On-ear
On-ear headphones are the headphones you remember from years past – they sit on your ears, rather than protruding into them or fully encompassing them. The earpads are typically covered in foam or some other cushion, and have a plastic or metal band connecting the two. Some on-ear headphones clip directly onto your ear, like the Bluetooth ones that are sometimes packaged with cell phones.
Pros and Cons
First, the pros: on-ear headphones often offer better sound quality than in-ear headphones, and can be listened to at a lower volume with better dynamic range. They’re much less portable than earbuds, however, and can let in a great deal of ambient noise because the ear isn’t entirely sealed. In addition, many don’t appreciate the “earmuff look” on-ear headphones give. Still, they are very traditional headphones that deliver good sound quality and comfort for those who don’t like sticking earbuds directly into their ears.
Who Should Use Them?
On-ear headphones are good for those who need to pay attention to the depth and sound of what their listening to – on-ear headphones often provide higher quality dynamic range and sound than their in-ear counterparts. You’ll often see those in music or movie production using on-ear headphones. They can also be used for travel, especially those that offer active noise cancellation, to soften ambient noise.
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1Beyerdynamic DTX 300 p
The Beyerdynamic DTX 300 ps are a great buy for someone who favors comfort and portability over audio quality. Read full 13-part review
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$199.95ArchiveSennheiser PXC 250-II
The Sennheiser PXC 250-IIs are the sequel to Sennheiser's popular PXC 250s, and not much has changed. The headphones fold up a bit better than their predecessors, but otherwise remain the same, solid set of active-noice-cancelling cans. Read full 13-part review
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$30.00ArchiveSony Triqii
The Triqiis are a set of inexpensive on-ears from Sony. They come in packaging that looks like it was meant for action figures and didn’t fit symmetrically on our head, but they weren’t bad for a $30 set of cans. Read full 13-part review
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$45.00ArchiveAble Planet PS500MM
The PS500MMs are a set of gaming headphones from AblePlanet. As such, they have a mic on a bendable arm and a volume switch. Read full 13-part review
$45.00 -
$794.56ArchiveAudio-Technica ATH-W5000
The ATH-W5000s are a super high-end option from Audio-Technica. The ear cups are made from striped ebony wood and the ear cups are lambskin. Read full 13-part review
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$273.00ArchiveDenon AH-NC732
The Denon AH-NC732 headphones are a set of noise-cancelling on-ears. With the active noise-cancelling features and a $300 price tag, the AH-NC732s are joining the crowd attempting to dethrone Bose from its pedastel amongst mainstream listeners. Read full 7-part review
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$49.00ArchiveGrado Labs iGrado
The iGrado headphones from Grado Labs have a serious case of the i's. Presumably named in honor of Apple's ubiquitous iPod, these headphones are meant for use with portable media devices. Read full 7-part review
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$79.00ArchiveGrado Labs SR60
The Grado SR60s follow the trend of all other Grado headphones: an open-backed design with a large air chamber. This automatically means the SR60s are best suited for a home environment, where they will provide an open, airy listening experience. Read full 7-part review
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Features
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Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and You
Our guide to enjoying headphones while preventing Noise-Induced Hearing Loss. A must-read for Headphone consumers. Read More...
