Best Over Ear Headphones

The Bose SoundTrue Apple Around-ear Headphones II is our best over ear headphones and the headband is very good in its design because of the padding of the headband that is quite soft in its build. You can choose from fresh designs and the body of the unit also has a profile that is slim and has been redesigned for comfort and it is meant for use on Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, iPods and many more but there is also an option for Samsung and Android devices.

Our step-up pick is the Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Professional Headphone and its impedance is a whopping 300 ohms which you would not get anywhere because it is meant for the studio and for meticulous listening. Transient response is very good with this headphone because of the very fact that the voice coils are made from durable and light weight aluminum material for excellent music quality.

The budget pick is the Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones and it can be used on DVD players, CD players, mp3 players, flight entertainment systems, Apple products, smart phones, mobile phones, computer desktops, laptops, tablets and many more. Rhe QuietPoint feature of the noise cancelling over ear headphone also contributes to its great features for added value for the user and to give pleasure to the listener. The cable spans at a total length of 1.6 meters and is also detachable for your convenience and its sensitivity as an over ear headphone is at 109 dB.

A Little Background

Over ear headphones are also known as circumaural headphones and are typically thick and bulky yet for heavy duty purposes. You will often see these types of heavy duty headphones on recording studios due to its great amount of noise cancelling capabilities.
Over ear headphones are most commonly found in indoor spaces where the air conditioning is good and there is enough air circulation or cold weather to protect your ears from the cold. In fact, most people who live in colder countries prefer over ear headphones not just because they are able to cancel out noise but also they double as an insulation factor for your ears and its protection capability from the cold winters and snow.
Price is a big factor for over ear headphones, since they are also typically pricier and much more bulky than on ear headphones. They usually have a bigger build and sturdy frame and is often clad with a lot of layers of material as compared to slim and compact on ear headphones. This does not mean that on ear headphones are flimsy – it depends upon the quality of the material made.

How We Picked

In choosing the best over ear headphones, these considerations were made:
Comfort – because they are bulky, some people do not like over ear headphones because they sometimes make the ears strained for long hours of use due to the closed ear design. However, there has to be a way to work this out without compromising the quality of the headphones and the comfort factor of the unit.
Audio quality – as with any headphone, the audio quality is important and there is a plus point for noise cancelling features. In fact, over ear headphones are typically much more when it comes to audio quality since the noise reducing capabilities are good with over ear headphones due to the closed design, but this can still vary on a case to case basis.
Durability – over ear headphones are known for being made with high quality and heavy duty material such as stainless steel, aluminum alloy and the like for the frame of the over ear headphone headband so that the headphone can last for a longer period of time with proper care, use and maintenance.
Convenience – it does not matter whether the over ear headphones have wired systems or wireless systems so as long as everything is neatly organized. For example, some wired systems of over head headphones use a detachable cable instead so you can still organize your wire without tangling worries.

Our Pick

Bose SoundTrue Apple Around-ear Headphones II
Our best over ear headphones, the Bose SoundTrue Apple Around-ear Headphones II, is meant for use on Apple devices such as iPhones, iPads, iPods and many more but there is also an option for Samsung and Android devices. The headband is very good in its design because of the padding of the headband that is quite soft in its build and the cushion of the ear pads are also very comfortable due to the memory foam build of the ear pads. You can use it for hours of music or other purposes and you will still feel comfortable using the headphone due to its comfort factor. It also uses a standard 3.5 mm audio jack and the headphone may not be wireless but you can be assured that you do not get loss of signal and the cable can also be detached for added convenience.
There is also a microphone that is in-line in its controls to help you remotely control the music and other features of various iPads, iPhones and iPod models for your convenience. The ear cups can also be conveniently folded so that it stays in place when you travel and store it to the included carrying case so it is highly flexible and adaptive to your situation and busy lifestyle. It has a binaural feature for its folding capability and it of course has an over ear design and the cable spans at a length of 66 inches. A user’s guide is also included for your reference.

Flaws but Not Dealbrakers

There are a few flaws but not deal breakers and are very minor to mention and be wary about the Bose SoundTrue Apple Around-ear Headphones II as our best over headphones. For instance, the bass might need a bit of improvement but nonetheless okay.

