Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the necessity of running an audio wire to your device. These headphones are great to use on public transport, in the office or at home.
Wireless over-ear headphones are available in a variety and noise cancelling features. They typically come with a sleek storage case.
Soundcore Life Q30
A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears look better, feel sturdier, and are generally more polished. They're still mostly made of plastic, but the hinges are tighter and the soft leather ear cups are a bit bigger. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and make use of them with mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also have dual microphones that perform well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app offers a wide variety of EQ presets that can be saved and altered to listen to podcasts or music in the way you prefer. This is what makes these headphones stand out from most other ANC headphones, and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.
The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate the majority of ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This creates an extremely enjoyable listening experience. The Q30's sound is natural, however it lags a little on treble. Some might not be a fan of the bass response (we have had better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer). However, you can easily solve this issue with the Soundcore app, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands that can help you tweak.
The left ear cup has the power button and a pairing button and USB-C charging port. The right ear cup has play/pause, and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. You can also use voice commands to ask them to change modes or set alarms. The right earcup can also be covered with your hands to enable ambient mode, so that you can be aware of what is happening around you, without removing the headphones.
These headphones have a great battery life. In our tests with ANC turned on the Q30 lasted nearly an hour longer than its competitors. This gives you plenty of time for long flights or a day at the office. They can be charged quickly with the included USB-C cable, and you'll see an alert when they're getting empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless 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 while on the move. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their exceptional sound is the reason they stand out.
The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact attractive white box with a cloth finish. It comes with all the accessories that you'll need. The package includes a fold-flat headphone carrying case, USB-C to USB cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.
They're powered by a decent 600mAh battery that can get you through a full day of listening, and have 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 known as Focal & Naim, probably in the same line as their English Naim brand's network-aware audio products) or via the button located on the left earcup which scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' transparent' and full.
Using the app allows you to alter different settings like the LED brightness as well as EQ presets that include a "music profile' that sounds more neutral and brighter than other presets and their battery life. You can also select the ANC mode and level and set an 'acoustic environments setting to alter the sensitivity to mimic the sound of headphones in a different acoustic room.
The Focal Bathys come with a bass-rich sound profile that delivers extra punch and warmth to your favorite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments can sound muted, while certain elements like cymbals could be less noticeable than on other headphones. They're also not as effective in active noise cancelation when contrasted to other headphones with higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony has a stellar reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 headphones are no exception. It is at the top of the mainstream over ear headphone market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle market in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s are expensive however, if you can afford it find them, there's not a better pair of wireless over-ear headphones.
The XM5s come with a variety of features that make life easier for the listener and automate some tasks that they would have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near-high resolution) is available, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making calls hands-free.
The XM5 headphones are no different from the previous generation of headphones from WH, in regards to noise cancellation. beats studio3 wireless noise cancelling over ear headphones among the best-performing cans to block out the constant drones heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also great in separating the listener from the noises of busy airports and streets.
The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s lack as high a resolution in the low frequency range as the XM4, but they do have an increased sense of clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys' power and definition without affecting the rest the music. In the same way, Massive Attack's grooving Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce accurate and precise bass notes.
Battery life is also very excellent, offering up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active, and 40 hours when it's turned off. That's more than enough for a weekend trip or several days of heavy usage.
The XM5s aren't dust or water resistant. Sony recommends not sweating in them or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for everyone else however for those who spend long hours in the gym or live in a rainy location it could be a significant issue.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple AirPods Max is a pair over-ear wireless headphones that feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a neutral audio profiles that emphasizes the mids and highs while not going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. They are great for music and movies. They also provide superior fidelity compared to most other headphones.
The headphones are light in build that feels comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made out of memory foam that is covered in weaved fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The earcups can also tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges have a firm but not overly robust clamping force that ensures that the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.
A small button on the the right earcup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. You can also utilize a pushable jog dial-like button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it around to control volume and press it once three, twice, or times to playback the controls. Pressing and holding the button invokes Siri. These buttons are well-placed and easy to use, but I missed having a power button to turn the headphones off when they're not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when removed from your ear or placed in their case, and they only wake up when you place them on your head again.
Another feature that is quite cool 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 moving in, and then repositions sounds to make it seem like they're coming from those locations. This creates a cinema-like experience for films and videos recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only catch is that spatial audio requires an iOS device for use, 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. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and improved battery life, making it difficult to justify the additional cost for the majority of people.