Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones let you listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the need to run a wire from your audio device. These headphones are ideal to use on public transport, at the office or at home.
Wireless over-ear headphones can have a premium design and exceptional noise cancellation. They are usually packed in a stylish case.
Soundcore Q30
A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears appear better, feel stronger, and are generally more polished. The hinges are tighter and the soft leather cups are a bit larger. They are still largely made of plastic, however they're more polished. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable and make use of them with mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also come with dual mics built-in that worked flawlessly in our tests using FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app offers a vast range of EQ presets, which can be altered and saved to allow you to listen to music and podcasts in your preferred style. The Soundcore app is simple to use and sets these headphones apart.
The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out nearly all ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This makes for an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound is natural, however it lags it is a bit treble. Some might find the bass response lacking (we got better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer). However, you can easily fix this by using the Soundcore application, as there is an 8-band equalizer to help you tinker.
The left earcup features an power button as well as a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right ear cup has play/pause, the volume up and down buttons. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or repeat the previous one. They also support the ability to speak that allows you to request them to change the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right earcup by using your hands to activate ambient modes, so that you can hear everything around you without taking off the headphones.
The battery life on these headphones is great, too. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than its competitors. This allows you to take advantage of an extended flight or a long day at work. The USB-C cord included in the kit lets you quickly recharge them. You'll also receive an alert when the battery is getting close to empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offers both active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They're made to be a pair of premium high-end headphones that are great for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also are a great choice for audiophile home use as well. They're slightly more expensive than other similar headphones but their superior sound quality is their main selling factor.
The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact attractive white box with a textured finish. It includes all the accessories you will need. 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 capacity is 600mAh, which will last for a whole day of casual listening. They also come with an audio input that you can make use of wired. Wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions with an app (now called Focal & Naim in line with English Naim's network-aware products) or the button on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles like silent, soft transparent,' and full.
The app allows you to modify various settings, including the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including a'music' profile that sounds more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. You can also select the ANC mode and level and set an 'acoustic environments' to adjust the sensitivity to simulate the sound of headphones in a different room.
The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds additional warmth, punch and impact to your favorite tracks. In the end, instruments and vocals are pushed back into the mix, and sound muffled, while details like cymbals and vocals are somewhat less prominent than you'd expect on other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancelation when contrasted with other headphones that have more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony has a stellar reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 headphones are no exception. It is a top pick in the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle market in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. This means the XM5s are expensive in cost, but should you be able to afford it, there are more superior wireless over-ear headphones out there.
The XM5s have features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in certain cases, automate tasks they'd otherwise have to do 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 streaming of high-quality audio with rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. There's even beats studio three wireless headphones built-in microphone for making calls hands-free.
As with the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel at noise cancellation. These headphones are among the best at eliminating the constant drones that are heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job isolating listeners from the traffic noises of busy airports and streets also.
The sound quality is very good. The XM5s lack as many details in the low-frequency range like the XM4, however they do possess a greater sense clarity and openness. The bass on Rage Against The Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys power and clarity, without affecting the rest of the music. The XM5s also have the ability to provide precise and accurate bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.
Battery life is excellent with up to 30 hours listening time when ANC is on and 40 hours if off. That's more than enough for a weekend getaway or a long period of usage.
The only issue is that the XM5s do not 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 problem for many people, but it could cause a problem for those who spend a lot of time in the gym or lives in a city with rain.
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones that fit over the ear equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm dynamic drivers designed by Apple with a neutral audio profile that concentrates on the highs and mids while not going too loud at either end of the spectrum. This makes them great for both movies and music. They also provide superior fidelity compared to most rival headphones.
The headphones are light and feel comfortable on your head. The earcups, which are constructed of memory foam and covered with woven fabric, and sit comfortably over the ear and do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. Ear cups can be flipped and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a firm but not overly powerful clamping force, which makes sure that the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.
A small button on the the right ear cup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. It also has 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 one three, twice, or times for playback controls. Siri is activated by pressing and holding the button. These buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I missed having the power button that could turn off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones are put into standby mode when removed from your ears or when placed in their case. They come back into use when you place them on your head.
Another cool feature is spatial audio, which utilizes the accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're going, and then repositions the sound to create the illusion that they're coming from those places. This creates an immersive theater experience for films and videos made in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. 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 somewhat smug walking into an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew that 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 hard to justify the extra cost for most people.