Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the need to run a wire from your audio device. These headphones are ideal for use in public transport, at the office or at home.
Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature an elegant design and superior noise cancellation. They are usually packaged in a sleek case.
Soundcore Life Q30
A major upgrade over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears appear better, feel stronger and generally feel more polished. They're still mostly plastic, but the hinges are a bit more secure and the soft protein leather ear cups are a bit larger. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a higher quality USB-C cable to make use of them with mobile Hi-Res and stationary Hi-Fi players. They also feature two microphones built-in, which perform well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app has a huge selection of EQ presets, which can be customized and saved to listen to music or podcasts in the way you prefer. The Soundcore app is easy to use and sets these headphones apart.
When ANC is turned on, the Q30's 40mm drivers eliminate most background noise, making for excellent listening. They have a natural sound signature that leans a little on the treble end, which some might be unable to reproduce bass (we got better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). However, you can easily rectify this by using the Soundcore app, as there is an 8-band equalizer to allow you to tweak.
The left earcup features a power button as well as a pairing button and a USB-C charging port. The right ear cup features play/pause, and the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking these controls lets you to skip tracks or replay previous ones. You can also make use of voice commands to ask them to change modes or set alarms. The right earcup can be covered with your hands to enable ambient mode, so that you can hear what's happening around you, without removing the headphones.
These headphones have a great battery life. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was turned on than its rivals. This allows you to take advantage of the long flight, or a busy day at work. They can be easily recharged using the USB-C cable included, and you'll see warnings when they're about to run 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 while on the move. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their outstanding audio quality is the reason they stand out.
The Focal Bathys come in a compact elegant white box with a textured finish. It comes with all the accessories that you'll need. The package includes a fold-flat headphone carrying case, USB-C to USB cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.
The battery's 600mAh capacity will last for a whole day of listening to music casually. They also have an audio input to use wired. When used wirelessly they're paired via Bluetooth and you'll be able to manage their functions via an app (now called Focal & Naim likely in line with their English sister brand Naim's network-aware audio products) or by pressing the dedicated button on the left ear cup that allows you to switch between ANC profiles like'soft','silent 'transparent' and 'full'.
Utilizing the app, you are able to alter different settings such as the brightness of the LED and EQ presets, including a "music' profile that sounds more neutral and brighter than other presets and also their battery duration. It also gives you the ability to choose the ANC mode and its level, as well as setting an 'acoustic' setting that will adjust the sensitivity of your music to simulate how it would sound like if it were placed in a room with different audio acoustics.
The Focal Bathys come with an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives additional warmth and punch to your most loved tracks. The result is that instruments and vocals can be muted, while other details such as cymbals may be less prominent than on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation when compared with other headphones that feature more advanced technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony headphones are known for their quality and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It is at the top of the mainstream over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle area in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. The XM5s are expensive in price tag but, when you can afford it, there are few more superior wireless over-ear headphones out there.
The XM5s are loaded with features to help listeners and, in certain instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to handle manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near-high resolution) is available and also support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth. It also has a built-in microphone for making hands-free phone calls.
The XM5 headphones aren't different from the previous generation WH headphones in terms of noise cancellation. These headphones are among the best at reducing the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s also excel at isolating the listener from the hum 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 a greater sense clarity and openness. For instance, the bass work on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys' muscles with real force and definition without flattening the other elements. The XM5s also have the ability to provide precise and accurate bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.
The battery life is fantastic with up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is active and 40 hours if it's off. This is enough to last the weekend or a few days of heavy usage.
The only drawback is that the XM5s do not have any water resistance or dust resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you avoid sweating on them or wear them out in the rain. This may not be a major issue for everyone else however, for those who spend much time in the gym or live in a humid location this could be a big issue.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones over-ear that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. Apple created dynamic drivers measuring 40mm, with a neutral sound profile that focuses on highs and mids without going too loud. This makes them great for movies and music. They also provide superior fidelity compared to most competing pairs of headphones.
The headphones are light in design that is comfortable on the head. The earcups are made from memory foam covered in a woven fabric. They sit comfortably on the ears without placing pressure on the sides of the face. The ear cups can be flipped and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide a firm, but not too much clamping force that makes sure the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.
You can toggle noise cancelling by pressing a small button on the top of the right earcup. There's also a button that can be pushed, like a jog-dial, similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can twist for volume control and press once, twice or thrice to control playback. Pressing and holding the button triggers Siri. These buttons are well-placed and easy to use, but I would have liked an option to switch off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones go into standby mode when removed from your ears, or when they are put in their case. best wireless over ear headphones under 100 come back to life when you place them on your head.
Spatial audio is another great feature. It makes use of accelerometers, gyroscopes and iPads or iPhones to determine where you're moving. Then, it repositions the sound to make it seem to be coming from that location. This creates a theater-like experience with videos and movies that were recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. The only downside is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to use it and you won't be able 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 the headphones if I knew that they'd be outdone in a year by the second-generation model. AirPods Pro are more expensive and have better battery life and advanced features.