Over The Ear Headphones Wireless: What's New? No One Has Discusse…

Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music and podcasts without the requirement to connect a wire to your audio device. They are ideal for public transport, while at work or at home.

Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature an elegant design and superior noise cancellation. They are typically packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Q30

These earphones are an important improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They look better, feel more durable, and have a more polished appearance. The hinges are tighter, and the soft leather ear cups are slightly larger. They're still made of plastic, however they are more polished. You can switch the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and connect them to portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also feature dual microphones that are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a wide selection of EQ presets that can be saved and altered to listen to podcasts and music in the way you prefer. The Soundcore app is easy to use and sets these headphones apart.

When ANC is turned on, the Q30's 40mm drivers cut out almost all ambient noise and make for excellent listening. They have a natural sound signature that is a bit on the treble end, which some may feel is lacking in bass response (we have had better results using the Bass Booster EQ preset). But, you can solve this issue with the Soundcore application, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands to allow you to tweak.

The left earcup features the power button and a pairing button and USB-C charging port. The right earcup is equipped with buttons for play/pause, volume control and volume up/down. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or repeat the previous one. They also support an option to speak to them that allows you to ask them to change the mode or set an alarm. The right earcup can be covered with your hands to activate ambient mode, to allow you to hear what is going on around you without taking off the headphones.

The Q30 headphones offer a long battery life. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than the other models. This leaves plenty of time to prepare for long flights or a day at the office. They can be quickly recharged with the included USB-C cable and iphone you'll be able to see warnings when they're about to run empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offer active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. These headphones are made to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the move. They're more expensive than similar headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is their main selling feature.

The Focal Bathys come in a slim, compact and attractive, white, fabric-finished box that contains all the accessories you require inside. There's a fold-flat headphone carry case, iphone USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

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

Using the app allows you to change various settings such as the brightness of the LED and EQ presets, including a "music profile' that is more neutral and brighter than other presets and also their battery duration. It also gives you the ability to choose the ANC mode and the level, and also set an 'acoustic' setting that adjusts the sensitivity of your audio to simulate what it will sound like if it were placed in a room with different audio acoustics.

The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds extra warmth and punch to your most loved tracks. The result is that instruments and vocals can be muted, while other certain elements like cymbals could be less prominent than on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation when compared with other over-ears that have higher-end technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are known for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 headphones are no exception. It is at the top of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle area where brands such as Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. This means the XM5s have a premium price tag but, when you can afford it, there are few better wireless over-ear headphones out there.

The XM5s come with a variety of features that make life easier for the listener and automate tasks they would otherwise need to perform 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 with bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making hands-free phone calls.

Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. They're among the most efficient edge headphones to block out the constant drones found in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are great at their job of shielding listeners from the traffic noises of airports and busy streets, too.

Sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s don't have as many details in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however they do have more clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass in Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys strength and clarity but without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s also have the ability to produce precise and precise bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is great with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is in use and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is more than enough to last a weekend getaway or several days' heavy use.

The XM5s do not come with waterproof or dust-proof. In fact, Sony recommends that you avoid sweating on them or take them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for a lot of people, but it might cause a problem for anyone considering the XM5s who spends much of their time at the gym or lives in a city that is rainy.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones which feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple created dynamic drivers that measure 40mm, with a neutral sound profile that focuses on highs and mids, but not going too loud. They are perfect for movies and music. They also provide higher fidelity than most rival headphones.

The headphones are light and feel comfortable on your head. The earcups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, and are comfortable to wear over the ear they do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. The earcups can also tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a firm but not overly strong clamping force, which ensures that the ear cups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

You can toggle noise cancelling 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 similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it to control the volume and press it one three, twice, or even three times for playback controls. Siri is activated by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed, however, I would like to have a power button that would turn off the headphones when not in use. The headphones are put into standby mode when removed from your ears, or when placed in their case. They will return to life when you place them on your head.

Another cool 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 the sound to make it seem like they're coming from these locations. This creates a theater-like experience with videos and movies made in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. The only downside is that spatial audio requires an iOS device for use, and you won't be able enjoy it with other devices.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be a bit ripped off entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew they'd be outdone in a year by the new model. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.