Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to music and podcasts without the requirement to connect a wire to your audio device. These headphones are great for use in public transport, in the office or at home.

wireless headphone headphones with over-ears can feature a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are typically packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Q30

These over-ears are a major upgrade from the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They look better, feel more durable, and have a more polished finish. The hinges are stronger, and the soft leather ear cups have been 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 version so that you can use them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res 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 range of EQ presets that can be saved and tweaked to listen to podcasts and music in the style that you prefer. This is what makes these headphones stand out from other ANC headphones, and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate nearly all ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This results in a very pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound quality is natural, but a little on the treble. Some might not be a fan of the bass response (we have had better results using the Bass Booster EQ). It is possible to fix this with the Soundcore App, which comes with an eight-band Equalizer.

The left earcup has the power button as well as a pairing button and an USB-C charging port. The right ear cup features play/pause, and the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking on these buttons allows you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. They also support a voice command which allows you to request to change the mode or set an alarm. The right ear cup can also be covered by your hand to enable ambient mode, wireless Bluethooth Headphone to allow you to hear what is going on around you without removing the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is fantastic as well. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than the other models. This lets you enjoy an extended flight or a full day at work. They can be quickly recharged using the USB-C cable included, and you'll see warnings when they're about to run empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless Bluethooth Headphone is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offer active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're designed to be an elite high-end headphones that are ideal for listening to music and podcasts on the go but also are a great choice for audiophile home use too. They're a little more expensive than similar headphones, wireless bluethooth headphone but their exceptional audio quality is the primary selling factor.

The Focal Bathys are packed in a small, attractive white box with a fabric finish. It contains all the accessories that you'll need. The package includes a fold-flat headphone carrying case, USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

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

Utilizing the app, you are able to change various settings like the brightness of the LED and EQ presets, including a "music profile' that sounds brighter and more neutral than other presets and their battery duration. It also lets you to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment which adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate how it would sound like if it were placed in a room with different soundproofing.

The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives more warmth and punch to your favorite tracks. This means that instruments and vocals can be muted, while other details such as cymbals may be less prominent than other headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation, compared to other over-ears with higher-end technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has earned a reputable reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is not an 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 the XM5s come with a high cost, but when you can afford it, there are few better wireless over-ear headphones out there.

The XM5s come with features that make life easier for listeners and, in certain instances, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is also included, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making calls without hands.

As with the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. They're among the most efficient headphones for cutting out continuous drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are great at their job of separating listeners from background noise of busy airports and streets as well.

The sound quality is also very good. The XM5s may not be as precise in the lower frequencies as the XM4, however, there's a more pronounced sense of clarity and realism, too. The bass in Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys power and clarity, without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s are also able to produce precise and precise bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.

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

The XM5s do not come with dust or water resistant. Sony recommends not sweating on the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for a lot of people, but it could prove a stumbling block for anyone who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a city with rain.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones over-ear that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with neutral audio profiles that emphasizes the mids and highs without going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them great for both music and movies. They also offer higher fidelity than most rival headphones.

The headphones are light and comfortable on the head. The earcups are made of memory foam and covered with a woven fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The earcups can also tilt and rotate to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer a firm, but not too strong clamping force that makes sure the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.

A small button on the the right ear cup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. It also has a pushable jog dial-like button like the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can twist it for volume control, and press it once three, twice, or times for playback controls. Siri is activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed, but I would have liked to have the power button that could turn off the headphones when in use. The headphones are put into standby mode when removed from your ears or if they are placed in their case. They only return to life when you place them on your head.

Spatial audio is a cool feature. It makes use of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and iPhones and iPads to determine where you are moving. Then, it alters the position of the sounds to make them appear to come from that location. This creates a cinema-like experience for movies and videos made in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to be used and it won't allow you to enjoy it on other devices.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel slightly smug about 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, but they have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.