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Over The Ear Headphones Wireless: What's New? No One Is Talking About
Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts or music anywhere, without the necessity of running a wire from your audio device. These headphones are ideal for use in public transport, at the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones are available in a variety and noise cancellation capabilities. They typically come with a stylish storage case.

Soundcore Q30

These earphones are an important improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They appear better and feel more durable and have a more polished look. The hinges are tighter and the soft ear cups have been slightly larger. They are still largely made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can swap the 3.5mm cord for a higher quality USB-C cable to connect them to mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also have dual mics built in that worked well in our tests using FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app comes with a broad selection of EQ presets that can be saved and adjusted to listen to podcasts or music in the style that you like. The Soundcore app makes it easy to use and sets these headphones apart.


When ANC is turned on, the Q30's 40mm drivers cut out almost all background noise, making for excellent listening. The Q30's sound is natural, but a little on the treble. Some may be disappointed by the bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer). However, you can rectify this with the Soundcore app, since there is an 8-band equalizer to allow you to tweak.

These headphones have the power button and a pairing button on the left ear cup as well as an USB-C port to charge. The right earcup features buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. Double-clicking these controls lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. You can also make use of voice commands to ask them to change modes or set alarms. The right ear cup can be covered by your hand to activate ambient mode, so that you can be aware of what is happening around you without taking off the headphones.

These headphones have a great battery life. The Q30 lasts for an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than the other models. This gives you plenty of time to prepare for a long flight or a day at the office. The USB-C cord included in the kit allows you to quickly recharge them. You'll also receive an alert when your battery is getting close to empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offer active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They are designed to be high-end, premium headphones that can be used at home or on the move. They're more expensive than other similar headphones but their superior sound quality is the main selling factor.

The Focal Bathys come in a compact, slim and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that includes everything you'll need in. There's also a fold-flat carry case for the headphones as well as a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.

The battery's 600mAh capacity will last for a whole day of casual listening. They also come with an audio input that you can use wired. Wirelessly, they're paired 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 the button on the left earcup which scrolls through ANC profiles like'silent','soft transparent,' and 'full.

Utilizing the app, you are able to alter different settings such as the LED brightness as well as EQ presets that include a "music' profile that sounds brighter and more neutral than the other ones and their battery life. It also allows you to select the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' setting that adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate how it would sound like if it were placed in a room with different soundproofing.

The Focal Bathys feature a bass-rich profile that adds more warmth and punch to your favorite tracks. In the end, instruments and vocals are pushed back in the mix and can sound veiled while details like cymbals and vocals are not as prominent as you'd expect on other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation contrasted to other headphones with more advanced technology, like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has a fine reputation for its headphones, and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It is a top pick in the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle market where brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s are expensive however, if you can afford it, there aren't many better wireless headphones for over-ear use.

The XM5s have a lot of features that make life easier for the listener and automate some tasks that they would need to perform manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near hi-res) is also included, as is support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This 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 are one of the best at cutting down on the constant drones that can be heard in underground and train carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job isolating listeners from the background noise of busy airports and streets, too.

The sound quality is also very good. The XM5s do not have as many details in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however they do have more clarity and openness. For instance, the bass track on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys muscles with real force and definition, without reducing everything else. The XM5s also have the ability to provide precise and accurate bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.

The battery life is also excellent, offering up to 30 hours of listening time with ANC active and 40 hours when it's turned off. This is more than enough for a weekend trip or a long period of use.

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 out in the rain. This may not be a big deal for everyone else, but for those who spend long hours in the gym or live in a humid region, it could be a major problem.

Apple AirPods Max

The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of over-ear wireless headphones that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. They have 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a neutral audio profiles that emphasizes the mids and highs without going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. This makes them perfect for both movies and music. They also have superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.

over the ear headphones wireless have a lightweight construction that is comfortable on the head. The earcups, which are made of memory foam covered with woven fabric, and fit comfortably over the ears and do not place pressure on the sides or forehead. The ear cups also tilt and rotate to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide a strong, but not too much clamping force that ensures the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.

A small button at the top of the right ear cup can be used to toggle noise cancellation modes. You can also utilize an earphone-style jog dial with a push button like the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it around to control volume and press it one three, twice, or times to playback the controls. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. These buttons are placed well and simple to use, however I was disappointed that there wasn't an option to turn the headphones off when not in use. The headphones go into standby mode when removed from your ears or if they are placed in their case. They come back into use when you place them over your head.

Another cool feature is spatial audio, which makes use of the accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to determine the direction you're going, and then repositions the sound to make it seem like they're coming from those places. This creates a cinema-like experience with videos and movies made in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to use it, and you won't be able to experience it on other devices.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be a bit ripped off entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew that they'd be beaten in a year by the second-generation model. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have superior battery life and more advanced features.

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