Best Over the Ear Headphones

Wireless headphones allow you to listen to podcasts and music without the need to connect an audio wire to your device. These headphones are great for public transport, www.Headphonesshop.Uk in the office or at home.

Wireless over-ear headphones may 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, these over-ears look better, feel sturdier, and are generally more polished. The hinges are tighter and the soft cups are slightly larger. They are still largely made of plastic, however they're more polished. You can replace the 3.5mm cord with a high quality USB-C cable to use them with mobile Hi-Res as well as stationary players. They also have dual built-in microphones, which work well in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, verde8.woobi.co.kr and Microsoft Teams calls.

The Soundcore app comes with a wide selection of EQ presets that can be altered and saved so you can listen to podcasts and music in the way you prefer. The Soundcore app is simple to use and makes these headphones stand out.

When ANC is on the Q30's 40mm drivers effectively cut out almost all background noise, making for excellent listening. The Q30's sound quality is natural, however it lags a little on the treble. Some may find the bass response lacking (we got better results using the Bass Booster EQ). However, you can rectify this with the Soundcore application, as there's an equalizer with 8 bands to help you tinker.

The left earcup features the power button, a pairing button, and perthinside.com USB-C charging port. The right earcup has buttons for volume up/down, play/pause and volume up/down. Double-clicking on these controls allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. You can also use voice commands to ask them to change modes or set alarms. You can also cover the right earcup with your fingers to activate ambient modes, so that you can hear everything around you without having to remove the headphones.

These headphones have a fantastic battery life. The Q30 lasted an hour longer in our tests when ANC was on than its competitors. This gives you plenty of time to prepare for long flights or working for a long time. The included USB-C cord lets you quickly recharge them. You'll also get a warning when the battery is nearing empty.

Focal Bathys Wireless

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

The Focal Bathys come in a small, slim and attractive fabric-finished white retail box that contains all the accessories you'll need in. 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 will last for a whole day of listening to music casually. They also come with an audio input that you can use wired. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions with an app (now called Focal & Naim in keeping with English sister brand Naim’s network-aware products) or by pressing the button located on the left earcup, which scrolls through ANC profiles such as'silent,'soft 'transparent,' and 'full.

Utilizing the app, you are able to change various settings such as the LED brightness and EQ presets, including a "music profile' that is brighter and more neutral than other presets and their battery duration. You can also choose the ANC mode and level as well as select an 'acoustic environment that adjusts the sensitivity in order to simulate the sound of headphones in a different acoustic room.

The Focal Bathys feature a bass-rich profile that adds extra warmth, punch and impact to your favorite tracks. In the end, vocals and instruments are nudged back into the mix, and can sound dull, while other details such as cymbals sound somewhat less prominent than you might expect on some other headphones. The headphones are also less effective in active noise cancellation, compared to other over-ears with higher-end technology, like the Sony WH1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony headphones are well-known for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It is the best of the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and is in the 'luxury' lifestyle market where brands such as Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are located. The XM5s come with a high cost, but if you can afford it, there are better wireless over-ear headphones on the market.

The XM5s have a lot of features that make life easier for the listener, and also automate tasks they would otherwise have to do manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to near-high resolution) is included as well as support for Bluetooth's LDAC technology. This allows high-quality audio to be streamed with bitrates that are higher than Bluetooth. The built-in microphone is capable of making hands-free phone calls.

The XM5 headphones are no different from the previous generation headphones from WH, in regards to noise cancellation. They're among the best-performing cans for cutting out constant drones found in train and underground carriages. The XM5s do an excellent job isolating listeners from the traffic noises of busy airports and streets also.

The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s may not be as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, there's a greater sense of clarity and realism, too. For example, the bass track on Rage Against the Machine's Bullet in the Head flexes the Sonys muscles with real power and definition, without reducing everything else. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel shows off the XM5s' ability to deliver tight and precise bass notes.

Battery life is also very excellent, offering up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active and 40 hours when it's off. This is more than enough to last an entire weekend or a few days of heavy usage.

The XM5s aren't water resistant or dust resistant. Sony actually advises against sweating on the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for the majority of people however for those who spend much time in the gym or live in a humid region this could be a major problem.

Apple AirPods Max

Apple AirPods Max is a pair over-ear wireless headphones that come with Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They feature 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with an audio profile that is neutral and concentrates on the highs and mids while not going overboard at either end of the spectrum. They are ideal for music and movies. They also offer superior fidelity when compared to other headphones.

The headphones are lightweight and feel comfortable on your head. The ear cups, which are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, fit comfortably over the ears, do not put pressure on the sides or forehead. The earcups can also tilt and rotate to accommodate various head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer an incredibly firm, yet not too much clamping force to ensure that the earcups remain in place throughout listening sessions.

Toggle noise cancelling mode by pressing a small button at the top of the right earcup. 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 thrice to control playback. Siri can be activated by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are well-placed and simple to use, however I was disappointed that there wasn't a power button to switch off the headphones when they are not in use. The headphones automatically switch to standby mode when they are removed from your ear or placed in their case. They only wake up when you place them on your head once more.

Another cool feature is spatial audio, which utilizes the gyroscopes and accelerometers in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're moving in, and then repositions sounds to make it seem like they're coming from those places. This creates an immersive theater experience for videos and movies that were recorded in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to the spatial audio.

The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be somewhat smug walking into an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew that they'd be outdone next year by the second-generation model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, so it's difficult to justify the additional expense for most people.