Earbuds v Over-Ear ANC Headphones -- What's your preference?

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JM Aggie08

JM Aggie08

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2006
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I haven't had a nice pair of over-ear headphones for casual listening/travel in some time. I've been using my Jabra Elite Active 65t for EVERYTHING -- mostly working out.

With increased work and personal travel, I've got the itch for some nice over-ear cans, particularly eying the Sony WH-1000XM5.

What's your preference?
 
D

[DHT]Osiris

Lifer
Dec 15, 2015
16,694
15,647
146
Over ear. I have some galaxy buds that I got as a freebee for something and they're shit. I can't so much as tilt my head without them falling out.
 
Pohemi

Pohemi

Lifer
Oct 2, 2004
10,673
16,344
146
I have both the over-ear and earbud Sony XM4s, and I only bought the buds for away from home due to the size of the over-ears. For comfort, sound quality, and ANC, the over-ear are considerably better imho.

I haven't had an issue with the buds feeling un-secure as if they're always about to fall out (the reason I've never cared for buds in the past). But they do start to make my ears sore after an hour or two of wearing them. I can wear the over-ears for hours and besides maybe sweaty ears, there's no comfort issues.

I eyed the XM5 but can't justify them (yet) since the XM4s are still damn good. I can't imagine the upgrade being worth the money. The only draw for myself is that they only swivel to fit in the case, and no longer bend at the cups. I had older Bose QC(25?) and the bending band is what finally became brittle, broke, and ruined them. Not crazy about the bending parts.
 
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nakedfrog

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
61,047
16,443
136
I don't like earbuds unless they're a necessity. I've been using a pair of Sennheiser HD4.50 BTNCs for a year and a half, I replaced the earpads with some memory foam ones pretty much right away, and they've been pretty good. Noise cancelling seems kinda worthless for everything other than airplane use, but it's good for that at least.
 
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lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,066
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I don't like sound shot directly into my ears, but if I have to use something like that, I vastly prefer muffs.
 
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Brainonska511

Brainonska511

Lifer
Dec 10, 2005
27,466
11,775
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Ear buds for on the go uses, including at the gym, traveling, or on the subway. Over the ear headphones for home use. I currently have a set of Sennheiser HD599s for home use. Super comfortable for long term listening.
 
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MrSquished

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
25,769
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I use in-ears because of the actual portability and I have a few pairs. And they sound fantastic to me. I'm not going to drag around a big pair of over ears every time I want to take a train or bus into the city. I like to travel compact with small sling bags or the smallest backpack needed.

But for ANC, call quality and sound quality, over ears are better. At home I run a wired Beyerdynamic pair set up through an amp and a DAC so they don't make sense for my budget.

If I had to pick a pair of wireless over ears right now it would hands down be the Sennheiser Momentum 4. The Senn Sound to me was and is always superior to Sony. My Senn Momentum 3 True Wireless definitely sound better than the Sony XM4 in ears. And the controls are much better too.

The reviews seem to back up that the Momentum 4 Over Ears Wireless are phenomenal. The only complaint I have with the Momentum 4 Over Ears is that they changed the style from the gorgeous versions of the past and turned them into the same plain looking ones that everyone else pumps out. But as far as all the features that matter feature wise and especially SQ, they would be the best set out there IMO. Sony will beat them in ANC but I like SQ over better ANC unless all you do is fly on planes.
 
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Captante

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,337
10,854
136
I use both depending on what I'm doing.... earbuds when out walking/hiking or cleaning the house etc.

Over-ear headphones almost exclusively when using PC.

I have a cheap ($49) pair of Anker Soundcore Life A2 NC buds and an Astro A40-TR wired over-ear headset w/mix-amplifier (no NC) for streaming, media consumption and gaming.

My biggest problem with headphones is my big fat head lol... seriously most headphones are simply not made to accomodate a size-8 skull (including high-end Bose and Sony NC models all returned!) and are so tight I can't wear them for more than a few minutes.

The Astro's are actually comfortable AND sound good too. :)

Anker Life A2 NC Wireless Earbuds (Amazon)

Astro A40 TR Headset with mix-amp (Amazon)

613gI-kcTKS._SL1500_.jpg
 
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Torn Mind

Torn Mind

Lifer
Nov 25, 2012
12,004
2,748
136
I bought an Audio-Technica ATH-M50x 5 years ago.

Definitely more details can be heard. Would not buy again though. Erognomics and materials are not there.

I paired it with an Oppo DAC that cost a bit of coin. I can hear the individual notes of the 4th movement ending of Beethoven's Eroica with considerable more detail than the computer's shitty Realtek chip.
(In matters like these, double blind tests sometimes may not catch actual superior performance).
 
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MrSquished

MrSquished

Lifer
Jan 14, 2013
25,769
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I've been walking my dog on urban streets for a couple years with noise canceling buds in. This ain't rocket science if you have a brain capable of logic and reason.

I wouldn't advise it on dark roads with no sidewalks that's for shit sure. There's a time and a place folks.
 
WelshBloke

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
32,417
10,539
136
MrSquished said:
I've been walking my dog on urban streets for a couple years with noise canceling buds in. This ain't rocket science if you have a brain capable of logic and reason.

I wouldn't advise it on dark roads with no sidewalks that's for shit sure. There's a time and a place folks.
Click to expand...
What about if there's an axe murderer rampaging!?

Seriously though I can't wear stuff that leaves me unaware of my surroundings in public! Which is weird because I'm generally not that worried about stuff going down in public. The idea of not being able to tell if there's something sketchy going on in the seat behind me on the train is involuntarily making me look over my shoulder now and I'm sitting in my lounge. On my own. With a wall directly behind me!
 
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lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,066
9,468
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Anything could happen anywhere. I use my ears *a lot* to know what's going on around me. I was on a wooded drive once looking for a property corner, and less than 20 seconds later, a large ash branch fell right where I was kneeling. Maybe my ears would have saved me if I were still there, maybe not, but I'll stack the odds on my side as much as I can.
 
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Captante

Captante

Lifer
Oct 20, 2003
30,337
10,854
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Oh noes! :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

I don't dare walk down the sidewalk in my neighborhood wearing earbuds for fear of bad things happening. (like the sky falling or the Loch Ness monster)

:rolleyes:



ccef6226-f657-408a-8fdf-8f89176d79c4.jpg


;)
 
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