Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts and music without the requirement to connect a wire to your audio device. They're also a great choice for public transportation, at work, or at home.

wireless headphones bluetooth over-ear headphones may have an elegant design and superior noise cancellation. They are usually packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears appear better, feel stronger and generally feel more polished. They're still largely plastic but the hinges are a bit more secure and the soft protein leather ear cups are a bit larger. You can switch the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and make use of them with mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also have dual built-in mics that worked well in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a wide variety of EQ presets that can be saved and adjusted to play podcasts and music in the way you prefer. This is what makes these headphones stand out from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively eliminate most ambient noise, and provide very pleasant listening. The Q30's sound quality is natural, however it lags it is a bit treble. Some may find the bass response lacking (we had better results using the Bass Booster EQ). It is possible to fix this using the Soundcore App, which has an eight-band Equalizer.

The headphones come with the power button and a pairing button on the left ear cup along with an USB-C port to charge. The right earcup has buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to ask them to change modes or set alarms. The right ear cup can also be covered with your hands to activate ambient mode to allow you to hear what's happening around you, without removing the headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is great and the battery life is also excellent. In our tests with ANC turned on, the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than the other headphones. This allows you to enjoy the long flight, or a long day at work. They can be easily recharged by using the USB-C cable that comes with them and you'll get an alert when they're getting empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of powerful over-ear headphones that offer both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're designed to be a pair of Premium Rydohi Over Ear Headphones – Rose Gold, high-end headphone that are great for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but are a great choice to listen to audiophile music at home as well. The headphones are a more expensive than other headphones, but their superior sound quality is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact elegant white box with a cloth finish. It includes all the accessories you'll require. You can also get a fold-flat carry case for the headphones and a USB-C cable to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

They're powered by a decent 600mAh battery that can take you through a full day of casual listening and also have an audio input that can be wired for use. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you can control their functions using an app (now named Focal & Naim, probably in the same vein as their English Naim brand's products that are network-aware) or via the dedicated button on the left earcup which scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' 'transparent' and full.

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

The Focal Bathys come with an incredibly bass-rich sound that delivers extra energy, impact and warmth to your favourite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix and can sound dull, while details like cymbals are somewhat less prominent than you'd expect from other headphones. They're also not as effective in active noise cancelation when compared to other over-ears with more advanced technology, like 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 the best of the over-ear headphone market, which is a mainstream market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle market in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. The XM5s have a premium price tag but, when you can afford it, there are few better wireless over-ear headphones out there.

The XM5s come with features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in some instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near hi-res) is also included, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This lets high-quality audio be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making calls without hands.

Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. They're among the top-performing headphones for removing the constant drones heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are great at their job isolating listeners from the traffic noises of busy airports and streets as well.

The sound quality is very good. The XM5s aren't as detailed in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, there's a more pronounced sense of clarity and realism also. The bass on Rage Against The Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys strength and clarity without affecting the music. The XM5s are also able to deliver precise and tight bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

The battery life is also good, with up to 30 hours of listening time with ANC active and up to 40 hours when it's turned off. This is enough to last for the weekend or a few days of heavy usage.

The XM5s are not waterproof or dust-proof. Sony actually advises against sweating into them or taking them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for most people however for those who spend much time in the gym or live in a humid region, it could be a significant issue.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of TECKNET Wireless Bluetooth Headphones - Unleash the Sound! headphones that fit over the ear equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. Apple created dynamic drivers that measure 40mm with a neutral sound profile that emphasizes highs and mids without going too loud. They are ideal for movies and music. They also have better sound quality than many other headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight construction that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed of memory foam and covered with a woven fabric. They fit comfortably on the ears without pressing on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a firm but not overly robust clamping force that ensures that the earcups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

A small button at the top of the right earcup lets you toggle noise cancelling modes. There's also a button that can be pushed, like a jog-dial, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and press it once twice or TECKNET Wireless Bluetooth Headphones - Unleash The Sound! three times to control playback. Siri can be activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed however, I would like to have an option to power off or shut off the headphones when not in use. The headphones go into standby when removed from your ears, or when placed in their case. They will return to life when you put them on your head.

Spatial audio is a cool feature. It uses the accelerometers, gyroscopes, and iPhones or iPads to determine where you are moving. Then, it adjusts the sounds to make them seem to be coming from that location. This gives you a theater-like experience when watching movies and videos recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices are able to listen to spatial audio.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel a bit ripped off entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew they'd be outdone next year by the new model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and better battery life, making it hard to justify the extra expense for most people.