The best over-ear headphones you can buy

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 headphones are the complete package, offering excellent sound quality, a comfortable fit, and decent noise cancellation.

Sennheiser is known for building some of the best headphones on the market, and the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 headphones are no exception to that rule. The headphones are beautifully designed, super comfortable, sound great, and even offer noise cancellation.

There are a ton of reasons to love these headphones, but the biggest reason is how great they sound. The headphones may not be the most accurate sounding headphones in the world, but they offer a fun listening experience.

For example, while there's a little extra bass, it's not too over-the-top. The mids are well-tuned, and the highs offer plenty of detail and clarity. They may not be as detailed as a pair of high-end wired headphones, but when it comes to wireless headphones, these are the best.

The headphones offer some great smart features too. They have noise cancellation, and while it's not quite as good as Bose's or Sony's, it's still effective. They even have Tile tracking built into them, so you shouldn't ever lose them.

What about the downsides? Well, the biggest is that the headphones are a bit pricey, coming in at around $400. Still, they seem to be absolutely worth it. Insider Picks Senior Editor Malarie Gokey tested them briefly at a tech conference and deemed them some of the best tech launched at IFA 2019.

The headphones have gotten great reviews since their release, with Digital Trends giving them 8/10 and What Hi-Fi going a step further to a whopping 5/5.

Pros: Excellent design, great sound quality, comfortable, noise cancelling

Cons: Expensive

The Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones look good, sound great, and offer the best noise-cancelling tech of any headphones.

Bose has been dethroned. The Bose QuietComfort line of headphones have a ton to offer, but the best noise-cancelling headphones currently available are the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones.

There are plenty of reasons to love these headphones. As mentioned, they offer excellent noise-cancellation tech, meaning they'll be able to easily block out plane engine noise, noise from the train, or simply noise from the street.

But the headphones go beyond great noise cancellation — they also sound awesome. Like other wireless headphones, they're not the most accurate headphones out there, but they still sound absolutely awesome. There are plenty of low frequencies, a well-tuned mid range, and a ton of detail in the high-end, making for a great listening experience.

The headphones offer other great features too. They're super comfortable, so they can be worn for hours on end with ease, and they have a whopping 30-hour battery life, which is better than most wireless headphones. There aren't many downsides to these headphones apart from their price, and they've gotten excellent reviews, including a score of 4.5/5 from Tom's Guide and from CNET.

Pros: Well designed, comfortable, great battery life, good sound quality, excellent noise cancellation

Cons: Expensive

The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO headphones may not be the prettiest around, but their sound quality is unrivaled in this price range.

Beyerdynamic may claim the top spot on our list with the expensive Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO headphones, but it turns out the company makes some pretty great budget headphones, too. Case in point: The Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO headphones, which come in at less than $200, and still offer excellent value for money.

While these headphones may not be wireless or have noise cancellation, they do offer an excellent sound quality. The DT 770 PRO boast plenty of bass without going too far over the top, a well-tuned midrange, and a good amount of clarity and detail in the high-end.

Of course, the headphones aren't perfect. They're largely suited for home listening rather than anything else, and they're a bit bulky because of that. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's still something to keep in mind. The headphones also don't have a removable cable, which is a little frustrating for some.

Still, despite those issues, most reviewers love the headphones. PCMag gave them 4.5/5 stars, while CNET gave them 8/10.

Pros: Excellent sound quality, good value for money

Cons: Bulky, no removable cable

The Sennheiser HD280Pro headphones may not be the fanciest ones out there, but they offer excellent sound for a pair of headphones in this price range.

Sennheiser doesn't just make expensive headphones, it makes some stellar affordable ones too, like the Sennheiser HD280Pro headphones. These headphones may not be the flashiest ones out there, but they offer a comfortable fit and sound great, especially for a pair of headphones in this price range.

The best thing about these headphones is how great they sound. Sure, they don't offer the same level of detail as more expensive cans, but they still boast a smooth and natural bass, well-tuned mids, and solid amount of clarity in the high end. They don't have noise cancellation, but they're pretty good at cutting out noise naturally.

The headphones are super comfortable too. They have plenty of padding in the ear cups and under the headband, so you should be able to wear them for a while without issue.

The downsides? Well, it's hard to complain in this price range, but they don't have a detachable cable and they're probably not the best choice for serious audiophiles. That said, the headphones scored an impressive 4.5/5 from PCMag, and have an average of 4.2/5 on Amazon.

Pros: Comfortable, great sound, inexpensive

Cons: Slightly boring design, no detachable cable

The Sennheiser HD 800 headphones may cost a lot and require a headphone amplifier, but these are the best headphones for those who want the ultimate music-listening experience.

Looking for the best headphones around and don't mind spending the cash for them? The Sennheiser HD 800 headphones are the way to go. Sure, they're expensive, but if money is no object and you want the best over-ear headphones you could possibly get, these are the best choice.

There are a few things that make these headphones shine, but at the absolute top of the list is the fact that they sound amazing. They offer the perfect amount of bass, an excellently-tuned mid range, and a glorious amount of detail in the high-end. The headphones boast an excellent soundstage, too.

Thankfully, you can spend as much time as you want listening to great-sounding music, too, because these headphones are supremely comfortable. The Sennheiser HD 800 have plenty of padding in the ear cups so you should be able to listen to music for hours on end without issue.

There really aren't any downsides to these headphones apart from the price, but there are a few points of consideration. These are really built for home use, and they require a decent amplifier to work properly, so you won't be able to use these with your smartphone.

Pros: Amazing sound-quality, extremely comfortable

Cons: Very expensive, require additional equipment