Step-up Pick

Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Professional Headphone
Our step-up pick, the Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Professional Headphone, has an open back design so it is still breathable even as an over ear headphone in its design. Transient response is very good with this headphone because of the very fact that the voice coils are made from durable and light weight aluminum material for excellent music quality.
Noise handling is good because of the very fact that the cables are made from high quality and high density copper that is free from oxygen and have been reinforced by Kevlar for a noise-free and noise reducing experience on your currently playing music. The fact that the wire is also detachable makes it free from tangling issues just like our top pick. The ear piece covers are super cool in their design and are made from high quality metal mesh with an open design to add to the aesthetic design of the professional headphone.
Dynamics and sensitivity are not a problem because of the ferrous neodymium magnets that help keep up the good quality of music from this high definition over ear headphone. It has a sound pressure level or SPL of 97 dB and its contact pressure is at 2.5 N and it also comes with two cords for stereo 1/8 inch and for 1/4 inch adapters. With a total harmonic distortion of less than 0.1 percent, it is a great and considerate professional over ear headphone to consider for its feature. Its impedance is a whopping 300 ohms which you would not get anywhere because it is meant for the studio and for meticulous listening. It has a great and wide frequency response of 12 Hz up to 39,000 Hz, which outmatches the common standards found in the market, making it truly our step-up pick for its features and price and the copper cable is also of OFC quality and the sound is very transparent and clear. It is backed by a warranty of 2 years internationally.

Budget Pick

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones
The Audio-Technica ATH-ANC7B QuietPoint Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones are very excellent when it comes to the noise cancelling feature as this over ear headphone has an active noise cancelling mechanism or ANC which makes you feel at ease with your sounds and prevents background noise from being heard and also protects your ears electronically. The closed back design also gives the listener some great privacy because it does not leak out sounds from your headphone at all if you do not want people to hear what you are listening to and the circuitry is tested and designed to take out ninety percent of noise from the environment all around you.
The drivers of this over ear headphone has a diameter of 40 mm and is made from high density and high quality neodymium for its magnet aspects which add to the incredible bass feature plus great treble sounds and all in all results in a high fidelity sound from a budget pick best over ear headphone. The QuietPoint feature of the noise cancelling over ear headphone also contributes to its great features for added value for the user and to give pleasure to the listener.
There are also a couple of adapters to choose from such as those for airlines so you can use them while in a flight for added convenience plus a 1/4 inch adapter so you can listen with other types of media and devices as well. The carrying case is very sturdy and handy and helps you to carry your headphones to any part of the world which also makes it portable and sturdy due to the hard carrying case. You also do not need to have any external module because of the electronics being fully integrated in its design.
The headphone can also fold flat due to the rotating ear cups and on top of that it is also extremely light weight and downright compact in its design and the cushioning pad of the ear pads help you listen to any kind of music or voice or call for hours so it is a good value for your money and will definitely please people who are not very good with using headphones due to comfort issues. It can be used on DVD players, CD players, mp3 players, flight entertainment systems, Apple products, smart phones, mobile phones, computer desktops, laptops, tablets and many more. With a wide frequency response of 10 Hz up to 25,000 Hz, it is a good buy for your budget due to its ample amount of frequency response.
It uses AAA batteries when you want to use it wirelessly and it can run for up to 40 hours of regular battery time and the cable spans at a total length of 1.6 meters and is also detachable for your convenience. The active noise reduction or cancellation can reach up to 20 dB so you feel more at ease with the noise cancelling over ear headphone and there are also adapters for other entertainment systems. Its sensitivity as an over ear headphone is at 109 dB and its max input power is up to 500 mW so it is a great headphone with an over ear design for its power. There is also a pouch for accessories that comes with the headphone carrying case for your convenience. You can also definitely use it for calls such as answering them or ending them, making and receiving them as well to avoid lifting your phone from your pocket.

Convenient Over Ear Headphones with a Foldable Design

AILIHEN C8 Lightweight Foldable Microphone Headphone
The AILIHEN C8 Lightweight Foldable Microphone Headphone is applicable for use for smart phones as well as laptops, tablets, desktop computers and for various smart phones such as Apple and Android products and you can use it for your iPod, iPad, iPhone and many more as a reliable over ear headphone. It is also a great headphone for gaming that is very light weight and also very portable and foldable and the fact that it is equipped with a built-in microphone makes it highly convenient for a great headphone. It is also a great headset or headphone for music as well as other similar purposes like studio monitoring.
The vivid and vibrant designs of the headphone with the over the ear design makes it an eye candy for its build and the volume control is also super easy to use and provides convenience to the user of the headphone. The bass is in stereo quality so you can enjoy a great music quality for its simple yet sophisticated design. Comfort is at maximum with the design and the build of this foldable over ear headphone so you can wear the headphone for hours without compromising noise reduction and sound quality. There are also noise isolation ear pads present to help you isolate noise and give you unprecedented sounds from your music sources and the headphones have inline microphone controls as well for added accessibility. The ear cushions are made from soft protein material to help the user feel at ease for long hours of communication.
Its dynamic neodymium speakers are made from 40 mm material with high quality to give a good frequency response that is very wide and the ear cups can be rotated up to 90 degrees for extra comfort on the go. With a sensitivity of 103 dB +/- 3 dB, it is a great headphone for its range. The frequency response is from 20 Hz up to 20,000 Hz and its impedance for the speakers is at an industry standard 32 ohms. The cable spans at a length of 1 1/2 meters, which is also standard in the industry and it comes with the needed 3.5 mm audio jack. It also includes a warranty card plus the user’s manual.

