Five People You Should Know In The Over The Ear Headphones Wireless In…

Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts and music without the need to connect a wire to your audio device. These headphones are great for use in public transport, in the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear cans are offered in a variety and noise cancelling capabilities. They usually come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 These earphones appear better, feel stronger and generally feel more polished. They're still largely plastic but the hinges are a bit more secure and the soft protein leather ear cups are a bit bigger. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a higher quality USB-C cable to connect them to portable Hi-Res devices and stationary players. They also come with dual microphones that are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a wide variety of EQ presets that can be saved and tweaked to listen to podcasts or music in the style that you like. The Soundcore app is easy to use and sets these headphones apart.

When ANC is turned on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively eliminate most ambient noise, and provide an extremely pleasant listening experience. They have a natural sound signature that leans a little on the treble side, and some might feel is lacking in bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). But, you can rectify this by using the Soundcore app, since there is an 8-band head phone wireless equalizer that can help you tweak.

The left earcup features the power button, a pairing button, and an USB-C charging port. The right earcup has play/pause and head phone wireless volume up/down buttons. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or replay the previous one. They also support a voice command that allows you to ask them to change the mode or set an alarm. The right earcup can also be covered by your hand to enable ambient mode, so that you can hear what's happening around you, without removing the headphones.

These headphones have a fantastic battery life. In our tests with ANC enabled the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than its rivals. This allows you to enjoy a long flight, or a full day at work. The included USB-C cord lets you quickly recharge them. You'll also get a warning when the battery is nearing empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys new wireless bluetooth headphones is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offer active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. These headphones are made to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the move. They're slightly more expensive than other similar headphones but their superior audio quality is the primary selling point.

The Focal Bathys come in a compact, slim and attractive fabric-finished white retail box that includes everything you need 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.

They're powered by a respectable 600mAh battery that can take you through a whole day of casual listening and also have an audio input that can be wired for use. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions via an app (now called Focal & Naim in the same way as English Naim's network-aware products) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup which scrolls through ANC profiles like silent, soft transparent,' and 'full.

Using the app allows you to alter different settings such as the brightness of the LED and EQ presets, including a "music profile' that is brighter and more neutral than the other ones and also their battery duration. You can also select the ANC level and mode and setting an 'acoustic settings setting to alter the sensitivity to mimic the sound of the headphones in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich sound that adds more punch and warmth to your favorite tracks. The result is that vocals and instruments can sound muted, while certain elements like cymbals could be less prominent than on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation compared to other over-ears that have higher-end technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are renowned for their quality and the WH1000XM5 headphones are no exception. It sits at the upper end of the mainstream over-ear headphone market, edging 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 get them, you won't find a better wireless headphones for over-ear use.

The XM5s come with features that make life easier for listeners and, in a few cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is included as well as support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth. There's a built-in mic for making calls hands-free.

Like the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. They are among the best at reducing the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s do a great job isolating listeners from the traffic noises of airports and busy streets, too.

The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s lack as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, but, they do have a greater sense clarity and openness. The bass on Rage Against The Machine’s Bullet in the head phone wireless (great post to read) shows off the Sonys power and clarity without affecting the rest the music. Similarly, Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce precise and precise bass notes.

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

The only issue is that the XM5s don't have any dust or water resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you not sweat on them or wear them in the rain. This might not be a big deal for the majority of people however, for those who spend a lot of time in the gym or live in a humid location, it could be a major problem.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair over-ear wireless headphones which feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with an audio profile that is neutral and is focused on the mids and highs while not going too loud on either end of the spectrum. This makes them great for both movies and music. They also offer better sound quality when compared with other headphones.

The headphones have a light build that feels comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made out of memory foam that is covered in weaved fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without putting pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can tilt and rotate to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide a firm, but not too strong clamping force that ensures the ear cups remain in place during listening sessions.

A small button at the the right earcup lets you toggle noise cancelling modes. You can also utilize a pushable jog dial-like button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it around to control volume, and press it once three, twice, or even three times to playback the controls. Pressing and holding the button invokes Siri. The buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I was disappointed that there wasn't an option to turn the headphones off when they're 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 to life when you place them on your head.

Spatial audio is a cool feature. It uses the gyroscopes, accelerometers, and iPhones or iPads to determine where you are moving. Then, it adjusts the sound so that they seem to be coming from the location you are in. This gives you a theater-like experience with movies and videos recorded 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 to enjoy it on other devices.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel somewhat smug entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be beaten in a year by the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and better battery performance, making it hard to justify the extra cost for the majority of people.