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What Hi-Fi?
What Hi-Fi?
Technology
Joe Svetlik

On-ear vs over-ear headphones: which is better for noise-cancelling, the gym, kids and more

Grado SR80x headphones placed on Ruark R2 Mk4 radio on yellow table.

Headphones come in all different styles, but one of the biggest misconceptions is that there's no difference between on-ear and over-ear headphones. They're both very different to earbuds, but that doesn't mean they're the same. Far from it.

On-ear headphones have become less popular in recent years, with manufacturers preferring to focus on over-ear models. But there are still plenty of on-ear options available – the Sony WH-C520 is an excellent wireless headphones choice, while the Austrian Audio Hi-X50 and Grado SR80x are superb for fans of wired models.

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