Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the necessity of running an audio cable from your device. These headphones are ideal for use in public transport, at the office or at home.
Wireless over-ear headphones are available in a variety of designs and noise cancelling features. 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, feel more durable, and have a more polished appearance. The hinges are tighter and the soft ear cups have been slightly larger. They are still largely made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a high-quality USB-C version so that you can use them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have dual mics built in that worked well during our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app offers a wide range of EQ presets that can be saved and adjusted to play podcasts and music in the style you prefer. This is the thing that sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones, and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.
The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out the majority of ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This makes for an extremely pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sound profile that is a bit on the treble side, and some might find lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). But, you can fix this by using the Soundcore application, as there is an 8-band equalizer that can help you tweak.
The headphones feature an power button and a pairing button on the left earcup and an USB-C port to charge. The right earcup has play/pause, and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. best wireless headphones can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to change modes or set alarms. The right earcup can be covered with your hands to enable ambient mode, so that you can hear what is going on around you without removing the headphones.
The battery life of these headphones is fantastic, too. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than its rivals. This leaves plenty of time for a long flight or working for a long time. They can be charged quickly with the included USB-C cable and you'll be able to see a warning when they're approaching empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offers both active noise cancellation, as well as Bluetooth playback. They're designed to be a premium high-end headphones that are great for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also are a great choice for audiophile home use too. The headphones are a little more expensive than other headphones, but their exceptional audio quality is the reason they stand out.
The Focal Bathys are packaged in a slim, compact and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that includes everything you'll need in. The package also includes a fold-flat carrying case for the headphones, a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.
They're powered by a good 600mAh battery that will get you through a full day of casual listening and also have an audio input for wired use. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you'll be able control their functions using an app (now named Focal & Naim likely in the same line as their English sister brand Naim's products that are network-aware) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup that allows you to switch between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' 'transparent' and 'full'.
The app lets you modify various settings, including the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including the music profile, which sounds brighter and neutraler than the other profiles) and the battery life. It also gives you the ability to select the ANC mode and the level, and also set an 'acoustic' setting that adjusts the sensitivity of your audio to simulate how it would 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 favorite tracks. In the end, vocals and instruments are nudged back in the mix and sound muffled, while other details such as cymbals sound slightly less prominent than you might expect on some other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancelation when contrasted to other headphones with more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony headphones are well-known for their quality and the WH1000XM5 headphones are no exception. It is the best of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and borders the luxury lifestyle segment where brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. The XM5s are costly however, if you can afford it get them, you won't find a better wireless headphones for over-ear use.
The XM5s are loaded with features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in some instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near-high resolution) is included and also support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows high-quality audio to be streamed at bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making calls hands-free.
Like the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. These headphones are among the best at eliminating the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are also great at separating listeners from the hum of busy airports and streets.
The sound quality is also great. The XM5s aren't quite as precise in the lower frequencies as the XM4, however, they have a higher level of clarity and openness, too. For instance the bass on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys muscles with real power and definition, while not sagging the other elements. The XM5s are also able to deliver precise and tight bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.
The battery life is also good, with up to 30 hours of listening time with ANC active and 40 hours when it's off. This is enough to last an entire weekend or a few days of heavy usage.
The XM5s aren't water resistant or dust resistant. Sony actually recommends not sweating on them or taking them out in the rain. This may not be a big deal for the majority of people however, for those who spend long hours in the gym or live in a humid area this could be a big issue.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones over-ear which feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a neutral audio profiles that emphasizes the mids and highs without going overboard on either end of the spectrum. This makes them ideal for movies and music. They also provide higher fidelity compared to other headphones.
The headphones are lightweight and feel comfortable on your head. The earcups are made from memory foam covered in weaved fabric. They fit comfortably on the ears without pressing on the sides of the face. The earcups can also tilt and rotate to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer a strong, but not too much clamping force to ensure that the earcups remain in position during listening sessions.
Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button at the top of the right earcup. It also has a pushable jog-dial-like button, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can twist for volume control and press the button once, twice or thrice for playback controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed, however, I would like to see an option to power off or turn off the headphones when not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode after being removed from your ear or placed in their case, and they only come back on when you slide them over your head once more.
Another cool feature is spatial audio, which uses the gyroscopes and accelerometers in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're going, and then repositions sounds to create the illusion that they're coming from these locations. This gives you a theater-like experience with movies and videos made in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices are able to listen to audio in spatial format.
The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel a bit ripped off walking into an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone next year by the second-generation model. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have better battery life and advanced features.