Satara Shoppers: Best over-ear headphones 2020: the best-sounding headphones you can buy

The best over-ear headphones are still hands-down the best style of headphones for comfort, audio quality and soundstage. You might like the style and convenience of the best earbuds on the market, but despite huge advances in audio tech, there are still clear benefits to a chunky pair of headphones that cover your whole ears.

Over-ear headphones could also be a better option for your ear health than in-ear headphones models, putting a bit more distance between those loud tracks and your eardrums. If safeguarding your hearing is important to you, that’s another reason to look for a pair of over-ears.

When it comes to audio performance, it’s hard to beat the best over-ear headphones. That’s because the best over-ear headphones you can buy right now have the largest drivers and come in both open-back and closed-back variations – the former offers an almost concert hall-like feel to your favorite music that’s as close as you’ll get to watching it live.

A good pair of over-ear headphones doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice on style. Sure they tend to be much bigger than other models, but there are wireless options to choose from, like the Philips PH805, the Sony WH-1000XM4, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7, and the Sennheiser PXC 550-II. However, old-school cool is still very much in too. Take a look at the brilliant Audeze LCD-1 and Cleer Next for proof that wired headphones are still among the best you can buy for both sound quality and looks.

It’s an exciting time for audio tech. Our latest entry to this list, the Sony WH-1000XM4 lived up to all our expectations and more, with Sony adding cool new features to the XM3s. And, if rumors are to be believed, 2020 could be the year we'll see the first-ever pair of over-ear Apple headphones – and that could really shake up the headphones market, just as the Apple AirPods have taken over the world of true wireless earbuds.

We’ve selected a number of over-ear headphones for our guide below, including wired models for those that don't want to cut the cord. Looking for something more specific? Make sure you check out our dedicated guides to the best noise-cancelling headphones and the best wireless headphones, too.

[Update: Following two Covid-19-related delays, Record Store Day 2020 is finally here. This year, the event is being split over three dates; August 29, September 26, and October 24 in a bid to adhere to social distancing guidelines across the world.

There will be plenty of fantastic records to get your hands on, with release from The Big Moon, Charlie XCX, Christine and the Queens, Tyler the Creator, and more. There are plenty of older releases to look forward to as well, with vinyls from the likes of David Bowie, The Cure, and Bob Marley and the Wailers to look forward to.

Be sure to check out the best Record Store Day deals we've found, with discounts on everything from turntables to over-ear headphones.]

Our top picks

1. Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro

Professional headphones that know how to have fun

Sturdy and comfortable

Breathtaking resolution

Slightly recessed mids

Highs can be fatiguing

While Beyerdynamic may not be as well known as its German brother, Sennheiser, the audio company has a history of creating some of the best-sounding audio gear on the market – the company’s DT770, DT880 and DT990 over-ear headphones were renowned for their excellent build and sound quality.

Above them all, however, stands the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro, an open-back version of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, a headphone which won our Editor’s Choice for its imaging, design and value for the money. Both headphones are priced the same ($599, £589, AU$1,159), so you won’t find a deal picking up one over the other. The difference here comes down to sound.

As they’re open-back, the DT 1990 Pro are meant to be used at home or in the studio for serious analytical listening. Sound is able to get in and out but the good news is that the open-back design gives you the DT 1990 Pro a great sense of space. Soundstage is quite wide, too, allowing even the most lackadaisical listener to pinpoint the exact location of where each instrument is playing.

If you've been searching for a pair of the best over-ear headphones that are used by some of the world's leading audio engineers, these are them. (Check out our review of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro too for a closed-back version that's a little more socially friendly.)

Read the full review: Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro

Are you heading back to school soon? Check out the best headphones for students for great-sounding cans suitable for a student budget

2. Sony WH-1000XM4

The best all-rounders

Improved noise-cancellation

DSEE Extreme audio upscaling

Multipoint pairing

Not water-resistant

It's almost unfair to stick them in the same category as the more critical listening-focused over-ear headphones, but the Sony WH-1000XM4 are the best all-around headphones we've heard since, well, the Sony WH-1000XM3.

