10 Best On-ear Headphones
Earphones and headphones have become a must-have accessory for people across all age groups. It acts like the perfect companion who entertains you while travelling, without disturbing other people.
Headphones provide a very intimate and personal experience, whether you are listening to music, watching a movie or playing a game. It cuts off all the ambient noise and teleports you to a world of your own.
Headphones enable you to listen to beats and fine details in your favorite songs that might not be audible on the speaker. Headphones provide a very immersive experience while watching a movie or gaming, as the multi-directional sound makes like you are actually in the movie or the game.
This article contains all the information about on-ear headphones required to make a suitable buy. Here, we explain the different types of headphones and elaborated on what are on-ear headphones.
We also provide a buyer’s guide that mentions all the essentials factors to take into consideration before making a purchase. You can choose the ideal headphone for yourself from the top 10 lists of on-ear headphones and purchase them from the link provided.
10 Best On-ear Headphones
| Product | Best Price |
|---|---|
 | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
What are On-Ear Headphones?
Headphones, be it in-ear, on-ear, or over-ear, are designed to enhance the overall experience of a listener. They consist of a magnet, coil of wire, and a diaphragm cone that produces sound.
On-ear headphones or semi-aural headphones are the intermediates between in-ear and over-ear headphones. These headphones are larger than earphones and provide great sound quality.
The earpieces fit on the ears perfectly and are compact than over-ear headphones, providing a much more comfortable listening experience.
These types of headphones do not seal the ears completely. This allows you to be mindful of your surrounding along with enjoying your music privately as it does not completely cut off the noise from around you.
It also prevents heat from being trapped in your hears and causing sweat. On-ear headphones are available with features like Bluetooth that allows you to connect it to various devices, be it, smartphones or tablets.
Moreover, these headphones are also gaining popularity among gaming enthusiasts as they are it enhances the overall gaming experience due to its great sound, frequency range, and microphone, which allows voice chats.
These are adjustable to fit the user perfectly, preventing it from slipping off. On-ears are convenient to use and are one of the best headphones to have, especially for the ones who love music!
Types of Headphones
There are different types of headphones which are explained as follows:
1. In-Ear Headphones
These are the most common type of headphones that are often provided in the box when you buy a smartphone.
In-ear headphones are placed inside the ears and may extend up to the ear canal. These are also referred to as earphones. They are lightweight and easily portable. They are available as wired or wireless headphones as well.
In-ear headphones can be easily used for traveling, running, and workout sessions because of its secure fit and lightweight. These are much cheaper than the other types of headphones and come with different sizes of rubber tips, which ensure comfort.
However, you often have to spend time untangling the cable wire, and they have lesser longevity than on-ear and over-ear headphones.
Earbud Headphones
Earbuds are a type of in-ear headphone. However, earbuds fit inside the ears but stay out of the ear canal. They are small and lightweight, but they do not ensure a secure fit that provides even sound quality in both the ears.
In-Ear Canal Headphones
In-ear Canal headphones are In-ear headphones that fit into the ear canal perfectly. They are better than earbuds since they distribute sound evenly in both the ears.
These headphones help to block the noise from the outside world, allowing you to enjoy your privacy.
2. On-Ear Headphones
These are one of the most popular styles of headphones in recent times that are also known as Supra-aural headphones. They are smaller than over-ear headphones and fit on the ears in a way that does not completely cancel noise from the surroundings.
They can be carried around easily and are better than in-ear headphones because they provide better sound quality.
On-ear headphones are obtained in different designs with unique features like clip-on, mic, noise-cancellation, and Bluetooth. They are adjustable and are more expensive than in-ear headphones.
They are the second best headphones after over-ear headphones.
3. Over-Ear Headphones
Over-ear headphones are the largest headphones that fit over the ears entirely, sealing and preventing noise from its surroundings. They have excellent sound quality as compared to in-ear and on-ear headphones.
These headphones are also referred to as circum-aural, full-size, or around the ear headphones. However, over-ear headphones cause the ears to heat up more quickly and may be uncomfortable due to its large size.
Both on-ear and Over-ear headphones can be further categorized as open and closed-back headphones:
Open Back Headphones
These headphones worn over the ears have open earcups that allow sound to escape. This produces a sound that can be heard by people in the room, unlike closed-back headphones that only allow you to listen to isolated sounds.
Open-back over-ear headphones provide the benefit of sound isolation as well as allow other people to listen to the sound.
Closed Back Headphones
Closed-back over-ear headphones are bulkier than open-back headphones. Musicians mostly use them for recordings as it completely seals the sound.
