The Reason Why You're Not Succeeding At Over The Ear Headphones W…

Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts and music without the requirement to connect an audio wire to 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 typically packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Life Q30

These earphones are an important upgrade from the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They are more attractive and feel more durable and have a more polished finish. They're still largely plastic but the hinges are a bit more secure and the soft leather ear cups are a bit larger. You can even swap the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version to use them with stationary Hi-Fi systems and mobile Hi-Res players. They also come with two microphones built-in, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge selection of EQ presets that can be altered and saved to allow you to listen to music or podcasts in the way you prefer. This is the thing that sets these headphones apart from most other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.

When ANC is on, the Q30's 40mm drivers eliminate most background noise, making for an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound quality is natural, however it lags it is a bit the treble. Some may be disappointed by the bass response (we got better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer). However, you can easily rectify this using the Soundcore app, since there is an 8-band equalizer that can help you tweak.

These headphones have a power button and pairing button on the left ear cup along with an USB-C port to charge. The right earcup has buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. Double-clicking these controls lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. They also support a voice command that allows you to ask them to change the mode or set an alarm. The right ear cup can be covered with your hands to activate ambient mode so you can be aware of what is happening around you, without removing the headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is excellent and the battery life is also excellent. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than the other models. This gives you plenty of time for long flights or an office day. The USB-C cable included lets you quickly recharge the batteries. You'll also receive an alert when your battery is about to run out.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of powerful over-ear headphones that offer both active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They're designed as an elite headphones that are great for listening to podcasts and music on the go, but are a great choice to listen to audiophile music at home too. They're more expensive than other similar headphones but their superior sound quality is the main selling feature.

The Focal Bathys are packed in a small attractive white box with a cloth finish. It comes with all the accessories you'll require. The package includes a fold-flat headphone carrying case, USB-C-to-USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

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

Using the app allows you to alter various settings such as the brightness of the LED, EQ presets including a'music profile' that is more neutral and brighter than the other ones and Bluetooth wireless headphones 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 what it will sound like if it were placed in a space with different acoustics.

The Focal Bathys come with an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives additional warmth, punch and impact to your favourite tracks. In the end, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix, and can sound veiled while details like cymbals are not as prominent as you'd expect on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation, compared to other over-ears that have more advanced technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has earned a reputable reputation for its headphones, and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It is at the top of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle area in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. The XM5s are costly however, if you can afford it, there aren't many better wireless music headphones over-ear headphones.

The XM5s come with features to help listeners and, in certain instances, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to handle 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 included. This lets high-quality music to be streamed at bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making hands-free phone calls.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different than the previous generation headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. They are among the best at reducing the constant drones that are heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s are also excellent at separating listeners from the hum of airports and busy streets.

The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s do not have as high a resolution in the low frequency range as the XM4, but they do have a greater sense clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass in Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys strength and clarity but without affecting the music. The XM5s also have the ability to produce precise and precise bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

The battery life is also excellent, offering up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is enough to last the weekend or a few days' heavy use.

The only drawback is that the XM5s lack any dust or water resistance protection. Sony actually advises against sweating on them or wearing them in the rain. This may not be a big deal for everyone else however, for those who spend much time in the gym or live in a rainy region it could be a big issue.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones over-ear with bluetooth wireless headphones - Read the Full Write-up, technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a a neutral audio profile that emphasizes the mids and highs without going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them great for movies and music. They also have superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight construction that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed of memory foam and covered with woven fabric and are comfortable to wear over the ears and 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 powerful clamping force, which ensures that the earcups remain in place during listening sessions.

A small button at the top of the right ear cup lets you toggle noise cancelling 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 control volume and press once, twice or thrice to control playback. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. The buttons are well-placed and easy to use, but I missed having a power button to turn the headphones off when they are not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when they are removed from your ear or placed in their case, and they only wake up when you put them on your head again.

Spatial audio is a cool feature. It uses the accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPhones or iPads to determine where you are moving. Then, it adjusts the sound to make it appear to originate from the location you are in. This creates a theater-like experience with videos and movies 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 to 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 next-generation model will be better in the next year. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have superior battery life and more advanced features.