Not only do they sound great and pack excellent noise cancellation, but they manage to do this all wirelessly.

Other over-ear headphones on our list offer superior sound quality, sure, but the WH-1000XM4 manage to offer the best balance of features and performance.

While they don't look significantly different from their predecessors, a number of new features including multipoint pairing, DSEE Extreme upscaling, conversational awareness and auto-play/pause using a built-in sensor all help the WH-1000XM4 claim the title of best headphones in 2020.

Offering all of this without a serious price-premium over the competition means the Sony WH-1000XM4 are a great all-around choice for on-the-go music listeners.

Read the full review: Sony WH-1000XM4

The best Sony headphones of 2020

3. Sennheiser HD 800

The Sennheiser HD800 is the headphones fit for kings

Sounds simply superb in every way

Beautifully balanced

Incredibly detailed

Undeniably expensive

The fourth entry on our list of the best over-ear headphones could hav easily been the first if they didn't cost well over $1,000/£1,000. The Sennheiser HD 800 are, hands down, some of the best-sounding pairs of over-ear headphones on the planet, affectionately praised by inner circles of audiophiles the world over. When paired with the proper hardware, they sound absolutely excellent – balanced in every way.

Unfortunately, they're supremely expensive and require more audio equipment than the average consumer is ready to buy. Should you find yourself in need – or, let's be honest, in want – of amazing over-ear headphones, these are them.

Read the full review: Sennheiser HD 800

4. Audeze LCD-1

Affordable audiophile headphones

Direct, detailed sound

Super comfortable

Well-made build

Sound leakage

With the LCD-1 open-back headphones, Audeze has brought its uncompromising technology down to a real-world(ish) price. As long as you are prepared to do your listening in splendid isolation – that design will generate some sound leakage – there’s just no reason to overlook these over-ear headphones.

The LCD-1s’ overall presentation, no matter the material you’re listening to nor the volume at which you’re listening, is composed, engaging and entirely believable. Listen to music you’ve never heard before and you’ll never doubt you’re being given the full picture.

Listen to music you’ve heard a thousand times before and there’s every chance the LCD-1's will find some nuance in there you’ve never really heard before.

Read the full review: Audeze LCD-1

5. Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Wireless Headphones

Strong all-rounders

Best-in-class sound quality

Competitive battery life

Robust Bluetooth connection

Earcups don't collapse

If you’re looking for class-leading wireless, noise-cancelling headphones and you're not put off by the $399 / £349 / AU$600 price tag, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 are well worth considering.

With sophisticated noise-canceling, much-improved sound quality, a honed aesthetic, the PX7 could give any of the over-ear headphones on this list a run for their money.

Plus. they're packing aptX Adaptive for improved stability and latency between the headphones and your device, as well as high-quality (24-bit) streaming aptX HD brought to the table.

6. Philips PH805

Premium wireless headphones without the premium price

Well made

Good battery life

Punchy, controlled, and detailed sound

Noise cancelation could be more effective

At $199 / £160 (around AU$290) the Philips PH805 offer exceptional value for money. These are wireless over-ear headphones, using Bluetooth 5.0 for connectivity – so high-resolution audio playback should be achievable.

Using a single Lithium-Ion cell for up to 30 hours of playback time from a single charge, the Philips PH805 have active noise cancellation on board, administered by a couple of mics on each earcup.

Read more: Philips PH805 review

7. Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019)

Over-ear headphones that don't skimp on the smart features

Brilliant audio quality

Cool design

Battery life isn’t great

More expensive than rivals

In terms of audio quality, these Sennheiser over-ear headphones sound fantastic, with high levels of detail, warm bass, and natural-sounding highs.

Customizable noise cancelation is a great touch, but it doesn't quite reach the class-leading standards set by Sony and Bose. Battery life also doesn't compete with the Sony WH-1000XM3s, and they're more expensive to boot.

So, why buy the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019)? Well, if built-in Tile tracking appeals to you, and you like the industrial design and premium materials of the Momentum Wireless, that could be reason enough – and if you do opt for them over the Sony model, you won’t be missing out on any audio quality. In that respect, they’re truly matched.

