To help you choose, here's a comparison of the best on-ear headphones -

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The editorial staff of 20 Minutes did not participate in the production of this article.

While over-ear headphones can quickly weigh heavily on your head and be bulky during transport, an over-ear model can alleviate both of these issues.

Leaning against the ear with smaller and lighter ear cups, its use is oriented especially for listening on the go in transport.

How to choose the best on-ear headphones?

Wired or Bluetooth headset?

Wired and Bluetooth headsets each have certain advantages.

A wired headset has the particular advantage of being devoid of battery and therefore of being usable as much as desired, as long as the music source is functioning.

However, a Bluetooth headset saves the inconvenience of an often bulky cable and it is not uncommon for them to offer a mini-jack port if necessary.

This is why the selection below only includes models of wireless headphones. 

What is the benefit of on-ear headphones?

The advantages of an on-ear headset are its small size and its discretion.

Although it does not allow total insulation in a noisy environment, it allows use adapted to nomadic music lovers who want equipment that is easy to store and transport and which prevents premature neck fatigue due to the sometimes substantial weight of over-ear headphones.

Is the sound quality less good?

Rest assured, the sound quality does not depend on the on-ear or circumauricular design of the ear cups, even if the latter have better passive noise reduction.

Most on-ear headphones offer equal sound quality.

The selection of the best on-ear headphones of the moment

Beats Solo Pro: the powerful bass on-ear headphones

Beats Solo Pro On-Ear Headphones - DR

The American manufacturer Beats offers us here its on-ear headphones Beats Solo Pro with interesting sound quality.

Designed for bass enthusiasts, the sound reproduction is generally good, with very well contained distortion, even at very high volume.

Its autonomy is also remarkable, varying between twenty and forty hours, depending on the noise reduction mode.

However, it should be noted the absence of a mini-jack and a headband that will not suit all sizes and shapes of head.

The pros and cons of the Beats Solo Pro on-ear headphones:

Most :

  • Effective active noise reduction.

  • Between 20 and 40 hours of autonomy.

  • Almost no distortion.

  • Quality sound rendering.

The lessers :

  • No mini-jack socket.

  • High price.

Find here the Beats Solo Pro

JBL Live 500BT: the on-ear headphones with the best sound reproduction

JBL Live 500BT on-ear headphones - DR

With on-ear headphones less than 100 euros, the JBL Live 500BT seeks to position itself as a good compromise between price and performance.

With a faithful sound reproduction, especially in the midrange and treble, this headset is a good competitor of models offering equivalent sound quality for a much higher price.

It also has the good taste of being foldable and having a battery life of 30 hours.

Only major flaw: its design does not suit all heads and is uncomfortable in case of prolonged use.

The pros and cons of the JBL Live 500BT on-ear headphones:

Most :

  • Controlled audio quality.

  • Foldable and space-saving.

  • An autonomy of 30 hours.

The lessers :

  • Not very ergonomic design.

  • Uncomfortable for prolonged use.

Find here the JBL Live 500BT

Marshall Major III: the enduring on-ear headphones

Marshall Major III on-ear headphones - DR

Marshall, having learned the lesson of its previous Major models, offers us a third generation which takes some of the advantages of its predecessors while remaining at an affordable price.

With controlled bass, clear midrange but sometimes too present and treble never too aggressive, the overall rendering is balanced but perfectible.

Comfort is on the menu, surpassing many competitors, thanks to thick pads, a well-rounded headband and easy-to-use and comprehensive controls.

Finally, in accordance with what previous models offered, the Marshall Major III offers an autonomy exceeding 40 hours with a moderate volume.

The pros and cons of the Marshall Major III on-ear headphones:

Most :

  • Huge 40-hour battery life.

  • Comfortable.

  • Its powerful and well balanced.

  • Easy to access and comprehensive controls.

The lessers :

  • Over-represented mediums.

Find here the Marshall Major III

Jabra Move Wireless Style: the affordable on-ear headphones

Jabra Move Wireless Style On-Ear Headphones - DR

Jabra offers here an on-ear headset that will suit small budgets while offering appreciable sound quality.

Thanks to a well-thought-out design, the Move Wireless Style is both light and well supported on the ears without feeling the need to readjust it regularly.

The audio quality remains relatively balanced, with controlled distortion at high volume.

Its maximum autonomy of 17 hours puts it behind the competition, however.

The pros and cons of the Jabra Move Wireless Style on-ear headphones:

Most :

  • Very affordable price.

  • Robust design.

  • Complete orders.

  • Lightweight and comfortable.

The lessers :

  • Autonomy to improve.

Find the Jabra Move Wireless Style

JBL Tune 500BT: the on-ear headphones at a low price

JBL Tune 500BT on-ear headphones - DR

The JBL Tune 500BT is intended to be the low-cost alternative to the Live over-ear headphones from the same brand.

Sound side, the quality is quite correct, with a rendering on the bass rather appreciable and controlled.

Its design makes it a very light (153 grams) and compact model, ideal for nomads, but to the detriment of the quality of the materials, which are rather fragile and not very flexible.

Its battery life of only 12 hours makes this helmet one of the least enduring models.

The pros and cons of the JBL Tune 500BT on-ear headphones:

Most :

  • Unbeatable price.

  • Well-controlled bass.

  • Lightweight and compact.

  • Complete orders.

The lessers :

  • Limited autonomy.

  • Very average quality of materials.

  • No mini-jack socket.

Find here the JBL Tune 500BT

Offering models that are often accessible and offering quality sound reproduction, most over-ear headphones meet users' expectations.

Both cheaper and lighter than over-ear headphones, they will satisfy music lovers looking for a discreet and efficient nomadic solution.

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The editorial staff did not participate in its realization.

The prices mentioned in this article are indicative and are subject to change.

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