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If you want to get the best sound out of a pair of wireless headphones, then you'll be looking for the best over-ear headphones. There are plenty of options out there as well, so it can often feel daunting if you want some new headphones — which is why we've constructed this list.
My favorite pair of over-ear headphones are the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3, which feature excellent noise canceling, great sound quality, and a comfortable fit. There are loads of other options as well, and we've made this list as easy to read as possible so that you can find which ones are going to suit your needs.
Article continues belowAbout the author
I maintain Tom's Guide's buying guides for headphones, wireless earbuds, Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, and more. I have spent more than 20 years testing audio equipment for my own enjoyment, and was previously the audio editor for iMore. There's nothing more I love than jamming out to my favorite tunes on audio equipment of different prices and sizes.
The best over-ear headphones you can buy right now
Best over-ear headphones overall
✅ Excellent noise canceling: The PX7 S3 step it up from the S2e with noise canceling to rival Sony and Bose.
✅ Great sound quality: There are no headphones that sound as good as the PX7 S3 for the price.
✅ A comfy fit: Excellent padding and lovely materials make for a supremely comfortable fit.
❌ Some features are coming soon: Spatial audio and more features are yet to come as software updates.
❌ They're expensive: They're slightly more than the previous generation of headphones.
The Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S3 are my favorite pair of headphones for some time, making a big jump from the previous model (that you'll also find on this list). They're not just a jack of all trades, with a definite focus on sound quality. They also manage to excel across the board with some very impressive noise-canceling and features.
It's the sound that really sets them apart, though. They're very well-balanced, with excellent bass response to match exacting detail at the top. There's depth for miles, and a soundtrack that feels wide and super immersive. Instrument separation is very good as well, with each element of a track easy to place in the mix. You can use the useful EQ to dial in the sound as well to really get the best out of the headphones. There are going to be very few people disappointed with the cans.
There are plenty of features too, although there are some that are yet to arrive in software updates, like spatial audio. Battery life is good at 30 hours with ANC on, and the physical controls are excellent.
They're an attractive pair of headphones as well, with a unique look and style. There aren't any headphones for the price that I like more.
Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
Audio Quality | ★★★★★ |
ANC | ★★★★★ |
Design | ★★★★★ |
Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
Price | ★★★★☆ |
- Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review
Best value over-ear headphones
✅ Great price: Coming in at just $199, and even less over deals events, they won’t break the bank.
✅ Great sound: They bring a balanced sound profile that sounds great for a range of different genres.
✅ Lovely style: They’re a cool-looking pair of comfortable headphones that look unlike anything else around.
❌ No case: They only come with a fabric bag, rather than a protective hard case.
❌ Non-tactile buttons: The physical controls feel a little gummy, which can make them harder to use without looking.
Soundcore’s Space One are the brand's most expensive pair of headphones — and they still only come in at $199. That’s not even mentioning the prices they can drop to during deal events. For the price, you get some excellent-sounding and looking headphones, which pack in loads of great features that make them a more compelling than even some of the more expensive competition.
The sound is great, with loads of low-end impact to keep you bouncing along with your tunes. LDAC for Android users means they can handle higher-quality audio streams as well, and the audio hardware inside is built to keep up with the increased demand. There’s a little fuzz, but they’re also not expensive headphones — you can’t expect sonic perfection.
ANC is very solid, keeping the noise of the outside world at bay without any kind of wobbles or issues. The battery life is very good, with 40 hours on tap with ANC turned on and 60 hours if you choose to turn it off. Their soft padding makes sure you can wear them for long periods, and the folding mechanism means they don’t take up much space. There’s nothing better for under $200.
Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
Audio Quality | ★★★★★ |
ANC | ★★★★☆ |
Design | ★★★★☆ |
Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
Price | ★★★★★ |
- Read our full Sennheiser Accentum review
Best noise-canceling over-ear headphones
✅ The best noise canceling, bar none: There's nothing better to keep the noise of the outside world at bay.
✅ They're incredibly comfortable: Thanks to plush foam and a lightweight design, they're a very comfortable pair of cans.
✅ Solid sound quality: They're rich and warm, for a very relaxing sound.
❌ They're expensive: They're still more expensive than the Sony flavored competition.
❌ They don't look very new: The design is identical to the first generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.
Just as their predecessor, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 are the best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy today. They take what was already excellent noise canceling and make it even better with some improvements to the algorithm. Put them on your head, press the ANC button, and everything melts away with an orchestral sweep. Combine that with extra battery life — 30 hours instead of 24 — and you've a worthy successor to some of the best headphones around.
Sound quality is fine, although some might lament the lack of high-end representation. No matter — you can add a little in the app with the EQ. They're supremely comfortable and come with a great protective case to keep them safe when you put them in your rucksack. The first generation are still a great option, mind you, and you'll often find them at great prices if you look around at deals events. Still, if you want the very best, then you'll want to get the newest pair.
