Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the necessity of running an audio cable from your device. They are also a great choice for public transport, while at work or at home.
Wireless over-ear headphones can have a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are usually packaged in a stylish case.
Soundcore Life Q30
A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones look better, feel sturdier, and are generally more polished. The hinges are stronger, and the soft ear cups have been slightly larger. They're still made of plastic, however they are more polished. You can replace the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable to use them with portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also feature dual microphones that perform well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app has a huge variety of EQ presets, which can be altered and saved to listen to podcasts and music in the way you prefer. This is what makes these headphones stand out from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely simple to use.
When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers cut out almost all ambient noise, and provide excellent listening. They have a natural sound signature that is a bit on the treble end, which some might feel is lacking in bass response (we have had better results using the Bass Booster EQ preset). However, you can rectify this by using the Soundcore app, since there is an 8-band equalizer to help you tinker.
The headphones come with an power button and a pairing button on the left ear cup and an USB-C port to charge. The right ear cup has play/pause and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or play previous ones. You can also use voice commands to ask them to switch modes or set alarms. The right earcup can also be covered with your hand to enable ambient mode, to allow you to be aware of what is happening around you without taking off the headphones.
The battery life on these headphones is fantastic, too. In our tests with ANC turned on, the Q30 ran for almost an hour longer than the other headphones. This lets you enjoy an extended flight or a busy day at work. The USB-C cable included allows you to quickly charge the batteries. You'll also receive 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 and Bluetooth playback. They're designed as an elite high-end headphones that are great for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but are a great choice for home use by audiophiles as well. They're slightly more expensive than other similar headphones, but their superior sound quality is the main selling factor.
The Focal Bathys come in a small, slim and attractive, white, fabric-finished box that contains all the accessories you'll need in. 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.
They're powered by a decent 600mAh battery that can get you through a whole day of listening to music and include an audio input for wired use. Wirelessly, they are paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now called Focal and Naim in the same way as English sister brand Naim’s products that are network-aware) or the dedicated button on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles like'silent','soft transparent,' and 'full.
Utilizing the app, you are able to alter various settings, including the brightness of the LED as well as EQ presets that include a "music profile' that is brighter and more neutral than other presets and their battery duration. You can also choose the ANC level and mode and select an 'acoustic environment' to adjust the sensitivity to simulate the sound of the headphones in a different room.
The Focal Bathys come with a bass-rich sound profile that adds more energy and warmth to your favourite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix and can sound veiled while details like cymbals and vocals are not as prominent as you'd expect on other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancellation when contrasted with other headphones that have more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony headphones are well-known for their quality, and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It sits at the upper 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 hang out. The XM5s can be expensive however, if you are able to, there aren't many better wireless headphones for over-ear use.
The XM5s come with a variety of features that simplify the lives of the listener, and also automate tasks they would otherwise be required to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near hi-res) is included and also support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. best wireless over ear headset allows for streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making hands-free phone calls.
The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation of headphones from WH in terms of noise cancellation. They're among the best-performing cans to block out the constant drones found in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are also great at isolating the listener from the noises of airports and busy streets.
The sound quality is also great. The XM5s do not have 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. For example, the bass work on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real force and definition, while not sagging the other elements. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's' ability to deliver accurate and precise bass notes.
Battery life is also very good, with up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active and 40 hours when it's turned off. This is more than enough for a weekend getaway or a few days of heavy usage.
The XM5s aren't water resistant or dust resistant. Sony actually advises against sweating into them or taking them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for some people, but it could cause a problem for anyone who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones that fit over the ear that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. They feature 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with an audio profile that is neutral and emphasizes the mids and highs while not going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. They are ideal for music and movies. They also have superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.
The headphones are light in build that feels comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, fit comfortably over the ears, do not put pressure on the sides or forehead. Ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a solid but not overly strong clamping force, which makes sure that the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.
A small button at the the right earcup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. 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 twist for volume control and press the button once, twice or thrice to control playback. Siri is invoked by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed however I would have liked to have an option to power off or shut off the headphones when not in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode when removed from your ears or put in their case, and they only wake up when you place them on your head again.
Spatial audio is another great feature. It utilizes accelerometers, gyroscopes, and iPads or iPhones to determine where you are moving. Then, it adjusts the sound so that they appear to come from that location. This creates a cinema-like experience when watching movies and videos recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to use it and you won't be able to enjoy it with other devices.
The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I would be a bit disappointed when I spend $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 improved battery performance, making it difficult to justify the additional expense for most people.