Gallery: Over-the-Ear Headphones: 4 Models Tested and Rated
01basics-and-buying-advice-2
*Photo: Greg Broom* The Basics __They sound better, right?__ Right. Full-size headphones offer full-size audio quality. The larger drivers produce an expansive soundstage with richer bass. Unlike on-ear or in-ear models, these headphones are circumaural, meaning each cup surrounds the entire ear, blocking out ambient noise. They're more comfortable too. The big cups are usually padded with velvet or leather, making them better suited to marathon listening sessions. __Is that why they're used in pro studios?__ Yes, but studio headphones differ slightly from consumer offerings. Some won't plug into your mobile or laptop audio jack without an adapter, and others require more signal strength than a smartphone or tablet can crank out. Also, many high-end headphones are tuned for specialized tasks like mixing and mastering, whereas consumer models feature a sound signature that's better for all-around use. __But aren't they too big for mobile use?__ While some full-size headphones fold up or tuck into a case, they're certainly not as travel-friendly as a pair of earbuds. But if you value comfort and sound quality, the added bulk is worth it. Buying Advice Over-the-ear headphones have either open- or closed-back ear cups. Open allows sound waves to escape, for a more natural soundstage. But they also advertise your King Crimson fandom to the world. We recommend closed-back models; though more bassy, they're far better at containing sound. (If blocking external noise is your primary concern, a pair of in-ear headphones will always be better.) If you'll be using your headphones with mobile devices, buy a model with an impedance rating of between 16 and 64 ohms. Anything higher and your music may sound thin unless you use an amplifier to boost your signal strength.
02creative-aurvana-live
Creative Aurvana Live! ---------------------- There are plenty of decent closed-back headphones hovering around the $100 mark. But I haven't heard anything that hits the same of price/performance nirvana as the Creative Aurvana. Not only does this full-size headphone offer a supremely comfortable design, you'll also get fantastic fidelity that belies its ridiculously low price tag. Dissect these cans and you'll find a big part of why they sound so great -- the CAL is equipped with the same famous (to headphone geeks, at least) drivers that graced the now-defunct Denon AD-H1001, another closed-back budget-friendly headphone in the $100 realm. Like the latter, the CAL's sound manages to be exquisitely detailed and open for headphone in this price range. It's not quite as bright as the Shure, but man, if you're a fan of electronic or hip-hop music -- or anything with a synth in it -- this will definitely be your new favorite everyday headphone. My only real gripe has to do with the CAL's isolation -- there kind of isn't much of it. While they were fine for home and office listening, once out in the real world, I found a lot more unwanted sounds tended to creep into the ear cups. This is a shame, because after listening to the CAL you really will want to take it everywhere with you. It may not be clinical, but this is definitely one fun headphone. __WIRED__ Outstanding value -- can frequently be found online for $60 despite being able to pass for a headphone costing three times as much. Unbeatable comfort. Deep ear cups with a wide range of motion made these the most comfortable in the test. Manages to deliver bass o' plenty while never sounding over-blown or muddy. __TIRED__ Plastic o' plenty feels slightly cheap and fragile. Cups don't fold down for better transportation. No removable cord. $100 | [Creative Aurvana Live!](http://us.store.creative.com/Creative-Aurvana-Live-Headphones/M/B000ZJZ7OA.htm)
03shure-srh440
Shure SRH440 ------------ Shure has been a fixture in studios for decades. So it should come as little surprise that the SRH440 skews more towards a neutral tonal balance. But while the similarly signatured 280 sounded dull, distant, and tinny with certain genres of music, the Shure's sparkling highs, well-balanced mids, and tight bass translated into a much warmer, more inviting overall sound. I fed them all sorts of music -- from bluegrass to dubstep -- and couldn't find a genre that didn't spring to life on these tank-like cans. Unlike many other closed-backed headphones, bass was never bloated or overbearing. True bassheads probably won't be satisfied with the 440's impact, but if you want some approximation of accuracy plus a little extra sparkle on top, these Shures will definitely satisfy. For a closed-back headphone, imaging wasn't half bad either. Good recordings had an airiness to them that wasn't perceptible on other headphones in the roundup. The wide soundstage was even complemented by some depth too. Really, my main gripe had to do with comfort. Though the 440 travels well by folding into a compact, portable bundle, longer listening sessions were kind of painful thanks to the .85-pound heft and thinly padded headband. After an hour of listening, you become distinctly aware that there's close to a pound of plastic and metal bearing down on your dome. The ridiculously long 9.5-foot cable doesn't make these great for commuting unless you like jumping rope while you listen to music. Thankfully, the cable is detachable. __WIRED__ Well built. Decent isolation. Clean, articulate sound that hits a sonic sweet spot. Ear cups pivot and fold into a portable package. Come with detachable 9.5-foot coiled cable and travel pouch. Great value. __TIRED__ Heaviest of the bunch. Exposed driver cables made me a little nervous. Not really comfortable for more than short, hour-long listening sessions. Noise isolation not as good as the Sennheiser or Destiny. $125 | [Shure SRH440](http://www.shure.com/americas/products/earphones-headphones/headphones/srh440-professional-studio-headphones)
