When you are looking to buy some good headphones, it’s difficult to get a straight answer. Few product categories are as diverse as the headphones market. That just makes searching for the best headphones a daunting task! In-ears, on-ears, over-ears—there’s just so much to choose from.
Over the ear headphones are a great choice for people that are looking for a great immersive experience as these varieties often come with great active noise cancellation. Great over the ear headphones takes the traditional headphone design and stuffs all the modern feature rich goodness. They come in wired and wireless varieties and often are overloaded with convenient features! Over-ear headphones have an easier job reproducing accurate audio across the frequency spectrum, from sub-bass to treble notes thanks to their large drivers.
We at techoids have curated a list of best over the ear headphones to help you choose! Whether you are looking for a budget friendly casual option or a studio grade audiophile’s dream, this list is sure to have a perfect pair for you!
Why opt for over the ear headphones?
Over the ear headphones rest around the entirety of the ear, so the sound waves hit your ears at proper spots. Due to this the anatomy of the ear is efficiently used to funnel the sounds down your ears. That is why they do a better job of recreating auditory spaces than other types of headphones.
These headphones usually include large drivers which contribute to loud bass notes and overall accurate audio that small headsets and earphones struggle to achieve.
Another advantage is that these headphones sit more comfortably around your ears as compared to other varieties. They also have better battery life than smaller headphone options.
Why over the ear headphones might not be for you?
The biggest con of these headphones stem from their size. They include large drivers that give exceptional performance but lack portability. These lack compactness as wired earphones or earbuds do. They can take up a lot of room in your bag or other carrying environment.
Some of these headphones lack breathability as the ears are completely covered to block ambient noises, they are often not comfortable for long listening sessions.
Open back vs closed back headphones: which ones are right for you?
Open back headphones allow air to pass through their ear cups towards the speaker. The outer part of the ear cups have gaps that allow air and sound to freely pass through the ear cup. Open back headphones can’t block the ambient noises, they also can leak audio so they are not the choice if you will be using them at work or outside.
Many high end headphones have an open back because a perforated housing eliminates pressure buildup and encourages a more natural sound that’s ideal for critical listening and on top of that they are extremely lightweight and comfortable to wear for long periods.
Closed back headphones have completely blocked out ear cups, even though this makes the music less natural-sounding, it does a great job at blocking ambient noises. These are the best choices when you will be commuting or travelling a lot.
Due to their closed nature they lack breathability and might be uncomfortable for some people. The music studios often prefer closed back headphones for recording or mixing sessions. They let you track quiet instruments or voices without worrying that the sound from the headphones will get picked up by your mic.
Features you need to look out for:
Noise cancelling
Noise cancelling is a feature that utilizes small microphones around the device to sense the ambient noise around you and then tries to virtually eliminate it.
It provides better immersion and is ideal for anyone who travels around noisy environments. Being the most sought out feature in a headphone, it usually bumps up the price of the device.
Noise isolating
Noise isolation, much like noise cancellation tries to eliminate the ambient noises. It does so by creating seals around the ear canals or the ear cavity, which prevents the environmental noises from entering the ear canal.
Over the ear headphones usually achieve this by having thick foam covering on the ear pad that blocks the noise.
In line volume controls
In line volume controls are usually found on top of the cable wire that lets you skip tracks, change volume or stop the music. In case of wireless headphones you can find them on the back of the ear cups.
Some headphones also include an integrated microphone, which you can use to command a virtual assistant or to attend calls.
Microphone
While most of the over the ear headphones might not include a dedicated microphone, they can have one integrated on the cable or the device itself.
A microphone makes things really convenient as you will be able to answer calls and access a virtual assistant directly from your headphones.
Battery life
Wireless headphones run on lithium based batteries that need recharging from time to time. Over the ear headphones usually have enough room for a hefty battery, you can expect up to 15 hr – 20 hr of runtime from a decent headphone.
