Over-the-ear Headphones

April 25, 2026, 12:42 PM

P250UA5

quote:
Originally posted by SpinZone:
Just a thought, make sure whatever brand you go with has the capability to use a wired connection so you can plug them directly into an airplane’s entertainment system. (My Bose do)

I have an Ifly wireless bridge that allows me to interface my earbuds to a audio output jack but it is a hassle. If you’re going over the ear, being able to just plug in a wire is much better.

Last flight we took with individual screens, I was able to BT my headphones to it.

April 25, 2026, 01:18 PM

nhracecraft

My son REALLY likes these Sennheiser Momentum 4 BT Wireless Headphones. They have Adaptive Noise Cancelling and are EXTREMELY comfortable! He uses them for gaming, music & travel (including a trip to Europe), and he has nothing but good things to say about them. I've tried them a few times and if I were in the market, these are probably the ones I'd buy.

https://us.sennheiser-hearing..../momentum-4-wireless

They are currently a 'Limited Time Deal' on Amazon and priced from $222.00 - $279.95 (51-38% off) depending on which color you choose.

https://www.amazon.com/Sennhei...-Clear/dp/B0B6GHW1SX

April 25, 2026, 01:36 PM

BRL

quote:
Originally posted by SpinZone:
I love my Bose QC quiet comfort headphones.
I upgraded from my older Bose so I can’t really speak to other brands.

Link to Amazon

I have these as well. I can’t imagine it being any better. My favorite use is when I’m on the Kubota Zero Turn Mower for an hour or so. It knock that loud noise right down so I can get lost in my Audible books.

April 25, 2026, 02:26 PM

Warhorse

Another Bose Quiet Comfort user here, I really like them. I wear hearing aids and can adjust them so that they work perfect with their headphones.

April 25, 2026, 03:26 PM

BB61

I’ve got some time to add some more detail. I’ve been looking for several months to get some top quality over-the-ear headphones that also did a nice job with noise cancelling (not all have noise cancelling). In general, the three best models right now are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2, the new Sony 1000XM6 and the brand spanking new Apple AirPods Max 2. Each company has a slightly older Gen 1 model that you can find for substantial discounts (substantial being relative for Apple).

I was leaning towards the Bose, even though I am heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, as I find them to be the most comfortable.

The Sony gets rave sound reviews but they have a weakness that DQd them for me. The prior Sony model, the XM5, had a plastic hinge on the earpiece that was known to break. The new XM6 replaced the plastic hinge with a metal one but I’ve been reading that they are still breaking and Sony is resisting warranty claims. To me, if you are going to pay well over $400 for some headphones, they had better last.

As an aside, my son got a lower Bose model from Costco and they sound great and are very comfortable. So you can save some money and still get a name brand model if you feel more comfortable going that direction but want to save a little.

However, if you are just looking for some headphones that work, sound, well and actually have a functional NC system for occasional use, the Q20i or the Q30 are an interesting choice. Which is not how I got mine. The Q20i I just “got” this week, were supposed to be for my son’s Christmas last year. However, my wife decided to get him the Bose at Costco I mentioned and forgot to return the Q20i. Being the frugal squirrel that I am, when I saw them this week, I snagged them.

One final thought, the “experts” argue over which of the top three models is best. To me, unless you are a true audiophile, you won’t be able to tell the difference. As such, I would have your wife buy the ones that feel the most comfortable on her head. That being said, if all things are equal, the Sony hinge still bothers me.

Let us know what you do.

May 01, 2026, 08:11 AM

P250UA5

A follow-up on the Bose options.

Are the ear cups/cushions replaceable? MY father-in-law has a pair, and that's his only complaint with them is that the the cushions are breaking down

May 01, 2026, 08:32 AM

redstone

quote:
Originally posted by Tn226:
quote:
Originally posted by SpinZone:
I love my Bose QC quiet comfort headphones.
I upgraded from my older Bose so I can’t really speak to other brands.

Link to Amazon

2nd the Bose QC. I got refurbished direct from Bose. 2 years zero issues. They work great

Im wearing mine right now

They also travel with me on trips, hotels, I love these things.

May 01, 2026, 08:34 AM

redstone

quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
A follow-up on the Bose options.

Are the ear cups/cushions replaceable? MY father-in-law has a pair, and that's his only complaint with them is that the the cushions are breaking down

Yep, there are a number of aftermarket vendors that make them with cool designs as well

Link

May 01, 2026, 08:49 AM

P250UA5

quote:
Originally posted by redstone:
quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
A follow-up on the Bose options.

Are the ear cups/cushions replaceable? MY father-in-law has a pair, and that's his only complaint with them is that the the cushions are breaking down

Yep, there are a number of aftermarket vendors that make them with cool designs as well

Link

Excellent, thanks.
My father-in-law said he couldn't see any feasible method to remove them without breaking anything. Not sure which model he has.

