Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the need to run a wire from your audio device. They are also a great choice for public transportation, at work, or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones are available in a variety and noise cancellation capabilities. They are usually packed in a stylish case.

Soundcore Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears are more attractive, feel more durable, and are generally more polished. The hinges are stronger, and the soft leather cups are a bit larger. They're still made of plastic, however they're more polished. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and make use of them with portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also feature dual microphones that work well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

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

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out almost all ambient sound when ANC is enabled. This makes for an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound signature is natural, but it is a bit treble. Some may be disappointed by the bass response (we got better results using the Bass Booster EQ). But, you can fix this using the Soundcore application, as there is an 8-band equalizer to help you tinker.

These headphones blutooth have an power button and a pairing button on the left earcup and a USB-C port for charging. The right earcup has play/pause, and volume up/down buttons. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or replay the previous one. 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, to allow you to hear the world around you without taking off the headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is fantastic and the battery life is also excellent. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than its rivals. This allows you to enjoy an extended flight or a long day at work. The USB-C cable included allows you to quickly charge the batteries. You'll also receive a warning when the battery is about to run out.

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, high-end headphone that are ideal for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also sound fantastic when used for audiophile home use as well. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys come in a small, slim and attractive fabric-finished white retail box that contains all the accessories you require inside. You can also get a fold-flat carry case for the headphones as well as a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

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

Utilizing the app, you are able to alter different settings, including the LED brightness and EQ presets, including a "music' profile that sounds more neutral and brighter than the other ones and their battery life. You can also choose the ANC mode and level and setting an 'acoustic settings setting to alter the sensitivity in order to simulate the sound of the headphones in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich sound that adds extra punch and warmth to your favorite tracks. As a result, instruments and vocals are pushed back into the mix, and can sound veiled while details like cymbals and vocals are not as prominent as you might expect on some other headphones. They're also not as effective in 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 fine reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 headphones wireless bluetooth are no exception. It is the best of the mainstream over ear headphone market and also falls within the 'luxury' lifestyle market where brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. This means that the XM5s have a premium price tag, but when you can afford it, there are better over the ear wireless headphones available.

The XM5s come with a variety of features that simplify the lives of the listener and automate some tasks they would otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music that has been compressed to near high-res), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are both included. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making calls without hands.

The XM5 headphones are no different from the previous generation headphones from WH in terms of noise cancellation. These headphones are among the top in cutting down on the continuous drones that can be heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job isolating listeners from the noise of airports and busy streets as well.

The sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s aren't as precise in the lower frequencies as the XM4, however, there's a greater sense of clarity and openness also. The bass on Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys' power and definition but without affecting the rest the music. The XM5s also have the ability to produce precise and precise bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is also very good, with up to 30 hours of listening time with ANC active and 40 hours when it's turned off. That's more than enough to last for a weekend getaway or a few days of heavy use.

The only issue is that the XM5s don't have any water resistance or dust resistance protection. Sony recommends not sweating into them or taking them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for some people, but it could be a problem for anyone who spends much of their time at the gym or lives in a city with rain.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair over-ear wireless headphones that feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm dynamic drivers designed by Apple with neutral audio profiles that concentrates on the highs and mids while not going overboard at either end of the spectrum. This makes them ideal for movies and music. They also have higher fidelity than most competing pairs of headphones.

The headphones are light in construction that is comfortable on the head. The earcups are made of memory foam and covered with a woven fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without pressing on the sides of the face. The earcups can also tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide a strong, but not too strong clamping force to ensure that the earcups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

A small button on the the right ear cup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. It also has a pushable like a jog-dial, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can twist for volume control and press the button once twice or three times to playback control. Siri can be activated by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed, however I would have liked to see a power button that would turn off the headphones when in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode after being removed from your ears or placed in their case, and they only wake up when you put them on your head once more.

Another great feature is spatial audio, which uses the accelerometers and gyroscopes of the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're moving in, and then repositions sounds to appear as if they're coming from these locations. This creates an immersive theater-like experience for movies and videos that were recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to spatial audio.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd feel a little ripped off when I spend $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the next-generation model will be better in the next year. AirPods Pro are more expensive, but they have superior battery life and more advanced features.