If you don’t mind large-sized headphones and want to get a comfortable listening experience, you need to get the best wired over ear headphones. The over ear nature of these headphones also makes them somewhat capable of blocking out ambient noise. And you can’t forget that wired headphones don’t have Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).
But even with the latest audio technologies and high-end internals, some over ear headphones offer a very average performance. That raises the question, what factors make wired over-ear headphones worth purchasing?
First, good wired over-ear headphones come with ergonomic and comfort-forward designs. As mentioned earlier, this type of headphone is slightly larger than on-ear alternatives. So, without a design that’s fully focused on comfort, you’ll have a tough time getting a comfortable listening experience.
Moving on, the wire of the headphones needs to be perfect in length. You don’t want a cable that’s too long or too short. It needs to be enough to give higher overall flexibility and not make your setup feel cluttered simultaneously.
Lastly, the wired over-ear headphones’ audio quality must be top-notch. The driver configuration must be robust. It should offer an immersive soundstage, a balanced overall sound profile, and clear and precise sound production.
Want to know which wired over-ear headphones checks all the boxes? You would want to check out the list below. It contains nothing but the wired headphones that ace in all the factors mentioned above.
3 Best Wired Over Ear Headphones
HiFiMan Edition XS
TL:DR;
The HiFiMan Edition XS are open-back planar headphones. It’s basically the next-gen version of the well-known HiFiMan Edition X headphones. But unlike the predecessor, you get a more conventional headband, which works like a charm in enhancing the headphones’ overall comfort.
In addition to that, the HiFiMan Edition XS features a thinner diaphragm than the predecessor. That makes the wired headphones capable of reproducing audio with precise details. Most importantly, the drivers do a great job of keeping the overall distortion low.
To improve the sound quality, HiFiMan has integrated a ‘Stealth Magnets’ design, which makes the headphones offer a relatively neutral audio profile. There’s a good level of separation between the instruments and vocals too.
Moreover, the pair has an outstanding passive soundstage. Thanks to that, the audio feels more immersive, natural, and expansive. Also, the sound production is consistent throughout. The build quality is top-notch as well. The headphones have mainly metal design and incorporate silver grilles.
The Specs
- Enclosure: Open-back
- Transducer: Planar Magnetic
- Microphone: No
- Wire Length: 1.45 m
- Connection Type: 1/8″ TRS
- Weight: 0.93 lbs
What’s in the Box?
- 1/8″ – 1/4″ adapter
Stuff I like
- Superb passive soundstage performance
- Consistent audio delivery
- Great separation
- Outstanding level of comfort
- Good overall build quality
Stuff I like less
- The frame can be a bit too large for small heads
Where to get it
Philips SHP9500
TL:DR;
Want a pair of wired over-ear headphones that don’t come with a premium price tag but offer a premium-grade performance? You should consider the Philips SHP9500!
It’s quite expected to find a plasticky build at this price point. And that’s totally fine. But even with mainly plastic construction, the Phillips SPH9500 feels high in quality. You get plush and soft ear cups that’ll allow you to get a prolonged comfortable listening experience.
By design, the Phillips SPH9500 excels in terms of delivering a spacious soundstage. You get a highly immersive sound experience that’ll let you enjoy the true depth of your favorite tracks. Additionally, the flat nature of the sound ensures that you hear accurate reproduction of instrument and vocal sounds.
The impedance of the wired over ear headphones is reasonably low too. It’s at 32 ohms. And the drivers have a sensitivity of 101 dB, which means you don’t even need a high-grade amplifier to enjoy all that the headphone has to offer. In fact, even with a reasonably decent amp, you’ll get more than enough warmth and accuracy from the playback.
The Specs
- Enclosure: Open-back
- Transducer: Dynamic
- Microphone: No
- Wire Length: 3.0 m
- Connection Type: 1/8″ TRS
- Weight: 0.65 lbs
What’s in the Box?
- 1/4″ Adapter
Stuff I like
- Comfortable and ergonomic design
- Exceptional passive soundstage
- Consistent audio quality
- Can deliver an incredibly immersive listening experience
- It doesn’t demand high-end amps
Stuff I like less
- The fit mightn’t feel stable for some users
Where to get it
Sennheiser HD 800 S
TL:DR;
It doesn’t matter whether you want an audiophile-grade or studio-grade sound; the Sennheiser HD 800 S nails pretty much all the scenarios. Sennheiser has basically gone all-in with the HD 800 S, making it perfect for everyone. But the thing is, this pair of headphones come with an extremely high-end price tag.
However, if you can afford it, it’ll get you into a new realm of audio listening. The headphones can offer an incredibly immersive and spacious soundstage with a powerful amp. Its open-back nature boosts the immersive nature of the audio even further. You’ll feel like the artist is right in front of you.
Regarding sound profile, the Sennheiser HD 800 S delivers well-balanced audio. The neutral mid-range ensures accurate reproduction of lead instruments and vocals. In addition, the bass offers plenty of warmth and the right amount of punchiness.
The comfort and build quality is impressive too. Although the over-ear headphone is large, the plush and ergonomic ear cups will ensure you can get prolonged listening sessions without any issues. Even the hand band has thick padding, which further enhances comfort.
The Specs
- Enclosure: Open-back
- Transducer: Dynamic
- Microphone: No
- Wire Length: 3.30 m
- Connection Type: 1/4″ TRS
- Weight: 0.82 lbs
What’s in the Box?
- 4.4mm 10ft cable
- 6.35mm 10ft cable
- Microfiber cleaning cloth
Stuff I like
- Outstanding and highly spacious soundstage
- Extremely comfortable fit
- Can deliver consistent treble and bass
- Exceptionally accurate sound production
- Immersive and natural sound profile
Stuff I like less
- A bit too expensive
Where to get it
Quick Summary Of the Top Wired Over Ear Headphones
In short, if you’re looking for the best over-ear headphones, there’s no better pick than the HiFiMan Edition XS, Philips SHP9500, and Sennheiser HD 800 S. But if you don’t have a high-end amp and have a tight budget, the Philips SHP9500 is the best pick among the three.
Slava is a man of mystery and no-one seems to know exactly where he is at any point in time. When he isn't enjoying writing about all things audio and technical he can be found researching his next project of interest. The man never rests.
This post was last updated on 2025-02-02 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.