May 01, 2026, 09:01 AM

HRK

Woot has several options from Amazon Basics on sale for $9.99 ($25), Beats at $87 and a few others up into the $300 price range.

https://www.woot.com/category/...ef=w_cnt_cdet_elec_6

May 01, 2026, 09:34 AM

slyguy

Yep - another Soundcore Q20i user here.

Best bang for the buck - seriously!

Cheers~

May 03, 2026, 12:57 AM

straightshooter01

quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
quote:
Originally posted by redstone:
quote:
Originally posted by P250UA5:
A follow-up on the Bose options.

Are the ear cups/cushions replaceable? MY father-in-law has a pair, and that's his only complaint with them is that the the cushions are breaking down

Yep, there are a number of aftermarket vendors that make them with cool designs as well

Link

Excellent, thanks.
My father-in-law said he couldn't see any feasible method to remove them without breaking anything. Not sure which model he has.

They are a simple friction fit. Just grab the cushion part of the old ones and pull straight out. The cushions are attached to a oval plastic ring that snaps into the body of the headphones. Kind of like a tire on a wheel in reverse.

May 03, 2026, 01:06 AM

12131

quote:
Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
^^^^^
Buy once, cry once.

Besides superior audio quality, lightness, noise cancellation, and hearing correction, there’s also the wonderful benefit of using the AirPods Pro for long phone calls.

He said his wife wants “over-the-ear headphones”.

May 03, 2026, 01:50 AM

hk91308

quote:
Originally posted by BB61:
I’ve got some time to add some more detail. I’ve been looking for several months to get some top quality over-the-ear headphones that also did a nice job with noise cancelling (not all have noise cancelling). In general, the three best models right now are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2, the new Sony 1000XM6 and the brand spanking new Apple AirPods Max 2. Each company has a slightly older Gen 1 model that you can find for substantial discounts (substantial being relative for Apple).

I was leaning towards the Bose, even though I am heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem, as I find them to be the most comfortable.

The Sony gets rave sound reviews but they have a weakness that DQd them for me. The prior Sony model, the XM5, had a plastic hinge on the earpiece that was known to break. The new XM6 replaced the plastic hinge with a metal one but I’ve been reading that they are still breaking and Sony is resisting warranty claims. To me, if you are going to pay well over $400 for some headphones, they had better last.

As an aside, my son got a lower Bose model from Costco and they sound great and are very comfortable. So you can save some money and still get a name brand model if you feel more comfortable going that direction but want to save a little.

However, if you are just looking for some headphones that work, sound, well and actually have a functional NC system for occasional use, the Q20i or the Q30 are an interesting choice. Which is not how I got mine. The Q20i I just “got” this week, were supposed to be for my son’s Christmas last year. However, my wife decided to get him the Bose at Costco I mentioned and forgot to return the Q20i. Being the frugal squirrel that I am, when I saw them this week, I snagged them.

One final thought, the “experts” argue over which of the top three models is best. To me, unless you are a true audiophile, you won’t be able to tell the difference. As such, I would have your wife buy the ones that feel the most comfortable on her head. That being said, if all things are equal, the Sony hinge still bothers me.

Let us know what you do.

100% agree. IMO try out the Bose Ultras gen2 and XM6’s, they each have their merits that only the user preference can determine.

I have both and like the Bose for better noise cancellation, the Sony are more comfortable for me and have a better user interface IMO. So depending my use case, long - short flight etc I alternate between the two. I did upgrade to these from the prior generation fwiw.

May 03, 2026, 10:51 AM

gpbst3

BMANI on Amazon

I cannot recommend these enought for the $30 price tag.

May 03, 2026, 02:04 PM

V-Tail

quote:
Originally posted by gpbst3:

BMANI on Amazon

Those are in-the-ear ear buds. OP is looking for over-the-ear type. Like with a headband.

May 03, 2026, 02:56 PM

SigFan

I finally bought my Bose Quiet Comfort headphones around April-May 2025, because I started riding the express bus to/from work, and the noise from the diesel engine of the bus was overpowering my hearing aids BT-ing the music from my iPhone. Once I got the Bose QC phones, the diesel noise was about 95% eliminated. When they switched to an electric bus, there was NO external noise - it was like an isolation booth! I can leave my hearing aids in as well.

The battery life is great - I only charged them about every other week or every third week, using them about 2 hours/day 3-4 days/week. They tell you the battery level when you turn them on and the app also shows it.

I bought my wife a pair shortly after for travel.

I’ve never tried the Beats or any other brand, so this is all I can offer for an opinion. I have several other Bose products, so I was drawn to Bose anyway.

I love my Bose QuietComfort over-the-ear headphones!