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. These headphones are great for use in public transport, at the office or at home.
Wireless headphones with over-ears can feature an elegant design and outstanding noise cancellation. They typically come with a stylish storage case.
Soundcore Life Q30
These earphones are an important improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 of late-2018. They are more attractive and are more durable and have a more polished look. They’re still mostly plastic, but the hinges are tighter and the soft protein leather ear cups are larger. You can replace the 3.5mm cord for a high quality USB-C cable to connect them to mobile Hi-Res as well as stationary players. They also feature dual built-in microphones, which are great in our tests for FaceTime, Skype, and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app comes with a broad range of EQ presets that can be saved and 189.1.162.238 altered to play podcasts and music in the style that you prefer. The Soundcore app makes it easy to use and sets these headphones apart.
The Q30’s 40mm speakers effectively block out almost all ambient sound when ANC is turned on. This results in an extremely pleasant listening experience. The Q30’s sound quality is natural, but it’s a bit harsh on treble. Some may be disappointed by the bass response (we have had better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer). But, you can solve this issue with the Soundcore app, since there’s an eight-band equalizer to help you tinker.
The left ear cup has the power button and a pairing button and an USB-C charging port. The right ear cup has play/pause and volume up/down buttons. Double-clicking on these buttons allows you to skip tracks or play previous ones. They also support the ability to speak which allows you to request to change the mode or set an alarm. The right ear cup can also be covered with your hands to activate ambient mode, so that you can be aware of what is happening around you without taking off the headphones.
The battery life of these headphones is great, too. In our tests with ANC switched on, the Q30 ran for shop almost an hour longer than its rivals. This allows you to enjoy an extended flight or a full day at work. They can be quickly recharged by using the USB-C cable that comes with them, and you’ll see warnings when they’re about to run empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal’s Bathys Wireless is a pair of high-quality over-ear Bluetooth headphones that feature active noise cancellation, as well as bluetooth headphone wireless playback. They’re designed as a premium headphones that are ideal for listening to podcasts and music on the go but also are a great choice for audiophile home use too. The headphones are a more expensive than other headphones, but their exceptional sound is what makes them stand out.
The Focal Bathys are packed in a compact, attractive white box with a cloth finish. It contains all the accessories that you will need. There’s also a fold-flat carry case for the headphones, a USB-C to USB C cable, 1.2mmSE cable and an audio converter.
The battery’s capacity is 600mAh, which can last a whole day of listening to music casually. They also come with an audio input that you can use wired. Wirelessly, they’re paired via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now called Focal & Naim in the same way as English sister brand Naim’s network-aware products) or by pressing the button on the left earcup that scrolls through ANC profiles such as’silent,’soft transparent,’ and full.
The app allows you to alter various settings such as the brightness of the LED, EQ presets including a’music profile’ that is more neutral and brighter than other presets and their battery life. It also allows you to select the ANC mode and the level, and also set an ‘acoustic environment’ that will adjust the sensitivity of your audio to simulate what it would sound like when used in a room with different acoustics.
The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds more warmth and punch to your most loved tracks. This means that vocals and instruments can be muted, and details like cymbals might be less prominent than other headphones. The headphones are also less effective at active noise cancellation when compared with other headphones that feature higher-end technology, such as the Sony WH1000XM5 and Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony has a fine reputation for its headphones and the WH-1000XM5 is no exception. It’s located at the top portion of the over-ear headphone market, but it is also dipping into the ‘luxury lifestyle’ category where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc are a common sight. The XM5s can be expensive, but if you can, there aren’t many better wireless headphones.
The XM5s come with a variety of features that simplify the lives of the listener and automate tasks that they would need to perform manually. Sony’s DSEE Extreme engine (which upscales compressed music to close to high-res) is included and also support for Bluetooth’s LDAC technology. This allows for streaming of high-quality audio at bitrates that are higher than standard Bluetooth. There’s even a built-in microphone for making calls hands-free.
The XM5 headphones aren’t any different than the previous generation headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. They’re among the best at eliminating the constant drones that can be heard in subway and train carriages. The XM5s are also great at isolating the listener from the noises of airports and busy streets.
The sound quality is excellent. The XM5s don’t have as high a resolution in the low frequency range as the XM4, but they do have a greater sense clarity and r.searchlink.org openness. 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 flattening the other elements. In the same way, Massive Attack’s grooving Angel showcases the XM5’s’ ability to deliver precise and precise bass notes.
Battery life is also good, providing up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active, and 40 hours when it’s off. This is more than enough to last the weekend or a few days’ heavy use.
The XM5s do not come with dust or water resistant. Sony recommends not sweating into them or taking them out in the rain. This might not be a big deal for most people however for those who spend long hours in the gym or live in a rainy area, it could be a major problem.
Apple AirPods Max
Apple AirPods Max is a pair of wireless headphones that feature Bluetooth technology and noise cancellation. They have 40mm dynamic drivers that are designed by Apple and have a a neutral audio profile that emphasizes the mids and highs while not going overboard on either ends of the spectrum. They are great for music and movies. They also offer higher fidelity than most other headphones.
The headphones are lightweight and feel comfortable on your head. The ear cups are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric, are comfortable to wear over the ears they do not place pressure on the sides or forehead. The ear cups can be flipped and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges feature a firm but not overly strong clamping force, which makes sure that the ear cups stay in place during listening sessions.
Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button on 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 twist for volume control and press the button once twice or three times to control playback. Pressing and holding the button invokes Siri. The buttons are well-placed and easy to use, but I would have liked an option to turn the headphones off when they are not in use. The headphones are put into standby when removed from your ears, or if they are placed in their case. They will come back into use when you put them on your head.
Spatial audio is another great feature. It utilizes accelerometers, gyroscopes, and iPads or iPhones to determine where can i buy wireless bluetooth headphones you are moving. Then, it adjusts the sound to make it appear to originate from that location. This creates a cinema-like experience for videos and movies made in 5.1, 7.1 or Dolby Atmos. Only iOS devices can be used to listen to spatial audio.
The AirPods Max is a decent pair, but I’d feel a little ripped off when I spend $549 at an Apple Store knowing that the next-generation model will be better in the next year. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, making it difficult to justify the cost for the majority of people.