9 Of The Best On-Ear Headphones You Can Buy In 2026 – SlashGear

Most people gravitate toward over-ear headphones to enjoy quality noise cancellation and a more comfortable, secure fit. But before you assume these kinds of headphones are the best option for all your music listening needs, there are some factors to keep in mind. Do you have smaller ears? Is portability important for you? Do you want quality headphones without going over your budget? If you say yes to any of these questions, it may be prudent to check out on-ear headphones instead.

These headphones rest on your ears, instead of surrounding them entirely. This may seem uncomfortable, but this design makes for a lighter, more portable device that can be carried around easily. As long as your ears aren’t so large that any pressure on them becomes way too uncomfortable to deal with, the best on-ear headphones from major brands could strike just the balance between comfort and sound quality you’re looking for.

Using the same 45-millimeter drivers as seen in the ATH-M50x, the $239 Audio-Technica ATH-M60x is a good option for users who want to enjoy dynamic, engaging sound output. According to professional reviews, bass, treble, and the mid-range are clear and detailed, making these headphones apt for both casual and studio use. It’s a lightweight device at just 7.7 ounces, but headphonecheck found that the headphones’ loose fit makes them prone to slipping off in the gym or during a jog. Buy dedicated exercise headphones instead of using your usual pair in this situation. The slim design also doesn’t inspire too much confidence when it comes to the ATH-M60x’s durability, so try to avoid these drops.

The headphones also come with lots of accessories audiophiles will appreciate, and their wired nature will be appreciated by anyone who hates the two most common problems with wireless headphones: lower sound quality and high audio latency. Depending on your preference, you can attach one of three cables that come with the package to foster this connection. There are two straight cables with lengths of roughly 4 feet and 10 feet, along with a coiled cable that can be adjusted to fit within this range. All of these come equipped with a 3.5-millimeter connection, but you can also attach a ¼-inch jack to use it with professional studio equipment. There’s also a carry pouch to safeguard this device when you pack it for your travels.

The Sony WH-CH520 is on sale for $58 — lower than the listed price of $69.99 at the time of writing. Reviews mention that the bass response of these headphones is rich, and the mid-range frequencies do justice to the vocals of your favorite tracks. A battery life of 50 hours — as stated by Sony — is also great for people who are a bit forgetful when it comes to charging their electronics. Even if the battery life runs out, all you need to do is plug in this headset for just three minutes to enjoy a playback time of 90 minutes.

With the Sound Connect app, you can adjust the equalizer, download firmware updates for your headset, use the helpful multipoint feature to connect these headphones to two devices at once, use a hearing test to adjust the headphone’s audio output, and access controls for music playback and volume. That being said, these controls are also present on the headphone itself — the right earcup houses buttons that can be pressed to adjust volume or held down to play the next track in your playlist. As is the case with most on-ear headphones, multiple outlets have made it clear that comfort is secondary. TechRadar also found that noise isolation isn’t great, although these are caveats that anyone in the market for on-ear headsets should expect. However, the lack of a 3.5-millimeter jack may be harder to stomach.

$229.99 is definitely pricey, but the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 does its very best to justify it. Build quality is one area where this headset shines, courtesy of the durable aluminum frame, leatherette earcup padding, and cables that are insulated with fabric. The Aviator-esque design of these headphones lends itself to an eye-catching, retro-modern aesthetic. The 630mAh battery helps this headset run for more than 60 hours. This is no mean feat, although expect the device’s runtime to reduce to around the 40-hour limit when you use active noise cancellation (ANC). While this noise cancellation is great for an on-ear device, multiple professional reviews note that its effectiveness is nowhere near that of over-ear ANC headphones.

For all its perks, one area where these headphones may not be worth it is sound quality, if reviews are to be believed. The bass is pretty good, but a narrow soundstage means that audio output isn’t as dynamic or immersive as you’d want. Sound accuracy is another area where these headphones are middling at best. Thankfully, the Beyerdynamic app provides you with enough options to customize the audio experience as you see fit. Aside from the EQ adjustments and an ANC toggle that is par for the course when it comes to these companion apps, you can also adjust the functionality of the multifunctional button on the headset, use Low Latency mode, choose how the LED backlight operates, and adjust the automatic shutdown time.

Don’t assume that the $199.5 Beats Solo 4 can only work properly with Apple devices after the company was taken over in 2014. Sure, this device’s ability to connect to both your iPhone and Apple Watch at once is great, as is its support for spatial audio with head tracking and hands-free Siri, but Android devices aren’t getting the short end of the stick. Google Fast Pair will make connecting a breeze as long as you download the Beats app. Multipoint Bluetooth pairing is also supported for Android devices, and you can  use Find My Device to keep tabs on these headphones at all times. Battery life is another area where the Solo 4 shines, running for up to 50 hours before you finally have to plug it in.

Of course, all of this would be beside the point if the Beats Solo 4 didn’t deliver great sound quality, and reviews make it clear that the headphones are pretty good in this department. The device’s 40-millimeter drivers reduce distortion. The bass is well-rounded, and high-frequency sounds are quite crisp. Still, for all its positives, there are some exclusions to highlight regarding the Solo 4. The lack of ANC isn’t a big deal — most on-ear headphones aren’t exactly known for their noise-cancelling — but what might grate you is that there are no equalizer settings you can tinker with.

Paying $275 for on-ear headphones is not for everyone, but professional review outlets agree that the Grado GW100x delivers excellent sound to help people feel comfortable with this investment. Two 44-millimeter dynamic drivers and a frequency response of 20Hz to 20,000Hz help its mid-range performance stand out. The device’s satisfying bass and treble are also worth noting. In fact, Pocket-lint went so far as to say that this might be the best-sounding pair of Grados they’ve ever used, which is hefty praise. Bluetooth 5.2 and support for modern codecs like aptX Adaptive, AAC, and SBC make its wireless performance quite admirable. Unfortunately, reviews note that the open-back design does lead to its fair share of audio leakage, and the lack of noise cancellation isn’t great.

