What to Look For in Over the Ear Headphones

The ideal headphones for you will be based on what you want in terms of your listening habits, as well as preferences. Over-the-ear headphones are well-known for their audio quality and noise cancellation.

They rest over your ears and block out any ambient audio better than headsets that rest on your ears, and can get hot or press down hot after long listening sessions.

Noise Cancellation

A pair of high-quality over-ear headphones can isolate you from the world around you a bit better than earbuds do, and they typically use active noise cancellation to keep out ambient sounds. The headphones use mics to listen for the sounds around you and digitally reverse the frequencies to block them out. It's a complex process however it is extremely effective. This can help you concentrate at work or sleep during an airplane or train ride and even block out your loud neighbour's music.

In our tests, we have found that over-ear headphones are more effective than earbuds at blocking out external sounds. They are also the best choice for commuters. However, they allow for more high-frequency sound leakage, especially at higher volumes. You might need to play your music a bit more louder if you're using earbuds. But, the peace and quiet are worth it.

The extra size of of over-ear headphones also means that they have larger drivers, which will offer a wider frequency range than other types of headphone. This is important because when you're looking for headphones that have excellent bass, then over-ear headphones are the way to go. The Sony WH1000XM4 is our current top choice. It can deliver frequencies as low as a 4Hz, and as high as 40kHz.

Some ANC headphones allow you to control the noise cancellation feature off if you want to allow some external sound through, and some come with a 'transparency mode' which can be set to do just that. If you intend to use your headphones for purposes other apart from music, you should look for features like an integrated microphone for hands-free calls as well as voice assistants (e.g. Apple's Siri or Amazon Alexa).

The majority of ANC headphones are wireless today and feature Bluetooth connectivity. This makes it easy to pair them with your phone and listen to music while on the move. These models are increasingly equipped with microphones, allowing you to make calls and take part in video conferences.

Bass

Bass is among the most important aspects when it is related to headphones. Whether it's a booming beat or a smooth melodies, it helps us feel the music and get in the zone. It also assists us to keep time with the beat and rhythm of the song. Many headphones have an audio equalizer that can be used to adjust the bass level.

Over-the-ear headphones typically have large drivers that can provide a wider range of frequencies than smaller headphones, especially in the lower end where bass lives. This is why headphones that are over-ear often have a better bass than earbuds. They also have a better sound quality because they can block out more sound as the ear cups are sealed around your ears instead of being positioned like earbuds.

The ear cups are generally made of padded material to make them more comfortable for long listening sessions. The headband also has padding to ensure you don't have any pressure on your head or ears. These features, when combined with a slender design make over-the-ear headphones an ideal choice for people who listen to music on a regular basis.

Generally speaking, over the ear headphones are more expensive than other kinds of headphones. However, with the most recent technologies such as active noise cancellation and Bluetooth and Bluetooth, they can be worthwhile. If you're an audiophile, try headphones that have top quality components and a high-resolution DAC mode that can play hi-res music. There are also many great choices if you're willing spend less.

The Focal Bathys wireless over-ear headphones are the ultimate audiophile's dream featuring a sleek aluminum finish and Nappa leather, they are designed to bring the sound of a mixing booth listening to your everyday. The Sivga Oriole over-ear headphones with a 1.8m cord and 50mm dynamic drivers are an excellent example of value. They also come with an 3.5mm adapter, a 3.5mm 6.3 adapter, and an e-carry case made of hemp.

Comfort

In contrast to earbuds, the over-ear headphones are able to completely encapsulate your ears with a fuller headband that covers an extensive portion of the skull. They also provide more comfort and are ideal for long listening sessions. Over-ear headphones are also better in noise cancellation, since they block out the background noise.

The fitting of the headphones can impact comfort. If the headband isn't snug enough, it can put pressure on your earlobes, which can cause discomfort or even pain. If the ear cups, however, are too small, they can cause irritation to your ear canals, or punctures. The size and depth of the earcups is important too since they can significantly alter the quality of your listening experience.

Compared to in-ear headphones, over-ear headphones generally have larger drivers, enabling them to cover greater frequency ranges, and especially at the lower end, where bass is at its peak. They also have more space to work in which allows for larger and more powerful acoustic components giving you a more immersive sound and more spacious soundstage. In addition, they tend to be lighter and have more user-friendly features such as automated audio controls.

Over-ear headphones weigh more and are more difficult to transport than models with in-ears or on-ears. They are also more likely to get hot and sweaty when worn for extended periods of time. Fortunately, manufacturers are beginning to take these concerns into consideration by making headphones for audiophile over-ears more portable and with features that allow them to be worn longer periods of time.

For instance, certain over-ear headphones now feature headphones over the ear that fold to a smaller size for easy storage and transport. They also come with more flexible headbands that can be adjusted to provide a more comfortable and secure fit. Other features that allow over-ear headphones be more portable and convenient include wireless connectivity, integrated microphones and smart assistant support and even built-in noise cancelling for hands-free calls. Over-ear headphones are an excellent choice for those who commute, business travelers, and even those who travel on the road.

Design

The design of the headphones can affect sound quality. Bigger ear cups can have larger soundstages and bigger drivers could offer better bass, although this depends on the exact model you choose. Open-back headphones have a larger soundstage than closed back models. Some premium headphones also come with advanced acoustics and built-in sound processing to improve certain aspects of the sound like frequency response and total harmonic distortion.

The majority of over-ear earphones are constructed of foam or a similar material to provide comfort, with padding on the cups and around the ears. This makes them suitable for long listening sessions. However the size of your head may influence the level of comfort they wear. If you are planning to wear them with a hat or need to have more flexibility, choose an adjustable design that allows you to move the cups further away from your ears.

Many headphones with over-ears have an active noise cancellation feature that makes use of a microphone to listen to the ambient noise. It then plays back frequencies that block out the unwanted sound. This works much the same way as a door blocks out sound from another room. Over-ear headphones are more effective for active noise cancellation than some on-ear models.

Some over-ear headphones such as the Focal Bathys Wireless, feature an audio profile that defaults to tends to have heavy bass. This can provide lots of bass to compliment EDM and hip hop, but the instruments and vocals can be lost in the mix. The companion app offers an image EQ and presets that help you modify the sound profile to your liking.

If you're in search of headphones that are over-ear that offer the highest quality audio look into the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless. These headphones offer the benefit of a 60-hour battery, a sophisticated adaptive algorithm for noise cancellation and an intense sound that takes you into a world of music. They're more expensive than other over-ear headphones, but their premium design and broad range of features make them worth the cost.