On-ear headphones offer a good mix of portability and full-bodied sound, particularly for those who cannot stand earbuds inside of their ear canals. On-ear headphones earpads sit against the outside of your ear without fully encompassing it, letting you have some amount of spatial awareness without the isolation that over-ear headphones invariably bring with them. This makes them perfect for public use so that you can remain aware of what’s going on around you. Here are some on-ear headphones available on Amazon, chosen based on their features and specifications.
The Beats Solo Pro Wireless is a premium wireless on-ear headphone that is instantly recognisable. It features high-quality ANC for the times you want to block out ambient noise and a transparency mode that lets you stay aware of your surroundings. A mic picks up external sounds, and the headphone mixes them into your music so that you can enjoy your tunes and still listen to the outside world. The Apple H1 chip inside makes pairing it with iOS, iPadOS and macOS devices ridiculously easy. The Beats Solo Pro Wireless offers up to 22 hours of playback time with ANC or Transparency mode on and a whopping up to 40 hours without it. What’s more, a 10 minutes Fast Fuel charge can provide up to 3 hours of listening when you don’t have time to charge it completely. If you own Apple devices or like premium headphones, the Beats Solo Pro Wireless should be high up on your list.
The AKG N60NC are closed-back, on-ear headphones that intend to fulfil your travel needs. The unit comes with a sturdy, compact and on-ear build making the experience more natural and less heavy on the ears. They also have a surprisingly effective quality of active noise cancellation. AKG is synonymous with headphones giving a decent heavy base which can be expected in N60NC along with the iconic AKG signature sound. The headphones also guarantee around 15 hours of battery life.
PX5 is a combination of art and sound engineering. The build feels extremely comfortable with attention to commuting behaviours, the unit feels easy to remove and sits flexibly around the neck. The comfort quotient is surprisingly high with a light headband and leather memory foam earcups. Adaptive noise cancellation comes as a boon with options to choose different noise cancellation settings that suit the ambience. Rocking a power back-up of 25 hours, this pair of headphones is well-suited for travellers.
The Koss Porta Pro has an old school aesthetic that is sure to evoke nostalgia. The extremely lightweight construction makes it comfortable, while the foldable design makes it ultra-portable. The headphones come with a carrying case included in the box. The Porta Pros feature a Comfort Zone slider by which you can customise the fit to your liking and the swivel hinges. Despite their diminutive size, these headphones pack quite a punch in the audio department. They produce clean and clear music with excellent detail retrieval and are sure to make you jive along to your favourite tunes as you go about your day. If you are looking for an ultra-portable headphone that doesn’t compromise on sound at a wallet-friendly price, the Koss Porta Pros are worth picking up.
The Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless features a clean, understated and minimalist design, making it look sleek and tidy. It is built with premium materials that are made to last, such as matte steel arms and genuine leather on the headband and earcups. It features an intuitive three-button control system that lets you answer calls, play and pause your music, change the volume and even pull up your virtual assistant without having to dig out your phone. It pairs with a Smart Control app on your phone to let you choose between three different noise cancellation modes and tweak the sound to your liking with the built-in equaliser. The headphone comes with an attractive carry case to carry your folded headphone in. With NFC for quick pairing, it offers up to 17 hours of playback time. If you are looking for a well-built pair of headphones that can take more than a few knocks and tumbles, the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless is a great choice.
The ATH-M60X is a reference-grade on-ear headphone that looks very chic and understated. It is built with ample amounts of metal and high-quality plastic; hence a few tumbles won’t affect their sound quality. The sound signature is reference-grade, meaning that no frequency is overly emphasised, and you can hear all parts of your mix clearly, although there is a tasteful bump in the lower frequencies to let you enjoy your thumpy bass. The protein leather earcups feel cool and comfortable against your ear and apply the right amount of pressure for isolation and comfort. The ATH-M60X comes with a screw in 6.3mm adapter, three detachable cables and a carrying pouch in the box. What’s more, they are backed up with a solid 3-year warranty, so that in the unfortunate incident that something goes wrong, you are covered by the manufacturer. If you enjoy reference-grade sound, the Audio-Technica ATH-M60X should be a serious option.