17 Reasons To Not Ignore Over The Ear Headphones Wireless
Best Over the Ear Headphones
Wireless headphones let you listen to music or podcasts anywhere, without the necessity of running an audio wire to your device. These headphones are great for public transport, in the office or at home.
Wireless over-ear cans are offered in a variety and noise cancelling features. They usually come with a stylish storage 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. The hinges are more secure, and the soft ear cups are a bit larger. They are still largely made of plastic, however they're more polished. You can also swap out the 3.5mm cable for a high-quality USB-C version to use them with portable Hi-Fi systems as well as stationary Hi-Res players. They also have dual mics built in that worked well in our tests with FaceTime, Skype and Microsoft Teams calls.
The Soundcore app comes with a broad selection of EQ presets that can be saved and altered to listen to podcasts or navigate to this website music in the style you like. This is what makes these headphones stand out from other ANC headphones and the Soundcore app is very easy to use.
When ANC is on, the Q30's 40mm drivers cut out almost all ambient noise, and provide excellent listening. They have a natural sound signature that leans a little on the treble side, and some might be unable to reproduce bass (we had better results using the Bass Booster Equalizer preset). But, you can solve this issue with the Soundcore app, since there is an 8-band equalizer to help you tinker.
The headphones feature a power button and pairing button on the left earcup and an USB-C port to charge. 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 the ability to speak which allows you to request to change the mode or set an alarm. 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 of these headphones is excellent as well. In our tests with ANC enabled, the Q30 ran for almost an hour longer than its rivals. This leaves plenty of time for an extended flight or an office day. They can be quickly recharged with the included USB-C cable, and you'll see a warning when they're approaching empty.
Focal Bathys Wireless
Focal's Bathys Wireless is a pair of powerful over-ear Bluetooth headphones that offers both active noise cancellation and Bluetooth playback. These headphones are designed to be premium, high-end headphones that can be used at home or while on the move. They're slightly more expensive than other similar headphones, but their exceptional sound quality is their main selling feature.
The Focal Bathys are packaged in a slim, compact and attractive white fabric-finished retail box that includes everything you need inside. The package includes a fold-flat headphone carrying case, USB-C-to-USB-C cable, 1.2mm SE cable and an audio adapter.
They're powered by a good 600mAh battery that can take you through a whole day of listening to music and have an audio input for wired use. Wirelessly, they're connected via Bluetooth. You can control their functions using an app (now named Focal and Naim in line with English sister brand Naim’s products that are network-aware) or the dedicated button on the left earcup, [empty] which scrolls through ANC profiles like'silent','soft transparent,' and full.
The app allows you to alter different settings, including the LED brightness and EQ presets, including a "music profile' that sounds brighter and more neutral than the others and also their battery duration. It also gives you the ability to choose the ANC mode and its level, and also set an 'acoustic' setting that adjusts the sensitivity of your music to simulate how it would sound like when worn in a room with different audio acoustics.
The Focal Bathys have a bass-rich sound profile that adds more energy, impact and warmth to your favorite tracks. This means that instruments and vocals are pushed back in the mix and can sound veiled while details like cymbals and vocals are not as prominent as you might expect on some other headphones. They're not as efficient in active noise cancellation when contrasted to other headphones wireless bluetooth (click here for more) with higher-end technology like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Max.
Sony WH-1000XM5
Sony headphones are known for their high-end quality and the WH1000XM5 is not an exception. It is a top pick in the'mainstream' over ear headphone market and borders the 'luxury' lifestyle area where brands such as Apple, Montblanc, Bang & Olufsen and Montblanc are situated. The XM5s are costly however, if you can afford it, there aren't many better wireless headphones music over-ear headphones.
The XM5s have features that simplify the lives of listeners and, in some instances, automate tasks that they'd otherwise have to deal with manually. Sony's DSEE Extreme Engine (which upscales music that has been compressed to near high-res) as well as bluetooth wireless's LDAC Technology are both included. That allows for streaming of high-quality audio with bitrates that are higher than standard 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 one of the best at reducing the continuous drones that can be heard in train and underground carriages. The XM5s are also great in separating the listener from the noises of busy airports and streets.
The sound quality is also excellent. The XM5s aren't as detailed in the low frequencies as the XM4, however, there's a more pronounced sense of clarity and realism, too. The bass on Rage Against the Machine’s Bullet in the Head shows off the Sonys power and clarity without affecting the rest of the music. Similar to Massive Attack's brooding Angel showcases the XM5's ability to create precise and precise bass notes.
Battery life is also very excellent, offering up to 30 hours of audio with ANC active and up to 40 hours when it's off. This is enough to last for the weekend or a few days' heavy use.
The only issue is that the XM5s lack any dust or water resistance protection. In fact, Sony recommends that you avoid sweating on them or take them out in the rain. This might not be a problem for some people, but it might prove a stumbling block for anyone considering the XM5s who spend a lot of their time in the gym or lives in a rainy city.
Apple AirPods Max
The Apple AirPods Max are a pair of wireless in headphones headphones over-ear equipped with Bluetooth technology and noise cancelling. Apple created dynamic drivers that measure 40mm with a neutral audio profile that focuses on highs and mids, but not going overboard. They are great for music and movies. They also provide better sound quality when compared with other headphones.
The headphones have a light construction that is comfortable on the head. The ear cups are made of memory foam covered with woven fabric and sit comfortably over the ears and do not place pressure on the sides or forehead. The ear cups can be tilted and rotated to accommodate different head shapes. The spring-loaded hinges provide an incredibly firm, yet not too much clamping force that ensures the ear cups stay in place throughout listening sessions.
Switch on noise cancellation by pressing a small button on the top of the right earcup. You can also use an earphone-style jog dial with a push button similar to the digital Crown on the Apple Watch. You can twist it for volume control and press it one three, twice, or even three times for playback controls. Pressing and holding the button will activate Siri. The buttons are easy to use and well-placed however, I would like to see a power button that would shut off the headphones when they are not in use. The bt headphones are put into standby when they are removed from your ears or if they are placed in their case. They will return to life when you place them on your cordless head phones.
Another feature that is quite cool is spatial audio, which makes use of the gyroscopes and accelerometers in the AirPods Max and your iPhone or iPad to figure out the direction you're going, and then repositions the sound to appear as if they're coming from those locations. This creates a theater-like experience when watching movies and videos recorded in Dolby Atmos, 5.1 or 7.1. The only drawback is that spatial audio requires an iOS device to be used and it won't allow you to 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 that they'd be beaten in a year by the second-generation model. AirPods Pro are more expensive however they offer better battery life and advanced features.