Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music or podcasts anywhere without having to run an audio wire to your device. They are also a great choice for public transport, at work or at home.
Wireless over-ear
blue tooth headphones can have an elegant design and outstanding noise cancellation. They typically come with a stylish storage case.
Soundcore Q30
These over-ears are a major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They look better, feel more durable, and have a more polished look. They're still mostly made of plastic, however the hinges are more secure and the soft leather cups are bigger. You can switch the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable and use them with portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also come with dual built-in microphones, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app offers a vast selection of EQ presets that can be altered and saved so you can listen to music and podcasts in your preferred style. 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 speakers effectively eliminate the majority of ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This creates an extremely enjoyable listening experience. The Q30's sound signature is natural, but a little on the treble. Some may not be a fan of the bass response (we have had better results using the Bass Booster EQ). But, you can rectify this by using the Soundcore app, since there's an equalizer with 8 bands to help you tinker.
The headphones come with a power button and pairing button on the left earcup and a USB-C port for charging. The right earcup is equipped with buttons for play/pause, volume control and volume up/down. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct for a change in mode or set alarms. You can also cover the right earcup with your hand to activate 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 switched on the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than its competitors. This gives you plenty of time for long flights or an office day. They can be easily recharged using the USB-C cable included 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 powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that feature active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. These headphones are designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or while on the move. They're more expensive than other similar headphones but their superior audio quality is the primary selling factor.
The Focal Bathys are packed in a small attractive white box with a fabric finish. It contains all the accessories that you will need. The package includes a fold-flat headphone carrying case, USB-C to USB cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.
The battery's 600mAh capacity can last for a full day of casual listening. They also have an audio input to connect wired. Wirelessly, they are paired via
bluetooth headphone wireless. You can control their functions with an app (now called Focal and Naim in the same way as English sister brand 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 lets you adjust different settings, like the brightness of the LEDs as well as the EQ presets (including music's profile, that sounds more neutral and brighter than other profiles) and the battery life. You can also select 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 acoustic room.
The Focal Bathys come with a bass-rich sound profile that delivers extra energy and warmth to your favourite tracks. The result is that instruments and vocals be muted, and certain elements like cymbals could be less noticeable than on other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancelation when contrasted to other headphones with more advanced technology, like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony
Blootooth Headphones are renowned for their quality and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It is at the top of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle area in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s come with a high price tag, but should you be able to afford it, there are few more superior wireless over-ear headphones on the market.
The XM5s come with a variety of features that make life easier for the listener, and also automate tasks that they would be required to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is included,
Blootooth Headphones as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making hands-free calls.
The XM5 headphones are no different from the previous generation WH headphones in terms of noise cancellation. They're one of the best at cutting down on the constant drones that are heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are great at their job of separating listeners from noise of busy airports and streets as well.
The sound quality is also very good. The XM5s may not be as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, they have a higher level of clarity and openness as well. The bass on Rage Against The Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys strength and clarity but without affecting the rest the music. The XM5s are also able to produce precise and precise bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.
The battery life is also good, providing up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active, and 40 hours when it's turned off. This is enough to last the weekend or a few days of heavy usage.
The XM5s do not come with waterproof or dust-proof. In fact, Sony recommends that you avoid sweating on them or wear them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for a lot of people, but it might cause a problem for anyone who spend a lot of time at the gym or lives in a city with rain.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple AirPods Max is a pair over-ear wireless headphones that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral sound profile that emphasizes mids and highs without going too loud. This makes them ideal for both movies and music. They also offer better sound quality than many other headphones.
The headphones are light in design that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed of memory foam and covered with a woven fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without putting pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups also tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer an incredibly firm,
Blootooth headphones yet not too much clamping force that makes sure the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.
A small button located on the top of the right ear cup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. There's also a pushable, jog-dial-like button, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and press once twice or three times to playback control. Siri is activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed however I would have liked to have a power button that would switch off the headphones when in use.