The best over-ear headphones make everything sound better and block out the rest of the world. Whether you love music, listen to podcasts, or get lost in audiobooks, these headphones’ large, powerful drivers, detailed sound, and impressively large soundstages will show your favorite content at its best.
They are comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and many models have extra features like active noise cancellation and built-in voice assistants to make travel easier and use simpler.
1. Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
We said that Sennheiser’s 2019 Sennheiser Momentum third-generation Wireless headphones, which are listed below, would soon be at the top of this buying guide after a thorough review, and here they are. Sennheiser’s latest wireless over-ear headphones are the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which came out in August 2022. If Sony isn’t worried, it should be.
These headphones have an amazing 60-hour battery life, a nice app, a lot of features, easy-to-use on-ear controls, noise cancellation that adapts to your environment, and a sound that will make you nod your head happily wherever you go. Yes, they look a little plain, but the taste of the pudding is in the eating, and for the price, these headphones sound amazing.
Sennheiser has put everything and the kitchen sink into the specs for the Momentum 4 Wireless. This includes Sidetone, which makes it easier for callers to hear your voice, and “Sound Zones,” which are EQ and ANC presets that can be set to automatically turn on when you’re, well, in the zone. But don’t get it wrong, the sound is still the thing that gets the most attention. What a noise it makes! Think of words like open, detailed, big, neutral, and clean. It’s never too warm, and the bass is never too crowded or muddy.
2. JBL Tune 750BTNC
You know what to expect from JBL, whether it’s Bluetooth speakers or headphones: great sound quality at a great price. We think the JBLs look and feel a lot like Beats. They look and feel more expensive than they really are.
We liked testing these headphones because they look good, sound good, and fit well. They’re reliable and easy to use, and even though they’re not waterproof and don’t have a very long battery life, it seems silly to complain about them when they do so much for the price.
The noise cancellation is also pretty good for the price, so you don’t have to crank up the volume to hear them over traffic.
3. Sony WH-1000XM4
Before Sony released the WH-1000XM5 a few weeks ago, the Sony WH-1000XM4 were the best headphones we’d heard since, well, the Sony WH-1000XM3.
Not only do they sound great and block out noise well, but they also do all of this without wires. Others on our list of over-ear headphones may have better sound quality, but the WH-1000XM4 has the best combination of features and performance.
The Sony XM4 headphones don’t look much different from the ones that came before them. However, they have a number of new features, such as multipoint pairing, DSEE Extreme upscaling, conversational awareness, and an in-built sensor that lets them play and pause music on their own.
4. The Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro
Beyerdynamic may not be as well-known as its German sibling Sennheiser, but the company has a long history of making some of the best-sounding audio equipment on the market. Many people loved their DT770, DT880, and DT990 over-ear headphones because they were well made and had great sound.
Even better is the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro. It’s a version of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro with an open back. The DT 1770 Pro won our Editor’s Choice for its sound, design, and price. Both headphones cost $599, £589, or AU$1,159, so there’s no reason to choose one over the other. The most important difference between the two models is how they sound.
Because they have an open back, the DT 1990 Pro are meant for serious analytical listening at home or in the studio. During our tests, we found that the open-back design lets some outside sound in. There are also some audio leaks, so these aren’t the best headphones for commuting in a small space. On the other hand, the open-back design gives a stunning sense of space. The large soundstage makes it easy for even the most unfocused listener to figure out where each instrument is playing.
5. Sony WH-1000XM5
The new Sony over-ear ANC headphones take the place of their predecessors as some of the best headphones you can buy right now, even though they cost more than their predecessors.
Even if you don’t like the new, lighter design (which can’t be folded up, but the earcups will lie flat), they are still comfortable, and the user-friendly features are hard to ignore. Whether it’s reliably recognizing when the headphones have been taken off your head and pausing the music, recognizing when you’re having a conversation and turning down the volume, or turning off noise canceling features when you’re on a busy road, the Sony WH-1000XM These smart features feel faster and more responsive than in previous versions, and the noise cancellation and sound quality are still the best at this level. We really like these headphones, and we think they’re the best wireless purchase for almost everyone.
All View
The Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro headphones are the best-sounding wired headphones that are still a good value. They are at the top of this guide.
But if you want the best all-around headphones, we think the Sony WH-1000XM4 are the best. They have great sound, active noise cancellation, wireless connectivity, audio upscaling, and a slim, portable design.
