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The best headphones feature the best technology. If you’re looking into the best over-ear headphones, you will undoubtedly come across noise-canceling models. To ensure you get the best style for your lifestyle, it’s best to compare in-ear vs. over-ear noise-canceling headphones. That way, you can be confident in the amount of ambient noise your model of choice blocks out.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Comparing these two styles of headphones comes down to a few major categories, especially where noise cancelation is concerned. You can also compare in-ear vs. over-ear headphones in terms of health to help decide which option is better suited to you. If you decide that over-ear models are what you want, try looking into the leading closed-back headphones to find your perfect match.
Insider Tip
The AirPods Pro is an excellent pair of wireless earbuds offering active noise cancelation at a reasonable price range.
Active noise cancelation refers to the efforts of your earbuds to block out ambient noise using microphones and speakers. In this round, over-ear headphones are your best bet due to their superior technology. Ensure you aren’t using active noise cancelation where it could be dangerous, like jogging in the street. For an avid runner, it’s worth comparing running with headphones vs. earbuds.
You can think of passive noise cancelation as your headphone structure’s “unintended” benefit. Essentially, it is the noise blocking that comes from physical characteristics. Over-ear headphones are victorious because of the seal they create between your ears and the outside world. Earbuds might create a seal, but it’s not as complete as over-ear models. You can also look into earmuffs vs. noise-canceling headphones if you want to put headphones to the test.
Warning
Listening to any sound at too high a volume will damage your hearing, but you have to be particularly careful with earbuds because they channel sound directly to your eardrum.
Finally, we look at the overall sound quality. This is because the sound quality is always impacted by active noise cancelation. You can focus entirely on the music and hear it as clearly as possible. In this round, you’ll find over-ear headphones are in the lead. This is thanks to their larger size, which creates more room for better technology in terms of speakers and drivers. If you’re looking for a little more research, try comparing neckbands vs. over-ear headphones.
STAT: Skullcandy, a U.S.-based consumer electronics company, is the market leader in the low-cost wireless headphone market, accounting for 13 percent of total unit shipments. (source)