Want to save some money on your next pair of Bose headphones? Be sure to check out our Bose discount codes for the latest deals.
Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
Audio Quality | ★★★★★ |
ANC | ★★★★★ |
Design | ★★★★★ |
Battery life | ★★★☆☆ |
Price | ★★★☆☆ |
- Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones Gen 2 review
Best over-ear headphones for battery life
✅ Monumental battery life: The battery will last you for 70 hours with the ANC turned on.
✅ Comfortable fit: Excellent, soft memory foam cocoons your ears for long periods of time.
✅ Excellent sound: Top-notch, Rockin' Marshall sound.
❌ They're a little creaky: There are some spots that feel slightly less robust than others.
❌ Devisive design: Some won't like their retro, rock n roll styling.
Marshall's headphone division has come on in leaps and bounds since its first headphones, and the Monitor III are a stunning statement of intent about what we can expect from the future of the brand. They've got an attractive look thanks to the amp makers' style history, which oozes a retro rock n' roll cool that will resonate with many, and put others off. They're supremely comfortable thanks to significant investment into their earcup foam, and they sound as good as you'd hope a legacy brand to produce.
But it's the battery life that really leaves a lasting impression. The Marshall Monitor III have the best battery life of a pair of ANC headphones bar none, with 70 hours of noise-canceling battery life on tap to keep them going for a long time. If you want even more staying power out of your headphones, there's 100 hours of life available if you turn off the noise canceling. That's nearly a week's worth of constant listening, and it shows the more expensive competition just how much juice you can eke out of a pair of headphones. My testing showed that battery life was pretty spot on, with my headphones lasting around 71 hours with ANC on and music playing at mid-volume.
ANC is good too, and while the Spatial Audio component, called 'SoundStage', isn't incredible, it's an interesting implementation of the technology that works with any streaming platform. It's all topped off with an excellent, compact hard case that's lined in a kind of red velvet stuff — just like a guitar case. It's the little things. I loved the Marshall Monitor III when I gave them a test, and I think most other people will as well.
Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
Audio Quality | ★★★★★ |
ANC | ★★★★☆ |
Design | ★★★★★ |
Battery life | ★★★★★ |
Price | ★★★★☆ |
- Read our full Marshall Monitor III review
Best wired over-ear headphones
✅ Stunning audiophile sound: The're warm and detailed in equal measure — a sonic powerhouse.
✅ Sumptuous build: They're built out of wood and other exotic materials for a premium feel.
✅ Comfy fit: Light and airy is the name of the game.
❌ They're very expensive: They cost the same as much or more than fully-featured wireless alternatives.
❌ They're wired: What for some is a positive is a negative for others; you don't get ANC or the convenience of wired headphones.
Meze makes some of the most impressive wired headphones around, at a very wide range of prices. At the bottom end of the price scale (for Meze, at least) are these: the wonderfully wooden 99 Classics gen 2. They’re the latest version of the brands original headphones, so it had to get them right — and it got them very, very right.
Wired headphones live and die by their sound quality, and the 99 Classics gen 2 sound superb. They’re effortlessly detailed and controlled, with the closed back enclosures making sure that they’ve got plenty of low-end. The mids are very well-rounded indeed, and the bass extension is top-notch. There are slightly better options if you want a wider soundstage — these are closed back, after all — but they’re some of the best sounding wired headphones for the price.
The package around that sound quality is lovely too. The headphones look the business, and come with a useful protective case for travel. The removable cable means that they’re going to last a long time (and you can change it out for more premium options). They’re also super comfortable thanks to lightweight construction and a very cool self-adjusting headband.
Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
Audio Quality | ★★★★★ |
ANC | N/A |
Design | ★★★★★ |
Battery life | N/A |
Price | ★★★☆☆ |
- Read our full Meze 99 Classics 2 review
Best luxury over-ear headphones
✅ Luxury build and feel: Made out of some of the most sumptuous materials, the Px8 S2 feel like the Rolls Royce of headphones.
✅ Stunning sound: Easily some of the best-sounding wireless headphones that you can buy.
✅ Solid battery life: Their battery life lasts for just as long as the competition.
❌ Very expensive: They cost $700 for one of the most expensive options on the list.
❌ Noise canceling not quite as good as the competition: There are better options if you want to block noise.
The PX8 S2 pick up where the PX8 left off, making Bowers & Wilkins top shelf headphones a true tour de force of over-ear luxury. They're made out of some of the most attractive and premium materials you'll find in the medium, with leather and metal all over the place. Then they pack them with cutting-edge audio tech, like tighter drivers that are more responsive than the old model for sound that takes everything else to school.
