluetooth headphone playback. They're designed as a premium headphones that are great for listening to music and podcasts on the go but also sound fantastic when used for home use by audiophiles as well. The headphones are a higher priced than comparable headphones, but their exceptional audio quality is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packed in a small elegant white box with a textured finish. It comes with all the accessories you will need. There's a fold-flat headphone carry case, USB-C-to-USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

They're powered by a decent 600mAh battery that can get you through a whole day of casual listening and also have an audio input for wired use. When connected wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth and you'll be able to control their functions using an app (now called Focal and Naim likely in line with their English Naim brand's network-aware audio products) or via the dedicated button on the left ear cup that scrolls between ANC profiles like'silent','soft' transparent' and full.

The app allows you to adjust various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs as well as the EQ presets (including a'music' profile which sounds brighter and neutraler than the other profiles) and the battery life. It also lets you to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' setting that adjusts the sensitivity of your audio to simulate how it would sound like if it were placed in a room with different soundproofing.

The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds additional warmth, punch and impact to your favorite tracks. In the end, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix and can sound veiled while other details such as cymbals sound slightly less prominent than you'd expect on other headphones. They're also not as effective in active noise cancellation contrasted to other headphones with more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has earned a reputable reputation for its headphones, and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It's located at the top portion of the headphones for over-ear, and is slipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. This means the XM5s come with a high price tag but, when you can afford it, there are few better over the ear wireless headphones on the market.

The XM5s come with a variety of features that simplify the lives of the listener and automate tasks that they would be required to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music that has been compressed to near high-res) as well as cordless bluetooth headphones's LDAC Technology, are all included. This lets high-quality music to be streamed with bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone for making calls without hands.

Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. They're among the most efficient headphones for removing the continuous drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s do a great job of separating listeners from traffic noises of busy streets and airports as well.

The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s don't have as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, but they do have more clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass on Rage Against The Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys' power and definition, without affecting the rest the music. The XM5s are also able to produce precise and precise bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is excellent and can last up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is in use and 40 hours if off. This is plenty for a weekend getaway or several days of heavy usage.

The only issue is that the XM5s lack any water resistance or dust resistance protection. Sony actually advises against sweating into the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for many people, but it might prove a stumbling block for those who spend a lot of their time at the gym or lives in a city that is rainy.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphone headphones that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with a neutral audio profile that concentrates on the highs and mids while not going too loud on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them great for movies and music. They also have superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.

The headphones have a light design that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed from memory foam covered in woven fabric, and they are comfortable to wear without putting pressure on the sides of the face. Ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a solid but not overly powerful clamping force, which makes sure that the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button located at 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 turn to control volume and press it once twice or three times to playback control. Siri can be activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed, but I would have liked to see the power button that could shut off the headphones when in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode when removed from your ears or placed in their case, and they only come back on when you put them on your head once more.

Another feature that is quite cool is spatial audio, which uses the accelerometers and gyroscopes of the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to determine the direction you're going, and then repositions sound to appear as if they're coming from those locations. This creates an immersive theater experience for films and videos that were recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only drawback 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 is a decent pair, but I would be a bit disappointed if I spent $549 in an Apple Store knowing that the second-generation model would be better within a year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, so it's hard to justify the extra cost for the majority of people.