Read the full review: Sennheiser Momentum Wireless (2019) review

sennheiser px 550 ii — (Image credit: Sennheiser)

8. Sennheiser PXC 550-II

A subtler alternative to the Momentum Wireless

Judicious sound

Good battery life

Subtly premium looks

Struggles on trebly recordings

The build, battery life, and sound quality of the Sennheiser PXC 550-II are all very impressive, upgrading the previous PXC 550 model with the latest Bluetooth standard and enhanced audio and smart capabilities.

The PXC 550-II over-ear headphones are a bit cheaper than the Momentum Wireless, a bit more sober in appearance and definitely not as big, with a sophisticated sound.

Read more: Sennheiser PXC 550-II review

9. Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless

Incredible audio fidelity backed by a serious price

Excellent build quality and comfort

Detailed and spacious sound

Sounds just as good wired

Not ideal for travel

The Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless are the best-sounding wireless headphones you can buy, period. Sound is spacious, detailed, and makes you want to rediscover your music library. Their bulky design and average noise isolation make them terrible for travel but if you’re looking for the best sound from a pair of over-ear headphones, this is it.

Read the full review: Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless

10. Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Class-leading noise cancelation, but not the best battery life

Outstanding noise cancelation

Fun, lively sound

Elegant design

Battery life could be better

They may not beat the Sony WH-1000XM3's battery life and price, the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are still a fantastic pair of over-ear headphones.

By applying noise cancelation on both music and phone calls, they offer class-leading technology, and well as a vibrant, lively sound and wide, well-balanced soundstage.

If you’re trying to decide between buying the Sony WH-1000XM3s and the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, we’d recommend going for the former because of that lower price and better battery life.

That being said, you wouldn’t be making a mistake if you opted for the Bose cans instead (and we wouldn’t blame you if you did) – they sound great, look stunning, and the noise-cancelation is out of this world.

Read the full review: Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

11. V-Moda M-200 Studio Headphones

Great sound, built like a tank and very customizable

Excellent balance

Exceptional build and materials

Not wireless

Clamping force is excessive

The V-Moda M-200 is the apex of what wired headphones can be. Although it’s 2020 and wireless headphones are much more convenient, there are still those who prefer a corded experience. That includes professionals like music producers, DJs, and video editors. Even some audio enthusiasts and gamers prefer a wired headphone for its reliability.

The design of the M-200 is classic V-Moda: the earcups retain the brand’s signature hexagonal, angular design and the build quality is excellent with a mix of plastic, aluminum, and sweat-resistant PU leather.

Yes, the M-200 are expensive but they’re worth it for its sound quality, resolution, build quality, and unique customizable plates.

12. JBL Tune 750BTNC

Quality noise-cancelling headphones for a great price

Good sound quality

Strong active noise cancelation

No waterproofing

Average battery life

JBL is a popular name in the world of headphones and Bluetooth speakers, and rightly so. Solidly dependable, consumers know what to expect from the brand – decent sound quality for a decent price.

That's what we found with the JBL Live 650BTNC last year – and now, ready to take their place are the JBL Tune 750BTNC, a superior successor to the 650BTNC's as a high-spec and well-priced set of over-ear headphones.

The JBL Tune 750BTNC sound great, look great, and they fit well. Reliable and easy to use, you might miss waterproofing and a few minor features – but at this price, it feels foolish to complain too readily.

Read more: JBL Tune 750BTNC review

13. Focal Stellia

Luxury headphones, luxury price

Stunning, precise sound

Open soundstage

Comfortable

Extremely expensive

The Focal Stellias sound absolutely fantastic. Their wide-open soundstage and detailed, accurate sound treatment means they make any genre of music sound brilliant.

If you listen to songs you think you know inside out, the Stellias' precise separation of the frequencies means that you will probably hear details you’ve never noticed before.

So why didn't they make the list? Well, we included them as a bonus option because they're incredible. But they're very, very expensive.

They're $3,000. And as good as they are, therein lies the problem: the Focal Stellias are prohibitively expensive for most people, at 10 times the price of our current favorite headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM3s.