About the only place they fall is ANC — it's not quite as good as its peers. Instead, you get stunning sound quality and a supremely comfortable fit. All that leather makes them soft around your ears, and a good clamping force means they don't need to hang on your head. The sound quality can only be described as magical, bringing dynamic bass and crisp highs for an epic wireless audio experience that I've not experienced elsewhere. They are very expensive, however, making them harder to justify than the also excellent PX7 S3. If you're looking for something luxurious and you've got the dough for it, then there's little that comes close to the PX8 S2.
Test | How it stacks up |
|---|---|
Audio Quality | ★★★★★ |
ANC | ★★★★☆ |
Design | ★★★★★ |
Battery life | ★★★★☆ |
Price | ★★★☆☆ |
- Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 review
Also tested...
At Tom's Guide we test a lot of over-ear headphones, but not everything can make it into our buying guides. Whether that's down to better performance or stronger features from rival models in a particular category and price, some miss ranking in this list by the slightest of margins. With that in mind, these models are strong contenders and great alternative considerations.
How to choose the best over-ear headphones for you
Things to consider before you buy
1. Design: When shopping for headphones, you’ve already narrowed things down massively by deciding on a pair of over-ear cans specifically. But there can still be much variation in the design of individual pairs, so you should still look out for factors like the headband shape or the amount of earcup padding to judge how comfortable they might be. Don’t be afraid to pass on headphones you don’t like the aesthetics of, too.
2. Sound quality: This is clearly important. You can read more about how we test this below, but you should consider whether you’d prefer a balanced sound or once that favors a particular part of the frequency spectrum — electronic fans might prefer heavy bass, for example. That said, several over-ear headphones have mobile apps that let you tweak the EQ to your liking.
ANC technology can compress sound and reduce dynamics, which may affect audio performance when turned on. In some cases, you’ll notice a background hiss when listening to music. However, the best noise-cancelling earbuds limit these disruptions to deliver full, crisp sound.
3. Battery life: Think about how much battery life you’ll need as well. Over-ear headphones can deliver anywhere between about 20 and 60 hours of playback so you should never need to recharge too often, though naturally longer is usually better. Keep in mind that ANC will reduce battery life when it’s turned on, as it needs to permanently power the onboard microphones.
4. Pricing considerations: Obviously, price is a big consideration when looking for the best over-ear headphones. Although there are always exceptions, big-name brands will typically command a bit extra, but generally speaking, the less you spend on a pair of headphones the greater the chance that sound and features will be compromised. Going for a budget option isn't always the best choice, as any money you save on your purchase won't do you much good if you're constantly needing to recharge your audio gear, or the sound quality is poor.
As the saying goes: timing is everything; and right now many of our favorite models are being discounted by online retailers, meaning you can bag a bargain for even less. Bookmark our best headphone deals page to keep track on the latest discounts. Additionally, check out our guides to the best Anker discount codes, Bose coupon codes, and Apple promo codes.
How we test the best over-ear headphones
We thoroughly test every pair of headphones based on a variety of factors, and employ a consistent testing approach so any comparisons with other pairs are trustworthy and fair. Over-ear designs also do a good job of reducing the external noise of your surroundings, and our extensive tests show that this kind of passive noise isolation is very effective at minimising disruptive background noise even before you've switched in any active noise cancellation (ANC) tech your chosen model may have.
In this case, every pair of over-ear headphones has been used over the course of a week for 2 hours at a time. This allows the tester to both gauge the sound quality across a mix of genres and volumes, and to see how comfortable the headphones are when worn for extended periods. We’ll listen to hip-hop, rock, jazz, classical, pop and more to see how each pair performs, and will do the same with movies, podcasts and games, where applicable. Find out how we test and try out demo tracks for yourself in our guide to getting the best headphone sound for you.
We also test the effectiveness of features like noise-cancelling in real-life situations, and will make sure manufacturer claims about battery life and Bluetooth range are accurate. Build quality, the ease of setup and any control schemes — including those involving an app — will also be judged.
We rate over-ear headphones with a 5-point system (1 = worst, 5 = best). Products that excel in one or more particular fields that's rated 4 stars or above may also receive an Editor’s Choice award.
Find out how we test for more information on our reviewing procedures.
Meet the testing team
Nothing strikes fear into Erin's heart like the dreaded public-transport-without-music, so she doesn't go anywhere without a pair of earbuds or headphones. She looks for headphones that can shut out the rest of the world and let her be a little music nerd in peace, as well as those cans she can wear for hours and hours without discomfort.
I test over-ear headphones by pushing battery life to the limit, analyzing performance across genres, and value for money. I listen to music almost throughout the day and I play the guitar and bass, so I know how to determine whether a set of cans reproduces sound well or not.
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