Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music and podcasts without the requirement of connecting wires to your audio device. They are ideal for public transportation, at work, or at home.
Wireless over-ear headphones are available in a variety and noise cancelling features. They usually come with a sleek storage case.
Soundcore Life Q30
These earphones are an important improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They look better and feel more durable and have a more polished look. The hinges are tighter, and the soft cups are slightly larger. They are still largely made of plastic, however they are more polished. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a better USB-C version so that you can connect them to portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also come with dual mics built-in that worked flawlessly in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app offers a wide variety of EQ presets that can be saved and adjusted to listen to podcasts and music in the way you prefer. This is what sets these headphones apart from other ANC headphones, and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.
The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate the majority of ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This makes for an extremely enjoyable listening experience. They have a natural sound profile that leans a little on the treble side, and some might be unable to reproduce bass (we have had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). It is possible to fix this with the Soundcore App, which includes an 8-band Equalizer.
The left earcup features a power button as well as a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right earcup has play/pause, volume up/down buttons. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or replay the previous one. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to switch modes or set alarms. The right earcup can be covered by your hand to activate ambient mode so you can hear what is going on around you without removing the headphones.
These headphones have a fantastic battery life. In our tests with ANC switched on, the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than the other headphones. This gives you plenty of time for an extended flight or an office day. They can be charged quickly using the USB-C cable included and you'll get warnings when they're about to run empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that feature active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They're designed as a premium, high-end headphone that are ideal for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but sound amazing when used to listen to audiophile music at home too. The headphones are a little bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their outstanding audio 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 you will need. The headphone carry case folds flat, and comes with a case, USB-C-to-USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.
The battery's capacity is 600mAh, which can last a whole day of listening to music casually. They also have an audio input to connect wired. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions via an app (now called Focal & Naim in keeping with English sister brand Naim’s network-aware products) or the dedicated button located on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft 'transparent,' and 'full.
Utilizing the app, you are able to alter various settings such as the brightness of the LED, EQ presets including a'music' profile that sounds brighter and more neutral than the other ones and their battery duration. It also lets you to choose the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' setting which adjusts the sensitivity of your audio to simulate what it will sound like when used in a space with different soundproofing.
The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds extra energy, impact and warmth to your favourite tracks. In the end, instruments and vocals are pushed back into the mix and can sound veiled while other details such as cymbals sound slightly less prominent than you'd expect from other headphones. They're not as efficient in 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 headphones are renowned for their quality, and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It is a top pick in the mainstream over ear headphone market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle market in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. The XM5s are costly however, if you can afford it, there aren't many better wireless over-ear headphones.
The XM5s come with a variety of features that simplify the lives of the listener, and also automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology, are included. This lets high-quality audio be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making calls hands-free.
As with the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. They're among the top-performing headphones to block out the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job isolating listeners from the noise of busy streets and airports also.
good wireless over ear headphones is also excellent. The XM5s aren't as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, they have a higher level of clarity and transparency as well. The bass on Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys power and clarity without affecting the music. Similarly, Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce precise and precise bass notes.
Battery life is excellent with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is active and 40 hours if it's off. This is plenty for a weekend trip or several days of heavy use.
The XM5s are not water resistant or dust resistant. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or take them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for many people, but it might prove a stumbling block for those who spend a lot of time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm, with a neutral sound profile that focuses on highs and mids, but not going overboard. This makes them great for movies and music. They also have superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.
The headphones have a light design that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric and are comfortable to wear over the ear they do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. The ear cups can also be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges have a firm but not overly powerful clamping force, which ensures that the earcups remain in place throughout listening sessions.
Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button on the top of the right earcup. It also has 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 it once twice or three times to control playback. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. These buttons are placed well and easy to use, but I would have liked the power button that could turn off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when they are removed from your ears or placed in their case, and they only come back on when you place them on your head again.
Spatial audio is a cool feature. It utilizes accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPhones or iPads to determine where you are moving. Then, it alters the position of the sound to make it appear to originate from the location you are in. This gives you a theater-like experience when watching movies and videos recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to the spatial audio.
The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd be a bit disappointed for spending $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the second-generation model would be better after a year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, making it hard to justify the extra cost for the majority of people.