A Proactive Rant About Over The Ear Headphones Wireless
Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones allow you to listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the necessity of running an audio cable from your device. These headphones are great for public transport, at the office or at home.
Wireless over-ear headphones can have an elegant design and outstanding noise cancellation. They are typically packaged in a sleek case.
Soundcore Life Q30
A major improvement over the Soundcore Life 2 from late-2018, these over-ears are more attractive, feel more durable and are generally more polished. They're still largely plastic but the hinges are tighter and the soft leather ear cups are bigger. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a better USB-C version so that you can make use of them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also come with two built-in mics that worked well in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app has a wide range of EQ presets that can be saved and tweaked to listen to podcasts or music in the way you like. This is what makes these headphones stand out from most other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is extremely easy to use.
The Q30's 40mm speakers effectively eliminate nearly all ambient noise when ANC is turned on. This creates an extremely enjoyable listening experience. The Q30's sound signature is natural, but it's a bit harsh on treble. Some might not be a fan of the bass response (we have had better results with the Bass Booster Equalizer). You can fix this easily with the Soundcore App, which includes an eight-band Equalizer.
The left earcup has an power button as well as a pairing button and a 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 repeat previous ones. They also have an option to speak to them which allows you to ask to change the mode or set an alarm. You can also cover the right earcup with your hand to activate ambient modes to allow you to hear the world around you without removing the headphones.
The battery life on these headphones is excellent, too. In our tests with ANC switched on, the Q30 was able to last for nearly an hour longer than its competitors. This leaves plenty of time to prepare for an extended flight or an office day. The USB-C cord included in the kit allows you to quickly charge the batteries. You'll also get an alert when the battery is getting close to empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that feature active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. These headphones are made to be high-end, premium headphones that can be used at home or on the move. The headphones are a bit more expensive than similar headphones, but their outstanding sound quality is the reason they stand out.
The Focal Bathys come in a compact elegant white box with a textured finish. It contains all the accessories that you'll require. You can also get a fold-flat carry case for the headphones and a USB-C cable 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 named Focal and Naim in the same way as English Naim's network-aware products) or the button on the left earcup that scrolls through ANC profiles like silent, soft 'transparent,' and 'full.
The app allows you to adjust various settings, such as the brightness of the LEDs as well as the EQ presets (including the music profile, which is more neutral and brighter than other profiles) and the battery life. You can also choose the ANC level and mode as well as set an 'acoustic environments' to adjust the sensitivity in order to simulate the sound of the headphones in a different room.
The Focal Bathys feature an incredibly bass-rich profile that gives additional warmth, punch and impact to your favorite tracks. This means that vocals and instruments can be muted, while other details like cymbals might be less prominent than other headphones. They're also not as effective at active noise cancelation when contrasted with other headphones that have 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 headphones are no exception. It's located at the top end of the mainstream over-ear headphone market, edging into the 'luxury lifestyle' sector where brands like Bang & Olufsen, Apple and Montblanc hang out. The XM5s have a premium price tag but, should you be able to afford it, there are more superior wireless over-ear headphones available.
The XM5s are loaded with features that make life easier for listeners and, in some instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to handle manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music compressed to near hi-res), as well as Bluetooth's LDAC Technology are all included. This lets high-quality audio be streamed at bitrates which are higher than Bluetooth. There's even a built-in microphone to allow making calls hands-free.
The XM5 headphones aren't any different from the previous generation headphones from WH, in terms of noise cancellation. They're among the top-performing headphones to block out the constant drones found in train and underground carriages. The XM5s also excel at isolating the listener from the hum of airports and busy streets.
Sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s aren't as clear in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, they have a higher level of clarity and openness as well. The bass in Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows the Sonys' power and definition, without affecting the music. The XM5s are also able to produce precise and precise bass notes in Massive Attack's Angel.
Battery life is also very good, with up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active, and 40 hours when it's turned off. This is enough to cover an entire weekend or a few days of heavy usage.
The only real drawback here is that the XM5s don't have any dust or water resistance protection. Sony actually advises against sweating in the XM5s or taking them out in the rain. beats studio 3 headphones wireless might not be a problem for the majority of people, but for those who spend long hours in the gym or live in a rainy region this could be a major problem.
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless headphones over-ear equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. They have 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers with neutral audio profiles that concentrates on the highs and mids without going overboard at either end of the spectrum. They are perfect for music and movies. They also offer higher fidelity compared to other headphones.
The headphones are lightweight and feel comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam, are covered with woven fabric and are comfortable to wear over the ear, do not put pressure on the sides or the forehead. Ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges offer a strong, but not too much clamping force to ensure that the ear cups stay in position during listening sessions.
Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button at the top of the right earcup. There's also a button that can be pushed, Jog-dial-like button, akin to the digital crown on the Apple Watch, that you can turn to control volume and press it once twice or three times to playback control. Siri is activated by pressing and pressing the button. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed but I would have liked to have the power button that could turn off the headphones when 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 slide them over your head again.
Another feature that is quite cool is spatial audio, which utilizes the accelerometers and gyroscopes of the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to determine where you're moving, then repositions sounds to make it seem like they're coming from those locations. This gives you a theater-like experience with movies and videos that were recorded 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 enjoy it with other devices.
The AirPods Max are a decent pair of headphones, but I'd be slightly smug about going into an Apple Store and spending $549 on the headphones if I knew they'd be outdone next year by the new model. The AirPods Pro have more advanced features and a better battery performance, making it hard to justify the extra cost for the majority of people.