Watch This: How Over The Ear Headphones Wireless Is Taking Over And Wh…

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. They're an excellent choice for public transport, while at work or at home.

Wireless Headphone over-ear headphones are available in a variety of styles and noise cancellation capabilities. They are typically packaged in a stylish case.

Soundcore Q30

These over-ears are a major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They are more attractive and are more durable and have a more polished appearance. The hinges are tighter, and the soft ear cups are slightly larger. They're still made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can swap the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and make use of them with mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also have dual mics built in that worked well in our tests using FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge variety of EQ presets that can be adjusted and saved to listen to music or podcasts in your preferred style. The Soundcore app makes it easy to use and sets these headphones apart.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out almost all ambient sound when ANC is turned on. This creates an extremely enjoyable listening experience. They have a natural sounding signature that leans slightly to the treble side, and some might find lacking in bass response (we have had better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). But, you can solve this issue using the Soundcore app, as there is an 8-band equalizer to allow you to tweak.

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

The battery life of these headphones is excellent as well. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than its competitors. This lets you enjoy a long flight, or a busy day at work. The USB-C cord included in the kit allows you to 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 are a set of powerful over-ear headphones that feature active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. These headphones are made to be high-end, premium headphones that can be used at home or while on the move. They're more expensive than other similar headphones, but their superior sound quality is the main selling feature.

The Focal Bathys come in a small, slim and attractive fabric-finished white retail box with all the accessories you require inside. You can also get a fold-flat carry case for the headphones and a USB-C cable to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

The battery's 600mAh capacity can last for a full day of listening to music casually. They also come with an audio input that you can use wired. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you'll be able to manage their functions via an app (now known as Focal and Naim, probably in the same vein as their English Naim brand's network-aware audio products) or Wireless Headphone using the dedicated button located 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 music's profile, that sounds more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. It also allows you to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment that adjusts the sensitivity of your audio to simulate what it would sound like when worn in a space with different soundproofing.

The Focal Bathys come with bass-rich, rich sound profiles that delivers extra punch and warmth to your favourite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments are nudged back in the mix and can sound dull, while other details such as cymbals sound somewhat less prominent than you'd expect from other headphones. They're not as efficient 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 renowned for their quality, and the WH1000XM5 headphones are no exception. It's located at the top end of the'mainstream' over-ear headphone market, edging into the luxury lifestyle sector where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. The XM5s are expensive however, if you can afford it get them, you won't find a better wireless over-ear headphones.

The XM5s have features that make life easier for listeners and, in certain cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music that has been compressed to near high-res) and bluetooth headphones quality's LDAC Technology, are both included. This lets high-quality audio be streamed at bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making calls hands-free.

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 also excel at isolating the listener from the hum of busy streets and airports.

The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s lack as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, but they do have an increased sense of clarity and openness. The bass in Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the head phone wireless shows the Sonys power and clarity but without affecting the music. Similarly, Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce tight and precise bass notes.

Battery life is also very excellent, offering up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active and 40 hours when it's off. This is plenty to last for a weekend getaway or a long period of use.

The XM5s aren't water resistant or dust resistant. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or wear them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for some people, but it might be a problem for anyone considering the XM5s who spends much of their time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.

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 audio profile that focuses on highs and mids without going overboard. This makes them ideal for movies and music. They also offer higher fidelity compared to other headphones.

The headphones are light and feel comfortable on the head. The earcups are made of memory foam and covered with woven fabric, and they sit comfortably on the ears without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be flipped and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer an incredibly firm, yet not too much clamping force to ensure that the earcups remain in position during listening sessions.

A small button on the the right earcup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. There's also a pushable, Jog-dial-like button, akin to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and press the button once twice or three times to control playback. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. These buttons are placed well and simple to use, however I was disappointed that there wasn't an option to switch off the headphones when not in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode when removed from your ears or put in their case. They only come back on when you slide them over your head again.

Spatial audio is another great feature. It uses the accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPhones and iPads to determine where you're moving. Then, it alters the position of the sounds to make them appear to come from that location. This creates a theater-like experience when watching movies and videos 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 walking into an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew they'd be outdone in a year by the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and better battery performance, making it difficult to justify the cost for most people.