- The perfect pair of over-ear headphones are both highly comfortable and sound great.
- That's why we think the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO headphones are the best over-ear headphones you can buy.
Headphones can be hard to buy. There are so many different styles and types of headphones, and each kind is designed for different situations. There are in-ear headphones, which are great for portability and use during sports or activity. Then there are on-ear headphones, which still retain some level of portability while delivering improved comfort and often improved sound-quality. Last but not least are over-ear headphones, which are the ultimate in comfort and sound quality, but they aren't always very portable.
If you decide that over-ear headphones are the right choice for you, then there are a few other things you should look for before you buy any old pair. For starters, you'll want to think about whether you want wired or wireless headphones. Wired headphones generally sound a little better, though for the untrained ear it might not make a difference, while wireless headphones are more convenient because you cut the cord ut of the equation.
You'll also want to consider the type of driver you want inside the headphones. This won't matter for most people, but audiophiles who are looking for a pair of headphones that boast a ton of clarity and detail might want to consider a pair of planar magnetic or electrostatic headphones.
Perhaps the most important thing to think about when looking for a new pair of headphones is budget. Audiophiles will be the first to tell you that it's easy to spend thousands on a great pair of headphones, but you're probably not looking for a pair of multi-thousand-dollar headphones. With all this in mind, we've rounded up the best over-ear headphones in a variety of price points from $100 to $1,000 and everything in between.
Here are the best over-ear headphones you can buy:
- Best over-ear headphones overall: Beyerdynamic DT 1990 PRO
- Best wireless over-ear headphones: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 headphones
- Best noise-cancelling headphones: Sony WH-1000XM3 headphones
- Best mid-range over-ear headphones: Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO
- Best affordable over-ear headphones: Sennheiser HD280Pro headphones
- Best expensive over-ear headphones: Sennheiser HD 800
Updated on 10/23/2019 by Christian de Looper: Added three new pairs of headphones. Updated prices and formatting.
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