Over-Ear

Over-ear headphones are similar to on-ear headphones, except they actually encompass the entire ear, sealing it to prevent ambient noise from seeping in. Like on-ear headphones, they have a foam or cushion over the earcups and a plastic or metal band connecting the two.

Pros and Cons
Over-ear headphones tend to be larger – you see them often used by DJs in dance clubs. The padding on the ears is typically larger, but more comfortable. They’re the least portable of all the types of headphones, and definitely won’t fit in a pocket. However, since they encompass the entire ear, over-ear headphones are able to block a considerable amount of noise and provide high-quality sound.

Who Should Use Them?
These definitely aren’t for the gym. They’re big, well padded, heavy, and not at all inconspicuous. They tend to have longer, thicker cords, and simply aren’t made for portability. They’re most often used by DJs, music producers, and the like, who need high quality sound with noise reduction.

Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Headphones Review

The Beats are a set of over-ear headphones created by Monster, with collaboration from renowned rapper, Dr. Dre, and are currently available for $349. The headphones feature active noise cancellation and detailed audio. They also come with a good set of extras, including multiple adapters and two cables, one of which has a microphone. These cords are detatchable, which allow the Beats to easily connect to a home stereo system, providing the user has a long enough audio cable lying around. For those who like portability, the Beats can fold up to minimize the amount of space they take up.

Added on
2008-08-02 19:04:00

Creative Aurvana X-Fi Headphones Review

The Aurvana X-Fi over-ear headphones are Creative's entry into the world of active noise cancellation. Unlike many competing noise-cancelling headphones, the Aurvana X-Fis allow you to switch the noise cancellation on and off, and will let you listen to music even if your batteries are dead. The Aurvana X-Fis also feature a few filters that change the way your playback sounds. Despite these extra features, the X-Fis manage to be priced at $300, which seems to be the average rate of noise-cancellers these days.

Added on
2008-07-21 17:55:00

Ultrasone HFI-2200 Headphones Review

The Ultrasone HFI-2200 headphones are a set of home theater over-ears currently available for $300. Their aesthetic is a bit different from the usual monochrome of today's headphones, but if you want under-stated and different, the HFI-2200s will meet your needs. The HFI-2200 headphones also have an interesting trick: they can fold up into themselves. This is great to minimize their size for travel, and also for DJs who want to mix with one ear.

Added on
2008-07-10 15:25:00