Top Full-Size Headphones of 2025

Explore the best full-size headphones available in 2025 with our comprehensive guide for every budget and need.

Introduction to Full-Size Headphones

Full-size headphones provide the most immersive and comfortable listening experience possible, offering more depth compared to earbuds. While earbuds are less intrusive and perfect for those who don’t want to feel completely cut off from the world, full-size headphones excel at delivering complete isolation and immersion. With their larger drivers, they typically offer better performance than the best on-ear headphones and earbuds.

Some models are designed specifically for home listening, while others are made for travel, but many work well in both scenarios. Despite their comparatively larger size, full-size headphones can be just as affordable as in-ear and on-ear options.

So, are you sold? Great! You have two primary options: wired full-size headphones for superior sound quality or wireless full-size headphones that offer maximum convenience due to the lack of cables, often featuring modern amenities like active noise cancellation. Our guide to selecting the right full-size headphones will help you determine your preferences, but whatever path you choose, excellent options are available across a wide price range.

Our expert reviewers test about 100 pairs of headphones each year and have selected the finest wired and wireless models for different budgets in this final list. Each pair represented here has successfully passed our rigorous headphone tests and is recognized as a leader in its category.

Best Full-Size Headphones of 2025: Quick List

• Best Affordable Wired Headphones – AKG K72. An excellent pair of wired headphones at a budget-friendly price for those with limited funds. These studio headphones outperform more popular models.
• Best Affordable Wireless Headphones – Sony WH-CH520. A fantastic pair of budget-friendly wireless over-ear headphones that deliver excellent sound quality at an accessible price.
• Best Budget ANC Headphones – Sony WH-CH720N. If you require active noise cancellation but don’t want to pay a fortune for it, we wholeheartedly recommend these versatile Sony headphones.
• Best Overall Wired Headphones – Røde NTH-100. The NTH-100 wired headphones deliver refined, pleasing sound, comfortable construction, and good value for money.
• Best Overall Wireless Headphones – Sony WH-1000XM5. Once again, Sony releases a flagship wireless model. They look great, fit comfortably, and provide class-leading sound.
• Best Home Headphones – Grado SR325x. If you’re not bothered by an open-back design and outdated look, you’ll be rewarded with a rich, dynamic sound that prioritizes musicality.
• Best Premium Wireless Headphones – Dali IO-8. As suggested by the price tag, these premium Dali headphones combine long battery life, high build quality, and stunning sound.
• Best Premium Wired Headphones – Beyerdynamic T1 (3rd Generation). The legendary T1 model continues to impress. It's not cheap, but it's truly exceptional wired headphones.

Best Full-Size Headphones of 2025: In-Depth Reviews

1. AKG K72 – Best Affordable Wired Headphones

Specifications:

• Style: Wired
• Noise-Cancelling: No
• Type: Closed-back
• Battery Life: None

Pros:

• Excellent price-to-quality ratio
• Very comfortable
• Great sound for the money

Cons:

• Midrange slightly colored
• Not the most portable design

Looking for a great buy? Wired headphones with good sound and affordability are a rarity, but these AKGs are an exception. The durable K72 design means they’ll last long—AKG bent the cable 80,000 times during production just to test its durability. The wide ear pads are comfortable, and the 3-meter cable allows ample freedom for comfortable listening at home. This classic studio headphone design indicates that while you could wear them outdoors, the long cable signifies that they’re not meant for that.

How’s the sound? It’s pleasantly spacious, with breadth and scale that’s rarely found in headphones typically seen at this price point.

“Thanks to the more neutral sound signature in professional headphones, AKG managed to reproduce many basic characteristics of [more expensive] headphones at a much lower price,” said our experts in our K72 review.

They certainly look smoother than similarly priced Sennheiser HD201 headphones, not to mention having more controlled bass. The mids aren’t as clear as one might wish, but for the money, these are the best on-ear headphones if affordability is key.

If you can push your budget a bit, consider the two modern award-winning options: Austrian Audio Hi-X15 and especially Røde NTH-100 (below).

2. Sony WH-CH520 – Best Affordable Wireless Headphones

Specifications:

• Style: Wireless
• Noise-Cancelling: No
• Battery Life: 50 hours
• Type: Closed-back

Pros:

• Balanced and pleasant sound
• Excellent battery life
• Useful and extensive management app

Cons:

• Lack of noise-cancellation
• Could benefit from more soundstage

The WH-CH520 earbuds may not be the flashiest option in Sony’s headphone lineup, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth your attention. If you need good price-to-performance at a moderate price, this pair makes sense for the few available options in this price range.