If you like the sound of these luxury headphones but can't justify the price, check out our initial hands-on review of the new Focal Elegia. They may not sound quite as breathtaking as the Focal Stellia - at least that’s what we gathered from a short listening session – but the Focal Elegia headphones are still very impressive.

Read the full review: Focal Stellia review

14. Shure AONIC 50

Shure has finally joined the wireless noise-cancelling party

Expansive, convincing sound

Sturdy construction

Good ANC

No touch controls

The Shure AONIC 50 sport a wireless, active noise-cancelling over-ear design, selling at a premium price to compete with the likes of the Sony WH-1000XM3 and Bose NC 700 Headphones.

Ultimately, while you won't find every feature under the sun here, the Shure AONIC 50 are laser-focused on delivering the best sound-quality of almost any noise-cancelling headphone – securing them a place among the best over-ear headphones for audiophiles.

Read more: Shure AONIC 50 review

microsooft surface headphones 2 — (Image credit: Microsoft)

15. Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

Warm sound and great noise cancellation

Warm, wide soundstage

Great controls

Sound could be more detailed

Slightly boring look

The Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 are the tech giant’s second pair of noise-cancelling headphones, and they offer a ton of great improvements over the original Surface Headphones, while retaining some of their best qualities.

In spite of those improvements – which includes a longer battery life and a more comfortable design – the Surface Headphones 2 are considerably cheaper than their predecessors, making them the obvious choice if you’re trying to choose between the two.

That lower price also makes them a great alternative to the best headphones of 2020, the Sony WH-1000XM3, especially as they’ve retained the winning design features of the original Surface Headphones, with built-in dials on each earcup to control your music and the active noise cancellation.

What to look for

Over-ear headphones: what to look for

Other buying guides

- Best headphones

- Best on-ear headphones

- Best earbuds

- Best wireless headphones

- Best true wireless earbuds

- Best wireless earbuds

- Best noise-cancelling headphones

- Best swimming headphones

- Best running headphones

- Best Sony headphones

- Best Bose headphones

- Best Audio-Technica headphones

To make things easier for audiophiles, this guide focuses on sound quality above all else.

When buying over-ear headphones, sound quality is the most important feature to look out for – the more expensive, the better your cans tend to sound, although there are quite a few impressive exceptions to this rule.

How you define good sound quality depends on your personal taste. Do you like a warm, well-rounded sound, or do you prefer ultra high-fidelity that allows you to hear every single detail of your music? Are you a dedicated bass head or a classical music junkie?

If you're all about that bass, you'll want to look out for dynamic drivers that displace lots of air, leading to a bassy soundstage. If detail is everything, look for large frequency ranges – 20Hz to 20 kHz is the standard, so anything larger than this may allow for more detail in the highs and lows.

It's also important to consider the soundstage as a whole; if you love a wide, open sound, try a pair of open-back headphones. Worried about sound-leakage when you're in the company of others? Try a pair of closed-back cans with a secure fit to stop your tunes bothering the people around you.

As we mentioned, there are a few wireless and noise-canceling headphones in this list – that's because the sound quality of these models is exceptional. Many over-ear headphones come with these quality-of-life features these days, although they're often pricier than their wired counterparts – if you can't live without these modern conveniences, make sure you're buying headphones with the latest Bluetooth technology and active noise cancelation.

Design is also hugely important, as a good pair of over-ear headphones need to be comfortable for long listening sessions – look out for padded earcups and headbands in materials like memory foam for ultimate comfort.

Best over-ear headphones at a glance:

Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro
Sony WH-1000XM4
Sennheiser HD 800
Audeze LCD-1
Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Wireless Headphones
Philips PH805
Sennheiser Momentum Wireless
Sennheiser PX 550-II
Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless
Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
V-Moda M-200 Studio Headphones
JBL Tune 750BTNC
Focal Stellia
Shure AONIC 50
Microsoft Surface Headphones 2

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Satara Shoppers

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Best over-ear headphones 2020: the best-sounding headphones you can buy