The best over-ear headphones are those that completely immerse you in sound. Their increased physical size compared to the best wireless earbuds means they can make use of larger speaker drivers, which are able to deliver sound packed with detail and definition.
And, while it could be entirely subjective, we believe over-ear headphones have the capacity to be more comfortable than earbuds, thanks to plush materials used on the headband and ear cups. Think of them as giving your head a comfortable hug.
A good proportion of over-ear headphones also make use of active noise cancellation, which is only boosted by the snug fit and encapsulating ear cups. This combination of comfort, sound and noise-cancellation make over-ear headphones ideal for travelling, allowing you to switch off from those around you on long-haul flights, for example.
And, you may not have considered it, but over-ear headphones are also generally better for your hearing health, as they aren’t pressing up into your ears like earbuds or compressing your ears like on-ear headphones will.
The list below remains largely unchanged. The Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 are fully deserving of a spot, but they're incredibly hard to come by in Australia, which is the only reason they're omitted. If you can get your hands on a pair, however, you won't regret it.
The quick list
Below you'll find a quick roundup of our choices for the best over-ear headphones in Australia. You can click to read more in-depth reviews of each pair and view the latest deals using our price comparison tool.
The best over-ear headphones overall
The WH-1000XM4s are a flawlessly designed pair of over-ear headphones that, despite now being superseded by a newer model, remain at the top of our list for their premium features and increasingly better price.
The best budget over-ear headphones
Stealing the crown from Sony thanks to great sound, excellent battery life, decent noise cancellation and a comfortable fit, they're astoundingly good value.
The best premium over-ear headphones
Excellent sound, stellar battery life and effective ANC make the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless our top pick when it comes to premium pricing.
The best mid-range over-ear headphones
Sivga's Oriole stand out not just for their distinctive geometric design and decent audio but fantastic affordability. These wired headphones are also some of the comfiest.
The best over-ear headphones for sound
For outright sound quality, coupled with affordability and value, we think the wireless planar magnetic Stax Spirit S3 are unrivalled.
The best over-ear headphones for ANC
Competition is fierce in this category, but the Bose QC Ultra headphones are the best-in-class for blocking outside noise.
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The best looking over-ear headphones
Who said over-ear headphones had to be all substance, no style? Clearly not Bowers & Wilkins. The PX8 make use of aluminum detailing encased by Nappa leather, raising the bar of high-end.
The best open-back over-ear headphones
An open-back design helps facilitate a wider, more expansive soundstage, and the wired HD-660S2 are made to bring mixing booth level quality to everyday listening. They just might not be great for the commute due to sound leakage.
The best over-ears for movie audio
The Sonos Ace aren't the most talented with music – but for movie watching, they're unrivalled. They can support Dolby Atmos spatial audio from any Bluetooth device and the ANC is great too.
The best Apple over-ear headphones
For sheer convenience, sound quality and ANC, the Apple AirPods Max certainly impress. Hi-Res Audio support and a better carry case would have been nice, but where music is concerned, they're simply outstanding.
The best over-ear headphones in Australia for 2024
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Below you can find more in-depth reviews of each choice for our favourite pairs of over-ear headphones. You can then choose to click through to the full review of each, written by TechRadar's team of audio and headphone experts.
The best over-ear headphones for most people
The Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones are getting a bit old now, and they've been replaced by the WH-1000XM5, but we still rate this solid set of cans as being the best for most people. They deliver a thoroughly impressive and enjoyable sound and a string of useful features, all wrapped up in package that is now a lot more affordable.
Other pairs of headphones may trump the XM4s in individual areas, but as an all-rounder, this pair from Sony is sensational – plus, you'd need to spend a lot more on those other pairs. We usually see the Sony WH-1000XM4 hover around the AU$350 mark, and they're regularly discounted during major peak trading shopping events.
Along with their clear, detailed and deep sound, they also offer effective noise cancellation. We do think the Bose QuietComfort Ultra at #6 on this list are more accomplished ANC performers, but we reckon most people will be satisfied by what this Sony pair can achieve.
The XM4s boast an impressive number of features such as multipoint pairing, DSEE Extreme upscaling, conversational awareness and auto-play/pause using a built-in sensor, and stand out as heavyweights when it comes to overall value. They're also incredibly comfortable and can fold away better than a lot of newcomers, making them well-suited to travel.
To save money on Sony products, check out our Sony coupon codes.