It allows you to enjoy privacy by completely blocking noise from the surroundings. Unlike open-back headphones, the earcups are closed, and no one can hear the sound you are listening to.
Headphones Buyer’s Guide
It might be a confusing task to select the right in-ear headphone to buy, especially for a first-time buyer. The following points explained will help you choose the ideal on-ear headphone:
1. Comfort and Adjustability
The on-ear headphones should have ear pads that have a soft cushion to provide comfort to the listener. It should provide enough ventilation to the ears so that you don’t end up with red and sweaty ears after some time.
Moreover, headphones do not always fit around the users head perfectly. It might be too loose, which causes it to slide down.
This becomes quite annoying for a person, especially while traveling. Hence, it is important for the headband to be adjustable according to the size of your head.
2. Sound Quality
The sound quality of the headphone is one of the main factors to check before making a buy. Check for the frequency of the on-ear headphones and for other features like extra bass technology, which enhances the overall experience of the listeners.
The headphone should be able to give you a live festival or club experience. Choose an on-ear headphone that provides high crisp and natural medium notes.
3. Lightweight and Fold-able
The headphone you buy should also be lightweight so that it can be easily carried around. No one wants to carry something heavy around the neck or over the head.
Moreover, the foldable feature allows you to easily fold the headphone and store it conveniently. Thus, it is important to choose a light and fold-able on-ear headphone for portability.
4. Clip-on Feature
Many on-ear headphones come with a clip-on feature. This allows you to clip on the ear pads to the ears, ensure it from falling off from the ears.
The feature allows you to listen to music comfortably as long as you want. Thus, having a clip-on headphone is always an added advantage.
5. Wireless Bluetooth Feature
The wireless feature enables you to connect the headphone to any device, be it your smartphone or tablet. You can select any soundtrack and enjoy it on your on-ear headphone.
6. Noise Cancellation
Go for a headphone that has a noise cancellation feature. This allows you to enjoy music without any disturbance from outside.
It cuts off any noise from the surroundings by sealing your ears, making it quieter. Hence, you can enjoy the best sound quality enhancing the overall experience.
7. Microphone
You are sure to get important calls while using the headphones. An in-built mic in the headphone allows you to take up calls without having to take off your headphones.
This makes traveling more convenient. A mic is an important feature for gamers as it allows them to communicate with their teammates.
8. Controls and Other Features
Controls include buttons which allow the user to change playback of media, activate/deactivate mic in the headphone, muting audio, as well as changing the volume.
Certain headphones even come with LED lights with controls for customization.
A few on-ear headphones also come with sensors that pause the audio when you take off the headphone and resumes when you put it back on. On the other hand, open listening modes allow you to talk to people and hear your surroundings without having to take off your headphone.
These controls and features are added benefits to look for when you are about to make a purchase. It makes the use of these on-ear headphones a lot more convenient.
9. Brand and Warranty
Brand plays an important role in the purchase of on-ear headphones. A well-known brand like Sony, Bose, Beyerdynamic, Sennheiser, Philips, etc. offer value as well as reliability.
They are known to offer the best quality products with a good warranty.
Choose an on-ear headphone of a good brand and warranty so that you can spend a sum on it without regretting your decision.
10. Price
Price is a key factor in the purchase of any product! There are several on-ear headphones available in the market in different price ranges.
There are headphones under 3K available for people under a budget, which offers an amazing sound quality with great features.
On the other hand, high-end on-ear headphones are available in the price range of 7 k – 30 k under various brands. These are perfect for the buyers who want a product with the best sound quality and unique features, with no restraint on price.
11. Size
While purchasing an on-ear headphone, size is an important factor. A bulky and large size headphone causes inconvenience as you cannot carry it easily wherever you want.
Go for a compact headphone so that you can use it easily and carry it around conveniently! However, the preference for size may differ from person to person. Thus, go for the size you prefer as per your requirements.
12. Battery Type
Batteries are required for wireless headphones. Go for a headphone that comes with lithium polymer batteries.
The battery life should be long enough that allows you to listen and talk for at most 30 hours with a single charge. This allows you to enjoy uninterrupted music and other media for the entire day!
13. Water Resistance and Durability
The headphone you buy should be water-resistant so that it does not get damaged by coming in contact with rain or any other water source.
Moreover, it should be made of a high-quality, durable material that ensures the longevity of the headphone so that you do not regret purchasing it after just a few months of use.
