Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music and podcasts without the requirement to connect wires to your audio device. They are an excellent choice for public transport, while at work or at home.

wireless bluetooth Headphones over-ear headphones can have an elegant design and superior noise cancellation. They usually come with a sleek storage case.

Soundcore Q30

These over-ears are a major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They are more attractive and feel more durable and have a more polished finish. They're still mostly made of plastic, but the hinges are tighter and the soft leather cups are bigger. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a high-quality USB-C model to connect them to portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also come with dual built-in microphones, which perform well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge range of EQ presets that can be customized and saved so you can listen to podcasts and music in the style you prefer. The Soundcore app is simple to use and makes these headphones stand out.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate nearly all ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This results in an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound quality is natural, however it lags it is a bit treble. Some might be disappointed by the bass response (we have had better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer). It is possible to fix this by using the Soundcore App, which includes an eight-band Equalizer.

The left ear cup has an power button and a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right ear cup features play/pause, the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. They also support the ability to speak that allows you to request to change the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right earcup with your fingers to activate ambient modes to allow you to hear the world around you without taking off the headphones.

The battery life on these headphones is fantastic and the battery life is also excellent. In our tests with ANC switched on the Q30 ran for almost an hour longer than the other headphones. This gives you plenty of time for an extended flight or an office day. The included USB-C cord lets you quickly recharge them. You'll also get an alert when your battery is getting close to 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 as a premium headphones that are ideal for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but sound fantastic when used to listen to audiophile music at home as well. The wireles headphones are a little higher priced than comparable headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys come in a slim, compact and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that contains all the accessories you require inside. The package also includes a fold-flat carrying case for the headphones as well as a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

They're powered by a decent 600mAh battery that can take you through a full day of listening, and also have an audio input for wired use. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you can manage their functions via an app (now known as Focal and Naim likely in line with their English Naim brand's products for audio that are network-aware) or via the button on the left ear cup which scrolls between ANC profiles like'soft','silent transparent', and 'full'.

The app allows you to adjust different settings, like the brightness of the LEDs and Wireless Bluetooth Headphones the EQ presets (including a'music' profile which is more neutral and brighter than other profiles) and the battery life. You can also select the ANC level and mode and setting an 'acoustic settings setting to alter the sensitivity to simulate the sound of headphones in a different room.

The Focal Bathys feature a bass-rich sound profile that adds more warmth and punch to your favorite tracks. The result is that instruments and vocals be muted, while other details such as cymbals may be less prominent than other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation when compared with other headphones that feature more advanced technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has earned a reputable reputation for its headphones, and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It sits at the upper portion of the over-ear headphone market, but it is also dipping into the luxury lifestyle sector where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. The XM5s are costly, but if you can get them, you won't find a better wireless bt headphones headphones for over-ear use.

The XM5s have features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in a few instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to handle 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 both included. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making hands-free calls.

The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation of headphones from WH, in regards to noise cancellation. They're among the most efficient headphones to block out the constant drones found in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are great at their job isolating listeners from the traffic noises of airports and busy streets, too.

The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s aren't as precise in the lower frequencies as the XM4, Wireless Bluetooth Headphones but there's a more pronounced sense of clarity and transparency as well. The bass in Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys' power and definition, without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s also have the ability to produce precise and precise bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

The battery life is fantastic and can last up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is on and 40 hours if it's off. This is more than enough for a weekend getaway or a long period of use.

The only drawback is that the XM5s lack any dust or water resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or take them out in the rain. This might not be a big deal for most people however for those who spend much time in the gym or live in a rainy location, it could be a major problem.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers designed by Apple with a neutral audio profile that emphasizes the mids and highs without going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them ideal for movies and music. They also have higher fidelity compared to other headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight construction that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric and sit comfortably over the ears and do not place pressure on the sides or forehead. The ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide a firm, but not too much clamping force to ensure that the ear cups remain in place during listening sessions.

You can toggle noise cancelling by pressing a small button at the top of the right earcup. There's also a button that can be pushed, Jog-dial-like button, akin to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to control volume and press it once twice or three times to playback control. Pressing and holding the button will activate Siri. These buttons are placed well and easy to use, but I missed having a power button to turn off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones go into standby mode when removed from your ears or when they are put in their case. They only come back into use when you place them over your head.

Spatial audio is another great feature. It makes use of gyroscopes, accelerometers, and iPads or iPhones to determine where you are moving. Then, it repositions the sounds to make them appear to come from that location. This creates a cinema-like experience when watching movies and videos that were recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to the spatial audio.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be slightly smug about walking into an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew that they'd be beaten in a year by the new model. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have better battery life and advanced features.