Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts and music without the requirement of connecting a wire to your audio device. These headphones are ideal for public transport, at the office or at home.

Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature an elegant design and superior noise cancellation. They are usually packed in a sleek case.

Soundcore Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears look better, feel sturdier and generally feel more polished. The hinges are more secure and the soft leather ear cups are slightly larger. They are still largely made of plastic, however they are more polished. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C model to connect them to portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have dual microphones that perform well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a wide variety of EQ presets that can be saved and altered to listen to podcasts and music in the way you like. This is the thing that sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.

The Q30's 40mm speaker effectively block the majority of ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This creates an extremely enjoyable listening experience. They have a natural sounding signature that is a bit on the treble side, which some may find lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). You can fix this easily using the Soundcore App, headphones shop which includes an eight-band Equalizer.

The headphones feature an power button and a pairing button on the left ear cup and the USB-C port for charging. The right ear cup has play/pause, the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct for a change in mode or set alarms. The right ear cup can also be covered with your hand to activate ambient mode so you can hear what's happening around you, without removing the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is excellent as well. In our tests with ANC turned on the Q30 ran for almost an hour longer than its rivals. This leaves plenty of time to prepare for long flights or an office day. The included USB-C cord allows you to quickly charge the batteries. You'll also receive an alert when the battery is about to run out.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys buy wireless headphones is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that feature active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They are designed to be high-end, premium headphones that can be used at home or on the go. The headphones are a more expensive than other headphones, but their exceptional audio quality is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys come in a slim, compact and attractive, white, fabric-finished box with all the accessories you need inside. The headphone carry case folds flat, and comes with a case, USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

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

The app lets you adjust various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including the music profile, which is more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. It also lets you to choose the ANC mode and the level, and also set an 'acoustic environment' which adjusts the sensitivity of your audio to simulate how it would sound like if it were placed in a space with different soundproofing.

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

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are known for their quality, and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It sits at the upper end of the mainstream over-ear headphone market, edging into the 'luxury lifestyle' sector where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. This means the XM5s are expensive in cost, but when you can afford it, there are better wireless over-ear Headphones Shop available.

The XM5s are loaded with features that make life easier for listeners and, in certain instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to handle manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are all included. This allows streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making hands-free phone calls.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. These headphones are among the top in eliminating the constant drones that are heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s also excel at separating listeners from the hum of busy airports and streets.

The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s don't have as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however they do have more clarity and a greater sense of openness. For instance the bass work on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the blue tooth head phones flexes the Sonys muscles with real force and definition, while not sagging everything else. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce tight and precise bass notes.

Battery life is great and can last up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is active and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is more than enough to cover a weekend getaway or several days of heavy usage.

The XM5s do not come with water resistant or dust resistant. In fact, Sony recommends that you don't sweat into them or take them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for those who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a city with rain.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones over-ear that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with a neutral audio profile that is focused on the mids and highs without going overboard on either end of the spectrum. This makes them perfect for both music and movies. They also offer superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.

The headphones are light in design that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, and sit comfortably over the ear and do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. The ear cups can also be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide a strong, but not too much clamping force that ensures the ear cups remain in place during listening sessions.

A small button at the top of the right earcup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. It also has the jog dial that is a push-button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can twist it for volume control and press it one three, twice, or Headphones shop times to playback the controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are simple to use and are well-placed, however I would have liked to see an option to power off or turn off the headphones when not in use. The headphones are put into standby when removed from your ears, or if they are placed in their case. They will come back to life when you place them over your head.

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

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would feel a bit ripped off if I spent $549 in an Apple Store knowing that the second-generation model would be better in the next year. AirPods Pro are more expensive however they offer more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.