They feel well-constructed, with a solid design that appears durable. For instance, the headband adjustment mechanism is sturdy and moves with reassuring reliability. Inside the headband and ear pads is soft padding, which, while not overly thick, significantly enhances comfort. Weighing just 147 grams doesn’t hurt in this regard, and despite being wrapped in leather, the ear pads maintain body heat quite well.

While there’s no active noise cancellation, you get 50 hours of battery life from a single charge, along with Bluetooth 5.2 (with “Quick Pairing” for Android devices) and several features within the app.

In terms of sound, the CH520 isn’t the most expressive headphones in terms of bass frequencies, but the lows they generate are strong, deep, and well-controlled across frequencies.

“The midrange lacks maximum clarity,” our WH-CH520 review states, “but by prevailing price standards, it’s informative and actually quite expressive regarding vocalists.”

Despite a few acceptable (for the price) sound limitations, these budget wireless Sony headphones are somewhat of a mini-marvel at a price that’s hard to beat.

However, if active noise cancellation (ANC) is a must for you, then the Sony WH-CH720 earbuds mentioned below are a better choice.

3. Sony WH-CH720N – Best Budget ANC Headphones

Specifications:

• Style: Wireless
• Noise-Cancelling: Yes
• Battery Life: 50 hours (ANC and BT off), 35 hours (ANC/BT on)
• Type: Closed-back

Pros:

• Convincing, reliable sound presentation
• Good noise cancellation at this price
• High build quality

Cons:

• Bass can be a bit excessive
• No case or folding option

The Sony WH-CH720N headphones aim to fill a gap in the wireless headphones market, offering active noise cancellation (ANC) and high build quality at a very reasonable price. Essentially, they are designed for users who don’t want to spend much on full-size noise-cancelling headphones (like the Sony WH-1000XM5 below) without sacrificing sound quality by opting for entry-level options (like the Sony WH-CH520 above).

The headphones CH720N are not foldable and don’t come with a dedicated carrying case, but they fit comfortably in hand and on the head; you never feel like they’re about to break from everyday use. Battery life is excellent—35 hours with ANC on, 50 hours with it off—and Bluetooth 5.2 support is another nice addition.

In terms of audio, we can’t recall a single pair of over-ear headphones at this price that can deliver such energetic and lively (albeit slightly bass-heavy) music. Hip-hop and rock sound particularly good, with these stylish on-ear headphones adding punch and texture. Give a listen to how strongly they reproduce Nirvana’s “You Know You’re Right,” and you’ll understand what we mean. As our in-house reviewers noted in our WH-CH720N review,

“the energetic presentation style of the CH720N suits genres where it can be used best, namely rock, hip-hop, large orchestral pieces, and energetic pop hits.”

The WH-CH720N headphones deliver precisely what Sony intended. At a very reasonable price, these are a reliable, well-sounding pair of headphones that, while occasionally stepping into the realm of excessive bass, provide good noise cancellation and a rich feature set in the mid and low-end of the wireless headphone market.

4. Røde NTH-100 – Best Overall Wired Headphones

Specifications:

• Style: Wired
• Noise-Cancelling: No
• Battery Life: None
• Type: Closed-back

Pros:

• Articulate, revealing sound
• Well-made and attractive
• Comfortable over long listening sessions

Cons:

• May feel analytical for some ears
• Will eventually warm your ears

Several features make Røde NTH-100 something special. First, they are the first ready-to-use headphones ever produced by the Australian company (better known as a microphone manufacturer). Second, these wired headphones attempt to survive in a world dominated by omnipresent Bluetooth. Third, and most importantly, they sound amazing for their price.

The headphones are designed for one of two purposes: casual entertainment or important business endeavors like monitoring or mixing. It’s rare to find a pair of headphones that can competently perform both functions, and even rarer to find such headphones at the price Røde is asking for the NTH-100.

However, the mission is accomplished with stunning confidence. Detailed, dynamic, and consistently well-balanced, you can genuinely envision using the NTH-100 as both a pair for casual listening and as a studio model for monitoring or mixing. They’re so versatile; they’re what you want. Our expert reviewers especially praised their midrange, calling it “the star of the show.” Add to that significant dynamic range, a large and well-thought-out sound stage, and an overall impression of “control,” and it becomes evident that the Røde NTH-100 is an incredibly capable headphone.

No, you don’t get many features with a pair of wired cans, and yes, paying for an extra cable seems a little cheeky, but that shouldn’t be enough to dissuade you, especially if your main concern is the value for money. By that measure, Røde NTH-100 is virtually unmatched, which accounts for their current standing.

