The 7 Best Over-Ear Headphones - Fall 2021 Reviews

The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are the best wireless over-ear headphones that we've tested. These well-built headphones have a lightweight, very comfortable design. Their active noise cancelling (ANC) system delivers outstanding performance, so they can effectively isolate you from noises like rumbling engines, background conversations, and humming A/C units.

Their long battery life of about 37 hours should easily last you through a long flight or a few 9-5 workdays without recharging. Their bass-heavy sound profile adds extra thump, punch, and boom to your music, which fans of genres like EDM and hip-hop may like, but if you prefer a different sound, you can also customize it with a graphic EQ and presets in the companion app. Their latency with iOS and Android devices is low enough for streaming video on your phone.

Unfortunately, they aren't ideal for making phone calls since their integrated mic makes your voice sound muffled and thin and struggles to separate it from background noise, even in moderately noisy environments. Otherwise, if you're looking for over-ear headphones, these are comfortable, customizable, and offer an exceptional ANC performance.

The best headphones for audiophiles that we've tested are the Sennheiser HD 800 S. These high-end open-back headphones have an impressive build quality. They also have a very comfortable fit with large, spacious ear cups and soft padding, so you can wear them for long listening sessions without feeling fatigued.

These headphones offer a very neutral and accurate sound profile that highlights detail in your mixes. They can also deliver audio consistently, so you won't have to adjust their fit or position each time you use them. Their open-back design helps them reproduce an immersive and spacious soundstage that seems like it's coming from speakers placed in the room around you. They also come with a carrying pouch to help protect them from dust, an additional audio cable, and a USB memory drive, which are nice additions.

Unfortunately, they lack a bit of thumpy low-bass, although this is to be expected from open-back headphones. This design also means that they won't block out any background noise and bleed a lot of audio. Also, to get the most of these headphones, you need an amp to help power their drivers. However, if you're looking for purely audiophile headphones to listen to high-fidelity audio, they're among the best audiophile headphones we've tested.

The Anker Soundcore Life Q30 Wireless are the best over-ear headphones under $100 that we've tested. These headphones have an adjustable ANC system that you can set to better suit the kind of noise surrounding you. Using their 'Transport' mode, they can block out an outstanding amount of sound like the low rumble of bus engines.

Out of the box, they have a v-shaped sound profile that delivers intense thump and boom to mixes while vocals and lead instruments are bright. You can also customize their sound to your liking using their companion app's graphic EQ and presets. These over-ears have a comfortable and well-built design. They last over 44 hours continuously and can be paired with up to two devices at a time, which is handy if you want to stay connected to your phone and laptop simultaneously.

Unfortunately, they leak audio at high volumes, which could annoy those around you. Their over-ear design also traps in a lot of heat, and it could make your ears feel warm over time. That said, if you're looking for more wallet-friendly headphones with a customizable performance and powerful ANC, they're worth checking out.

The Plantronics BackBeat Go 810 Wireless are the best budget over-ear headphones that we've tested. While some of their color variants are found outside the budget range, you can still get their 'Bone' variant at a lower price. They offer over 24 hours of continuous battery life, which should last through long days on the go, and you can even use them passively, thanks to their included audio cable.

These headphones have a stable, lightweight, and decently comfortable fit. They're also well-suited for a variety of audio content as they have a very neutral sound profile. Although they're not as customizable as other headphones on this list, their companion app offers a couple of EQ presets to help you tweak their sound. They also support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected to your smartphone and laptop at the same time.

While they have an ANC system, they struggle to block out low-bass noises like the rumble of bus engines, which could be annoying if you commute to work. Some users have also reported that the headband of their unit has cracked or broken over time. However, if you're looking to save some money without sacrificing too much on audio quality, they're a suitable choice.