The weight of just 6.6 ounces makes these headphones very easy to carry around. This lightweight design might make the Grado GW100x feel somewhat cheap in your hands, but the padded metal headband and metal mesh backs make them surprisingly sturdy according to AVForums’ review. That being said, we would’ve appreciated a case to make it easier to carry these headphones around, especially since they aren’t foldable like most other on-ear headsets on this list.

Buying a pair of headphones based on their looks is not something we’d recommend, but it’s hard not to drop $129.99 on the Marshall Major V after seeing its beautiful design — namely, the faux-leather texture on the headband and earcups. The iconic brass knob is a staple across most Marshall devices and makes an appearance here as well, letting you use it to turn the device on, adjust volume levels, and take phone calls. Sound quality is no slouch either, according to reviews, with the Marshall Major V’s rich-sounding bass, clear high-frequency output, and powerful vocals making it a great option for audiophiles. Clearly, the 40-millimeter drivers pull their weight in this department.

What will truly blow your mind is the Major V’s 100-hour battery life, which easily outclasses any other device on this list. The support for Bluetooth 5.3 and LE Audio is much welcome, and multipoint connectivity lets you switch between multiple devices on the fly. As is the case with most on-ear headphones, there’s no ANC to speak of. The Marshall app lets you adjust the EQ and access a bunch of modes, although Louder noticed that it can be a bit janky and has a tendency to drop connections.

At $495, the Grado Hemp’s cost alone may make it unappealing for the people who prefer on-ear headphones for their budget-friendly nature, this pair of headphones has a bunch of things going for it. The hand-made earcups combine hempwood and maple for a look that is undoubtedly unique. Digital Trends mentioned that this finish feels a bit rough, but that’s a minor gripe. If that wasn’t enough, there’s a metal mesh finish on these open-back headphones, and the headband is covered with leather for enhanced comfort — a point noted by multiple reviews. TechRadar noted that this design will inevitably lead to a fair bit of sound leakage, so try to keep the volume at manageable levels in the workspace.

What about the sound quality, we hear you ask? Well, if reviews aren’t enough, the Grado Hemp’s insistence on wired connections makes its priorities clear. The 44-millimeter dynamic drivers and a frequency range of 13Hz to 28,000Hz are great. The soundstage is massive and helps you appreciate every instrument in your favorite music tracks, and — as the wide frequency range should make quite apparent — audio detail is great across everything from low- to high-end frequencies. A weight of just 7.7 ounces makes it easy to carry around, although TechRadar highlighted some discomfort after wearing these headphones for long sessions — an Achilles heel of most on-ear headphones.

At $47.49, the Creative Sound Blaster Jam V2 is the cheapest pair of on-ear headphones on this list. It’s also the lightest, weighing in at just 2.9 ounces. This is courtesy of its all-plastic build, though that also raised concerns regarding sturdiness ins GadgetGuy’s review. As long as you keep your expectations in check and accept that these headphones aren’t going to last you for years and years, the Sound Blaster Jam V2 could be a decent pick when choosing one of the best headphones under $50.

Gaming Nexus praised the 32-millimeter Neodymium drivers, which make mid- and high-range frequencies sound pretty decent. The bass is apparently also quite admirable for the cost, but keep in mind that the overall audio quality of these headphones will be a step below the other on-ear devices on this list. Support for all Qualcomm aptX codecs is another positive, and the convenient support for a USB DAC connection will let you use these headphones while charging them. This may be a bit unnecessary, however — a 10-minute charge is all it takes to keep these headphones chugging along for four hours, and keeping it plugged in for 90 minutes is enough to fully charge the device.

For $90.76, the Edifier WH500 is an affordable pair of on-ear headphones. It comes with two 30-millimeter dynamic drivers that do a good job of enhancing the device’s sound quality, according to multiple reviews. For its price, the audio clarity is quite pleasing. Props must be given to its clear treble output, impactful bass, and solid mid-range. As long as you don’t expect the same level of quality as headphones that will set you back three figures, you’ll be pleased by what the WH500 has to offer. A reliable Bluetooth 5.2 connection with multipoint support — the perks of which we’ve discussed multiple times — helps ensure connection stability while lowering audio latency.

A weight of 6 ounces and padded earcups make for a comfortable pair of headphones to wear. For people worried about blasting their ears with high volumes, the Edifier WH500 also comes with hearing protection that caps output at 85 decibels. The 350mAh battery boasts up to 40 hours of music playback, and the device also supports fast charging — plug this device in for just 10 minutes, and you should get enough juice for two more hours of listening. Do expect a bit of sound leakage from this device — as discovered during the tests carried out by Controller Nerds — but this shouldn’t be a big deal as long as you don’t play your music at full blast in public.

All on-ear headphones on this list have high review scores — 4 out of 5, 8 out of 10, or 80 out of 100 and higher — across three or more online publications. These outlets include audio-sound @ hatena, Controller Nerds, Rapid Reviews UK, Savage Reviews, CNET, Louder, Gaming Nexus, GadgetGuy, Jabba Reviews, Headfonics, TechRadar, EFTM, Digital Trends, Root-Nation, headphonecheck.com, T3, What Hi-Fi?, Stereoindex, Pocket-lint, AVForums, TechWeLike, The Guardian, HiFi Oasis, SoundGale, Trusted Reviews, MusicRadar, and Sonarworks.