There are many over-ear headphones out there. Whether you’re looking for good sound quality and noise cancelling, you can be sure that there’s something for everyone, at most price points.
Over-ear headphones are a popular way to listen to audio on the go without sacrificing sound quality or battery life. Compared to earbuds, they tend to be more comfortable and have longer battery life. However, they aren't as portable or stable. The trade-offs are well worth it, though. There are a lot of over-ears on the market, and we've tested over 350 of them, measuring everything from sound to noise-cancelling abilities to see which the best are to buy.
Best overall: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Wireless are top-of-the-line noise-cancelling headphones. Their ANC system adapts to your unique hearing capabilities and sounds around you, like the low rumble of bus and plane engines, voices, and AC units, to reduce a fantastic amount of sound. In our tests, they last 29 hours continuously with their ANC on, which will easily last you through long days on the go. You can also use them wired, though you’ll still have to power the headphones on for them to work.
Their sound has a bit of extra bass, but it's still versatile enough for most kinds of audio genres. Their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets so that you can adjust their sound to suit your tastes. They also have a head tracking feature, so audio follows your head movements for a more dimensional and immersive experience. Their premium design has thick, plush padding to keep fatigue at bay during long listening sessions.
Best budget: Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless
If you're on a tight budget, try the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless. These over-ear headphones have quite a few extra features, which is uncommon at this price point. Their noise-cancelling system rivals big-name products from Bose and Sony. You can even choose between three different ANC presets that target different kinds of noise if you want more customization.
Out of the box, they have amazing sound quality, delivering intense bass to audio while vocals and instruments are bright and sparkly. That said, their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets to give you more control over their sound. These over-ears last over 44 hours continuously, and you can use them wired in a pinch. However, not all units support analog and ANC on simultaneously, which can be a dealbreaker if you want to connect them to in-flight entertainment on long trips. There have also been reports of the headband cracking over time, which is unfortunately on par for budget products.
Best noise cancelling: Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless
While you may expect to see Bose take the title of best headphones for noise cancellation, the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless have the edge. In our tests, the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless can block out more bass-range noise like car and train engines than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. This noise is some of the hardest to reduce, so strong isolation in this range can let you enjoy peace and quiet during trips. They also last up to 37 hours continuously with ANC on, and their sleek, comfortable design ensures you can wear them without any discomfort.
Although they're an older model by today's standards, they're still available on the market and offer a versatile performance. They deliver extra bass to mixes, which is good if you enjoy genres like EDM and hip-hop. Their companion app offers customization features like an EQ, presets, and virtual surround. They also support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to your smartphone and PC simultaneously, and LDAC, a proprietary codec by Sony for higher-quality streaming audio.
Best wireless sound: Focal Bathys Wireless
The Focal Bathys Wireless are high-end over-ears designed with sound in mind. While the previous over-ears mostly support basic Bluetooth codecs like AAC and SBC, these headphones support aptX and aptX Adaptive. These codecs improve audio quality by reducing file compression. If that's not enough, they’re equipped with a built-in digital-to-analog (DAC) converter, so you can also stream high-resolution audio via wired USB.
These over-ears have a bass-rich sound. While vocals and instruments are veiled in mixes, you can tweak their sound via their companion app. Like other headphones on this list, they offer noise cancellation, too, but they don't perform quite as well in this regard. They do a mediocre job of cutting down bass range noise like car engines, which isn't ideal if you use them during your commute. The ANC can still tackle ambient chatter and the hum of AC units very well, so they're suitable for the home or office. With their ANC on, they last over 29 hours continuously. They also support multi-device pairing, so you can stay connected to up to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously.
Best audiophile: Sennheiser HD 800 S
For the best sound experience possible, you'll want to go with wired headphones. They avoid the issue of Bluetooth audio compression altogether since they use an analog connection to receive audio straight from the source. Wired over-ears like the Sennheiser HD 800 S also have an open-back design, meaning the drivers aren't enclosed. They don't block out background sound; on the contrary, they leak audio so that it can interact with your environment and give you a more natural and spacious sound.
These premium headphones are well-regarded in the audiophile community but aren't for everyone. To get the most out of them, consider adding an amp to drive them and an external DAC to help reduce jitter and other noise. If that's not a deal-breaker, you'll enjoy their neutral sound, ensuring that vocals and instruments are present, clear, and accurate in mixes. They lack a thumpy low bass, but that's common in open-back headphones. Although they look quite heavy, they have a very comfortable fit, which makes them easy to wear during long listening sessions.
Conclusion
Over-ear headphones make up a large portion of the options available on the market, and it can be overwhelming to sort through which ones are best suited for your needs. Many have additional features like ANC, companion apps, or multi-device pairing so that you can make the most out of them. Others focus on sound quality with physical design choices like an open-back enclosure to create a more immersive audio experience. There's a pair of over-ears out there for everyone, though, and with constant improvements in technology, it's even easier to find feature-loaded products at most price points.
Written by Vanessa McCuaig, RTINGS.com
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes. The products in this list are ranked by independent third parties. Rankings are based on both reviews and independent testing.