Best Over the Ear b uetooth headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music and podcasts without the need to connect an audio wire to your device. They're also a great choice for public transport, at work or at home.
Wireless over-ear headphones can have an elegant design and outstanding noise cancellation. They are usually packed in a stylish case.
Soundcore Life Q30
A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears are more attractive, feel more durable and generally feel more polished. The hinges are stronger and the soft leather ear cups have been a bit larger. They're still made of plastic, however they're more polished. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a better USB-C version to use them with stationary Hi-Fi systems and mobile Hi-Res players. They also come with two mics built-in that worked flawlessly in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app offers a vast variety of EQ presets, which can be customized and saved to listen to podcasts and music in the way you prefer. This is what sets these headphones apart from most other ANC headphones, and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.
The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate the majority of ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This makes for an extremely enjoyable listening experience. The Q30's sound quality is natural, however it lags a little on treble. Some might be disappointed by the bass response (we got better results with the Bass Booster EQ). However, you can rectify this by using the Soundcore application, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands to allow you to tweak.
The left ear cup has an power button and a pairing button and an USB-C charging port. The right earcup features buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. By double-clicking these controls, you can skip tracks or repeat the previous one. They also come with an option to speak to them which allows you to request them to change the mode or set an alarm. The right earcup can also be covered with your hand to enable ambient mode, so you can hear what's happening around you without removing the headphones.
The Q30 headphones offer a long battery life. In our tests with ANC turned on, the Q30 lasted nearly an hour longer than its competitors. This lets you enjoy a long flight, or a full day at work. The USB-C cable included allows you to quickly charge the batteries. You'll also receive a warning when the battery is nearing empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of premium over-ear headphones that provide both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. They're made to be an elite high-end headphones that are ideal for listening to music and podcasts on the go but also are a great choice to listen to audiophile music at home too. The headphones are a more expensive than other headphones, but their superior audio quality is what makes them stand out.
The Focal Bathys are packaged in a compact, slim and attractive, white, fabric-finished box that includes everything you require inside. The headphone carry case folds flat, and comes with a 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 casual listening and include an audio input that can be wired for use. When connected wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth and you'll be able control their functions through an app (now called Focal and Naim which is probably in the same vein as their English Naim brand's network-aware audio products) or via the button located on the left earcup that allows you to switch between ANC profiles like'soft','silent transparent', and full.
The app allows you to adjust various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs and the EQ presets (including a'music' profile which is more neutral and brighter than the other profiles) and the battery life. You can also select the ANC level and mode as well as setting an 'acoustic settings setting to alter the sensitivity to mimic the sound of the headphones in a different acoustic room.
The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that delivers extra punch, impact and warmth to your favourite tracks. As a result, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix and can sound dull, while details like cymbals are not as prominent as you'd expect on other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation compared to other over-ears with higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony has a stellar reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is not an exception. It is the best of the over-ear headphone market, which is a mainstream market and is in the luxury lifestyle segment where brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s are expensive, but if you can find them, there's not a better pair of wireless headphones for over-ear use.
The XM5s come with features to simplify the lives of listeners and, in certain instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near-high resolution) is included, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows for streaming of high-quality audio at rates that are higher than traditional Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making hands-free phone calls.
Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones, the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. They're among the best-performing cans to block out the constant drones heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s also excel at isolating the listener from the noises of busy airports and streets.
The sound quality is also top-quality. The XM5s don't have as many details in the low-frequency range as the XM4, but, they do have more clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass in 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 are also able to provide precise and accurate bass notes on Massive Attack's Angel.
Battery life is also good, providing up to 30 hours of listening with ANC active and 40 hours when it's off. That's more than enough to last for a weekend getaway or several days of heavy usage.
The only issue is that the XM5s lack any dust or water resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you don't sweat into them or wear them in the rain. This might not be a problem for a lot of people, but it could be a problem for anyone considering the XM5s who spends much of their time in the gym or lives in a city with rain.
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless bt headphones with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple designed dynamic drivers measuring 40mm with a neutral sound profile that emphasizes highs and mids without going overboard. They are perfect for music and movies. They also have higher fidelity compared to other headphones.
The headphones are light in build that feels comfortable on the head. The earcups are made of memory foam and covered with weaved fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without pressing on the sides of the face. The ear cups can also be flipped and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a strong but not too strong clamping force, which makes sure that the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.
A small button on the top of the right earcup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. It also has a pushable like a jog-dial, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to adjust the volume and press once twice or three times to control playback. Siri is invoked by pressing and b uetooth Headphones holding the button. These buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I missed having the power button that could turn the headphones off when they are not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when removed from your ears or put in their case. They only come back on when you place them on your head again.
Spatial audio is another cool feature. It uses the accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPhones or iPads to determine where you're moving. Then, it adjusts the sounds to make them appear to come from the location you are in. This creates an immersive theater experience for videos and movies recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. The only catch is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to use it, and it won't allow you to experience it on other devices.
The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be slightly smug about entering 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 life, making it difficult to justify the cost for most people.