The 8 Best Over-Ear Headphones - Summer 2021 Reviews

The best wireless over-ear headphones that we've tested are the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless. These impressively well-built headphones are equipped with a fantastic active noise cancelling (ANC) system. It does a great job of blocking out a wide range of ambient noise, from the low rumble of bus and plane engines to high-pitched sounds like humming A/C units.

They have a bass-rich default sound profile that brings extra thump and rumble to mixes, and if you prefer a different sound, you can customize it with a graphic EQ and presets in their companion app. They're also very comfortable, thanks to their well-padded earcups, and they have a very long continuous battery life of roughly 37 hours. They have low latency when you connect to iOS and Android devices via Bluetooth, and they support multi-device pairing.

Unfortunately, their integrated mic doesn't have the best overall performance. It can make your voice sound thin and muffled and struggles to separate your voice from background noise, so your voice could be drowned out by noise if you're talking on the phone somewhere like a busy street. Otherwise, they're a great choice if you're looking for versatile, customizable over-ears with ANC.

The Sennheiser HD 800S are the best headphones for audiophiles that we've tested. These open-backs are very well-built and comfortable, with spacious earcups, so you can use them for long listening sessions without a lot of fatigue. They're an excellent choice for neutral sound, and you don't need to worry about running out of battery, thanks to their wired design.

They have a neutral sound profile that should suit a variety of music genres. Because of their open-back design, they have a fantastic soundstage that sounds spacious and natural. They have very consistent bass and treble delivery, so their sound delivery doesn't vary for users who wear glasses or when you position them differently on your head.

However, they lack some low-bass, like many headphones with an open-back design, which may bother fans of genres like EDM and hip-hop. Their open-back design also means that they leak a lot of audio, and like most over-ears, they aren't intended to be portable. That said, they're among the best audiophile headphones we've tested and a great choice for listening to music at home.

The Razer Opus Wireless are the best headphones under $200 with an over-ear design that we've tested. These well-built and comfortable headphones offer an excellent overall price-to-performance ratio. They also have an outstanding noise isolation performance, thanks to their ANC system, and can block out the low rumble of bus or plane engines as well as office chatter well.

Out-of-the-box, they have a very accurate and neutral sound profile suitable for a variety of audio content. If you like to customize their sound to your preferences, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets. They also have over 32 hours of continuous battery life, which should get you through long days at the office or on your trip without having to pause to charge them up again.

Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device pairing. Their integrated mic also struggles to separate your voice from ambient noise around you, and you may get drowned out if you're talking in a noisy environment like a busy street. That said, these headphones have a powerful ANC, versatile sound, and comfortable, well-built design that's sure to please most users.

The best over-ear headphones under $100 that we've tested are the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless. These headphones have an ANC system that can be set to three different levels, depending on what type of noise you're trying to block out. We haven't tested all three settings, but when set to 'Transport' mode, they do a fantastic job of isolating you from a wide range of noise.

They're well-built and lightweight, with a comfortable fit. Out-of-the-box, they have an excited, v-shaped sound profile that brings extra thump, rumble, and boom to mixes, while vocals and lead instruments are present and bright. If you prefer a different sound, they work with a companion app that gives you access to a graphic EQ and presets, so you can customize it to suit you. Their battery provides roughly 44 hours of continuous playback, and in a pinch, you can use them passively with the included audio cable.

However, they leak a lot of sound, so if you use them to listen to music at high volumes, it could bother people nearby. They're also less breathable than many over-ear headphones that we've tested, and their bulky design makes them not very portable. On the upside, they come with a hard carrying case to protect them from minor bumps and splashes when you're on the go.

The Plantronics BackBeat Go 810 Wireless are the best budget over-ear headphones that we've tested. Out of the box, these over-ears have a neutral default sound profile that's suitable for most audio content. If you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a couple of EQ presets so that you can adjust them to your liking.

These headphones have a comfortable and lightweight fit that's stable enough to stay on your head during moderate movement. They last roughly 24.5 hours continuously and have a standby mode to help you conserve battery life when you're not using them. They also support passive playback, so you can use their 1/8" TRS cable to receive audio if you run out of battery, and they can be paired with up to two devices at a time, which makes it easy to switch between your smartphone and laptop.

Unfortunately, while they have an ANC, it struggles to cut down bass-range noise from bus or plane engines, and it does an okay job of blocking out office chatter. Some users have also reported that their model's headband cracked or broke with continuous use. That said, if you're looking for a wallet-friendly pair of over-ears, they have a comfortable fit and a neutral sound that should please most users.