Are you shopping for a new pair of wireless or wired headphones? Aside from features and specs, one of the first decisions you have to encounter is whether you want an over ear model or an on ear headset. Well, picking a winner between over ear vs on ear headphones is not easy.
Both have pros and cons, making them better for different listening needs. And let’s not forget to mention that they are each suited for a different listening environment. So, how do you choose one between over ear and on ear headphones? This in-depth guide will explain the key differences and make it easier for you to choose one.
Over Ear vs On Ear Headphones: What Are They?
Before diving into the differences, it’s important to understand what over ear and on ear headphones actually mean.
First of all, over ear headphones, as the name suggests, come with padding that entirely encloses your ear. The ear cups of these headphones cup the ears and form a seal around them. As a result, you get a closed and immersive listening experience.
On the other hand, the on ear headphones have comparatively smaller pads on the earcups. Instead of enclosing your ears, the earcups of these headphones rest on your ears.
Over Ear and On Ear Headphones: Main Differences
Now that you have a clear idea about over ear and on ear headphones, let’s understand the differences between them.
Comfort and Fit
One of the first things you need to consider in terms of over ear vs on ear headphones is comfort and fit. Over ear headphones are best known for offering the best possible comfort. The large and enclosed nature of the earcups, with plus and soft padding, provides a natural fit.
The large nature of the earcups on over ear headphones provides a natural and comfortable fit, avoiding pressure points. Also, the weight gets evenly distributed over a relatively large surface area. Thanks to that, wearing these headphones for a prolonged time is pretty easy for most people.
Moving on, on ear headphones rest on your ears, which can make them pretty uncomfortable to wear during prolonged listening sessions. Also, in most cases, the headset’s weight is concentrated directly on your ear. This type of fit can make people with relatively large ears get a pinching feeling.
So, in short, when it comes to over ear vs on ear headphones, over ear headphones are the clear winner for comfort and fit.
Noise Isolation
Unless you’re not picking a pair of open-back headphones, you need to check whether the headset can deliver proper noise isolation. Without proper isolation, more of the outside sounds will bleed into the earcups, which can ruin the immersive nature of the sound.
Now, in terms of over ear vs on ear headphones, the over ear headsets offer superior noise isolation. After all, these headphones enclose your ear with a large earcup, ensuring that little to no external noise seeps in when you’re listening to audio.
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In comparison, the on ear headphones rest lightly on top of the ears, which fails to create the seal needed for proper noise isolation. This looser fit means you can hear the conversations, traffic, and ambient noises around you. As a result, it gets hard to get an immersive listening experience on these headphones.
Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
You will find ANC in both over ear and on ear headphones. However, the efficiency of the ANC will vary a lot between them. As you can guess, how well a headphone can actively cancel out the noises around you depends on how good of a seal they can provide.
Now, as over ear headphones can deliver a good seal and enclose your ears, you get a better ANC experience out of them. But that doesn’t mean the on ear headphones can’t have good ANC. After all, the seal and enclosing capability is not the only thing that dictates the noise cancellation quality.
However, the over ear headphones are relatively better in ANC, making them a perfect choice for commuters and frequent travelers.
Sound Quality
Like the other factors, the sound quality tends to differ between over ear and on ear headphones. To start with, over ear headphones can offer a much more expansive and wider soundstage. The large nature of the earcups makes them capable of integrating large drivers. And a headset with large-sized drivers can naturally offer more detailed and rich sound.
In comparison, the on ear headphones offer a more “in your head” sound as the drivers sit very close to the ears. While most on ear headphones sound quite good, the audio can feel less expansive. Also, the bass on these headphones tends to be weaker than the over ear headphones.
Portability
One of the aspects where the on ear headphones shine is in terms of being highly portable. Due to having compact earcups, it’s easy to pack them inside backpacks. In most cases, these headphones will feature a foldable design with a lightweight build, which further enhances the portable nature of the headphones.
In contrast, most over ear headphones are large in size and tend to be bulkier than their on ear counterparts. While some can fold, the large nature of the earcups can make it a bit hard for you to pack them inside your backpack.
Over Ear vs On Ear Headphones: The Winner
To conclude, over ear headphones are a clear winner if you prioritize comfort, noise isolation, sound quality, and noise cancellation. On the other hand, if you tend to carry your headphones everywhere you go, consider getting a proper pair of on ear headphones.
