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. They're an excellent choice for public transport, at work or at home.
Wireless over-ear headphones may have a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They usually come with a stylish storage case.
Soundcore Q30
A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones look better, feel sturdier and generally feel more polished. They're still largely plastic however the hinges are more secure and the soft leather ear cups are a bit bigger. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a high-quality USB-C version so that you can make use of them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have dual built-in microphones, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app comes with a wide selection of EQ presets, which can be customized and saved so you can listen to music and podcasts in the way you prefer. This is what sets these headphones apart from most other ANC headphones, and the Soundcore app is extremely simple to use.
When ANC is turned on the Q30's 40mm drivers cut out almost all ambient noise and make for very pleasant listening. They have a natural sounding signature that leans slightly to the treble side, and some might be unable to reproduce bass (we have had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). But, you can rectify this with the Soundcore application, as there is an 8-band equalizer to help you tinker.
These headphones have the power button and a pairing button on the left earcup along with a USB-C port for charging. The right earcup has buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. 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. You can also cover the right ear cup with your hand to activate ambient modes to allow you to hear the world around you without taking off the headphones.
The Q30 headphones offer a long battery life. In our tests with ANC switched on the Q30 lasted nearly an hour longer than its competitors. This leaves plenty of time to prepare for long flights or working for a long time. The USB-C cable included allows you to quickly recharge them. You'll also receive an alert when your battery is getting close to empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that feature active noise cancellation, as well as Bluetooth playback. They are designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the move. They're more expensive than similar headphones, but their superior sound quality is their main selling point.
The Focal Bathys are packed in a small elegant white box with a fabric finish. It contains all the accessories that you'll require. There's also a fold-flat carry case for the headphones as well as a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.
The 600mAh battery will last for a whole day of casual listening. They also come with an audio input that you can make use of wired. Wirelessly, they are paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions with an app (now called Focal and Naim in line with English Naim's network-aware products) or by pressing the button on the left earcup which scrolls through ANC profiles like silent, soft transparent,' and 'full.
The app allows you to change various settings, including the brightness of the LED as well as EQ presets that include a "music' profile that sounds brighter and more neutral than other presets and also their battery life. You can also choose the ANC level and mode and set an 'acoustic environments that adjusts the sensitivity to simulate the sound of the headphones in a different acoustic room.
The Focal Bathys come with a bass-rich sound profile that adds extra punch, impact and warmth to your favorite tracks. This means that instruments and vocals sound muted, while details such as cymbals may be less noticeable than on other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation when contrasted to other headphones with more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony has a stellar reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It is at the top end of the'mainstream' headphones for over-ear, and is slipping into the luxury lifestyle area where the likes of Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. This means that the XM5s are expensive in price tag but, when you can afford it, there are better over the ear wireless headphones on the market.
The XM5s have features that make life easier for listeners and, in a few cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near-high resolution) is included, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There's a built-in mic for making calls hands-free.
Like the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. These headphones are among the best at cutting down on the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are also great in separating the listener from the hum of airports and busy streets.
The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s aren't as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, but there's a greater sense of clarity and realism also. The bass on Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys power and clarity without affecting the music. The XM5s also have the ability to produce precise and precise bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.
Battery life is excellent, with up to 30 hours listening time when ANC is on and 40 hours if it's off. This is more than enough to last for an entire weekend or a few days' heavy use.
The only drawback is that the XM5s do not have any water resistance or dust resistance protection. beats studio three wireless headphones recommends not sweating into them or wearing them in the rain. This may not be a problem for many people, but it could be a problem for those who spends much of their time at the gym or lives in a city with rain.
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a an audio profile that is neutral and emphasizes the mids and highs while not going too loud on either end of the spectrum. They are ideal for movies and music. They also offer better sound quality than many other headphones.
The headphones are lightweight and feel comfortable on your head. The earcups, which are constructed of memory foam and covered with woven fabric, and sit comfortably over the ears they do not place pressure on the sides or forehead. Ear cups can be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges feature a solid but not overly strong clamping force, which ensures that the ear cups remain in place during listening sessions.
A small button located on the top of the right earcup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. There's also a button that can be pushed, like a jog-dial, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can twist for volume control and press it once twice or three times to control playback. Siri is invoked by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed however I would have liked to have a power button that would switch off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode when they are removed from your ears or placed in their case, and they only come back on when you put them on your head once more.
Another feature that is quite cool is spatial audio, which utilizes the accelerometers and gyroscopes of the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're moving in, and then repositions the sound to appear as if they're coming from these locations. This creates an immersive theater-like experience for films 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 enjoy it on other devices.
The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be somewhat smug going into an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone in a year by the second-generation model. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have superior battery life and more advanced features.