The Best Advice You Can Ever Receive About Over The Ear Headphones Wireless
Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones let you listen to podcasts and music without the need to connect a wire to your audio device. They are also a great choice for public transportation, at work, or at home.
Wireless over-ear cans are available in a variety of designs and noise cancelling capabilities. They usually come with a stylish storage case.
Soundcore Q30
A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018 The new over-ears look better, feel sturdier, and are generally more polished. The hinges are stronger and the soft cups are a bit larger. They are still largely made of plastic, but they're more polished. You can switch the 3.5mm cord for a higher quality USB-C cable and make use of them with mobile Hi-Res as well as stationary players. They also come with dual microphones that work well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app offers a vast selection of EQ presets, which can be altered and saved to listen to podcasts and music in the style you prefer. The Soundcore app is easy to use and makes these headphones stand out.
When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively eliminate most ambient noise and make for an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30's sound signature is natural, but a little on the treble. Some might not be a fan of the bass response (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer). You can fix this easily by using the Soundcore App, which comes with an eight-band Equalizer.
The left earcup features the power button and a pairing button and an USB-C charging port. The right ear cup has play/pause, and the volume up and down buttons. Double-clicking these buttons lets you skip tracks or replay the previous one. You can also make use of voice commands to instruct them to switch modes or set alarms. You can also cover the right ear cup with your fingers to activate ambient modes to allow you to hear everything around you without having to remove the headphones.
The battery life on these headphones is excellent as well. In our tests with ANC switched on, the Q30 ran for almost an hour longer than its competitors. This lets you enjoy an extended flight or a busy day at work. The included USB-C cord allows you to quickly recharge them. You'll also get a warning when the battery is about to run out.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless are a set of powerful over-ear headphones that offer both active noise cancellation as well as Bluetooth playback. They're designed as a premium high-end headphones that are ideal for listening to music and podcasts on the go, but sound amazing when used for home use by audiophiles as well. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their outstanding audio quality is the reason they stand out.
The Focal Bathys are packaged in a slim, compact and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that contains all the accessories 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.
The 600mAh battery can last a whole day of casual listening. They also have an audio input to connect wired. When connected wirelessly, they're paired via Bluetooth and you'll be able control their functions using an app (now named Focal and Naim likely in line with their English sister brand Naim's network-aware audio products) or using the button on the left ear cup that allows you to switch between ANC profiles such as'silent','soft' transparent' and full.
The app allows you to modify various settings, including the brightness of the LEDs, the EQ presets (including music's profile, which is more neutral and brighter than other profiles) and the battery life. It also allows you to choose the ANC mode and its level as well as setting an 'acoustic' setting which adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate what it will sound like when worn in a space with different acoustics.
The Focal Bathys come with an incredibly bass-rich sound that adds more energy, impact and warmth to your favourite tracks. In the end, instruments and vocals are pushed back in the mix and can sound dull, while details like cymbals are slightly less prominent than you'd expect on other headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation compared to other over-ears that have more advanced technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony has earned a reputable reputation for its headphones, and the WH-1000XM5 is not an exception. It is at the top of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle area in which brands like Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. The XM5s can be expensive however, if you are able to find them, there's not a better pair of wireless over-ear headphones.
The XM5s are loaded with a number of features that make life easier for the listener, and also automate tasks that they would have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is also included as well as support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This lets high-quality music to be streamed with bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone that can be used for making calls hands-free.
Similar to the previous generation of WH headphones the XM5s excel in noise cancellation. They're among the top-performing headphones to block out the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job of separating listeners from traffic noises of airports and busy streets as well.
best affordable over ear wireless headphones is very good. The XM5s don't have as much detail in the low-frequency range as the XM4, however they do have an increased sense of clarity and a greater sense of openness. The bass on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys power and clarity without affecting the rest the music. In the same way, Massive Attack's grooving Angel shows off the XM5s ability to produce tight and precise bass notes.
Battery life is great and can last up to 30 hours of listening time when ANC is on and 40 hours if it's off. This is enough to last for the weekend or a few days of heavy usage.
The only real drawback here is that the XM5s lack any dust or water resistance protection. Sony actually advises against sweating in them or wearing them in the rain. This may not be a problem for a lot of people, but it might prove a stumbling block for anyone considering the XM5s who spend a lot of time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.
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 that are designed by Apple and have a an audio profile that is neutral and concentrates on the highs and mids while not going too loud on either ends of the spectrum. They are great for music and movies. They also provide higher fidelity than most rival headphones.
The headphones are light and feel comfortable on your head. The ear cups are constructed from memory foam covered in a woven fabric. They are comfortable to wear without pressing on the sides of the face. Ear cups can be rotated and tilted to accommodate different head shapes. The hinges that are spring loaded have a solid but not overly robust clamping force that ensures that the ear cups remain in place throughout listening sessions.
A small button at the top of the right ear cup lets you toggle noise cancelling modes. You can also utilize a pushable jog dial-like button similar to the digital crown on the Apple Watch. You can turn it to control the volume, and press it once, twice, or three times to playback the controls. Siri can be activated by pressing and holding the button. The buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I would have liked the power button that could turn off the headphones when not in use. The headphones are put into standby when removed from your ears or if they are placed in their case. They return to life when you put them on your head.
Another cool feature is spatial audio, which utilizes the accelerometers and gyroscopes in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to determine where you're moving, then repositions sound to appear as if they're coming from these locations. This creates a theater-like experience with movies and videos made in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to the spatial audio.
The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd feel somewhat smug entering an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew that they'd be outdone in a year by the new model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and better battery performance, making it difficult to justify the expense for most people.