Best Over-Ear Headphones for 2024
After Aonic 50 Gen 2: Many of us like Shure’s original Aonic 50 headphones, but their noise-canceling effectiveness is pretty mediocre. Well, the second-gen version fixes that problem – the noise cancellation is much improved – Shure has more than doubled the battery life to around 45 hours (now with fast charging), and also shrunk The carrying capacity of the headset is a bit of a problem, although it’s still not that compact. These upgrades make the Aonic 50 Gen 2 top-tier noise-canceling headphones. While the Aonic 50 Gen 2 are quite heavy at 334 grams, they’re solidly built and comfortable, with nicely padded earcups. They have excellent sound quality, good clarity, and clear bass. Shure calls them “studio headphones,” so the sound profile is fairly neutral, but you can add more bass in the EQ settings in the Shure iOS and Android companion apps (using the Spatializer setting in the app will expand the sound a bit) field, but doesn’t add bass) no big difference).
Beoplay HX by Bang & Olufsen: Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HX headphones are the successor to the company’s H9 series of headphones (the ). This price makes it a direct competitor to Apple’s AirPods Max, which weigh 385 grams, while the HX weighs 285 grams. I don’t know if the HX headphones are more comfortable than the AirPods Max, but I found the two headphones to be equally comfortable for long listening sessions, and they do come with B&O’s typically stylish lambskin-covered memory foam earpads. Their sound is comparable to that of the AirPods Max – overall, it’s well-balanced, with deep, clear bass, natural mids (where the vocals are), and inviting treble detail.
V-Moda M-200: V-Moda’s M-200 are one of the few wired headphones on this list. Released in late 2019, these clean and detailed-sounding over-ear headphones feature excellent bass response and comfortable ear cups that mean they’re comfortable to wear, too. Equipped with 50mm drivers with neodymium magnets, CCAW voice coil and fine tuning Roland Engineers – yes, V-Moda is now owned by Roland – the M-200 has received High-Resolution Audio certification from the Japan Audio Association. Other V-Moda headphones tend to push the bass a bit, but this one has a more neutral profile you’d expect from a studio monitor headphone. They come with two cords, one of which has a built-in microphone for making calls. It would be nice if V-Moda provided a Lightning or USB-C cable for phones without a headphone jack. Please note that last year V-Moda released M-200 active noise reduction ($350), a wireless version of these headphones with active noise cancellation. They sound great, too, but their noise cancellation, call quality, and overall feature set are on par with the AirPods Max.
Mark Levinson No. 5909 (Currently out of stock): These are the first headphones from premium audio brand Mark Levinson, and yes, they’re expensive, at $999. But they are also very good. They have a sturdy design that doesn’t feel heavy on your head (read: they’re sturdy but not too heavy), and they’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to their nicely padded and replaceable leather-covered ear cups and headband. . read our Mark Levinson No. 5909 Hands-On.
Audio A10: The OneOdio A10 offers more than you expect for its relatively modest price, which is why they appear on several of our best lists. They’re better made than you might think, cost about $90, and are very comfortable to wear. They feature a dual-hinge design, feel sturdy, and weigh 395 grams, making them The perfect headphones for working out. They sound surprisingly good, and have pretty good noise reduction in transparency mode (however, there’s a slight hiss). The battery life of this headset is also very good. No, they’re not as comfortable as models from Bose and Sony (they do feel a bit heavy), and their sound lacks the extra clarity, bass definition, and depth that more premium headphones tend to provide. But they certainly exceeded my expectations and come with a nice carrying case, although the OneOdio logo splayed out above is a bit gimmicky.
TechnologyEAH-A800: The Technics EAH-A800 has a bit of an old-school vibe – and it’s not just the Technics brand that Panasonic has revived over the past few years. Their design is a bit retro, but these headphones are comfortable and fold and lay flat. They have a big, vibrant sound with punchy bass and good detail, although they take a day or two to break in.
