Over The Ear Headphones Wireless: 11 Thing That You're Failing To…

Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to music and podcasts without the need to connect a wire to your audio device. These Headphones Wireless Headphones are ideal to use on public transport, at the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear cans are offered in a variety of styles and noise cancelling features. They usually come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore Q30

These earphones are an important improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They look better and are more durable and have a more polished finish. They're still mostly made of plastic, but the hinges are tighter and the soft protein leather ear cups are a bit larger. You can switch the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable and connect them to mobile Hi-Res as well as stationary players. They also feature two microphones built-in, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app comes with a broad range of EQ presets that can be saved and adjusted to play podcasts and music in the style you like. This is what makes these headphones stand out from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely simple to use.

When ANC is on, the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively cut out almost all ambient noise and make for excellent listening. The Q30's sound signature is natural, but a little on the treble. Some may find the bass response lacking (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer). But, you can solve this issue using the Soundcore app, since there's an equalizer with 8 bands to help you tinker.

The headphones feature an power button and a pairing button on the left earcup along with the USB-C port for charging. The right earcup is equipped with buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. They also come with an option to speak to them, so you can ask 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 the world around you without having to remove the headphones.

These headphones have a fantastic battery life. The Q30 was able to last for a full hour in our tests when ANC was switched on than its competitors. This allows you to enjoy the long flight, or a full day at work. They can be charged quickly by using the USB-C cable that comes with them and you'll be able to see an alert when they're getting empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offer active noise cancellation, as well as Bluetooth playback. They're designed as a pair of premium high-end headphones that are great for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but sound fantastic when used for home use by audiophiles too. They're more expensive than similar bt headphones, but their superior sound quality is their main selling feature.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact elegant white box with a textured finish. It comes with everything you'll need. The package includes a fold-flat headphone carrying case, USB-C-to-USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

They're powered by a good 600mAh battery that will get you through a whole day of listening to music and include an audio input that can be wired for use. When used wirelessly they're paired via Bluetooth and you can control their functions using an app (now called Focal & Naim, probably in line with their English Naim brand's network-aware audio products) or by pressing the dedicated button on the left ear cup that allows you to switch between ANC profiles like'silent','soft' 'transparent' and 'full'.

The app allows you to change various settings, including the brightness of the LED, EQ presets including a'music' profile that sounds more neutral and brighter than the others and also their battery duration. You can also choose the ANC mode and level as well as set an 'acoustic environments' to adjust the sensitivity to mimic the sound of the headphones in a different room.

The Focal Bathys come with a bass-rich sound profile that adds more energy, impact and warmth to your favorite tracks. As a result, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix, and can sound dull, while details like cymbals are somewhat less prominent than you'd expect on other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation compared to other over-ears with higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are well-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 borders the 'luxury' lifestyle area in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s can be expensive however, if you can afford it find them, there's not a better pair of wireless over-ear headphones.

The XM5s have a lot of features that simplify the lives of the listener and automate some tasks they would otherwise be required to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music that has been compressed to near high-res), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology, are all included. This allows streaming of high-quality audio at rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. The built-in microphone is capable of making hands-free phone calls.

The XM5 headphones are no different than the previous generation headphones from WH in regards to noise cancellation. They're among the top-performing headphones for cutting out constant drones heard in underground and headphones wireless headphones train carriages. The XM5s are also excellent at separating listeners from the hum of airports and busy streets.

The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s lack as many details in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however, they do have a greater sense clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass on Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys' power and definition without affecting the music. The XM5s also have the ability to provide precise and accurate bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is also excellent, offering up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is more than enough to last for an entire weekend or a few days of heavy use.

The only real drawback here is that the XM5s do not have any water resistance or dust resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you don't sweat into them or wear them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for a lot of people, but it could cause a problem for anyone who spends much of their time at the gym or lives in a city with rain.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones over-ear equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with an audio profile that is neutral and is focused on the mids and highs while not going too loud at either end of the spectrum. This makes them great for both music and movies. They also provide superior fidelity compared to most rival headphones.

The headphones are light and feel comfortable on the head. The ear cups, which are made of memory foam covered with woven fabric, and sit comfortably over the ears and do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. The ear cups can 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 ear cups remain in position during listening sessions.

A small button on the the right earcup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. It also has a pushable jog dial-like button like the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it to control the volume and press it once three, twice, or even three times for playback controls. Siri is activated by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed, however, I would like to see the power button that could switch off the headphones when in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when they are removed from your ears or placed in their case, and they only come back on when you put them on your blue tooth head phones again.

Another cool feature is spatial audio, which uses the accelerometers and gyroscopes of the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're going, and then repositions the sound to make it seem like they're coming from these locations. This creates a cinema-like experience for movies and videos recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only downside is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to be used, and you won't be able to enjoy it on other devices.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd be a bit disappointed for spending $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the second-generation model would be better within a year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery life, making it difficult to justify the expense for most people.