The best on-ear headphones from all the top brands

The wireless AKG N60NC headphones deliver great sound, but it's not their most prominent feature. These are all about the advanced design. A 3D-axis folding mechanism sets these headphones apart from some of the competition. They fold away quickly for safe storage and transportation.

The 3D-axis design is one of AKG's big selling points, but don't get us wrong: The sound is very much up to scratch, with an enriched bass performance. That comes via 40mm drivers (little bits of tech that turn electrical signals into sound), which sit in AKG-branded cups. The listening experience is further boosted by active noise cancelling. And if you're streaming Netflix, the latest codec technology keeps the picture and sound in sync.

The ear cups fit comfortably thanks to a rugged but lightweight design with generously padded memory foam. While it boasts 30 hours of battery life, it's less impressive with the ANC and Bluetooth switched on — in that case, you'll get around 15 hours, which isn't quite as impressive. But by no means bad.

You can’t talk headphones without mentioning Sony at least once. Whether you’re after earbuds, highly advanced headphones, or relatively basic on-ear cans, Sony has something just for you. In this case, the Sony WH-CH520.

These come from the less flashy end of Sony’s range but you can’t knock the brand’s always-excellent sound. It’s powered by Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, and you can adjust the EQ levels to your personal preference in the Sony app.

There isn’t much in the way of features, though the WH-CH520 do have multipoint pairing, which allows you to connect to two Bluetooth devices at once and eliminates to need to fiddle around with your connectivity settings every time you switch between your phone and laptop. They also have call connectivity and hands-free voice control.

The real bonus of these headphones is their incredible battery life of 50 hours. That equals the best you’ll find on this list and as good as you’ll get from more advanced — and not to mention more expensive — headphones.

Available in various fun colours, the Beats Solo3 are powered by the Apple W1 chip (which are also in the Apple AirPods if earbuds are more your thing). What that ultimately means is that you get all the benefits of Apple tech, but combined with the sound performance and streetwise style of Beats.

Reviewers rate them for powerful, bass-focused performance and comfy ear cups. The padding blows away the comfort of most other on-ear headphones. Other reviewers have said that the headband could be more comfortable, while the 300-foot Bluetooth range helps balance out the cons.

They'll keep you going too, with a best-in-class 40 hours of battery and "Fast Fuel" charging. You get three hours of juice from just five minutes of charge.

While these are built around Apple tech (because Beats is Apple-owned), that doesn't mean they're Apple-specific. The Beats Solo3 are perfectly compatible with both iOS and Android and they're ready to pair right out of the box.

Grado might be a left-field name — they don’t rank quite as highly as Sony or Bose on lists of the best-known headphone brands — but they’ll be familiar to many audiophiles as niche, well-respected sound gurus. Which is why the Grado SR80x come highly recommended in any category.

The Brooklyn-based brand specialises in wired, open-back, on-ear headphones. That goes against current trends, but they deliver a better, naturalistic sound — very much like listening to live music. It's a kind of sound that Bluetooth and closed-cup headphones simply can’t compete against.

With the Grado SR80x, the results are tried and tested. The sound is pretty much flawless: punchy, detailed, and a pleasure to immerse yourself in.

There are drawbacks to this style of headphones, but it’s all down the personal preference. The open-back design leaks sound, both in and out. That makes them best for listening at home, where you can settle down for a serious listening session with your stereo. But that open-back design is part of what gives the sound its spacial, dynamic quality. You won't be disappointed.

Skullcandy is a bang-on-trend name. In a short amount of time, the brand has become known for contemporary designs and superb sound. The retro-themed Skullcandy Cassette headphones are from the brand’s budget range.

They do feel budget, with a largely plastic construction. But it’s a trade off for being pleasingly lightweight and nailing that Eighties vibe (if you’re too young to know, the "cassette" refers to little plastic things called cassette tapes that played music). There’s plenty of comfy cushioning around the ears and a metal headband ensures a reasonable level of durability.

The sound is balanced though not mind (or ear) blowing, which is what you expect at this price. But while they’re very much a budget choice, there’s a reasonable selection of features. You can choose between wired sound or Bluetooth connection. There’s also a microphone for phone calls and manual controls built onto the headset for volume, pause/play, and answering calls. 

They boast a competitive 22-hour battery life — the battery life will depend on how loud you play your tunes, though — and they have rapid charging, so you’re good to go after a relatively short burst with a microUSB charger. 

You can’t go wrong with JBL: hard-wearing, great-sounding headphones that perform above their relatively low price point. There’s also something for every style preference. When it comes to on-ear headphones, check out the JBL Live 460 NC — a stellar set of mid-level cans with noise cancellation.

Indeed, the active noise cancellation sets these apart. ANC is much less common with on-ear headphones, so that feels like a huge bonus. Not to mention the fact that JBL's noise cancellation technology is very good for the price.

The noise cancellation is actually adaptive. That means the ANC reacts to external sound and offers different modes, including Ambient Aware — which allows in some noise to keep you aware of your surroundings — plus SpeakThru, which amplifies voices whenever you begin a conversation IRL.

True audiophiles will look elsewhere for something more specialist, but all in all the JBL Live 460NC are as good as you’ll get at a budget price.

The Sennheiser RS 120-W wireless headphones were built to let you enjoy your sounds without having to deal with tangly, cumbersome cables — and without the dropouts you get with patchy Bluetooth. Instead, they receive sound from a transmitter base — which comes included with the headset — and will connect to the output of any audio source.

You can connect these to your TV, computer, smartphone, or sound system and receive the audio from up to 60 metres away. So you can keep listening even if you're in another part of the house, with walls and doors in the way. The base also acts as a charging station when the headphones are not in use.

Perhaps the best thing about these headphones is that the base can connect with multiple headphones, so you can all share the same audio experience. They're especially good for watching TV if you live in a busy household — in case you need to block out distracting noise around you, or you don't want your TV watching to keep others awake at night.

You can rely on the sound quality, too. The Sennheiser brand is an audiophile favourite — known for producing detailed, clear sound with impressive bass.