Are you looking for good headphones? Can’t decide whether to buy on-ear or over headphones? Want to know both their pros and cons? Read this article!
When was the first time you started wearing headphones? Ever since we were children headphones were the cool gadgets we wanted to have. We could listen to music on them all day long, hand them around our necks while traveling. We did not care much about On-ear vs. Over-ear Headphones .
As we grew up we started noticing the difference between them. The sound quality, appearance, one fully covered the ears and the other was on top of it. Some of us started preferring on-ear ones, while others preferred over-ear ones. If you are having a tough time choosing which one to get, read our article on on-ear vs. over-ear headphones.
Substantial differences between On-ear Vs. Over-ear headphones – On-ear vs. Over-ear Headphones
As you know on-ear headphones will sit on your ears, and are smaller and lighter. They are easy to carry and pack inside your bag. Their ambient noise levels are limited and people stated that they find it easier to carry or wear it while walking on the streets.
Among all the other headphone types, on-ear headphones are the most popular type of headphones. However, on-ear headphones allow sound to reach directly into your ears. This can be a problem for people who tend to wear headphones all day, as they can get headaches or feel a sharp jolt in their ears now and then.
On the other hand, over-ear headphones cover your entire ear and produce low ambient noise. This is pleasant in crowded environments such as bus stations, public transport, and so on.
However, due to their size you will find it difficult to carry them around in your bag or stuff them inside your coat. Over-ear headphones do not send sound directly inside your ears. You will find them satisfying, their sound quality pleasant, and you can wear them all day long.
Technical differences between On-ear vs. over-ear Headphones
Noise Insulation – On-ear vs. Over-ear Headphones
On-ear: Noise insulation refers to how well a headphone can prevent sound from leaking in and out of the ear pads. While listening to music you would not want your music to escape into your surroundings and cause noise pollution.
Nor would you want sound from the environment to reach your ears. The ability of your on-ear headphones to cancel external sound varies from brand to brand. Some brands have great noise cancellation features.
Although most on-ear headphones do not come with actively tailored noise isolation features. You will find many on-ear headphones designed in a curved manner to make them reject external noise. Budget is a factor, if you want active noise cancellation features in-built you will have to go for a good brand with a higher price.
If you opt to settle for a basic on-ear headset and are simply looking for headphones to wear while working near a factory with loud machinery, or near a heavily crowded place, on-ear headphones would not be a perfect choice.
Over-ear: However, over-ear headphones are designed to cancel out external noise. Most of the over-ear headphones come with an active noise cancellation system which helps them to reject all noise from the background environment.
This samples the air with additional pair of microphones and uses it to play-back the sound out. The waveform is inverted and removes all the background noise leaving the listeners with crystal clear high definition audio. These are a great pair if you want to wear them at any crowded place.
Comfortability – On-ear vs. Over-ear Headphones
On-ear: On-ear headphones do not cause sweating as much as over-ear ones. As a result, they do not irritate your ears or cause your headphones to slip out. Their ear pads are made with soft leather, faux leather, or synthetic components and materials that do not harm your ears.
They are light and flexible and you can re-adjust their position over your ears however you like. Velour earpads are very popular, they are spongy, has a nice texture, and soft. On-ear headphones with velour earpads allow them to worn for long hours.
Over-ear: You may find over-ear headphones to be very comfortable or highly uncomfortable, it all depends on you. If you prefer headphones that will completely cover your ears and transmit sound all over and not directly into your ear you will prefer these.
Most over-ear headphones come with thick padded earplugs and headband and balance its weight on top of your head evenly. Although, their fully cupped pads may make your ears sweaty and cause the pads to slip away.
In terms of material quality and texture, you do not have to compromise. Over-ear headphones are a bit more expensive than on-ear ones and so do not compromise its appearance, material, and user comfortability over budget. You will find them flexible with adjustable headbands.
Sound Quality – On-ear vs. Over-ear Headphones
Sound quality is also limited by your budget for both on-ear and over-ear headphones. You will have to extend your budget if you are looking for on-ear headphones that have amazing sound, deep bass and other features. On average, both types have decent sound, satisfactory bass levels, and you can enjoy them regularly without any major interruptions.
Although, they do range from basic models to the most sophisticated quality. The sound quality varies along with you brand and budget for your headphones. High-quality audiophile headsets have high range frequency, and ultra-high fidelity sound quality.
Battery life –
Over-ear headphones require more battery life as some of their features require higher power. Most on-ear headphones have a battery life of 23-30 hours, while over-ear headphones last 15-20 hours.
However, battery life also depends on daily usage and for how long you charge them. Wireless headphones have a shorter battery, whereas, wired ones do not require any charging. Although headphone batteries lose lifespan as a crystalline layer accumulates inside it slowly especially due to overcharging,
Bottom Line
Hope you got a clear idea from our on-ear vs. over-ear headphones from our article. Get the best one for you and enjoy music at your heart’s content.
You can also read : Mic Picking Up Headphone Sound: Most Effective Solution