Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to music or podcasts anywhere without having to run a wire from your audio device. These headphones are ideal to use on public transport, at the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear cans are available in a variety of designs and noise cancelling capabilities. They usually come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore Life Q30

These earphones are an important upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They are more attractive, feel more durable, and have a more polished appearance. They're still mostly plastic, however the hinges are more secure and the soft protein leather cups are larger. You can swap the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable to make use of them with portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also come with dual mics built in that worked well in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a wide selection of EQ presets that can be saved and altered to listen to podcasts and music in the style that you like. This is what sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively block out most of the ambient noise and make for excellent listening. They have a natural sounding signature that is a bit on the treble side, which some may be unable to reproduce bass (we got better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). This can be fixed easily using the Soundcore App, which has an eight-band Equalizer.

The left earcup has a power button as well as 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 come with an option to speak to them that allows you to ask to change the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right earcup with your hand to enable ambient modes to allow you to hear everything around you without taking off the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is fantastic, too. In our tests with ANC turned on the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than the other headphones. This lets you enjoy the long flight, or a long day at work. They can be quickly recharged with the included USB-C cable, and you'll see warnings when they're about to run empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys wireless headphones with bluetooth is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offers both active noise cancellation, as well as Bluetooth playback. These headphones are designed to be high-end, premium headphones that can be used at home or on the move. The headphones are a higher priced than comparable headphones, but their superior audio quality is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a small, attractive white box with a fabric finish. It comes with everything you will need. The headphone carry case folds flat, and comes with a case, USB-C to USB cable, 1.2mm SE cable and headphones bluetooth Wireless an audio adapter.

The battery's 600mAh capacity can last a whole day of casual listening. They also include an audio input so that you can make use of wired. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now named Focal & Naim in line with English Naim's products that are network-aware) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup that scrolls through ANC profiles like silent, soft 'transparent,' and 'full.

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

The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives extra warmth, punch and impact to your most loved tracks. As a result, instruments and vocals are pushed back into the mix and can sound veiled while details like cymbals are somewhat less prominent than you'd expect from other headphones. They're also not as effective in active noise cancellation contrasted to other headphones with higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are well-known for their quality and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It is a top pick in the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and also falls within the 'luxury' lifestyle area where brands such as Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s have a premium cost, but should you be able to afford it, there are few better wireless over-ear headphones available.

The XM5s come with a variety of features that simplify the lives of the listener and automate some tasks they would otherwise need to perform 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. There's even a built-in microphone for making calls without hands.

The XM5 headphones are no different than the previous generation headphones from WH, in regards to noise cancellation. They are one of the best at cutting down on the constant drones that can be heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s are great at their job of separating listeners from background noise of busy streets and airports as well.

The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s may not be as detailed in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, they have a higher level of clarity and realism, too. The bass on Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys power and clarity but without affecting the rest the music. The XM5s also have the ability to produce precise and precise bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is great and can last up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is active and 40 hours if it's off. This is enough to last an entire weekend or a few days of heavy use.

The only issue is that the XM5s do not have any water resistance or dust resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you avoid sweating on them or take them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for some people, but it could prove a stumbling block for those who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair over-ear wireless headphones that feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with a neutral audio profile that concentrates on the highs and mids while not going too loud on either end of the spectrum. They are great for movies and music. They also offer better sound quality than many competing pairs of headphones.

The Headphones Bluetooth Wireless have a light design that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups 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 hinges that are spring loaded have a firm but not overly robust clamping force that ensures that the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button at the top of the right earcup. It also has 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 playback control. Pressing and holding the button will activate Siri. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed however I would have liked to have an option to power off or turn off the headphones when in use. The headphones go into standby when they are removed from your ears, or when placed in their case. They come back into use when you put them on your head.

Spatial audio is another cool feature. It makes use of accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPads or iPhones to determine where you're moving. Then, it repositions the sound so that they seem to be coming from that location. This creates an immersive theater-like experience for videos and movies 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 are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel a bit ripped off entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew that they'd be outdone next year by the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and improved battery performance, so it's difficult to justify the expense for most people.