Design
Many over the ear headphones feature folding headbands that add to the portability of the device. If you are looking for a portable option to use for travels make sure to check for the design of the device.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is the most common wireless connection solution for wireless headphones. It will allow you to connect devices ranging from smartphones to laptops.
Bluetooth 5 is the latest running bluetooth version in the market. But most of the headphones might be running on bluetooth 3 or 4.2 as bluetooth 5 is fairly new.
Best wired over the ear headphones:
Sony MDR-ZX110AP Wired Headphones
Entry level, most affordable headphones from sony!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 120 g |
Noise Control: Sound Isolation |
Drivers: 30 mm neodymium dynamic drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: With Microphone |
Current price:
Sony MDR-ZX110AP are a part of the Sony’s ZX series. They come with 30mm neodymium dynamic drivers which provide great results with many music genres that do not require deep bass notes.
ZX110AP provides sound isolation features, though it can be a little underwhelming when compared to other headphones in the range.
The cushions on the ear pads provide a comfortable wearing experience. However the headband provides no additional padding which reduces the comfort level. But still it scores points in weight with its plastic headband construction which do not put any unnecessary pressure on the head.
The cups are fully foldable and can transform into a swivel design. This makes them easy to travel with.
The closed back design wraps around the ears and does a decent job at containing sounds. This helps in improving the bass notes as well.
They have a wide frequency range of 12Hz to 22KHz which brings out detailed notes in music and just overall provides a great experience.
✔️ 30 mm neodymium dynamic drivers
✔️ Foldable swivel design
✔️ In-line microphone and controls
❌ No active noise cancellation
Sennheiser HD 300
Extremely durable and well balanced
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 182 Grams |
Noise Control: Noise cancelling |
Drivers: dynamic drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: No Microphone |
Current price:
Sennheiser is a renowned brand that is no stranger to great sound quality giving a unique listening experience. Sennheiser’s HD 300 are extremely durable and portable headphones that feature Sennheisers own transducers for a well-balanced sound and powerful, dynamic bass.
It features big closed ear cups that totally encapsulate your ears. The frame of the headphones is really light and you can use these headphones for hours without any irritation.
The headphones are foldable so you can just store them easily and use them while travelling. The only downfall is that the headphones do not feature any inline controls or microphone.
So if you will be using your headphones just for listening to music and need a portable option to use while travelling, Sennheiser’s HD 300 are the option to go for!
✔️ Extremely durable and portable
✔️ Light frame
❌ No inline controls or microphone
Skullcandy S6HSDZ
A stylish and affordable option from Skullcandy!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 340.19 Grams |
Noise Control: Sound isolation |
Drivers: 50 mm Mylar drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: No Microphone |
Current price:
Skullcandy S6HSDZ or hesh 2.0’s most appalling feature is its funky modern design! They feature 50mm large speaker drivers that provide top notch audio quality.
The leather touch ear pillows offer an irritation free experience while keeping the ears closed from all sides, preventing any sound leaks. This makes it an ideal choice for gamers who demand precision and great sound quality.
The connecting wire is detachable and has a length of 1.2 metres providing a hassle free experience. It offers a 20-20000 Hz frequency response and has a gold plated 3.5 mm plug.
The product also comes with a pouch made up of silky soft material.
✔️ Great design.
✔️ Detachable wire.
Audio-Technica ATH-M20x
A professional looking studio grade option!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 189.94 Grams |
Noise Control: No noise cancelling |
Drivers: 40 mm drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: No Microphone |
Current price:
Audio-Technica ATH-M20x are no nonsense studio grade professional headphones. They are not good to carry while travelling but are specifically engineered to be used by audiophiles with desktops or in studios.
ATH-M20x have a simple studio suitable look that might not be appealing to some. They are mostly made out of plastic which makes it light on your head. The oval shaped ear cups have rexine cushions that are comfortable and cover the ears completely.
The drivers are 40mm in diameter and operate in the frequency response range of 15-20,000Hz. These headphones do not offer any noise cancellation and the noise isolation provided by the closed ear cups is fairly moderate.
