Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the need to run an audio cable from your device. They are ideal for public transport, at work or at home.
Wireless over-ear cans are available in a variety of designs and noise cancellation capabilities. 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 stronger and the soft cups are a bit larger. They're still made of plastic, however they are more polished. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and use them with portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also have dual mics built-in that worked flawlessly in our tests using FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app has a huge variety of EQ presets that can be altered and saved to allow you to listen to music or podcasts in your preferred style. This is what sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.
The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out almost all ambient sound when ANC is turned on. This creates a very pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound is natural, however it lags it is a bit the treble. Some may not be a fan of the bass response (we have had better results with the Bass Booster EQ). However, you can rectify this with the Soundcore app, since there is an 8-band equalizer to help you tinker.
The left earcup has the power button, a pairing button, and a USB-C charging port. The right earcup has buttons for play/pause, volume control and volume up/down. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct for a change in mode or set alarms. The right ear cup can also be covered with your hands to activate ambient mode, so that you can be aware of what is happening around you, without removing the headphones.
The Q30 headphones offer a long battery life. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than the other models. This gives you plenty of time for long flights or working for a long time. They can be charged quickly using the USB-C cable included and you'll be able to see warnings when they're about to run empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of premium over-ear headphones that provide both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They are designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the go. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their outstanding sound quality is what makes them 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. You can also get a fold-flat carry case for the headphones and a USB-C cable 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 whole day of listening to music and include an audio input that can be wired for use. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions via an app (now named Focal & Naim in the same way as English sister brand Naim’s network-aware products) or the button located on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles like'silent','soft transparent,' and full.
The app lets you alter different settings, like the brightness of the LEDs and the EQ presets (including a'music' profile that sounds more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. It also allows you to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment which adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate what it would sound like when worn in a space with different audio acoustics.
The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich sound that adds extra punch, impact and warmth to your favourite tracks. The result is that vocals and instruments can be muted, while other details like cymbals might be less prominent than on other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancelation when compared to other over-ears 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 not an exception. It sits at the upper portion of the over-ear headphone market, edging into the 'luxury lifestyle' area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. The XM5s can be expensive, but if you can get them, you won't find a better wireless headphones for over-ear use.
The XM5s are loaded with a number of features that simplify the lives of the listener and automate tasks that they would need to perform manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music to near-high-resolution) and Bluetooth's LDAC Technology, are all included. This lets high-quality audio be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone for making hands-free calls.
The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation headphones from WH in regards to noise cancellation. They're among the top-performing headphones for removing the constant drones found in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also great at separating listeners from the hum of airports and busy streets.
Sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s aren't quite as detailed in the low frequencies as the XM4, but they have a higher level of clarity and realism also. The bass on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys strength and clarity, without affecting the rest of the music. Similarly, Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce accurate and precise bass notes.
Battery life is also very good, with up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active and 40 hours when it's turned off. That's more than enough for a weekend getaway or several days of heavy use.
The only issue is that the XM5s lack any dust or water resistance protection. Sony actually advises against sweating into them or wearing them in the rain. This might not be a problem for some people, but it could be a problem for anyone who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones which feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple created dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral audio profile that emphasizes highs and mids, but not going too loud. They are great for movies and music. They also have higher fidelity compared to other headphones.
The headphones have a lightweight build that feels comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed of memory foam and covered with weaved fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without putting pressure best wireless over ear headphones on the sides of the face. The ear cups can be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a solid but not overly robust clamping force that ensures that the earcups remain in place during listening sessions.
A small button located on the top of the right earcup lets you toggle noise cancelling modes. It also has an earphone-style jog dial with a push button like the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can twist it for volume control, and press it once three, twice, or times to playback the controls. Pressing and holding the button will activate Siri. These buttons are well-placed and easy to use, but I would have liked the power button that could turn the headphones off when they are not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when they are removed from your ear or placed in their case. They only wake up when you put them on your head once more.
Spatial audio is another great feature. It makes use of accelerometers, gyroscopes, and iPhones or iPads to determine where you're moving. Then, it repositions the sound to make it appear to come from that particular location. This creates a cinema-like experience for movies and videos recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device for use, and you won't be able to enjoy it on other devices.
The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be somewhat smug walking into an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone in a year by the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and improved battery performance, so it's hard to justify the extra cost for most people.