Read our full Sony WH-1000XM4 review
The best budget over-ear headphones
Earfun is a brand that regularly pops up on our radar and for good reason. The brand is no stranger to producing headphones that belie their super affordable price tags and the Wave Pro over-ear headphones serve to continue that statement, offering solid sound and noise-cancellation for around AU$120.
Despite serving relatively plain looks, the Earfun Wave Pro are a supremely comfortable set of headphones, which is aided by their adjustable headphones and memory foam in the ear cups. They can also completely fold away and put into their included carry case, which we said was "surprisingly premium-feeling" in our review.
It would be fair to say that for AU$120 you shouldn't go expecting the sonic talents of the more expensive pairs of headphones on this list, but you also shouldn't be so quick to disregard them. The Wave Pro sound genuinely very good compared to other budget rivals and their noise-cancellation capabilities are also impressive for the price. We also love the fact you can tweak EQ settings within the companion app.
Overall, this is a great value pair of over-ears that tick all of the boxes. They sound good, look understated, feel extremely comfortable and offer up to a long-lasting 80 hours of battery life (with ANC off). We haven't found a budget pair of headphones that are such all-rounders.
Read our full Earfun Wave Pro review
The best premium over-ear headphones
It was honestly a tough decision as to where to place the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, as they could very well place at the top of this list. However, it was their price that ultimately kept them from claiming it (in comparison to the Sony WH-1000XM4 at least) but it means they comfortably take the crown for the best premium over-ears instead.
You get everything you could possibly need here, including long battery life, rated up to a staggering 60-hours from a single charge, alongside an extensive feature set, easy on-ear controls, talented adaptive noise cancellation and an abundant sound that'll have you nodding your head happily wherever you go. As for whether you think they're a good-looking set of cans is down to your personal preference. Our reviewer thought they were pretty plain-looking, but others may appreciate the minamalist approach. Regardless, the sound quality on offer here more than makes up for any lack of effort on physical presentability.
Sennheiser has packed everything and the kitchen sink into the Momentum 4 Wireless’s spec sheet, including Sidetone to better hear your voice during calls and 'Sound Zones', EQ and ANC presets which can be set to magically kick in when you're, well, in the zone. Make no mistake though, the headline-grabber is still the sound. And what a sound it is! Think open, detailed, expansive, neutral and crisp. Never is it overly warm; never is it congested or muddied through the bass.
Read our full Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review
The best mid-range wired over-ear headphones
Sivga is not a very well-known brand but you’ll find its Oriole headphones hard to forget once you see them. The striking wooden ear cups aren’t just for looks either, but also help them to deliver decent sound across varying frequencies – all for a reasonable mid-range price.
At this mid-tier price level, there are lots of competing wired over-ear headphones to choose from but the Sivga Oriole, which are the costlier alternative to the company’s Robin, are the best you can buy considering the step-up in sound quality thanks to large 50mm dynamic drivers.
They don’t have active noise cancellation or Bluetooth like many of the other options here, but the full suite of core components are here though. The Sivga Oriole comes with a 1.8m long cable, a 3.5mm to 6.3 adapter and a hemp carry case. The lightweight design is another advantage here.
Read our full Sivga Oriole review
The best over-ear headphones for sound
For the casual listener, planar magnetic headphones might not be a common phrase. But for the audiophiles out there, this type of design is highly sought after and very rarely comes in wireless (or reasonably affordable) forms – but the Edifier does both. Planar magnetic refers to the drivers, which have a larger, flat and super-thin diaphragm in a magnetic field in each earcup, with offers more exciting and distortion-free sound.
And following hours of testing, we rate Edifier’s flagship premium headphones – the Stax Spirit S3 – as the best planar magnetic headphones you can buy right now. They have a lot going for them, including beautifully detailed, expansive audio quality, a light comfortable folding design and an incredible 80 hours of battery life (we noted in our review that this even pushed up to 90).
The only missing premium feature here is active noise cancellation. But if you prioritise out and out sound packed with crisp audio detail, then these headphones shine above the rest – plus you do get an element of passive sound isolation from the ear cup design. Edifier’s Stax Spirit S3 comes with a price tag that isn't cheap, but is competitive with the likes of Sony's higher-end headphones, and is completely justified in that context, because they sound glorious.
Read our full Edifier Stax Spirit S3 review
The best over-ear headphones for ANC
If you want the most powerful noise blocking tech on the planet, grab these headphones. Bose has long been a pioneer when it comes to noise-blocking headphone technology and the QuietComfort Ultra headphones are by far the company's best yet. The capability of this latest pair from Bose is so good, we had no other choice but to call it "mind-blowing" in our review.
