Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones let you listen to music or podcasts anywhere without having to run an audio cable from your device. They are an excellent choice for public transportation, at work, or at home.
Wireless over-ear cans are offered in a variety of styles and noise cancelling capabilities. They are usually packaged in a sleek case.
Soundcore Q30
A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears look better, feel sturdier and are generally more polished. The hinges are more secure and the soft ear cups are a bit larger. They're still made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can swap the 3.5mm cord for a higher quality USB-C cable to use them with portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also feature two microphones built-in, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app has a huge range of EQ presets, which can be altered and saved so you can listen to podcasts and music in your preferred style. The Soundcore app makes it easy to use and makes these headphones stand out.
The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate the majority of ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This results in a very pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound quality is natural, however it lags it is a bit the treble. Some might be disappointed by the bass response (we had better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer). But, you can rectify this with the Soundcore application, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands to help you tinker.
The left earcup features the power button and a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right ear cup has play/pause, and the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to ask for a change in mode or set alarms. The right earcup can be covered by your hand to enable ambient mode, to allow you to be aware of what is happening around you, without removing 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 rivals. This gives you plenty of time to prepare for long flights or a day at the office. The included USB-C cord lets you quickly recharge the batteries. You'll also get an alert when your battery is nearing empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offer active noise cancellation, as well as Bluetooth playback. They are designed to be high-end, premium headphones that can be used at home or on the go. They're a little more expensive than other similar headphones, but their superior audio quality is the primary selling point.
The Focal Bathys come in a slim, compact and attractive, white, fabric-finished box with all the accessories you'll need in. There's a fold-flat headphone carry case, USB-C-to-USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.
They're powered by a respectable 600mAh battery that can get you through a full day of listening, and also have an audio input for wired use. When they're wirelessly connected, they're connected via Bluetooth and you'll be able control their functions through an app (now named Focal & Naim which is probably in line with their English sister brand Naim's products that are network-aware) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup that allows you to switch between ANC profiles like'silent','soft' 'transparent' and 'full'.
The app allows you to alter various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs and the EQ presets (including music's profile, which is more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. It also lets you to choose the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' environment that will adjust the sensitivity of your music to simulate how it would sound like when worn in a space with different audio acoustics.
The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds more punch and warmth to your favourite tracks. As a result, instruments and vocals are pushed back into the mix, and sound muffled, while other details such as cymbals sound not as prominent as you might expect on some other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation contrasted to other headphones with higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony headphones are known for their quality and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It's located at the top portion of the over-ear headphone market, but it is also dipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' category where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. The XM5s are expensive, but if you can, there aren't many better wireless headphones.
The XM5s have features to make life easier for listeners and, in some instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near-high resolution) is also included, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This lets high-quality music to be streamed at bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making calls hands-free.
The XM5 headphones are no different than the previous generation headphones from WH, in regards to noise cancellation. over-ear wireless headphones among the top in cutting down on the constant drones that are heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also excellent at isolating the listener from the noises of airports and busy streets.
The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s lack as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however they do have an increased sense of clarity and a greater sense of openness. For instance the bass track on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real force and definition, without reducing the other elements. The XM5s also have the ability to deliver precise and tight bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.
Battery life is also good, with up to 30 hours of listening time 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 real drawback here is that the XM5s don't have any dust or water resistance protection. Sony recommends not sweating on them or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for some people, but it might prove a stumbling block for those who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a city with rain.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones that feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a neutral audio profiles that is focused on the mids and highs without going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them ideal for both music and movies. They also offer superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.
The headphones have a light build that feels comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric and sit comfortably over the ear they do not place pressure on the sides or forehead. 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 to ensure that the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.
A small button at the top of the right ear cup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. It also has a pushable jog dial-like button like the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it to control the volume and press it once three, twice, or times for playback controls. Siri is invoked by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are simple to use and are well-placed, but I would have liked to have a power button that would turn off the headphones when not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when they are removed from your ears or placed in their case. They only wake up when you put them on your head once more.
Another cool feature is spatial audio, which makes use of the accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to determine where you're moving, then repositions the sound to create the illusion that they're coming from those locations. This creates a cinema-like experience with movies and videos made in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. The only downside is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to be used, and you won't be able experience it on other devices.
The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I'd feel a bit ripped off if I spent $549 in an Apple Store knowing that the newer model would be better after a year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, making it difficult to justify the cost for the majority of people.