Ideal Over Ear Headphones for Kids and Children

Kidz Gear Wired Headphones For Kids
The Kidz Gear Wired Headphones For Kids is a highly applicable headphone with a wired system plus over the ear design because of its comfort and vivid design that kids will surely love. You can use it for kids from 2 years of age and above due to its versatility and simplicity and it is super comfortable for kids who love to listen to music and also very light weight so that it will not strain their heads or ears for long hours of use. You can easily connect it with a lot of Apple devices such as the iPad, iPhone, iPod and also other devices with audio capability.
Because it can automatically limit the volume to about 80 percent or less than 20 dB of the original volume, you ensure that your kids will definitely stay safe when it comes to higher and louder volumes that can damage their hearing at a young age. It also has a closed back design with a circumaural or over the ear headphone so it is very snug to fit for kids without compromising comfort and it also maintains a good amount of noise cancelling features for kids to enjoy high quality sound.
You can also use them on Kindle Fire and it can be used also on game consoles, radios, mp3 players, CD players, DVD players, stereo systems and much more. It is backed by a limited lifetime warranty for one hundred percent customer satisfaction.

Ideal Over Ear Headphones for Gaming Purposes

Avantree Wireless Bluetooth Over-Ear Gaming Headphones
The Avantree Wireless Bluetooth Over-Ear Gaming Headphones is capable of Bluetooth technology so it is able to stream songs and videos and other forms of entertainment from your mobile device or some other device without the need for wires and it also has a low latency audio quality with a fast streaming rate because of the included and integrated apt-X codec which enhances the quality of the audio of the over ear headphones. The wireless Bluetooth technology makes the over ear headphones very good in its quality and portability and the battery is super long lasting and it can run for up to 40 hours without charging so it is very economical to have as an over the ear circumaural headphone to consider.
It can be used for a wide range of activities such as for gaming as well as for desktops, laptops and for TVs and smart TVs as well for general entertainment other than smart phones and tablets and the ear pads are very comfortable due to their great material quality which also enhances the sound. It uses NFC technology along with the Bluetooth technology or Near Field Communication which allows you a one touch mechanism to connect various devices to your liking and you can also use the over ear headphones for wired purposes when the battery has been drained out or recharging currently using the 3.5 mm audio cable that has been included in the package.
Its standby time can go for as much as 20 days without charging and the battery included is a rechargeable lithium battery for superior performance. At only 6 ounces, it is a great travel buddy and companion for its light weight. It uses an updated Bluetooth version at 4.1 for faster connections.
You can also use it on consoles such as the Xbox One, Xbox 360, Playstation 4, Playstation 3 and much more and the prompts of the voice commands tell you when you need to recharge the over ear headphone. Its audio delay is very minimal at 32 to 40 ms only when you use it to non-Bluetooth devices and it does not have any delay with Bluetooth capable devices. It also has no lip sync delay so it is a worthy over ear headphone to consider for its specs. Its microphone is also very high in quality and the audio formats that can be supported by the headphone is any AAC, SBC and low latency apt-X. It also supports various profiles such as AVRCP, A2DP, handsfree and headset and it has a frequency response of 20 Hz up to 20 kHz.
You can also slip it in a standard camera case for protection. Its impedance is good at 32 ohms and it is powered by powerful neodymium magnet speaker drivers with a diameter of 40 mm each. Its Bluetooth is also powered by CSR 8670.