The ability to completely shut off the outside world doesn't come cheap though, but the gorgeous sound quality you also get helps to justify it. We continued to heap praise upon them in our review, claiming the Ultra headphones "deliver some of the most alive, exciting, textured, finely resolved, deeply engaging music I've ever heard from a pair of wireless headphones. It's the kind of sound I would expect to pay 50% or even twice as much for."
To help further hammer home why they have their lofty price tag, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra also sport a very premium build and feel, while being lightweight and especially comfortable. Bose also knows a lot of customers will want to use them on an aeroplane and so has given them a travel-friendly folding design.
They're not quite the finished article, however, as they don't support USB-C audio, nor do they have aptX support. We would have loved to have seen battery life go longer than 24-hours, too.
To save money on Bose products, check out our Bose voucher codes.
Read our full Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review
The best over-ear headphones for design
If the only factor to be taken into consideration when determining the best headphones was sonic quality, the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 would land much, much higher up this list. But then there's the price. While they're technically not the cheapest pair on this list, they're certainly pricey when it comes to more lifestyle-orientated pairs. But Bowers & Wilkins is a premium audio brand with prestigious heritage, so we're not exactly shocked.
Nevertheless, the PX8's price of north of AU$1,000 is more expensive than a vast majority of consumers would or should ever consider for a pair of new headphones. Still, the price tag isn't necessarily without its justifications. A new carbon cone 40mm drive unit replaces the bio-cellulose driver in the (slightly) more affordable Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 and the die-cast aluminium arms, diamond-cut bright metal detailing and Nappa leather trim elevates the build to high-end territory.
And the sound quality is simply exceptional, with agile, dynamic sound coming through crystal clear and at a performance level that is simply top of the class. You also get a generous 30 hours of battery life, which is impressive when considering how much is packed into the headphones that could elsewhere be used as justification for a more modest juice cycle.
If money is no object and sound performance is what matters most to you, these are among the best headphones you can buy. It's just that the asking price is so far beyond what many could reasonably consider spending which lands the PX8's further down this list.
Read our full Bowers & Wilkins PX8 review
The best open-back over-ear headphones
If you love a wide, open sound, then a pair of wired open-back headphones are the way to go and the Sennheiser HD-660S2s are the best you can buy right now. These boast an immensely impressive and expansive soundstage, but being open-back means they don't block out the outside world, so they need to be used in quiet spaces.
Made for the mixing booth, the HD-660S2s have an air of superiority to them. But Sennheiser has made these for general listening too. They feature brilliant sound recreation, premium ear cup cushioning and a durable headband to prevent vibration. Just remember that the open-back design does mean sound will inevitably leak from them, so they're not as well-suited to being worn in crowded areas.
Given their focus on delivering audiophile level sound, these headphones aren't wireless but they come with a variety of cable connections. Compared to their predecessors (the HD-660S), the HD-660S2s have a more fleshed out bass. These are bound to delight anyone looking to have the delights of open-backed cans.
Read our full Sennheiser HD-660S2 review
The best over-ear headphones for movies
Sonos' first headphones were highly anticipated, although a little disappointing: they don't work with the overall Sonos Wi-Fi multi-room system despite supporting Wi-Fi, and we feel their music quality doesn't necessarily marry up with their high-end price.
But, when used to watch movies, the Sonos Ace are incredibly talented. They support head-tracked Dolby Atmos spatial audio from any device that supports Atmos over Bluetooth – which includes iPhones, iPads and Samsung phones, so no shortage – and it's absolutely fantastic. It's weighty, it's convincingly directional and doesn't sound like the audio is being pushed right into your ears, and dialogue is elevated super-clearly out of the mix while still feeling natural. Having directly compared it to the spatial audio on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and AirPods Max, the Sonos were the standout peformer.
And they do have a Sonos ecosystem trick: if you have a Sonos soundbar (Arc, Beam (both generations) or Ray, you can connect the headphones to them over Wi-Fi, and use a button on the headphones to instantly switch from listening over Bluetooth to streaming the sound from your soundbar instead – so you can listen to anything that plays on your TV with privacy, and zero latency.
It all worked fantastically well for us, and the headphones also offer very strong active noise cancellation, wired listening over USB-C (lossless) or 3.5mm jack, and a 30-hour battery life over Bluetooth with ANC on – though when listening to sound from your soundbar, this battery life dropped to around 10 hours based on our testing.