04sennheiser-hd-280-pro
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro --------------------- The HD 280s are a perennial favorite among budget-minded audiophiles. And listening to their balanced, flat tonal presentation you can see why. If there's any hint of coloration (anywhere), I certainly couldn't find it. That's great if you happen to be mixing an album. It's not so great if you just want a pair of general purpose cans to play some highly compressed audio files on. Granted, plenty of people love a clinical headphone. But frankly, I found the 280's pronounced lack of bass and mids a little boring and not at all suited for everyday, on-the-go listening. What's really weird is that Sennheiser markets them as DJ headphones, typically some of the most bass-forward cans you can buy. Nevertheless, you can forget about listening to (or at least enjoying) anything resembling rap, hip-hop, house or trance on these. Sonically, things did eventually better when we had the chance to fiddle with EQ and pump some FLAC files into them. But in general, it's odd to see an such an analytical headphone marketed to the masses. Other than doing a fantastic job of blocking out noise from the outside world, the headband's formidable clamping force doesn't really help matters either. For the first few days of wearing them, the 280s were supremely uncomfortable. So much so that it became painful to wear them for longer than 15 minutes. I did eventually manage to loosen things up after a week or so. Still, even with their cold, uncolored sound signature, things tended to get hot and swampy in the ear cups. __WIRED__ Goodbye outside world. Bested even the Marleys in sound isolation thanks to some seriously aggressive head hugging force. Travel- ready fold-up design. Made in Germany, but with a sound signature from Switzerland. __TIRED__ Ugg-lay! A certified head crusher—until we finally broke them in. Noticeable lack of detail at the extreme ends of the tonal range. Non- detachable 10-foot cord is a literal drag. $100 | [Sennheiser HD 280 Pro](http://www.sennheiserusa.com/professional-dj-headphones-HD-280-PRO_004974)
05house-of-marley-rock-destiny-ttr
Marley Destiny Trenchtown Rock ------------------------------ With their green, yellow, and red color schemes and extra fondness for wood and other "earthy" materials, you'd be forgiven for thinking the House of Marley line of headphones and earphones represent another attempt to cash in on a big celebrity name. You'd be wrong though. Since early 2011, the company has delivered a solid line-up of affordable, well-built, and good-sounding headphones. The TTR Destiny is no exception -- well, at least the sound and build part. As with the HOM's other headphones, bass gets plenty of extra love here. But it's not enough to make the other frequency ranges feel neglected. Treble was smooth and detailed. The mids, while slightly recessed, were never overpowered. Obviously, the Destiny's sound signature makes it a great headphone for listening to reggae, but it also excelled at acoustic and vocal performances too. It's worth noting that these can go very loud without a hint of distortion -- louder really than anyone should be listening to them. As luck would have it, the Destiny is also the only active (i.e., battery-powered) noise canceling headphone we reviewed. Not surprisingly, it's also the most expensive. While the added feature performed adequately while buzzing under the San Francisco Bay on BART, I could still make out those horrible, screeching track "ripples" with NC engaged. In fact, when compared to other snug fitting models, particularly the Sennheiser 280s, the Destiny really didn't do any better at squelching the rumble of the outside world. That's a shame because in most other respects, it's great headphone. The good news is that the Destiny's mediocre NC doesn't affect sound signature much. That's actually is good because you have no choice but to use it -- the headphones don't have a passive mode, so the noise canceling (and the battery) must be engaged in order for them to make any noise at all. Despite the perceivable hiss, the Destiny's 40mm drivers still managed to hit us with music that was full of rich bass and smooth treble. Yes, things occasionally get boomy with genres like rap, but a quick EQ adjustment makes everything irie. __WIRED__ Metal-and-leather build oozes elegance. Hard case for travel. Includes a phone-friendly 52-inch cord with a mic and couch-friendly 10-footer. __TIRED__ Spendy. Can't run them with noise canceling turned off. No auto power-off, so pack extra AAAs. $300 | [House of Marley Destiny TTR](http://www.thehouseofmarley.com/destiny-ttr-over-ear-headphones.html)
