Full-size around-ear or over-ear headphones are typically extra extra comfy to put on and sound higher than on-ear headphones, however not everybody likes them as a result of they could be a little cumbersome and make your ears steamy on hotter days. On-ear fashions with smaller ear cups are extra compact, travel-friendly and infrequently value much less. Whereas many might be pretty low frills, some on-ear fashions do function energetic noise cancellation and different superior options.
I’ve examined all of the fashions on this checklist, evaluating their design, consolation stage, sound high quality, voice calling efficiency and high quality of their noise canceling if they provide that function. They’re all wi-fi headphones besides for the Beats EP, which supply a wired connection. I will up to date this checklist as new worthy on-ear headphone candidates hit the market — I lately added the Sony CH-520 to the checklist — and if none of those fashions piques your curiosity, you’ll be able to try CNET’s different headphone greatest lists, akin to our greatest wi-fi earbuds checklist and greatest noise-canceling headphones checklist.
Sony launched its new entry-level CH-720N noise-canceling headphones in 2023. They’re fairly good, however if you cannot afford them (they checklist for $150), the corporate’s new finances on-ear CH-520 headphones are an intriguing choice for under round $50.
They lack noise canceling and are fairly no-frills, however they function good sound for his or her value, are light-weight and fairly comfy for on-ear headphones, and now have wonderful battery life (they’re rated for as much as 50 hours at average quantity ranges. Moreover, they’ve multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you’ll be able to pair them with two gadgets concurrently (akin to a smartphone and pc) and swap audio. Voice-calling efficiency is first rate, although less than the extent of what you get with the CH-720N.
Notice that there is not any wired choice — this can be a wi-fi Bluetooth-only headphone. The CH-520 presents total balanced sound with first rate readability. The bass has some punch to it however would not pack a wallop, and you are not going to get fairly as huge a soundstage as you get from Sony’s costlier over-ear headphones. However these positively sound higher than Sony’s earlier entry-level on-ear headphones and sound higher than I believed they’d. I attempted the white coloration however in addition they are available blue and black.
Product particulars
Battery Life Rated as much as 22 hoursNoise Canceling Sure (Qualcomm cVc 8.0)Multipoint SureHeadphone Kind On-ear wi-fi headphonesWater-Resistant No IP ranking
I used to be a fan of Inventive’s authentic Sound Blaster Jam headphones that got here out in 2015 and had a decidedly retro feel and look with good sound for the cash. Now the headphone is offered in a 2.0 model that has some key upgrades, together with Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C charging, improved name high quality and multipoint Bluetooth pairing that lets you pair it to 2 gadgets concurrently. Battery life is rated at as much as 22 hours.
I used to be in a position to pair the headphones with a Mac Mini and an iPhone after which swap audio between them. Typically when pairing Bluetooth headphones with Mac and Home windows PCs, one can encounter some points, however as soon as I acquired the headphones paired with each my PC and telephone, they made a very good pair of work-from-home headphones. Additionally, the value is true for fogeys on the lookout for an honest set of children’ headphones for distant studying and on a regular basis use.
Comfy for on-ear headphones, the Jam V2 are light-weight and have properly balanced sound with good element and bass that is ample however not overpowering. Name high quality was good in my exams with callers saying they might hear me properly even on the noisy streets of New York. No carry pouch is included, however you do get an additional set of froth ear pads, which is nice as a result of they may put on out over time.
The headphones have bodily buttons for controlling quantity and playback and there is aptX help for gadgets that help the wi-fi streaming codec.
Product particulars
Battery Life Rated as much as 50 hoursNoise Canceling NoMultipoint SureHeadphone Kind On-ear wi-fi headphonesWater-Resistant No IP ranking
Launched in mid-2020, the Jabra Elite 45h was basically billed as the perfect on-ear headphone for the cash. Whereas there’s nothing terribly fancy about it is likely one of the greatest on-ear headphone values proper now, with good sound high quality, a sturdy design and comfy match (for on-ear headphones, anyway). Moreover, this Bluetooth on-ear headphone performs properly as a headset for making calls and features a sidetone function that lets you hear your voice within the headphones so you do not discuss too loudly. Battery life can be good. Accessible in a number of coloration choices, it lists for $100 however steadily will get discounted to $80 or much less.
Product particulars
Battery Life Rated as much as 25 hoursNoise Canceling NoMultipoint SureHeadphone Kind On-ear wi-fi headphonesWater-Resistant No IP ranking
The previous couple of years I’ve written up a good variety of new Sennheiser headphones, most of which have had extra premium value tags. However now the corporate has launched a brand new $70 on-ear wi-fi mannequin, the 250BT, that ought to attraction to these on a tighter finances. Geared up with Bluetooth 5.0, its options appear fairly fundamental, however it does have 25-hour battery life, in addition to help for the AAC and aptX audio codecs, and it additionally faucets into Sennheiser’s Good Management app, permitting you to customise the sound a bit.
