Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to music and podcasts without the requirement to connect an audio wire to your device. These headphones are great to use on public transport, in the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear cans are available in a variety of designs and noise cancelling capabilities. They typically come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore Life 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 look. The hinges are stronger and the soft ear cups have been slightly larger. They are still largely made of plastic, however they are more polished. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a premium USB-C version to connect them to portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also come with two mics built-in that worked flawlessly in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a vast selection of EQ presets that can be customized and saved to listen to music and podcasts in the style you prefer. The Soundcore app is simple to use and sets these headphones apart.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively block out most of the ambient noise, and provide an extremely pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sound signature that leans a little on the treble side, which some might feel is lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). It is possible to fix this using the Soundcore App, which comes with an eight-band Equalizer.

These headphones have an power button and a pairing button on the left earcup along with the USB-C port for charging. The right earcup has buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or replay the previous one. You can also make use of voice commands to ask for a change in mode or set alarms. The right ear cup can also be covered by your hand to activate ambient mode so that you can hear what's happening around you, without removing the headphones.

These headphones have a great battery life. In our tests with ANC switched on, the Q30 ran for almost an hour longer than the other headphones. This leaves plenty of time for long flights or a day at the office. The included USB-C cord lets you quickly recharge them. You'll also get a warning when the battery is nearing empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offer active noise cancellation as well as buy bluetooth blue tooth headphones; they said, playback. These headphones are made to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the go. They're a little more expensive than similar headphones but their superior audio quality is the primary selling factor.

The Focal Bathys come in a slim, compact and attractive fabric-finished white retail box that contains all the accessories you need inside. There's a fold-flat headphone carry case, USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

The battery's capacity is 600mAh, which will last for a whole day of casual listening. They also include an audio input so that you can use wired. Wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions via an app (now called Focal & Naim in line with 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 allows you to 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 the other profiles) and the battery life. You can also choose the ANC mode and level as well as set an 'acoustic environments setting to alter the sensitivity to mimic the sound of headphones in a different room.

The Focal Bathys come with an incredibly bass-rich sound that adds more energy, impact and warmth to your favourite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments can sound muted, while details like cymbals might be less noticeable than on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation when compared with other headphones that feature higher-end technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are known for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It is at the top end of the mainstream headphones for over-ear, and is slipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' sector where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. The XM5s are costly however, if you can afford it get them, you won't find a better wireless headphones.

The XM5s are loaded with features to simplify the lives of listeners and, in a few cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is available as well as support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone for making hands-free calls.

Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. They are one of the best at eliminating the constant drones that are heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job isolating listeners from the background noise of busy streets and airports as well.

The sound quality is also very good. The XM5s lack as many details in the low-frequency range like the XM4, however, they do have an increased sense of clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass in Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys power and buy bluetooth headphones clarity without affecting the music. The XM5s also have the ability to provide precise and accurate bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.

Battery life is also very good, with up to 30 hours of listening time with ANC active, and 40 hours when it's turned off. This is more than enough to last the weekend or a few days of heavy usage.

The XM5s aren't dust or water resistant. Sony actually recommends not sweating on the XM5s 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 region it could be a significant issue.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones which feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with a neutral audio profile that emphasizes the mids and highs without going overboard on either end of the spectrum. This makes them great for both music and movies. They also provide higher fidelity than most other headphones.

The headphones have a light build that feels comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed of memory foam and covered with woven fabric, and they are comfortable to wear without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can tilt and rotate to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide a strong, but not too much clamping force that makes sure the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button located at the top of the right earcup. You can also utilize a pushable jog dial-like button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can twist it for volume control and press it once three, twice, or even three times to playback the controls. Pressing and holding the button invokes Siri. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed however, I would like to see a power button that would switch off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when they are removed from your ears or put in their case, and they only wake up when you place them on your head again.

Another cool feature is spatial audio, which uses the accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out where you're moving, then repositions sounds to make it seem like they're coming from those locations. This creates an immersive theater experience for videos and movies that were recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to be used, and it won't allow you to enjoy it on other devices.

The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would be a bit disappointed if I spent $549 in 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 performance, so it's difficult to justify the cost for the majority of people.