10 Wrong Answers To Common Over The Ear Headphones Wireless Questions:…

Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the necessity of running an audio cable from your device. These headphones are ideal for public transport, in the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones may have a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are usually packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Life Q30

A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears appear better, feel stronger, and are generally more polished. They're still mostly made of plastic, but the hinges are a bit more secure and the soft protein leather ear cups are a bit larger. You can even swap the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version so that you can connect them to 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 comes with a broad selection of EQ presets that can be saved and altered to play podcasts and music in the way you prefer. The Soundcore app is simple to use and sets these headphones apart.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate nearly all ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This creates an extremely pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sound profile that leans a little on the treble end, which some may be unable to reproduce bass (we had better results using the Bass Booster EQ preset). However, you can solve this issue with the Soundcore application, as there is an 8-band equalizer to allow you to tweak.

The headphones come with the power button and a pairing button on the left earcup along with an USB-C port to charge. The right earcup has play/pause, and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or play previous ones. They also come with a voice command which allows you to ask to switch the mode or set an alarm. The right ear cup can be covered by your hand to enable ambient mode, to allow you to be aware of what is happening around you without taking off the headphones.

The Q30 headphones offer a long battery life. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than its rivals. This allows you to enjoy the long flight, or a busy day at work. They can be easily recharged using the USB-C cable included and you'll get a warning when they're approaching empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys wireless Music headphones are a set of high-quality headphones for over-ear use that provide both active noise cancellation as well as bluetooth headpones playback. They are designed to be high-end, premium headphones that can be used at home or on the move. They're slightly more expensive than similar headphones, but their superior sound quality is the main selling feature.

The Focal Bathys come in a small attractive white box with a textured finish. It comes with all the accessories you will need. The package also includes a fold-flat carrying case for the headphones and a USB-C cable to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

The battery's capacity is 600mAh, which will last for a whole day of casual listening. They also include an audio input so that you can connect wired. When connected wirelessly, they're paired via bluetooth headphone and you'll be able to control their functions through an app (now known as Focal & Naim, probably in the same vein as their English Naim brand's products for audio that are network-aware) or using the button that's on the left earcup which scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' transparent', and 'full'.

The app allows you to modify different settings, like the brightness of the LEDs as well as the EQ presets (including a'music' profile which sounds brighter and neutraler than other profiles) and the battery life. It also gives you the ability to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment that will adjust the sensitivity of your music to simulate what it will sound like when used in a space with different soundproofing.

The Focal Bathys come with a bass-rich sound profile that adds additional warmth, punch and impact to your most loved tracks. This means that instruments and vocals are pushed back in the mix and can sound dull, while other details such as cymbals sound slightly less prominent than you'd expect from 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 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has a stellar reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is not an exception. It's located at the top end of the'mainstream' headphones for over-ear, and is slipping into the luxury lifestyle sector where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. This means the XM5s have a premium price tag but, when you can afford it, there are more superior wireless over-ear headphones available.

The XM5s come with a variety of features that simplify the lives of the listener, and also automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is included as well as support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows high-quality audio to be streamed at bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making calls hands-free.

The XM5 headphones are no different from the previous generation headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. They're one of the best at eliminating the continuous drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also great at separating listeners from the noises of busy streets and airports.

Sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s lack as high a resolution in the low frequency range as the XM4, wireless music headphones however they do possess more 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 power and definition, while not sagging everything else. In the same way, Massive Attack's grooving Angel showcases the XM5's' ability to deliver tight and precise bass notes.

Battery life is also good, providing up to 30 hours of listening time with ANC active and up to 40 hours when it's turned off. This is enough to last the weekend or a few days of heavy use.

The XM5s are not water resistant or dust resistant. Sony recommends not sweating into them or wearing them in the rain. This may not be a big deal for most people however, for those who spend much time in the gym or live in a rainy location it could be a big issue.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones that fit over the ear with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. Apple created dynamic drivers that measure 40mm, with a neutral sound profile that emphasizes mids and highs without going overboard. They are perfect for music and movies. They also offer higher fidelity compared to other headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight build that feels comfortable on the head. The ear cups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, and sit comfortably over the ears and do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. Ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide an incredibly firm, yet not too much clamping force that makes sure the earcups remain in place during listening sessions.

A small button on the the right ear cup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. There's also a button that can be pushed, jog-dial-like button, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and press once, twice or thrice to playback control. Siri is activated by pressing and pressing the button. These buttons are placed well and easy to use, but I was disappointed that there wasn't a power button to switch off the headphones when they're not in use. The headphones are put into standby when removed from your ears, or if they are placed in their case. They will come back into use when you put them on your head.

Another great feature is spatial audio, which utilizes 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 sound to make it seem like they're coming from those locations. This creates a cinema-like experience when watching movies and videos that were recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to be used, and you won't be able enjoy it with other devices.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd feel a little ripped off for spending $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the newer model would be better in the next year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and improved battery performance, making it difficult to justify the additional cost for the majority of people.