Best over-ear headphones for 2022
While earbuds like Apple’s AirPods Pro may be the dominant headphones these days, there’s something to be said about a huge pair of around-theear headphones. These are – if you get the right pair – able to deliver bigger, richer sound than buds with excellent noise cancellation to block out external noise.
And technology hasn’t left over-the-ear headphones behind. The ones available these days are wireless and connect to your devices via Bluetooth. They also often include features like noise cancellation and microphones so you can use them to take calls or even as a gaming headset. That said, most wireless headphones – except notably the AirPods Max – include an audio cable, so a wired option is available for those seeking it. All that considered, here’s a look at three of the best headphone options that go over your ears.
APPLE AIRPODS MAX
High-end noise-canceling option
CNET take: Yes, they’re expensive, but the AirPods Max deliver richer, more detailed sound than lowerpriced competitors from Bose and Sony. They also feature arguably the best noise cancellation on the market, along with premium build quality and Apple’s virtual surround-sound spatial audio feature for video watching. While they’re heavy, they manage to be surprisingly comfortable, though we did have to adjust the mesh canopy headband to sit a little more forward on our head to get a comfortable secure fit when out walking with them. They should fit most heads well, but there will be exceptions. These are one of the best pairs of noise canceling headphones.
BEYERDYNAMIC DT 700 PRO X
Best new wired studio headphones
CNET take: We were fans of Beyerdynamic’s earlier DT 770 Pro headphones. The new DT 700 X is easier to drive than the 770 Pro, thanks to the company’s new Stellar.45 sound transducer with an impedance of 48 ohms, so it plays better with smartphones, tablets and laptops without requiring a headphone amp.
The headphone is targeted at content creators who want accurate audio reproduction, but it’s a bit more dynamic sounding and less bass shy than many studio headphones, which tend to restrain the bass and hew toward a very neutral sound profile. The DT 700 Pro X is a revealing, clean-sounding headphone that offers invitingly open sound (particularly for a closed-back headphone) and makes you realize what you’re missing after listening to similarly priced Bluetooth headphones.
The solidly built headphone – it weighs 350 grams – is quite comfortable, featuring upgraded soft, velourcovered memory foam earpads that offer decent passive noise isolation. The earpads and the headphones’ other parts are replaceable, Beyerdynamic says.
BOSE NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES 700
Strong all-around performer
CNET take: The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, the long-awaited successor to Bose’s QuietComfort 35 II model, may not be a quantum leap forward, but these headphones offer slightly better sound and noise cancellation along with top-notch headset performance for voice calls. They’re a strong all-around audio performer (some prefer their sound profile to that of Sony’s WH-1000XM4) with up to 20 hours of battery life and a more durable design than their predecessor, although the QuietComfort 35 II headphones may be slightly more comfortable.
At launch, they cost $400, but they’ve come down in price. We’ve seen the white version dip as low as $299, while the black and silver versions have hit $340.