10 Best On-ear Headphones
1. Boat BassHeads 900 Wired Headphone with Mic –
Boat BassHeads Wired Headphone with Mic is extremely lightweight at just 150gms, which makes it convenient for you to easily carry it. They can be easily folded as well, making it the perfect travel companion. Let us have a look at the other features of this product.
- You can enjoy powerful music experience with this product which produces punchy bass and clear natural voice as it is equipped with 40mm Neodymium drivers.
- It creates a balanced sound, which enhances your listening experience from 20 – 20,000 Hz. This makes it one of the preferable options for users.
- The inline microphone is an exciting feature that comes along with this product. It has a 3.5mm jack for audio which has a built-in microphone and along with that a control button for music and calls.
- It works within a frequency of 20Hz – 20KHz.
- The feather-light headphones allow you to carry it wherever you want easily.
- The swivel earcups offer flexible wearing of headphones without much tension on your ears.
- Compact and foldable.
- Superb sound quality.
- Excellent noise cancellation .
- The tight design of this headphone causes pain to your ears if they are worn for more than an hour.
- It causes slight distortion at 100% sound levels.
2. Sony On-Ear Wireless Premium Extra Bass Headphones –
Sony Corporation is known for its quality electronic products across all categories. The Sony MDR-XB950B1 On-ear wireless premium extra bass Headphones is a good choice because of its unique features and extra bass technology.
This allows you to enjoy music like in a club or live festival. The wireless Bluetooth feature allows you to connect it to any device and enjoy free music. It is the perfect buy!
- 3 Hz-28 kHz frequency range.
- Sensitivity- 105 dB/mW
- It comes with extra bass technology.
- It has a built-in mic for hands-free calling.
- One-touch listening with Bluetooth and NFC.
- An audio cable is supplied with it, which is 1.2 m long and durable.
- It has a 40 mm neodymium driver unit for extra bass sound.
- The charge time is approximately 4 hrs.
- The extra bass technology allows you to enjoy the deep bass notes, just like being in a club or a live festival.
- You can adjust the bass levels and enjoy the club, stage, hall, or arena-style sound using the Sony Headphones Connect app 4.
- You can stream music from your smartphone or tablet to the headphone.
- It has up to 18 hours of battery life, which lets you enjoy music even when the battery is depleted with the supplied audio cable.
- It is available in two colors, blue and black.
- The oval earpad design provides comfort to the listener. It seals in sound. As a result, you can enjoy music with less outside interference.
- It does not have a noise cancellation feature.
3. Beats EP ML992ZM/A On-Ear Headphones –
Beats Electronics LLC is a reputed company known for the manufacture of audio products. Its primary focus is on headphones and speakers. Beats has introduced several models of headphones with different features and qualities.
However, the Beats EP ML992ZM/A On-Ear Headphones is the best buy for everyday use.
The lightweight model comes with a hassle-free cable that allows you to carry it wherever you go daily. The cushioned ear cups provide comfort while it can be adjusted as per your head size, making it more convenient to use.
- It comes with a foldable carrying pouch, quick-start guide, and a warranty guide.
- It has an adjustable vertical slider.
- Durable, lightweight design made of stainless steel.
- Battery-free design.
- Cushioned ear cups.
- It is compatible with iOS devices.
- The adjustable vertical sliders help in obtaining personalized fit.
- The cushioned ear cups allow you to enjoy listening to music comfortably, even after a prolonged period.
- The fine-tuned acoustics ensure clarity and depth of music.
- The RemoteTalk cable allows you to take calls and control music.
- The hassle-free cable and battery-free design allow you to carry it and go wherever you want.
- It is perfect for everyday use.
- The ears start hurting after using for a considerable amount of time.
4. Beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless Headphone –
Beyerdynamic GmbH & Co. KG is a leading brand in the manufacture of audio equipment. This German company has launched several products, which include microphones, headphones, wireless audio systems, and conference systems.
The Beyerdynamic Aventho Wireless Headphone is known for its Tesla technology that produces the best sound quality.
The black color model comes with an integrated touch panel for controls making it easy to use. This wireless headphone can store all your favorite tracks using the Beyerdynamic MIY app. It is comfortable and portable as well.
- It has cutting-edge and high resoluton acoustics.
- Connectivity technology – Bluetooth wireless.
- It comes with a 1.2 m detachable cable with a 3.5 mm jack plug charging cable from USB-A to USB-C.
- It has a high-quality microphone.
- Included with it- 1 lithium polymer battery.
- The right earcup has an integrated touch panel for controls.
- Easily fold-able, making it convenient to carry.
- They are adjustable for a personalized fit, ensuring comfortable use.
