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.

Bose QuietComfort 15 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Review

The QuietComfort 15s are the latest headphones in Bose's line-up of active cancelling headphones. It's quite an improvement over the QuietComfort 3s. They might be a bit expensive, and they might not have the best audio quality, but they have some of the best active cancellation we've tested so far.
	Added on 2010-02-11 11:01:00

Beyerdynamic DT 770 Headphones Review

The DT 770s are another set of headphones in Beyerdynamic's MANUFAKTUR line. The MANUFAKTUR service allows users to create customized color schemes as well as fine-tune other aspects of their headphones.

The DT 770s are a solid pair of headphones with good sound quality and average isolation for over-ears. We had some issues with fit, like with other Beyerdynamic headphones. Try them on for a few hours before your warranty lapses.

The DT 770s are available for $285 via Beyerdyanmic's website.

Added on
2009-06-15 06:19:00

Sennheiser HD 800 Headphones Review

We finally got in the Sennheiser HD 800s. So what's our verdict? They're amazing. Really. They're one of the best pairs of headphones we've reviewed. The one sticking point, however, is their $1400 price tag. Check out our test results and graphs and whatnot; hopefully they'll help you decide if an investment in the HD 800s is an investment in your aural future.
	Added on 2009-10-09 10:19:00

Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones Review

The Sennheiser HD 650s are a set of high-end, open-backed, over-ear headphones. The HD 650s implement their open-backed design in an aesthetically interesting way, covering the backs of the ear cups with a grey grate which offers barely any physical barrier between your sound and the world around you. This will create a large, open soundstage, but means the headphones won't be good isolators. The headphones also feature a removeable cord. Since the cord is often the first thing to break, this feature should help extend the life of your headphones.

The HD 650s are currently available for about $500.

Added on
2009-05-26 09:22:00

Beyerdynamic DT 990 Headphones Review

The DT 990s recently got re-released under Beyerdynamic's MANUFAKTUR line. This line lets you pick out the headphones' color, impedance, and cord style. These new, improved DT 990s have above average audio quality, but suffer from some significant fit issues. The DT 990s can currently be purchased for about $350.
	Added on 2009-05-13 19:30:00

Audio-Technica ATH-W5000 Headphones Review

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. Looking at these headphones, it's easy to tell they're for people that are serious about audio. Interestingly enough, the ATH-W5000s didn't perform particularly well on our audio tests.
	Added on 2009-04-22 20:49:00