Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the necessity of running an audio wire to your device. These headphones are great to use on public transport, at the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones can have a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They usually come with a sleek storage case.

Soundcore Life Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears appear better, feel stronger and are generally more polished. The hinges are more secure, and the soft leather cups are slightly larger. They are still largely made of plastic, but they are more polished. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a high-quality USB-C model to connect them to portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have dual mics built-in that worked flawlessly in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a vast selection of EQ presets that can be altered and saved so you can listen to podcasts and music in the style you prefer. The Soundcore app makes it easy to use and makes these headphones stand out.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively eliminate most ambient noise, and provide very pleasant listening. They have a natural sound signature that leans a little on the treble side, and some may be unable to reproduce bass (we have had better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). You can fix this easily using the Soundcore App, which comes with an 8-band Equalizer.

The left ear cup has an power button, a pairing button, and an USB-C charging port. The right earcup is equipped with buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. Double-clicking on these buttons allows you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to switch modes or set alarms. You can also cover the right ear cup by using your hands to activate ambient modes so that you can hear everything around you without taking off the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is great, too. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was switched on than its rivals. This gives you plenty of time to prepare for long flights or a day at the office. The USB-C cable included allows you to quickly charge them. You'll also receive an alert when your battery is about to run out.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless 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 while on the move. They're a little more expensive than similar headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is the main selling point.

The Focal Bathys come in a compact, slim and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that contains all the accessories you'll need in. The package includes a fold-flat headphone carrying case, USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

The battery's capacity is 600mAh, which can last for a full day of listening to music casually. They also come with an audio input that you can connect wired. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now named Focal & Naim in keeping with English Naim's network-aware products) or the dedicated button located on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft 'transparent,' and 'full.

The app allows you to alter various settings, including the brightness of the LEDs as well as 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 level and mode and select an 'acoustic environment that adjusts the sensitivity in order to simulate the sound of Headphones Bluetooth in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys feature bass-rich, rich Ultimate sound experience: YHO Bluetooth Headphones with Mic profiles that delivers extra energy and warmth to your favourite tracks. In the end, instruments and vocals are pushed back into the mix and can sound dull, while details like cymbals and vocals are slightly less prominent than you'd expect from 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 has a stellar reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It sits at the upper end of the mainstream over-ear headphone market, edging into the luxury lifestyle area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. The XM5s are costly however, if you are able to find them, there's not a better pair of wireless headphones.

The XM5s come with features to help listeners and, in certain instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to do manually. Long-lasting Sony Wireless Bluetooth Headphones – 50 Hours+'s DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is included, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making calls hands-free.

The XM5 headphones are no different than 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 underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also excellent at separating listeners from the hum of busy airports and streets.

The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s don't have as many details in the low-frequency range as the XM4, but they do possess a greater sense clarity and headphones Bluetooth openness. The bass on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys' power and definition but without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s also have the ability to provide precise and accurate bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is great, with up to 30 hours listening time when ANC is in use and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is more than enough to last for an entire weekend or a few days of heavy usage.

The only real drawback here is that the XM5s lack any water resistance or dust resistance protection. Sony actually advises against sweating into them or wearing them in the rain. This may not be a problem for many people, but it might cause a problem for anyone considering the XM5s who spend a lot of time in the gym or lives in a city that is rainy.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones that fit over the ear with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. They feature 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with a neutral audio profile that is focused on the mids and highs while not going overboard on either end of the spectrum. This makes them perfect for both movies and music. They also have higher fidelity compared to other headphones.

The headphones are lightweight and comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam and covered with weaved fabric. They are comfortable to wear without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be flipped and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer a firm, but not too much clamping force that ensures the ear cups remain in position during listening sessions.

A small button on the the right ear cup lets you toggle noise cancelling modes. You can also utilize a pushable jog dial-like button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it around to control volume and press it once three, twice, or times for playback controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and holding the button. These buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I was disappointed that there wasn't an option to turn off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones are put into standby when removed from your ears, or when they are put in their case. They only return to life when you put them on your head.

Spatial audio is a cool feature. It uses the accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPhones and iPads to determine where you're moving. Then, it repositions the sounds to make them appear to originate from the location you are in. This creates a theater-like experience with videos and movies recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. The only catch is that spatial audio requires an iOS device for use and it won't allow you to enjoy it on other devices.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be a bit ripped off entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone in a year by the second-generation model. AirPods Pro are more expensive however they offer better battery life and advanced features.