Best on-ear headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s round-up of the best on-ear headphones you can buy in 2023.
The best on-ear headphones are a good middle ground between in-ears and over-ears; they don't burrow in your ears like the former and tend to be more portable (and less hot to wear) than the latter. As the name suggests, these unburdensome designs perch on your ears rather than covering them completely, which is a look you might prefer or find more comfortable – especially if you want headphones as opposed to earbuds for exercise.
While on-ear headphones used to be prevalent in every headphone manufacturer's lineup, today there are fewer pairs around compared to the larger over-ear designs. Thankfully though, prominent headphone brands such as Sony, Sennheiser, AKG, Grado and new-kid-on-the-block Austrian Audio are keeping on-ears alive with a pair or two in their arsenal.
- Prefer over-ears? Here are the best over-ear headphones on the market
How to choose the best on-ear headphones
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
When choosing the best on-ear headphones, you'll want to ask yourself what features are important to you. Is Bluetooth wireless headphones a must? Do you want active noise cancellation too?
Then there's the question of what style you are after. Open-backed pairs (such as the Grados below) deliver wonderfully open sounds, but they leak the music like nobody's business and are therefore often limited to at-home use only. Closed-backed pairs (like the majority you'll see below) don't leak sound much and are therefore more commute-friendly and won't annoy people around you.
You should also consider how portable they are. Most pairs can physically fold up to fit in a pocket or small bag, and some are so light you could forget you have them on you. We'd always suggest checking out the fit in a shop if you can – not least if you're looking for on-ear headphones to workout in.
Finally, you need to decide on a budget. Thankfully, our pick of the best on-ear headphones contains something for everyone...
The HD 250BT might not feature any luxury design flourishes, but they're a good-sounding, durable and truly likeable set of budget wireless on-ears.
That's not to say the spec is bare. Features include Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX Low Latency, a 25-hour battery life, app support and Sennheiser’s beloved-of-DJs transducer tech.
The build is a black plastic affair, but it is functional and solid and features the firm’s traditional S-in-a-rectangle white branding on each ear cup. Said earcups are nicely padded, although note that the headband is not particularly.
When it comes to sound, the HD 250BT sound a good deal more musically detailed, agile and rhythmically gifted across the frequencies than one might expect given the eye-popping price tag.
All in all, the HD 250BT are a superb budget buy – and a great way to experience what Sennheiser is capable of, without breaking the bank.
Read our full Sennheiser HD 250BT review
The SR80 have spawned many variants within the company’s Prestige Series in the three decades since, and the fact that they are still a part of the all-new Prestige X Series makes them the longest-running Grado model. The all-new SR80x succeed the 2014-released, multi-What Hi-Fi? Award-winning SR80e from the previous Prestige E Series – and are Award winners themselves.
Everything we like about their predecessors – their nimble-footedness, expressive, rolling dynamics, and insight across well-defined frequencies – has been inherited, and the punch and panache that have made the Prestige models such born entertainers are very much also part of the SR80x’s sonic signature. These are far from rich or even warm in tone, but an extra generous sprinkling of refinement this time round has made their forward, clinical presentation all the more palpable.
Grado hasn’t torn up its own rulebook and revolutionised its legendary headphones, because it hasn’t needed to. But the tweaks made to the SR80x have certainly added value in the right direction. At this money, the SR80 model remains the finest in the market.
Read our full Grado SR80x review
Scoring highly across all categories, these impressive on-ear wireless headphones are durable, stylish and decent-sounding – and now one of the best value wireless pairs you'll find thanks to their huge price cut. The Sennheiser 250BT above take them for sound quality, but we reckon more people will like the look of these AKGs.
They're small enough to squeeze into a pocket, yet sound spacious, rhythmic and detailed. A button on the ear cup connects you to your smartphone's voice assistant, and the Y500 automatically pause music when you slip them off. These old timers (we reviewed them in 2018) have now been superseded by the company's Y400, but they actually have better availability and a more attractive price right now. With rich features, strong battery life and great controls, the Y500 remain superb all-rounders. If you want to bag a bargain, we'd act quickly before these disappear from the shelves altogether.
Read our full AKG Y500 Wireless review
The Prestige range of headphones has been at the core of Grado’s output since it was first introduced three decades ago. While the series has developed over the years, Grado has always done so in small evolutionary steps. The story remains the same for this new ‘x’ generation.
