Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the need to run an audio wire to your device. These headphones are ideal for public transport, in the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones may have an elegant design and superior noise cancellation. They are typically packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Q30

These earphones are a significant upgrade from the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They look better and feel more durable and have a more polished look. They're still mostly plastic, however the hinges are more secure and the soft leather ear cups are larger. You can switch the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable to use them with portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also have dual mics built-in that worked flawlessly in our tests using FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a wide variety of EQ presets that can be saved and tweaked to play podcasts and music in the style 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 effectively block out most of the background noise, making for excellent listening. They have a natural sound profile that leans a little on the treble end, which some might find lacking in bass response (we got better results with the Bass Booster EQ preset). However, you can fix this with the Soundcore application, as there is an 8-band equalizer to allow you to tweak.

The left ear cup has the power button as well as a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right ear cup features play/pause and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking on these buttons allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to change modes or set alarms. The right earcup can be covered with your hands to enable 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 turned on the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than its competitors. This gives you plenty of time for long flights or working for a long time. They can be quickly recharged using the USB-C cable included and you'll get a warning when they're approaching empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear bluetooth headphones wireless headphones headphones that offers both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're made to be a pair of premium high-end headphones that are ideal for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also sound amazing when used for home use by audiophiles as well. The headphones are a little bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their superior sound is the reason they stand out.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact, slim and attractive, white, fabric-finished box that includes everything you require inside. There's also a fold-flat carry case for the headphones, a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

The battery's 600mAh capacity can last a whole day of casual listening. They also have an audio input to use wired. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions with an app (now called Focal and Naim in keeping with English sister brand Naim’s products that are network-aware) or by pressing the button on the left earcup which scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft transparent,' and full.

The app allows you to adjust different settings, like the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including music's profile, which sounds brighter and neutraler than the other profiles) and the battery life. You can also choose the ANC mode and level as well as set an 'acoustic environments that adjusts the sensitivity to simulate the sound of headphones in a different room.

The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives more warmth and punch to your favourite tracks. The result is that instruments and vocals can be muted, while other details such as cymbals may be less prominent than other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation, compared to other over-ears with more advanced technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has earned a reputable reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is not an exception. It's located at the top portion of the over-ear headphone market, but it is also dipping into the 'luxury lifestyle' sector where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. This means that the XM5s are expensive in cost, but when you can afford it, there are few better over the ear wireless headphones on the market.

The XM5s have features that make life easier for listeners and, in a few instances, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are all included. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio with rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making calls hands-free.

Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. They're among the most efficient Headphones Wireless Bluetooth for cutting out continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s also excel at separating listeners from the hum of airports and busy streets.

The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s aren't as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, but they have a higher level of clarity and openness as well. For example, the bass on Rage Against The Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real force and definition, without reducing the other elements. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel shows off the XM5s ability to produce precise and precise bass notes.

Battery life is also very good, providing up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active, and 40 hours when it's off. This is plenty for a weekend getaway or several days of heavy use.

The only drawback is that the XM5s don't have any dust or water resistance protection. Sony recommends not sweating into the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This may not be a problem for many people, but it might cause a problem for anyone who spends much of their time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless blutooth headphones headphones with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple created dynamic drivers that measure 40mm with a neutral sound profile that emphasizes highs and mids without going overboard. This makes them great for both music and movies. They also provide higher fidelity compared to other headphones.

The headphones are light and comfortable on the head. The ear cups are constructed from memory foam covered in a woven fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without putting pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges feature a solid but not overly robust clamping force that makes sure that the ear cups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

A small button located on the top of the right ear cup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. There's also a pushable, jog-dial-like button, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to control volume and press the button once, twice or headphones wireless bluetooth thrice to playback control. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed however I would have liked to have a power button that would turn off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones are put into standby when they are removed from your ears, or when they are put in their case. They only come back into use when you put them on your head.

Another cool feature is spatial audio, which uses the gyroscopes and accelerometers in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're moving in, and then repositions the sound to create the illusion that they're coming from these locations. 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 are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be slightly smug about walking into an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone next year by the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, making it difficult to justify the additional cost for most people.