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 for use in public transport, at the office or at home.
Wireless over-ear cans are available in a variety of styles and noise cancelling features. They are typically packaged in a sleek case.
Soundcore Life Q30
A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones are more attractive, feel more durable and generally feel more polished. They're still mostly plastic, but the hinges are a bit more secure and the soft leather ear cups are a bit larger. You can switch the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and use them with portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also come with two mics built-in that worked flawlessly during our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app comes with a broad variety of EQ presets that can be saved and adjusted to play podcasts and music in the style you like. This is the thing that sets these headphones apart from most other ANC headphones, and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.
The Q30's 40mm speaker effectively block almost all ambient sound when ANC is turned on. This makes for an extremely enjoyable listening experience. They have a natural sound signature that is a bit on the treble side, which some may feel is lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster equalizer). However, you can fix this with the Soundcore application, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands to help you tinker.
The left ear cup has a power button and a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right earcup is equipped with buttons for play/pause, volume control and volume up/down. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. You can also use voice commands to ask them to switch modes or set alarms. The right earcup can also be covered by your hand to enable ambient mode, so that you can hear what's happening around you, without removing the headphones.
The battery life of these headphones is fantastic, too. In our tests with ANC enabled the Q30 lasted nearly an hour longer than the other headphones. This leaves plenty of time for a long flight or a day at the office. They can be quickly recharged with the included USB-C cable and you'll be able to see an alert when they're getting empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of premium over-ear headphones that offer both active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They're designed to be a pair of premium high-end headphones that are ideal for listening to podcasts and music on the go, but sound amazing when used for audiophile home use too. They're a little more expensive than similar headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is their main selling factor.
The Focal Bathys come in a compact, slim and attractive, white, fabric-finished box that includes everything you'll need in. There's a fold-flat headphone carry case, USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.
The 600mAh battery can last a whole day of listening to music casually. They also include an audio input so that you can use wired. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you can manage their functions via an app (now known as Focal & Naim, probably in the same line as their English sister brand Naim's products that are network-aware) 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 alter different settings such as the brightness of the LED as well as EQ presets that include a "music profile' that is more neutral and brighter than the others and also their battery duration. It also gives you the ability to choose the ANC mode and the level, and also set an 'acoustic' setting that adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate what it will sound like if it were placed in a space with different audio acoustics.
The Focal Bathys have an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives more warmth, punch and impact to your favourite tracks. The result is that instruments and vocals be muted, while other details such as cymbals may be less noticeable than on other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancellation contrasted to other headphones with more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony headphones are renowned for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It's located at the top portion of the over-ear headphone market, but it is also dipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. The XM5s are expensive however, if you are able to, there aren't many better wireless headphones for over-ear use.
The XM5s come with features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in certain cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to handle manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is available and also support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio at rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. The built-in microphone is capable of making calls hands-free.
The XM5 headphones are no different from the previous generation headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. They're among the best-performing cans for cutting out continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job of separating listeners from background noise of airports and busy streets, too.
The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s don't have as high a resolution in the low frequency range as the XM4, but they do possess a greater sense clarity and a greater sense of openness. best budget wireless headphones in Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys strength and clarity but without affecting the rest of the music. Similarly, Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce tight and precise bass notes.
Battery life is great, with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is on and 40 hours if it's off. This is more than enough to last the weekend or a few days of heavy usage.
The XM5s do not come with waterproof or dust-proof. Sony actually recommends not sweating into them or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for most people, but for those who spend much time in the gym or live in a rainy region it could be a major problem.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones over-ear that feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers designed by Apple with a neutral audio profile that is focused on the mids and highs while not going too loud at either end of the spectrum. They are perfect for movies and music. They also offer higher fidelity than most rival headphones.
The headphones are light and comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made out of memory foam that is covered in a woven fabric. They are comfortable to wear without putting pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges feature a firm but not overly robust clamping force that makes sure 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 twist for volume control and press it once twice or three times to playback control. Siri is invoked by pressing and pressing the button. These buttons are placed well and simple to use, however I missed having the power button that could turn the headphones off when they're not in use. The headphones go into standby when they are removed from your ears, or when placed in their case. They will come back to life when you place them over your head.
Spatial audio is a cool feature. It utilizes gyroscopes, accelerometers, and iPhones or iPads to determine where you're moving. Then, it repositions the sound to make it appear to originate from the location you are in. This creates a cinema-like experience for films and videos made in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices are able to listen to spatial audio.
The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel somewhat smug entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone next year by the new model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and better battery life, making it difficult to justify the additional cost for the majority of people.