For music lovers wanting premium ANC headphones, we would steer you towards the Bose Ultra or the B&W PX8. But if you want something heavily focused on provided a personal home theatre experience, we really recommend these.
Read our full Sonos Ace review
The best over-ear headphones for Apple fans
The Apple AirPods Max were the most hotly-anticipated set of cans for quite some time leading up to their launch, having been the subject of rumour and speculation for at least two years. And there's little doubt that they're impressive, even if they don't quite justify their exceptionally high price.
What they do offer is effective active noise cancellation, superb audio quality, and a design that sets them apart from most noise-cancelling headphones on the market. And Apple fans in particular will (obviously) find a lot to love. But while their exceptional audio performance and class-leading ANC manages to impress, they're let down by their eye-watering price (in terms of consumer-level headphones), horrible carrying case and their lack of support for Hi-Res Audio codecs.
Apple knows its audience, and these headphones are strictly designed and manufactured with this audience in mind, packing in a variety of nifty features for iOS users and boasting the kind of sleek, futuristic design that Apple is known for.
That does make the AirPods Max an undoubtedly excellent option for those hoping to pair their new headphones with their existing Apple devices, however, some may find them too expensive to be a viable option.
Read our full Apple AirPods Max review
How to choose the best over-ear headphones
If you're looking at buying over-ear headphones, there are three key factors that will determine what will be the best over-ear headphones for you. The first factor, particularly nowadays, will be your budget. As you'd expect, the over-ear options with premium sound quality and performance features tend to come with premium price tags attached. But there are some notable exceptions, with some of the above options available at prices friendlier to most budgets without many (or any) compromises.
Naturally, the second factor in helping you determine the best over-ear headphones for you will be sound quality. How do they sound? Do you prefer a more neutral sound profile, or are you more searching for richer bass levels first and foremost? There are a number of elements that go into sound performance when it comes to headphones, so doing your research to determine which pair appeals most to you with its sound profile and performance quality is a must.
The third key factor when it comes to discovering the best over-ear headphones will be based on your needs. Do you need headphones with more battery life for long trips? Do you need the highest quality noise-cancelling to block out a noisy train carriage? Do you need to take your headphones exercising with you and therefore want headphones that are (at least) water resistant?
Knowing what your needs are is crucial to being able to find the best over-ear headphones that will meet those needs.
How we test the best over-ear headphones
If you're looking for a pair of the best over-ear headphones, this guide focuses on sound quality above all else.
You'll find cans we'd recommend for audiophiles and those working in professional roles through to the best over-ear options for those who simply want to focus at work or enjoy their favorite tunes at home.
To help you compare these headphones, we've recommended other models if we think that they might be better-suited in terms of price, sound and performance.
We have tested all of the headphones in this guide extensively, spending lots of time analyzing the sound, fit, design, specs, and value for money.
FAQ
What are the best over-ear headphones?
As we hinted above, the answer to what the best over-ear headphones are will vary from person to person depending on a number of factors.
Topping this list as our pick for the best all-rounders are the Sony WH-1000XM4, which combine stellar sound with active noise cancellation, wireless connectivity, audio upscaling, and a sleek design that's truly portable.
When it comes to the best over-ear headphones on a budget, we've picked out the Sony WH-C720N as our pick based on price, performance and particularly their versatility. Capable of offering as much with music as with gaming, these are a well-designed, eye-catching option that are hard to beat at the price.
When it comes to sheer sound quality alone, however, the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 might take the title with the less expensive and better balanced overall Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless nipping at its heels.
How much should I spend on over-ear headphones?
At a minimum, if you're looking to find headphones without significant compromises on performance and overall quality, you might struggle to find any options below AU$100. However, there are some exceptional options in the AU$100-AU$150 price range that will occasionally be discounted below AU$100 if you know where to look.
Meanwhile, if you have a stretchier budget and you're looking for premium quality headphones, you're going to be looking at around AU$300-AU$450 for top quality over-ear headphones.
Is it worth getting over-ear headphones?
Choosing over-ear headphones over earbuds or on-ear headphones is a personal choice, but generally over-ear headphones do provide on-average better battery life and improved sound quality than on-ear headphones or earbuds.
Thanks to being larger, they can pack in a larger battery along with more advanced features like superior drivers. By their very nature, they tend to provide excellent noise cancellation too as they cover your ears more comprehensively than earbuds.
They also are typically more comfortable to wear for longer periods than on-ear headphones and less fiddly than earbuds, but it does come down to your preference and needs to determine which options are the best fit for you.