- Sound quality and range are great.
- The Beyerdynamic MIY app personalization of sound profile according to the user’s own choice, which can be uploaded to the headphone.
- The battery life is very impressive at more than 30 hours.
- The touch panel makes the controls easy to use.
- Touch controls get activated by accident.
5. AKG Y50 On-Ear Headphone Universal Microphone –
AKG is a well known manufacturing company with its headquarters at Vienna, Austria. It deals with acoustic engineering and the manufacture of headphones that offer precise sound quality.
The AKG Y50 On-ear headphone is a wired headphone that provides the best bass performance with minimal disturbance from the surroundings.
It comes with a one-button remote/mic that allows hands-free accessibility. This model is also available in two other colors for you to choose from. Moreover, it has a 3 D axis folding mechanism that allows easy portability.
- Frequency range- 16 Hz- 24 kHz.
- Sensitivity- 115 db.
- It has a detachable cable with inline, one-button remote/mic.
- It has a 3 D axis folding mechanism.
- Connectivity technology-wired.
- Enriched bass performance.
- Long lasting, comfortable, lightweight, and fits snugly.
- The lightweight design makes it comfortable to use and carry around to any place you want.
- It is foldable and comes with a compact pouch that ensures easy storage, also making it portable.
- It provides the perfect bass performance with minimum disturbance from outside.
- Hands-free accessibility.
- It is compatible with most smartphones.
- They are available in three different colors for you to choose from. (black, yellow and blue)
- It does not have the wireless Bluetooth feature.
6. Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II Wireless Headphones –
Bose is one of the leading names when it comes to the audio electronics.
The Bose Quiet Comfort 35 II wireless headphone enhances your overall musical experience with its noise cancellation feature. Moreover, the noise rejecting dual microphone system allows you to take calls without any noise interference.
It provides comfort with its soft ear cushions. The battery life enables you to enjoy 20 hours of uninterrupted music. This headphone can also access your phone’s voice assistant like Alexa and Siri.
- It comes with a carry case, USB cable, and audio cable.
- Connectivity- Bluetooth wireless.
- Lithium-ion battery included.
- It has a noise-cancellation feature. You can adjust the level of noise cancellation between three levels depending on the environment.
- Alexa enabled headphones.
- It has a noise rejecting a dual microphone system.
- With Bose connect app, you can access everything that this product has. Also, you can connect two wireless devices at a time, so you and your friend can listen to the same music at the same time.
- The noise-cancellation feature enhances the overall listening experience by cutting off any noise from outside.
- The volume-optimized EQ gives a balanced audio performance at any volume.
- You can easily access your phone’s default system like Siri, Alexa, and google assistant.
- The Alcantara on the headband and the leather used for the ear cushions make it comfortable and lightweight.
- Battery life up to 20 hours allows you to enjoy uninterrupted music.
- You can easily connect to your device with Bluetooth and NFC pairing.
- With Bose connect app, you can connect two devices at a time.
- The sound quality can be better for its price.
7. Plantronics BlackBeat Pro 2 Bluetooth Headphones –
Plantronics Inc. is an American electronics company known for the production of audio equipment for communication. The Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 is the ideal on-ear headphone to have, especially for its smart sensors that can pause the music as soon as you take it off and resume it when you put it back on.
You can easily communicate with people using the open listening mode that allows you to hear your surrounding even while your headphone is on. It is the best headphone for communication purposes.
It also allows you to enjoy listening to your favorite tracks due to its enriched bass and high crisp notes.
- Active noise-canceling headphones.
- Connectivity- Bluetooth wireless.
- Open listening mode.
- It has whispered status alerts.
- Intuitive on-ear controls.
- It comes with a 3.5 mm jack.
- It has a 2-way pivot ear cup design.
- One lithium polymer battery included.
- The headphone delivers rich bass, high crisp notes, and natural mid-tones.
- Smart sensors pause the music automatically when you take off your headphone and resumes when you put it back on.
- You can listen or talk continuously with a battery life of 24 hours.
- You can activate noise-cancellation easily with the touch of a button.
- It has a good Bluetooth range and can be connected to two devices at once.
- The active noise cancellation could be better.
8. Marshall Major III Bluetooth Wireless On-ear Headphones –
Marshall Amplification is the leading English company that designs headphones, earphones, speakers, amplifiers, and other audio related products. This brand name has gained immense popularity and is an iconic name in the field of music.
The multi-functional control allows easy accessibility and control of the volume and power of the headphone. It is long-lasting and provides comfort to the user. Moreover, you get excellent sound quality even at a 30 feet wireless range.
