Headphones come in many differentdesigns but fall into four distinct types: over-ear, on-ear, earbuds, and in-ear.
Eachtype of headphones has its advantages and disadvantages, which affecthow well-suited they willbe in certain environments and conditions. The kind of headphonethat will work best for you depends on your preferences and listening habits. If you're wondering what headphones you should get or what's the difference between on-ear and over-ear headphones, keep reading.
Over-Ear
Plantronics Backbeat Pro
What are over-ear headphones?Over-ear headphones typically have thick headbands and large ear cups that fully encompass the ears.
Who should buy over-ear headphones?Listeners who want an easy-to-achieve comfortable fitand don't mindthe larger headphone size.
See our best Over-Ear Headphones
On-Ear
Sennheiser MM 450-x
What are on-ear headphones?On-ear headphones are usually morecompactthan over-ear designs.They have smaller ear cups that rest on theears and also slightly less bass.
Who should buy on-ear headphones?Listeners who want a decently comfortable fit in a morecompact design.
See our best On-Ear Headphones
Earbuds
Bose QuietComfort 20
What are earbuds?Earbuds are small,ultra-portable headphones with earbud tips, that rest at the edge of the ear canal.
Who should buy earbuds?Listeners who want an ultra-portable designandfind an in-ear fit uncomfortable.
See our best Earbuds/In-ear Headphones
In-Ear
Monoprice Enhanced Active
What are in-ear headphones?In-ear headphones are also ultra-portable with small earbudtips, which are inserted into the ear canal.
Who should buy in-ear headphones?Listeners who want an ultra-portable design andare comfortable with the in-ear fit.
See our best Earbuds/In-ear Headphones
The different types of headphones are compared based on comfort, portability, noise isolation, leakage, and sound. This comparison, however, does not take into account the open-back variations of these headphones. Check ouropen vs closed article to see which enclosure type will be most suitable for you.
| Headphone Types | Correlation | Over-ear | On-ear | Earbuds | In-ear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort | Strong | Great | Good | Mediocre | Poor |
| Portability | Strong | Poor | Mediocre | Great | Great |
| Noise Isolation | Moderate | Good | Mediocre | Poor | Great |
| Leakage | Moderate | Poor | Mediocre | Good | Great |
| Sound | Weak | - | - | - | - |
Comfort
Over-Ear
Great comfort
On-Ear
Good comfort
Earbuds
Mediocre comfort
In-Ear
Poor comfort
Comfort is a headphone’s ability to provide a physically pleasant listening experiencewhich does not cause soreness or pain over time. Comfort is subjective and will depend on the listener’s ability to achieve the intended fit for the type of headphone they have chosen.
Results: Over-ear headphones are typically the most comfortable design. They are easy to wear, usually well-padded and do not apply as much tension to your head as on-ear models. The in-ear design, on the other hand, applies pressure directly to the ear canal, which depending on the listenercan be a very uncomfortable listening experience.
Earbuds do not exert tension in the ear canal or on the head making them somewhat comfortable. Unfortunately, a good fit is difficult to achieve. As for on-ear, they are easy to wear and moderately comfortable, but they apply pressure on the earsto maintain a stable fit. This can get uncomfortable and cause listening fatigue quicker than over-ear headphones.
Winner: Over-Ear
Runner-up: On-Ear
Learn more about comfort
Portability
Over-Ear
Poor portability
On-Ear
Mediocre portability
Earbuds
Great portability
Portability refers to the ease of transport of the headphones’ design. This means the volume of space the headphones take once folded and carrying optionsprovided for transportation. Carrying options such as cases and pouchesdepend on the headphone manufacturer and therefore are not included in this comparison.
Results: In-Ear and earbudsare the most portable types of headphones. Their smallsize makes themeasy to carry in pockets or bags. On the other hand, over-ear headphonesare a lot bulkier and occupy a larger volume of space than all other designs even if some models fold up for easier transport.On-ear headphones have varying sizesbut are more compact and easier to carry than over-ear headphones.