Over Ear Headphones with Noise Cancelling Feature

Naztech i9BT Over-Ear Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones
The Naztech i9BT Over-Ear Active Noise-Cancelling Headphones use active noise cancelling technology as an over ear headphone which is high in its quality and audio. The Bluetooth technology that is being used by this over ear headphone is Bluetooth 4.1 which is also supported by the apt-X coded that has been built-in within the unit’s core to give your music streaming quality a high definition quality that you deserve and the in-line microphone also allows you to speak wirelessly without picking up your phone to go completely hands free in calling and receiving calls.
It also uses noise hush technology for its active noise cancelling capability and it works on various platforms such as Samsung Galaxy, Note, Edge, iPhones, Androids iPads, tablets, Windows, Mac and many more. It is also a headphone with an enhanced bass feature which makes it very cool as a headphone with high compatibility and it is also applicable for Skype and similar voice conference applications. The low latency ensures that the over ear headphone only gives you great quality and clarity overall as a headphone.
To make calls wirelessly and hands free, you can use the in-line microphone to your convenience. Its wireless Bluetooth connectivity can last up to 15 hours of regular use due to the extended battery life that is present within the over ear headphones and the memory foam also helps the user feel more comfortable with the build of the headphone.
Achieving the best high definition sound is the goal of this professional noise cancelling over the ear headphone. The microphone also has great wind resistant capabilities to reduce noise from electric fans, CPU fans, the wind outside and the like for a clearer conversation with your family and friends. The drivers are at 40 mm and are made from high density and high quality neodymium magnet speaker drivers for a rich bass taste and feel and it rejects up to 90 percent of ambient noise to enhance the audio. The cable is also braided for preventing tangles and the connectors are all gold plated with their ends for faster connectivity and fewer loss of signal. There is also a hard case included to protect the over ear headphones and it is backed by a warranty of 24 months.

Best Wireless Over Ear Headphones

Sentey B-Trek H10 Bluetooth Foldable Headphones
The Sentey B-Trek H10 Bluetooth Foldable Headphones uses Bluetooth version 4.0 and is great for a wide range of computers, smart phones, laptops, desktops and a super durable carrying case has been included in this over ear headphone. Its integrated microphone lets you speak wirelessly and hands free.
It is also a great headphone for gaming and the travel case is made from high density EVA material to protect the unit. It comes with a standard 3.5 mm aux cable for audio and a charging cable with a USB to micro USB head is included. It can allow you to make calls for up to 15 hours or listen to music for up to 5 to 6 hours on the average. The Bluetooth is capable of up to 33 feet of working and effective range and the battery used has a capacity of 420 mAh for longer lasting playing time and talk time. The aux cable has been designed to prevent tangles and the drivers are 40 mm. It can also function as a wired headphone with an over ear design.

Reliable Over Ear Headphones for Heavy Duty Use

V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Over-Ear Noise-Isolating Headphone
The V-MODA Crossfade M-100 Over-Ear Noise-Isolating Headphone has a heavy duty build in its design and it uses M-class technology to produce a high quality sound. The construction is made from sturdy metal so it will be guaranteed to be used for years and the v-strap system makes it very comfortable and secure to wear which is employed in the carrying case that has an exoskeleton design that is also very compact. The drivers are 50 mm in diameter and deliver power using dual diaphragms for a powerful sound and the compact storage is not a problem due to the awesome cliqfold designed hinge.
There are also dual inputs for the headphone and the headband is ergonomic and is made from steel flex material for durability. The memory foam of the over ear headphone is very soft and also replaceable and there is also a Kevlar reinforced cord. The microphone and audio cables can also be detached for superior portability.

Ideal Over Ear Headphones with a Closed Back Design

LyxPro HAS-10 Close-Back Over-Ear Professional Headphones
The LyxPro HAS-10 Close-Back Over-Ear Professional Headphones are made from high quality neodymium drivers at 45 mm each. The dynamic range is very wide at 10 hz up to 26 kHz and it has a sensitivity of 98 dB and you have the option for up to 11 for its volume knob. It can be used for DJ-ing and studio work or listening to music and the cable spans at a length of 3 meters. The ear cups can be easily rotated up to 180 degrees.

The Competition

Over ear headphones that did not meet our criteria were too bulky to consider so we did not include them. The fact that over ear headphones look bulky should be remedied with soft ear pads and a decent noise cancelling feature and other comfortable features.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do people buy over-ear headphones despite the price?
A: According to Head-Fi , over ear headphones help block outside noise better than on ear headphones and they also usually have smaller size of drivers.

Q: What is the difference between over ear and on ear headphones?
A: According to Quora , over ear headphones are bulkier but good in noise reduction while on ear headphones are portable but lack noise reduction.

Wrapping It Up

To summarize, the Bose SoundTrue Apple Around-ear Headphones II is our best over ear headphone when you want great noise cancelling capabilities with great comfort on the go.