- Wireless Bluetooth connectivity.
- Multi-functional control knob.
- 40 mm dynamic driver unit.
- It comes with a vinyl covering.
- Ergonomic 3 D hinges that rotate freely to fit your head.
- It comes with a plush straight fit headband and on-ear cushions.
- It is durable and provides comfortable listening.
- A single charge can give more than 30 hours of playtime (at medium volume).
- You can play, pause, shuffle, and adjust volume as well as power on or off the headphone easily.
- You can easily answer, reject, or end the call with the control knob.
- It has enhanced bass response, smooth mids, and crystal clear highs.
- It has a collapsible design, which makes it a great companion while traveling.
- No negative points observed so far.
9. SteelSeries Arctis 7 Wireless Gaming Headset –
SteelSeries is a top company that deals with the manufacture of gaming accessories like headphones. Our list would be incomplete without the mention of SteelSeries Arctic 7 Wireless Gaming Headset as this product is the best for gamers.
The perfect sound quality, multi-device compatibility, and the microphone enhance the entire gaming experience. The 24-hour battery life allows you to enjoy uninterrupted gaming for the whole day.
- Designed for gaming.
- It comes with 2.4 GHz wireless audio with up to 40 feet/12 m range.
- Sound Sensitivity is 98db.
- Exclusive clear-cast mic.
- It has fabric Air Weave ear cushions and a ski goggle suspension headband.
- 24-hour battery life.
- Multi-device compatibility. The microphone has a noise cancelation feature.
- It’s 2.4 GHz wireless audio gives a lag-free experience with a high range of 40 feet/12 m
- Recognized as the best mic in gaming and is highly convenient for playing games like CSGO and PUBG, which require voice.
- 360 º immersion with next-generation DTS Headphone: X v 2.0 surround sound.
- Its sound quality gives perfect precision and advantage in gaming, allowing you to hear every small detail.
- Multi-device support like PS4, Nintendo Switch, PC and mobile, etc.
- It is the most awarded gaming headphone ever.
- Though multi-device support is present, emphasis on PC is more.
10. Infinity(JBL) Glide 510 On-Ear Headphone
This is a wireless headphone from JBL, one of the most famous brands in this category. Just put on these headphones and you can glide into a world of enhanced music with negligible discomfort.
It is equipped with an advanced dynamic 36mm driver, so you you can perfectly hear all the highs and lows with crystal clarity. The extra comfort cushion ensures you can enjoy your music without any ear-ache.
- Play time of 72 hours so you do not have to charge it very often.
- Dual equalizer delivers deep bass at the touch of a button.
- Delivers stunning sound to uplift your mood.
- Advanced Bluetooth 5.0 for strong connectivity.
- Soft and cushioned earcups.
- Speed charging feature. 10 minutes of charging gives 10 hours of play time.
- The headphone is extremely lightweight.
- It is foldable so it can be stored in your carry bag without taking up too much space.
- You can access the voice assistant of your phone.
- Excellent range and connectivity.
- Decent build quality.
- Ears might pain after hours of use.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Which is better in-ear or on-ear headphones?
On-ear headphones are the best when it comes to comfort because they do not exert much tension on the ear canal. On the other hand, you can find the in-ear headphones a little uncomfortable for long use.
In terms of voice, the in-ear does not leak too much sound, but the on-ear does.
2. What are the best wireless on-ear headphones?
By considering all the features of these products, some of the best wireless on-ear headphones are Beyerdynamic Byron BT & Bose SoundSport Wireless.
3. What is the difference between over-ear and around-ear headphones?
The over-ear headphones are one of the best options if you are looking for headphones as it provides multiple features that are better than the other variants. They offer a comfortable fit and have features such as noise-cancellation and hi-fidelity noise.
The cushions which cover the ear ultimately provide comfort for extended use. It would not make people distracted as it prevents the leakage of sound.
Around-ear headphones are smaller sized than the former and contain small speakers. They often allow more of the surrounding sound.
In terms of portability, you can easily carry them inside your pockets.
Conclusion
Having gone through the various advantages, tips, guides and buying factors to consider, you can easily choose a product from our list that will suit your needs. Once you start using a headphone, you can never go back as it becomes one of your must-have accessories.
Here are our favorites from the list:
The Boat Bassheads are by far the best and most popular product in this category. It comes with all the good features at an extremely affordable price. If you don’t splurging money for a premium product, Bose Quiet Comfort and Marshall Major are the headphones to go for.
