The Top Reasons People Succeed In The Over The Ear Headphones Wireless…

Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the need to run an audio wire to your device. They are ideal for public transport, at work or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones are available in a variety of styles and noise cancelling features. They are usually packed in a stylish case.

Soundcore Q30

A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears appear better, feel stronger, and are generally 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 larger. You can also switch the 3.5mm cable for a better USB-C version to make use of them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also feature dual built-in microphones, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app has a huge selection of EQ presets that can be adjusted and saved to listen to music and podcasts in the style you prefer. The Soundcore app is simple to use and makes these headphones stand out.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate nearly all ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This results in an extremely enjoyable 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). It is possible to fix this by using the Soundcore App, which has an 8-band Equalizer.

The left earcup features a power button and a pairing button and an USB-C charging port. The right ear cup has play/pause, and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you skip tracks or repeat the previous one. 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 activate ambient mode, so that you can hear what is going on around you without removing 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 leaves plenty of time to prepare for a long flight or an office day. They can be easily recharged by using the USB-C cable that comes with them and you'll be able to see a warning when they're approaching empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of powerful over-ear headphones that provide both active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They are designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the go. They're a little more expensive than other similar headphones, but their exceptional audio quality is the primary selling point.

The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact attractive white box with a textured finish. It includes everything you'll require. The headphone carry case folds flat, and comes with a case, bluetooh headphones USB-C to USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.

They're powered by a good 600mAh battery that can get you through a whole day of listening, and also have an audio input for wired use. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions with an app (now named Focal and Naim in line with English Naim's products that are network-aware) or the dedicated button on the left earcup that scrolls through ANC profiles like silent, soft transparent,' and full.

Using the app allows you to alter various settings, including the brightness of the LED, EQ presets including a'music' profile that sounds more neutral and brighter than the other ones and also their battery life. It also lets you to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' setting which adjusts 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 profile that adds additional warmth and punch to your favourite tracks. As a result, instruments and vocals are pushed back into the mix, and can sound dull, while other details such as cymbals sound not as prominent as you might expect on some other headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation when compared with other over-ears with more advanced technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are renowned for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It is a top pick in the over-ear headphone market, which is a mainstream market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle market where brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s come with a high price tag but, if you can afford it, there are few more superior wireless over-ear headphones on the market.

The XM5s are loaded with a number of features that make life easier for the listener and automate tasks they would otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near hi-res) is also included and also support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making calls hands-free.

Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. They're one of the best at eliminating the constant drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also excellent in separating the listener from the noises of busy streets and airports.

The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s lack as many details in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however, they do have a greater sense clarity and openness. For example, the bass track on Rage Against The Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys muscles with real power and definition, without reducing everything else. In the same way, Massive Attack's grooving Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce tight and precise bass notes.

Battery life is also very good, providing 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 trip or a long period of usage.

The XM5s are not water resistant or dust resistant. Sony actually advises against sweating on them or wearing them in the rain. This may not be a problem for some people, but it might cause a problem for anyone who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a city that is rainy.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones over-ear that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral sound profile that focuses on mids and highs without going overboard. They are great for music and movies. They also provide superior fidelity compared to most rival headphones.

The headphones have a lightweight design that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam and covered with a woven fabric. They are comfortable to wear without putting pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide a firm, but not too strong clamping force to ensure that the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button located at the top of the right earcup. You can also use the jog dial that is a push-button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it to control the volume and press it one three, twice, or times for playback controls. Pressing and holding the button invokes Siri. The buttons are simple to use and well-placed however I would have liked to see the power button that could turn off the headphones bluetooth when not in use. The headphones automatically go into standby mode after being removed from your ears or put in their case. They only come back on when you slide them over your head once more.

Another feature that is quite cool is spatial audio, which uses the accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out where you're moving, then repositions the sound to appear as if they're coming from those places. This creates a theater-like experience with movies and videos recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to spatial audio.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of Bluetooh Headphones, but I'd be somewhat smug entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on them if I knew they'd be outdone in a year by the new model. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have more battery life and are equipped with the latest features.