Best Over the Ear Headphones

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

Wireless over-ear cans are available in a variety of designs and noise cancelling capabilities. They are typically packaged in a sleek case.

Soundcore Q30

These over-ears are a major upgrade from the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They are more attractive and feel more durable and have a more polished appearance. The hinges are stronger, and the soft cups are slightly larger. They're still made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a higher quality USB-C cable and make use of them with mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also have dual built-in microphones, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app offers a wide selection of EQ presets that can be saved and tweaked to listen to podcasts and music in the style that you like. The Soundcore app is simple to use and makes these headphones stand out.

The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively block out the majority of ambient noise when ANC is enabled. This makes for an extremely enjoyable listening experience. They have a natural sounding signature that leans a little on the treble end, which some may be unable to reproduce bass (we had better results using the Bass Booster EQ preset). However, you can easily solve this issue using the Soundcore application, as there is an 8-band equalizer that can help you tweak.

These monolith headphones have a power button and pairing button on the left ear cup along with the USB-C port for charging. The right earcup has play/pause and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. They also have the ability to speak, so you can ask to change the mode or set an alarm. The right ear cup can be covered with your hand to activate ambient mode so that you can hear what is going on around you, without removing the headphones.

The battery life of these headphones is excellent, too. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was switched on than the other models. This lets you enjoy the long flight, or a long day at work. The USB-C cable included 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 feature active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. These headphones are made to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or on the go. The headphones are a more expensive than other headphones, but their outstanding sound quality is what makes them stand out.

The Focal Bathys come in a small, slim and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that includes everything you'll need in. The package also includes a fold-flat carrying case for the headphones and a USB-C cable 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 include an audio input for wired use. When used wirelessly they're paired via Bluetooth and you can control their functions using an app (now called Focal & Naim, probably in the same line as their English Naim brand's network-aware audio products) or via the button that's located on the left earcup that scrolls between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' 'transparent' and full.

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

The Focal Bathys come with bass-rich, rich sound profiles that delivers extra energy and warmth to your favorite tracks. As a result, vocals and instruments are nudged back in the mix and can sound dull, while details like cymbals and vocals are not as prominent as you might expect on some other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancelation when compared to other over-ears with more advanced technology such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are renowned for their quality, and the WH1000XM5 is no exception. It is the best of the over-ear headphone market, which is a mainstream market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle area in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s can be expensive however, if you can afford it, there aren't many better wireless headphones.

The XM5s come with features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in a few instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to handle manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near hi-res) is included, as is support for Bluetooth head Phones's LDAC technology. This allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates higher than conventional bluetooth headphones range. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making calls hands-free.

The XM5 headphones aren't different from the previous generation headphones from WH in regards to noise cancellation. They're among the best-performing cans to block out the continuous drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s are also great at isolating the listener from the hum of airports and busy streets.

The sound quality is also great. The XM5s lack as many details in the low-frequency range like the XM4, however they do have an increased sense of clarity and openness. For instance the bass on Rage Against The Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real force and definition, while not sagging the other elements. In the same way, Massive Attack's grooving Angel showcases the XM5's ability to produce accurate and precise bass notes.

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

The only drawback is that the XM5s lack any water resistance or dust resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you avoid sweating on them or take them out in the rain. This may not be a major issue for the majority of people however for those who spend much time in the gym or live in a humid region it could be a significant issue.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones that come 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 without going overboard at either end of the spectrum. This makes them ideal for both music and movies. They also provide higher fidelity compared to other headphones.

The headphones have a light design that is comfortable on the head. The earcups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, and fit comfortably over the ear and do not place pressure on the sides or the forehead. The ear cups also tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges feature a firm but not overly robust clamping force that makes sure that the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

A small button at the the right earcup allows you to switch between noise cancelling modes. There's also a button that can be pushed, jog-dial-like button, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can twist for volume control and press the button once twice or three times to playback control. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. The buttons are simple to use and are well-placed, but I would have liked to see a power button that would turn off the headphones when not in use. The headphones go into standby mode when removed from your ears, or bluetooth head phones when they are put in their case. They only come back into use when you place them over your head.

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 sound to create the illusion that they're coming from these locations. This creates an immersive theater-like experience for films and videos made in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices are able to listen to the spatial audio.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel a bit ripped off 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 improved battery life, making it difficult to justify the expense for most people.