Most comfortable over ear headphones to shop in 2023: Sit snug and sonorous
Headphones, be they on-ear, over-ear, in-ear, bone conducting or some freakish hybrid combination of two or more of the above tune-bringing techs, are generally reviewed on the strength of the most seemingly important things.
They are valued on their performance, design and price. However, while these are undoubtedly of the utmost import, there is one more vital facet that elevates good headphones to the ranks of great headphones: comfort.
Your cans may offer unrestricted access to the most advanced audio imaginable while remaining wonderfully wire-free and as ANC eliminates interference from the unrelenting outside world, it all counts for nothing if fatigue starts to take its hellish toll, forcing you to whip ’em off until you’ve had time to recover.
Known as ‘listener fatigue’ or ‘ear fatigue’ to those in the aural know, prolonged use of cans of any kind can cause tiredness and, in some cases, even pain, usually because of excessive volume in the higher frequencies. Which is a pain in the neck. But do you know what else is a pain in the neck? A pain in the neck caused by wearing headphones that are too heavy, too inflexible to natural movement, or simply such a poor fit that they clamp your cranium uncomfortably or sit slack and loose forcing constant readjustment.
Obviously, you want none of this nonsense ruining your you-time, and frankly, there’s no good reason why you should allow it when all that can be avoided by investing in headphones created with your comfort in mind. Whether for work or play, far more agreeable headphone options are out there, ranging in price from around £100 up to excessive-to-most amounts depending on the level of absolute comfort you crave.
And, what’s more, we’ve been putting them to the test on your behalf, fighting the threat of ear fatigue, muscling through music, gaming, conference calling and countless hours of fatigue-flirting TV, to arrive at this round-up of the most human-friendly headphones to be found.
Come, enter your comfort zone…
Best comfortable headphones at a glance:
- Best for all-round excellence: Bowers & Wilkins Px8 - £599, Bowers & Wilkins
- - £449, Bang & Olufsen
