Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music and podcasts without the requirement of connecting an audio wire to your device. They are an excellent choice for public transport, at work or at home.

Wireless over-ear cans are available in a variety of designs and noise cancelling capabilities. They are usually packed in a stylish case.

Soundcore Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears look better, feel sturdier, and are generally more polished. They're still mostly plastic, however the hinges are more secure and the soft protein leather ear cups are bigger. You can replace the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable and use them with portable Hi-Res devices and wireles headphones stationary players. They also come with dual built-in microphones, which perform well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

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

The Q30's 40mm speaker effectively block nearly all ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This makes for an extremely enjoyable listening experience. They have a natural sounding signature that is a bit on the treble end, which some may find lacking in bass response (we got better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). It is possible to fix this with the Soundcore App, which includes an eight-band Equalizer.

The headphones come with a power button and pairing button on the left earcup 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 these controls lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. They also have an option to speak to them, so you can request to change the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right earcup with your fingers to activate ambient modes, so that you can hear everything around you without having to remove the headphones.

These headphones have a fantastic battery life. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than the other models. This lets you enjoy the long flight, or a long day at work. They can be easily recharged with the included USB-C cable, and you'll see warnings when they're about to run empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of powerful over-ear headphones that provide both active noise cancellation and bluetooth headphones wireless 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 are a great choice to listen to audiophile music at home too. The headphones are a little more expensive than other headphones, but their exceptional sound is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a slim, compact and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that includes everything you require inside. There's also a fold-flat carry 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 can take you through a full day of listening to music and have an audio input that can be wired for use. Wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions with an app (now named Focal & Naim in the same way as English Naim's network-aware products) or the dedicated button on the left earcup which scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft transparent,' and full.

Using the app allows you to alter different settings like the LED brightness as well as EQ presets that include a "music profile' that sounds brighter and more neutral than the other ones and also their battery duration. You can also choose the ANC level and mode and set an 'acoustic environments that adjusts the sensitivity in order to simulate the sound of the headphones in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys come with bass-rich, rich sound profiles that delivers extra energy, impact and warmth to your favorite 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. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation, compared to other over-ears with higher-end technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 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'mainstream' over ear headphone market and also falls within the 'luxury' lifestyle market where brands such as Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. The XM5s are costly, but if you can, there aren't many better wireless headphones.

The XM5s have features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in a few cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to do 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 lets high-quality audio be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's a built-in mic for making calls hands-free.

As with the previous generation of WH Wireles Headphones the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. These headphones are among the top in reducing the continuous drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s do a great job of separating listeners from background noise 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, however, they do have a greater sense clarity and a greater sense of openness. For example the bass track on Rage Against The Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real force and definition, while not sagging the other elements. Similarly, Massive Attack's brooding Angel shows off the XM5s ability to create accurate and precise bass notes.

The battery life is fantastic 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 trip or several days of heavy use.

The only drawback is that the XM5s do not have any water resistance or dust resistance protection. Sony actually recommends not sweating in the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a big deal for everyone else however for those who spend long hours in the gym or live in a humid region it could be a big issue.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones over-ear that feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral sound profile that emphasizes highs and mids without going overboard. They are perfect for movies and music. They also have higher fidelity compared to other headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight design that is comfortable on the head. The earcups are made from memory foam covered in weaved fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without placing pressure on the sides of the face. Ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges feature a firm but not overly strong clamping force, which ensures that the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button at the top of the right earcup. It also has a pushable jog-dial-like button, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and press the button once, twice or thrice to playback control. Pressing and holding the button will activate Siri. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed, however, I would like to have the power button that could switch off the headphones when in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode when they are removed from your ears or placed in their case, and they only come back on when you place them on your head again.

Another feature that is quite cool is spatial audio, which utilizes the accelerometers and gyroscopes of 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 a theater-like experience with videos and movies that were recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices are able to listen to audio in spatial format.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be somewhat smug going into an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone in a year by the new model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and better battery performance, making it difficult to justify the additional cost for most people.