The cable is not detachable and has a length of 3m. The cable has an outer covering of thick aluminium wire making it sturdy and durable. The 3.5mm jack is gold plated providing better efficiency.
✔️ Comfortable earcups
✔️ Great for studio use
❌ No inline controls or microphone
Sennheiser HD 280 PRO
Great for recording/mastering sessions!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 550 grams |
Noise Control: No noise cancelling |
Drivers: 40 mm dynamic drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: No Microphone |
Current price:
Sennheiser HD 280 PRO are Sennheiser’s most significant closed headphones. These were originally released back in 2003 but still prove to be the best choice when it comes to professional studio headphones.
HD 280 PRO have 40mm dynamic drivers that are great for recording and mixing sessions.
The large ear cups do a great job of blocking ambient noise and the sound leakage is close to none. Even though the weight spans over 500 grams they feel comfortable to wear and are ideal for long recording sessions. They even have cushioning on the headband which makes it even more comfortable.
They feature a non removable wire which has a thick coil wrapping it protecting it from any damage.
Sennheiser HD 280 PRO has a very professional studio look that might not be the prettiest when it comes to these types of headphones, but this downside gets easily neglected because of its great comfort and performance.
✔️ clean audio performance
✔️ Comfortable and great fit for long listening sessions.
❌ No inline controls
Best wireless over the ear headphones:
Sony WH-XB900N Wireless Headphones
With exceptional bass and advanced noise cancellation!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 254 grams |
Noise Control: Noise cancellation |
Drivers: 40 mm drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: built in microphone |
Connectivity: bluetooth and NFC connection |
Battery life: 28 hours on full charge |
Current price:
Sony WH-XB900N falls under Sony’s ‘Extra Bass’ lineup. They feature exceptional bass and great noise cancellation making them the most advanced and expensive product in the extra bass range.
The body is mostly made up of plastic and has a textured finish to it. The headband features foam padding on the underside and the ear pad cushioning is super soft making it comfortable to wear for long periods. The padding provides satisfactory noise isolation even when noise cancelling is turned off.
The right ear cup houses the microphone and the touch sensitive control pad while the left one houses all the buttons and ports along with a second microphone.
They include USB type C cable for charging the headphones. Topping them up will give you enough charge for around 28 hours.
These headphones are powered by 40mm drivers with a frequency response range of 20-40,000Hz. The connectivity is mainly through bluetooth but you can also use NFC(Near field connection) for quick pairing. It even supports Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri when connected to compatible devices.
The sound quality is great thanks to the extra bass features and active noise cancellation.
✔️ refined bass
✔️ Very good battery life
❌ Bluetooth 4.2 instead of Bluetooth 5.0
Sennheiser HD 4.50 BT NC
Elegant minimalist design!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 222 grams |
Noise Control: Active noise cancellation |
Drivers: 40 mm dynamic drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: built in microphone |
Connectivity: bluetooth and NFC connection |
Battery life: 19 hours on full charge |
Current price:
Sennheiser HD 4.50 BT NC are specifically designed for travellers as it has the best active noise cancellation (labelled by Sennheiser as the NoiseGard) which delivers the renowned Sennheiser sound.
The headband as well as the ear cups feature soft cushioning that is super comfortable. They score points in portability as the headband is foldable and can snugly fit in the included protective case.
The NoiseGard does a great job of providing active noise cancellation delivering a rich and vivid experience. The battery life with NoiseGard turned on is a decent 19 hours but can be bumped up to 25 hours if NoiseGard is turned off.
The controls are conveniently mounted on the earcups. Both the ear cups also feature microphones that can be used to receive or make calls.
Sennheiser HD 4.50 BT NC has a sleek minimalist design and is made up of high quality plastic.
