A Productive Rant About Over The Ear Headphones Wireless

Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts or music anywhere without having to run a wire from your audio device. They're also a great choice for public transportation, at work, or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones may have an elegant design and outstanding noise cancellation. They typically come with a sleek storage case.

Soundcore Q30

These over-ears are a major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They look better and are more durable and have a more polished appearance. They're still mostly made of plastic, but the hinges are a bit more secure and the soft leather cups are bigger. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a better USB-C model to connect them to stationary Hi-Fi systems and mobile Hi-Res players. They also come with dual mics built in that worked well in our tests with FaceTime, wireless.Headphones Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge selection of EQ presets, which can be customized and saved so you can listen to podcasts and music in your preferred style. The Soundcore app makes it easy to use and makes these headphones stand out.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively cut out almost all background noise, making for excellent listening. They have a natural sound signature that leans a little on the treble side, and some might be unable to reproduce bass (we have had better results using the Bass Booster EQ preset). However, you can easily solve this issue with the Soundcore application, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands to allow you to tweak.

The left earcup features an power button, a pairing button, and USB-C charging port. The right earcup has play/pause, and volume up/down buttons. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or repeat the previous one. They also come with a voice command, so you can request them to change the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right earcup with your fingers to activate ambient modes to allow you to hear everything around you without taking off the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is fantastic, Wireless.headphones too. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than its competitors. This allows you to 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 a warning when the battery is nearing 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 designed to be premium bluetooth headphones, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the move. The headphones are a little more expensive than other headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packed in a compact, attractive white box with a cloth finish. It includes everything you'll require. The headphone carry case folds flat, and comes with a case, Wireless.Headphones USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

They're powered by a respectable 600mAh battery that can take you through a whole day of listening to music and include an audio input that can be wired for use. When connected wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth and you'll be able to control their functions through an app (now called Focal and Naim likely in line with their English Naim brand's products that are network-aware) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup that scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' transparent', and 'full'.

Utilizing the app, you are able to alter various settings, including the brightness of the LED and EQ presets, including a "music profile' that sounds brighter and more neutral than the other ones and their battery duration. It also allows you to select the ANC mode and the level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment that adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate how it would sound like when used in a space with different audio acoustics.

The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds extra warmth, punch and impact to your most loved tracks. As a result, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix and sound muffled, while details like cymbals and vocals are slightly less prominent than you might expect on some other headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation when compared with other headphones that feature 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 headphones are no exception. It is at the top portion of the over-ear headphone market, edging into the luxury lifestyle category where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. The XM5s are expensive however, if you can afford it get them, you won't find a better wireless headphones.

The XM5s come with features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in some instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to handle manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res) and Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are both included. This allows for streaming of high-quality audio at rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone for making calls hands-free.

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

Sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s don't have as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, but they do possess an increased sense of clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass in Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys' power and definition but without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s are also able to deliver precise and tight bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is great, with up to 30 hours listening time when ANC is on and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is plenty for a weekend trip or a few days of heavy use.

The XM5s are not water resistant or dust resistant. Sony recommends not sweating on the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This may not be a big deal for the majority of people, but for those who spend a lot of time in the gym or live in a rainy region this could be a big issue.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones over-ear equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral audio profile that emphasizes highs and mids, but not going overboard. They are perfect for movies and music. They also provide better sound quality than many competing pairs of headphones.

The headphones are light in construction that is comfortable on the head. The earcups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, sit comfortably over the ear, do not put pressure on the sides or forehead. The ear cups can tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges have a firm but not overly robust clamping force that makes sure that the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.

You can toggle noise cancelling by pressing a small button on the top of the right earcup. There's also a pushable, Jog-dial-like button, akin to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to control volume and press once, twice or thrice to playback control. Siri is invoked by pressing and pressing the button. These buttons are well-placed and easy to use, but I would have liked the power button that could turn the headphones off when they're not in use. The headphones go into standby when removed from your ears or when they are put in their case. They only come back into use when you place them over your head.

Spatial audio is a cool feature. It uses the accelerometers, gyroscopes, and iPhones or iPads to determine where you're moving. Then, it alters the position of the sound so that they appear to come from that location. This creates an immersive theater experience for movies and videos that were recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to the spatial audio.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd feel a little ripped off when I spend $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the newer model would be better in the next year. AirPods Pro are more expensive, but they have better battery life and advanced features.