Winner: Earbuds and In-Ear
Runner-up:On-Ear
Learn more about portability
Noise Isolation
Over-Ear
Good isolation
On-Ear
Mediocre isolation
Earbuds
Poor isolation
In-Ear
Great isolation
Noise isolation is aheadphones' ability to isolate you from the outside world by blocking or canceling the ambient noise that seeps into your audio.For noise isolation, only passive isolation is considered for this comparisonas the efficiency of active noise canceling is entirely dependent on the manufacturer.
Results: From our tests, In-Ear headphones provide the most passive isolation. The seal that the in-ear design provides is efficient at blocking high-frequency noise. However, the fit may be difficult to achieve. Earbuds are the worst performers in this category not filling the ear canal like in-ear and not having enough surface area to prevent ambient noise from seeping into your audio.
Unfortunately, the better passive seal of in-ears also means there's a risk of potentially damaging your inner ear, especially if the in-ears have a long cable that can get hooked on something and yank the buds out of your ear canal. You can check the discussion thread below for more information.
On-Ear vs Over Ear: Over-Ear headphones are second best at providing passive isolation, being able to block a decent amount of ambient noise without active cancellation. On-ear headphones, on the other hand, do not perform as well. The typically smaller ear cupsrest on the ears and do not always create a great seal. They are slightly better than earbuds because they have more surface area but not as good as in-ear or over-ear designs.
Winner: In-Ear
Runner-up:Over-Ear
Learn more about noise isolation
Leakage
Over-Ear
High leakage
On-Ear
Mediumleakage
Earbuds
Low leakage
In-Ear
Low leakage
Leakage is the sound that escapes the seal of the ear cups or earbuds. Loud leakage can be distracting to the people around you at high volumes.
Results: Our test results show thatIn-ear headphones are the least likely to leak, their size allows the small drivers to be directly placed into the ear canal and also needs less power to achieve the same perceived loudness. Not much sound escapes if a good seal is achieved. Over-ear headphones, on the other hand, have big driversthat can get quite loud. If the seal is not great, they will easily leak a wider range of frequencies than all other types of headphones. Leakage is worse with open back variations. It is encouraged in the design of the headphonesto achieve a better soundstage.
Earbuds also have small drivers that do not sound loudat a distance. Therefore, leakage is not very high. On-ear headphones typicallyhave less leakage than over-ear modelsbut leak more than earbuds due to their larger drivers and sometimes poor on-ear seal.
Winner: In-Ear
Runner-Up: Earbuds
Learn more about leakage
Sound
Over-Ear
On-Ear
Earbuds
In-Ear
Sound quality has a weak correlation with the type of headphones. This means the quality of the sound will dependmoreon the model you choose than on the type. A great pair of earbudswill sound better than mediocre over-ear headphones and vice-versa.
Although there is no direct correlation to sound quality, the design of headphones can sometimes improve certain aspects of sound, likesoundstage, frequency response and total harmonic distortion. Bigger drivers can usually produce better bass and large open-back earcupsoften have a more spacious soundstage. Harmonic distortion can also be affected by driversize but like the other sound components, it will dependmoreonthe model you choose.
Learn more about sound quality
Conclusion
Over-Ear Headphones are idealifyou are looking for comfortable headphones and don't mind the larger size. They typically block a decent amount of ambient noise but may leak more than the other designs, which could disturb the people around you. Check our recommendations for the best over-ear headphones.
On-EarHeadphones are ideal for listeners who want a good level of comfort but in a more compact format than over-ear headphones. However, they are usually mediocre at blocking noise and often leak quite a bit of sound. Check our recommendations for the best on-ear headphones.
Earbuds are ideal for the listeners who want an ultra-portable design that's easy to carry in a purse or pocket and don't find the fit of an in-ear headphonecomfortable. Theydon't leak much sound and won't disturb the people around you. Check our recommendations for the best earbuds.
In-Ear headphones are ideal for listeners who want an ultra-portable design and are comfortable with the in-ear fit. They block a substantial amount of ambient noise and don't leak much sound. They are perfect for use in an office or a library.Check our recommendations for the best in-ear headphones.
Sound quality varies from headphoneto headphone. Although some aspects of sound are affected by the headphone'sdesign, there is no strong correlation. Sound quality will dependmoreon the headphones you choose rather than the type.
