Best Over the Ear Headphones

wireless and bluetooth headphones headphones allow you to listen to podcasts or music anywhere without having to run a wire from your audio device. They are also a great choice for public transport, while at work or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones can have a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are usually packed in a stylish case.

Soundcore Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones look better, feel sturdier, and are generally more polished. The hinges are tighter and the soft cups are a bit larger. They are still largely made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version to connect them to portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have two microphones built-in, which work well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app comes with a wide range of EQ presets that can be adjusted and saved so you can listen to music or podcasts in the style you prefer. This is the thing that sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out almost all ambient sound when ANC is turned on. This results in a very pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sound signature that leans a little on the treble end, which some may feel is lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). This can be fixed easily with the Soundcore App, which comes with an eight-band Equalizer.

The headphones come with an power button and a pairing button on the left earcup and the USB-C port for charging. The right earcup has play/pause, the volume up and down buttons. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or replay the previous one. They also have a voice command, so you can request to change the mode or set an alarm. The right ear cup can also be covered with your hand to enable ambient mode, so that you can be aware of what is happening around you without removing the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is great as well. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was switched on than its competitors. This allows you to take advantage of a long flight, or a full day at work. They can be quickly recharged using the USB-C cable included 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 powerful over-ear headphones that offer both active noise cancellation and bluetooth wireless headphones playback. They're designed to be a premium, high-end headphone that are ideal for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but sound fantastic when used to listen to audiophile music at home too. They're slightly more expensive than similar headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is the main selling feature.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact attractive white box with a fabric finish. It contains all the accessories that you will need. 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 listening to music and include an audio input that can be wired for use. When used wirelessly they're paired via Bluetooth wireless headphones and you can control their functions through an app (now known as Focal and Naim, probably in the same line as their English sister brand Naim's network-aware audio products) or via the button located on the left earcup that scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' transparent', and full.

The app allows you to alter various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including a'music' profile that sounds more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. You can also select the ANC mode and level as well as setting an 'acoustic settings that adjusts the sensitivity to mimic the sound of the headphones in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys come with an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives extra warmth, punch and impact to your favorite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments are nudged back in the mix and sound muffled, while other details such as cymbals sound somewhat 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 a stellar reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It is a top pick in the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle area in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s can be expensive however, if you can afford it get them, you won't find a better wireless over-ear headphones.

The XM5s come with a variety of features that make life easier for the listener and automate some tasks that they'd otherwise be required to do 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 lets high-quality audio be streamed at bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making hands-free phone calls.

As with the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. They're among the top in cutting down on the constant drones that are heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job of shielding listeners from the traffic noises of busy streets and airports, too.

The sound quality is also very good. The XM5s lack as high a resolution 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 strength and clarity without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s are also able to produce precise and precise bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is excellent, with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is on and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is plenty for a weekend getaway or a few days of heavy usage.

The only real drawback here is that the XM5s don't have any dust or water resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or wear them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for those who spend a lot of their time at the gym or lives in a city with rain.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral audio profile that emphasizes highs and mids without going overboard. This makes them perfect for both movies and music. They also offer superior fidelity compared to most other headphones.

The headphones are light in design that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed of memory foam and covered with woven fabric and fit comfortably over the ear and do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. The ear cups can tilt and rotate to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a strong but not too powerful clamping force, which ensures that the ear cups remain in place during listening sessions.

A small button on the top of the right ear cup lets you toggle noise cancelling modes. You can also utilize a pushable jog dial-like button like the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it to control the volume and press it once, twice, or three times for playback controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and holding the button. These buttons are well-placed and easy to use, Bluetooth wireless Headphones 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 will return to life when you place them over your head.

Spatial audio is another cool feature. It makes use of accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPads or iPhones to determine where you are moving. Then, it repositions the sound to make it appear to come from that particular location. This creates a cinema-like experience for films and videos recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices are able to listen to audio in spatial format.

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 newer model would be better within a year. AirPods Pro are more expensive, but they have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.