Put the range-topping SR325x next to its immediate predecessor (the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning SR325e), and there’s little to separate them, apart from the new flatter foam earpads, updated cable and lighter coloured stitching on the firmly padded headband. Still, the difference is in the listening: the SR325x sound notably cleaner and clearer than their predecessors.
These headphones have always been detailed and articulate performers, and that hasn’t changed, but the ‘x’ generation sounds that bit more precise and insightful.
These Grados once again prove that evolution is arguably a more reliable way of making things better than a headline-grabbing design revolution. The best just got that bit better. Still What Hi-Fi? Award winners, then.
Read our full Grado SR325x review
Austrian Audio may not be the most interesting of names for a new hi-fi manufacturer, but the people behind it are ex-AKG employees and some of the most experienced in the industry. And that maturity shines through in its Hi-X50 on-ear headphones.
While there’s a tendency to favour analysis over enthusiasm, it’s never taken far enough to be called unemotional or clinical. If you want to hear deep into the recording and track subtle instrumental strands, these cans do it better than almost anything else we’ve heard at this level (certainly if we stick to closed-back rivals).
At this price, there’s little to criticise when it comes to dynamic expression and low-frequency punch either. The Hi-X50 simply get on with the job with little fuss.
If you’re looking for well-designed wired on-ear headphones for portable or domestic use, these Austrian Audios should be right at the top of your shortlist.
Read our full Austrian Audio Hi-X50 review
The Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBTs are the Bluetooth version of the M50x wired headphones we gave four stars to around four years ago. This Bluetooth version behaves and performs in much the same way as that tethered stablemate – and that is pretty much a positive thing across the board.
They’re not overly analytical or neutral in their presentation of music like the Austrian Audios above, but they make for an enjoyable, comfortable listen, which is what many of us want from a pair of headphones.
All in all, you get a fair amount for your money here.
Read our full Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 review
These wireless Urbanistas are among the best-value on-ear headphones at this very modest price. They combine the bass boost of a street headphone with the kind of smoothness that should appeal to audiophiles – and we can't say that of many style-conscious budget wireless headphones.
They're tuned for impact rather than neutrality, with plenty of low-end thump, but if that's your thing they will do you proud. And it's not all bass: the mids are unexpectedly smooth and the treble pleasingly sweet. A very appealing all-rounder, and not just because of the price tag.
Read our full Urbanista Seattle Wireless review
The combination of wireless headphones and an open-backed design doesn't sound too clever, and there are times when we're out and about with Grado's GW100 that we find they don't really make sense.
Yet, away from planes, trains and cars we're impressed by the GW100's excellent sound. They're more articulate and insightful than just about any closed alternative. And through the supplied cable, which is sadly bereft of an in-line remote, the delivery is much the same – just blessed with a small extra dose of refinement and subtlety that serves as a reminder that wired is, ultimately, still the way to go if sound quality is paramount.
If you can cope with the open-back compromises there's just so much to like here.
Read our full Grado GW100 review
How we test on-ear headphones
We have state-of-the-art testing facilities in London, Reading and Bath, where our team of experienced, in-house reviewers test the majority of hi-fi and AV kit that passes through our door.
Of course, testing on-ear headphones doesn't often require such facilities. What is important in our headphones reviewing process is that each pair is compared to the best in its price and style class – whether that's one standout pair or a few we favour the highest among the 100+ pairs we listen to each year for reviews and What Hi-Fi? Awards judging. As What Hi-Fi? is all about comparative testing, we keep class-leading products in our stockrooms so we can always compare new products to ones we know and love, allowing us to gauge how good a pair is in the context of the wider market.
We are always impartial and make sure we hear every product at their very best, so we'll try plenty of different types of music and give them plenty of listening time (and time to run in), while the wired headphones that might warrant being used with a DAC are tested with a suitable one. It's not just about sound quality, of course. If a pair has active noise cancellation, we'll ensure part of our testing involves using them in different environments. And comfort, battery life and portability are all considered too to help form overall ratings.
All review verdicts are agreed upon by the team rather than an individual reviewer to eliminate any personal preference and to make sure we're being as thorough as possible, too. What Hi-Fi? is proud to have delivered honest, unbiased reviews for decades.
You can read more about how we test and review products on What Hi-Fi? here.
MORE:
- Our pick of the best wireless headphones you can buy
- Prefer over-ears? Here are the best over-ear headphones on the market
- And the best in-ear headphones for those after earbuds
