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. These headphones are ideal for public transport, at the office or at home.

wireless bluetooth headphone over-ear cans are offered in a variety of styles and noise cancelling capabilities. They typically come with a sleek storage case.

Soundcore Life Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears appear better, feel stronger, and are generally more polished. The hinges are more secure and the soft leather ear cups have been slightly larger. They're still made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can even swap the 3.5mm cable for a better USB-C version to make use of them with stationary Hi-Fi systems and mobile Hi-Res players. They also have dual built-in microphones, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge range of EQ presets, which can be altered and saved to listen to 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 very easy to use.

When ANC is on, the Q30's 40mm drivers cut out almost all ambient noise, and provide very pleasant listening. They have a natural sound profile that leans a little on the treble side, which some may find lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). However, you can easily solve this issue by using the Soundcore app, since there is an 8-band equalizer to help you tinker.

The left earcup has the power button, a pairing button, and an USB-C charging port. The right earcup is equipped with buttons for play/pause, volume control and volume up/down. Double-clicking these controls lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. They also come with the ability to speak which allows you to ask them to change the mode or set an alarm. The right ear cup can be covered with your hands to enable ambient mode, so that you can be aware of what is happening around you without taking off the headphones.

The Q30 headphones offer a long battery life. In our tests with ANC enabled, the Q30 lasted nearly an hour longer than the other headphones. This allows you to enjoy an extended flight or a full day at work. The USB-C cord included in the kit lets you quickly recharge the batteries. You'll also receive an alert when your battery is getting close to empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offers both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're designed as a pair of premium headphones that are great for listening to podcasts and music on the go, but sound amazing when used for audiophile home use as well. The blue tooth headphones are a higher priced than comparable headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is the reason they stand blue Tooth Headphones out.

The Focal Bathys come in a small, slim and attractive, white, fabric-finished box that includes everything you need inside. There's also 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 can take you through a full day of casual listening and also have an audio input that can be wired for use. When connected wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth and you'll be able manage their functions via an app (now called Focal and Naim which is probably in the same line as their English sister brand Naim's products for audio that are network-aware) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup that scrolls between ANC profiles like'soft','silent transparent' and 'full'.

The app allows you to alter different settings, like the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including a'music' profile which is more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. It also allows you to select the ANC mode and the level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' setting that adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate what it would sound like when worn in a space with different acoustics.

The Focal Bathys come with a bass-rich sound profile that adds more energy and warmth to your favorite tracks. The result is that instruments and vocals sound muted, while certain elements like cymbals could be less prominent than on other headphones. They're also not as effective in active noise cancelation when contrasted to other headphones with more advanced technology, like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are well-known for their quality and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It is at the top end of the mainstream over-ear headphone market, but it is also dipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. This means that the XM5s come with a high cost, but if you can afford it, there are more superior wireless over-ear headphones out there.

The XM5s come with features to simplify the lives of listeners and, in certain cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music to near-high-resolution), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are both included. This allows streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making hands-free calls.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation of headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. They're among the best at cutting down on the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are also excellent at separating listeners from the hum of busy airports and streets.

The sound quality is very good. The XM5s may not be as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, but they have a higher level of clarity and transparency as well. For instance the bass work on Rage Against The Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real force and definition without flattening everything else. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel shows off the XM5s ability to produce tight and precise bass notes.

The battery life is fantastic with up to 30 hours listening time when ANC is active and 40 hours if it's off. This is more than enough to last for the weekend or a few days' heavy use.

The only drawback is that the XM5s don't have any dust or water resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you don't sweat into them or take them out in the rain. This might not be a major issue for the majority of people however for those who spend a lot of time in the gym or live in a rainy area it could be a major problem.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones over-ear that feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers designed by Apple with neutral audio profiles that concentrates on the highs and mids while not going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them perfect for both movies and music. They also provide superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.

The headphones are light in build that feels comfortable on the head. The earcups are made out of memory foam that is covered in weaved fabric. They are comfortable to wear without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer an incredibly firm, yet not too strong clamping force that makes sure the ear cups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button on the top of the right earcup. It also has a pushable Jog-dial-like button, akin to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to control volume and press the button once twice or three times to control playback. Siri is invoked by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed, but I would have liked to see an option to power off or shut off the headphones when in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode after being removed from your ear or placed in their case. They only wake up when you put them on your head once more.

Spatial audio is another cool feature. It makes use of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and iPads or iPhones to determine where you're moving. Then, it adjusts the sound so that they seem to be coming from that location. This creates a cinema-like experience for movies and videos recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to use it, and it won't allow you to enjoy it with other devices.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would be a bit disappointed 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, blue Tooth headphones but they have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.