Sennheiser describes the 250BT as having club-like sound, and that is a reasonably apt take. There’s numerous power within the bass and a few sparkle within the treble. That is what I wish to name an thrilling headphone — dynamic, enjoyable. I am unable to say it is acquired premium construct high quality (it seems to be and looks like a extra of a finances mannequin). However it’s light-weight and comfy for an on-ear mannequin, although it lacks any padding on the within of the headscarf so I often needed to make changes to alleviate somewhat stress on the crown of my head.
You should utilize the 250BT as a headset for making calls — it really works fairly properly for that — however Sennheiser would not actually discuss up the decision high quality, mentioning solely that the headphones have a built-in microphone. The noise-isolating ear pads reduce the background noise, providing you with a greater listening expertise. This headphone is extra concerning the sound and it did develop on me over time.
Product particulars
Battery Life Rated as much as 40 hoursNoise Canceling Sure (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Kind On-ear wi-fi headphonesWater-Resistant No IP ranking
The Solo Professional has technically been discontinued by Apple (sure, Beats owns Apple), however you’ll be able to nonetheless discover it at a reduction. It was first Beats on-ear headphone to function energetic noise cancellation and the primary full-size Beats wi-fi headphone to cost through Lightning. It stays an excellent on-ear headphone however simply did not catch on as Beats had hoped, partially due to its excessive checklist value of $300 (and like with the AirPods Max, the Lightning-to-3.5mm is an optionally available Bluetooth headset accent that prices $35, which is ridiculous).
Accessible in a number of coloration choices, the noise-canceling headphone is supplied with six microphones, two of that are beamforming mics designed to hone in in your voice whenever you’re making calls or speaking to your voice assistant (Apple’s H1 chip is on board for always-on Siri).
Skullcandy’s Riff is the non secular successor to the Grind Wi-fi, which I preferred for the cash. Accessible in a number of coloration choices, it retails for round $50 and has puffy, pillowlike ear cups that make these comfy headphones for an on-ear mannequin. It additionally has nice sound for its value, with open, detailed sound high quality and plump bass that is comparatively well-defined. My solely gripes about its ear cup design are that the highest would not function a padded headband (on the crown of your head) and it feels somewhat low-cost, with no metallic elements. That stated, it is good and lightweight and has a dual-hinge that permits the headphone to fold up and fold flat. No carry pouch is included. Battery life is rated at solely 12 hours, however a quick cost function enables you to get 2 hours of juice from a 10-minute cost (this has micro-USB charging not USB-C).
Product particulars
Battery Life NANoise Canceling NoMultipoint NoHeadphone Kind On-ear wired headphonesWater-Resistant No IP ranking
Beats makes loads of Bluetooth headphones with excessive value tags, however its entry-level EP wired headphones are a surprisingly good listening expertise worth. The checklist value is $100, however you could find it on-line for nearer to $90 and generally much less. The EP is an on-ear mannequin that is not as swanky as Beats’ considerably forgotten on-ear Mixr, in addition to the over-ear Govt and Professional fashions. However due to its bolstered metallic body, it jogs my memory of low-frills variations of these headphones. By low-frills, I imply it is not extremely flashy and it would not fold up or fold flat for journey (it has no hinges).
I preferred the way in which they sounded and so did Steve Guttenberg, who as soon as wrote CNET’s Audiophiliac weblog. These open again headphones exhibit the traits of a very good headphone: They’re clear and open-sounding, notably for an on-ear headphone, and there is sufficient treble element to offer them some sparkle. (In different phrases: They don’t seem to be extremely dynamic.)
The bass is somewhat accentuated — that is Beats in spite of everything — however it’s not bloated or boomy. There’s sufficient bass right here to fulfill a low-end audiophile headphone lover however not a lot to show off somebody who’s on the lookout for a extra balanced, neutral-sound high quality in a headphone.
Accessible in three coloration choices, there’s nothing terribly fancy concerning the Edifier WH500 on-ear headphones. However they’re light-weight and comparatively comfy for on-ear headphones and sound first rate for the cash. These do have a companion app, so you’ll be able to improve the firmware and customise their sound (there are some EQ settings to mess around with). Battery life is rated at as much as 40 hours, and the headphones work simply nice as a headset for making calls (they work properly, simply not exceptionally so).
Extra headphone and listening picks
