Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts and music without the need to connect wires to your audio device. These headphones are ideal to use on public transport, at the office or at home.
Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are usually packed in a stylish case.
Soundcore Life Q30
A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones appear better, feel stronger and generally feel more polished. The hinges are tighter, and the soft leather ear cups have been slightly larger. They are still largely made of plastic, however they're more polished. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C model to make use of them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also feature two microphones built-in, which perform well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app has a huge range of EQ presets, which can be adjusted and saved to listen to music and podcasts in your preferred style. This is what sets these headphones apart from most other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely simple to use.
When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers eliminate most ambient noise, and provide excellent listening. The Q30's sound quality is natural, however it lags it's a bit harsh on the treble. Some may find the bass response lacking (we have had better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). But, you can fix this with the Soundcore app, since there's an equalizer with 8 bands to allow you to tweak.
The left earcup has a power button and a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right earcup has play/pause, the volume up and down buttons. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or repeat the previous one. You can also make use of voice commands to ask them to change 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 removing the headphones.
The battery life on these headphones is fantastic and the battery life is also excellent. In our tests with ANC switched on, the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than its competitors. This leaves plenty of time to prepare for a long flight or a day at the office. They can be easily recharged using the USB-C cable included, and you'll see an alert when they're getting empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of high-quality headphones for over-ear use that feature active noise cancellation as well as 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 sound amazing when used to listen to audiophile music at home as well. The headphones are a little higher priced than comparable headphones, but their exceptional audio quality is the reason they stand out.
The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact, attractive white box with a fabric finish. It includes everything you'll require. 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 respectable 600mAh battery that will get you through a whole day of casual listening and have an audio input for wired use. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you'll be able to control their functions through an app (now called Focal and Naim which is probably in line with their English sister brand Naim's products for audio that are network-aware) or via the button that's located on the left earcup which scrolls between ANC profiles like'silent','soft' transparent' and 'full'.
The app lets you alter various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including the music profile, that sounds more neutral and brighter than other profiles) and the battery life. You can also choose the ANC mode and level and setting an 'acoustic settings setting to alter the sensitivity to mimic the sound of the headphones in a different acoustic room.
The Focal Bathys feature a bass-rich sound profile that adds additional warmth and punch to your favourite tracks. The result is that instruments and vocals can be muted, and details like cymbals might be less noticeable than on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation compared to other over-ears that have higher-end technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony headphones are well-known for their quality, and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It sits at the upper end of the'mainstream' headphones for over-ear, and is slipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. This means that the XM5s come with a high price tag but, should you be able to afford it, there are few better over the ear wireless headphones on the market.
The XM5s have features to help listeners and, in some cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near hi-res) is included and also support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There's a built-in mic for making hands-free phone calls.
The XM5 headphones aren't different from the previous generation WH headphones in terms of noise cancellation. They're among the best-performing cans for removing the constant drones heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are great at their job of separating listeners from traffic noises of airports and busy streets also.
The sound quality is also very good. The XM5s do not have as much detail in the low-frequency range like the XM4, however, they do have an increased sense of clarity and a greater sense of openness. 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 reducing everything else. The XM5s also have the ability to deliver precise and tight bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.
Battery life is great and can last up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is active and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is more than enough for a weekend getaway or a long period of usage.
The XM5s are not water resistant or dust resistant. Sony actually recommends not sweating into the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a big deal for the majority of people however for those who spend long hours in the gym or live in a rainy region it could be a major problem.
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones that fit over the ear equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with a neutral audio profile that emphasizes the mids and highs while not going too loud on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them ideal for both music and movies. They also provide better sound quality than many rival headphones.
The headphones have a light design that is comfortable on the head. The earcups are made out of memory foam that is covered in a woven fabric. They fit comfortably on the ears without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can be flipped and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. best wireless headphones -loaded hinges offer a firm, but not too much clamping force that makes sure the earcups remain in place throughout listening sessions.
Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button located at the top of the right earcup. You can also utilize an earphone-style jog dial with a push button like the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it to control the volume and press it once three, twice, or times to playback the controls. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed however, I would like to have an option to power off or switch off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode after being removed from your ears or put in their case. They only wake up when you put them on your head again.
Spatial audio is a cool feature. It utilizes gyroscopes, accelerometers, and iPhones or iPads to determine where you are moving. Then, it alters the position of the sound to make it seem to be coming from the location you are in. This creates a cinema-like experience for videos and movies recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to the spatial audio.
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 beaten in a year by the second-generation model. AirPods Pro are more expensive, but they have superior battery life and more advanced features.