✔️ Great noise cancelling
✔️ Travel-friendly design
JBL E50BT Wireless Headphones
Versatile headphones for casual use!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 543 grams |
Noise Control: No noise cancellation |
Drivers: 40 mm drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: built in microphone |
Connectivity: bluetooth |
Battery life: 20.5 hrs on full charge |
Current price:
JBL E50BT are versatile headphones made for everyday casual use. They provide decent balanced sound and have a robust reliable design.
The flat and circular ear cups give the headphones a premium look, the headframe is quite sturdy as well and will fit snugly on your head. The ear cups are slightly smaller than expected and might have problems covering large ears. The ear cups lay flat due to the hinges and you can fold these headphones into a compact form.
These headphones are made for casual use so noise cancellation is not included but the ear cups do a decent job of noise isolation.
JBL E50BT headphones have a decent battery life of around 20 hours which makes them decent for long flights or road journeys.
The headphones can only be connected to other devices wirelessly by using bluetooth but you can also hook them up to a device using the included 3.5mm detachable wire.
✔️ Great for casual use
✔️ Sturdy and durable build.
❌ Poor noise isolation.
Skullcandy Hesh 3
Headphones with rapid charging feature!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 226 grams |
Noise Control: sound isolation |
Drivers: 40 mm drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: built in microphone |
Connectivity: bluetooth |
Battery life: 22 hrs on full charge |
Current price:
Hesh 3 features a premium yet subtle look retaining the durability and powerful audio that skullcandy is known for.
The body is mostly made up of plastic but has a metal headband. The headband and the ear cups have a leather finish and are comfortable to wear for long periods. The ear cups have a swivel design. They fold around the X axis and you can then store them easily.
Hesh 3 headphones have a V-shaped sound profile that might not be for everyone. They have a well controlled bass level and the treble performance is the most impressive.
They have an impressive battery life of about 22 hours. Hesh 3 also supports rapid charge which can give you 4 hours of playtime with just only 10 minutes of charge. They come with a USB C port for charging.
You can use bluetooth to connect Hesh 3 with your devices but a 3.5 mm port is also provided if you want to go the wired way.
Overall the headphones are for mixed usage.
✔️ Long lasting battery life and fast charging.
✔️ Decently comfortable and lightweight.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II
Smart noise cancelling headphones with assistant features!
Acoustic design: closed | Weight: 235.87 Grams |
Noise Control: Noise cancellation|
Drivers: 40 mm drivers |
Microphone Form Factor: built in microphone |
Connectivity: bluetooth |
Battery life: 20 hrs on full charge |
Current price:
Bose QuietComfort 35 II wireless are versatile over the ear headphones from the renowned Bose’s product range. They feature an exceptional noise cancellation performance that can block out most of the background noises in areas of commute.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II have a great build quality. The ear cups are bulky and the plastic is used densely while building, they are easily able to handle a few drops without sustaining any damage. The headband has a metal frame and is decently flexible. They can churn out long listening sessions without fatigue as the ear cups are well padded.
These headphones have a neutral, well-balanced sound profile that’s suitable for lots of different types of audio content.
The Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II have great battery performance, they can run for 20 hours on a single charge.
The connectivity is through bluetooth. They use bluetooth 4.1 instead of the latest bluetooth 5. They also support wired connectivity.
✔️ Outstanding noise isolation and noise cancellation.
✔️ Comfortable fit.
Wrapping Up
When it comes down to it, every person has their preference. Your listening environment and purpose ultimately shapes your choice. These were our top picks for over the ear headphones! We hope that the list helped you choose and narrowed down your search to the perfect pair!
TL;DR
Sony MDR-ZX110AP Wired Headphones are overall the best whether you want to use your headphones while commuting or at home.
But if you want a more portable wireless option go for Sony WH-XB900N Wireless Headphones however these tend to be more expensive.
Skullcandy Hesh 3 are a great option as well in the wireless category because of their great battery life and rapid charging feature.
Go for Sennheiser HD 280 PRO if you are an audiophile that craves detailed analysis of every note!