If your budget is a bit tighter, you might consider another award-winning option, the excellent and slightly more affordable Austrian Audio Hi-X15, but the NTH-100 is certainly worth the extra cost.

5. Sony WH-1000XM5 – Best Overall Wireless Headphones

Specifications:

• Wired or Wireless: Wireless
• Noise-Cancelling: Yes
• Battery Life: 30 hours (with BT and ANC on), 40 hours (BT only)
• Type: Closed-back

Pros:

• Sensational clarity of sound
• Nice to use
• Powerful and precise bass

Cons:

• Build quality is less premium than predecessors
• Don’t fold completely

When Sony first introduced the WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones with noise cancellation, we wondered if it was a wise decision to radically change the design of one of the company’s most successful headphones—the WH-1000XM4.

Fortunately, it paid off. The current XM5s feel slightly less premium than the headphones they replaced, but the difference in sound quality between generations is astonishing. Essentially, to quote our WH-1000XM5 review,

“the new headphones convey more detail and can distinguish notes more easily.”

They also provide an even clearer and more open presentation, along with flawless synchronization and precision.

Improved connectivity and enhanced noise cancellation also make them an appealing purchase for anyone who can afford their considerable price.

If you’re on the hunt for a new pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones, start your search here. The older XM4s were already the best in class—and remain so if you can’t afford the latest model—but the XM5s are undoubtedly better for those who can. They offer the best combination of sound and features compared to close competitors, including Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless and Bose QuietComfort, and they nearly rival the gorgeous Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e at a more accessible price. They outperform the new Sonos Ace, if you’re curious.

That’s why they are the best Bluetooth headphones in their price category and well-deserving of accolades.

6. Grado SR325x – Best Home Headphones

Specifications:

• Style: Wired
• Noise-Cancelling: No
• Battery Life: None
• Type: Open-back

Pros:

• Excellent detail and dynamics
• Extremely engaging presentation
• Reliable, solid construction

Cons:

• Open-back design allows sound leakage
• New ear pads may not fit everyone

Over the last 30 years, Grado, based in Brooklyn, has released some of the best headphones in the Prestige range. The series has significantly evolved over time, but the latest models of the “x” generation deliver the same quality-price balance that we expect from one of the most beloved audio brands.

The SR325x headphones, representing the pinnacle of the lineup, look just like their award-winning predecessors, the SR325e, with lighter stitching on the headband and flatter foam ear pads. The key difference goes far beyond the appearance: the SR325x sounds noticeably cleaner and sharper than its predecessors, showcasing superior detail and articulation that is perceived more accurately and insightfully than ever.

“We listen to Massive Attack’s Heligoland, and the SR325x sound noticeably cleaner and clearer than before...we can follow low-level instrumental lines with greater ease, especially in the denser tracks of the album,” says our review of the SR325x.

Like any pair of Grados, they have an open-back design, which means they allow sound in and out, making them less than ideal for public use. However, for quiet listening at home, they shine and benefit from the clarity and space that open backs provide.

If you’re looking for the best wired headphones at this price and don’t mind the sound leakage associated with the open-back design, the SR325x should be at the top of your list. Their unmatched price has made them champions in the Hi-Fi category.

If you want a more traditional (i.e., closed-back) alternative, check out the excellent Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X at this level.

7. Dali IO-8 – Best Premium Wireless Headphones

Specifications:

• Style: Wireless
• Noise-Cancelling: Yes
• Battery Life: 30 hours (with ANC on); 35 hours (with ANC off)
• Type: Closed-back

Pros:

• Clean, crisp, and detailed sound
• Expressive dynamics and enjoyable rhythmic drive
• Stylish build with acceptable battery life

Cons:

• Ergonomics could be better
• Some controls feel imprecise
• No control app

The Dali IO-8 wireless headphones are not necessarily intended to replace similarly priced wired setups you’ll be satisfied with. The feeding laptop, the chord Mojo as a DAC connected to Grado SR325x, for example, provides greater overall audio refinement. But for those looking for wireless headphones that don’t sacrifice too much sound quality, and who are fortunate enough to afford such a versatile solution, these Dali headphones come highly recommended. They outperform the Mark Levinson No.5909, which previously held this spot, and excel in both performance and build quality.

While many audio manufacturers have tried but failed to create truly first-class headphones, Dali demonstrates with its IO-8 headphones that it has much to offer in the wireless technology sphere. They exude a sense of luxury and comfort. Battery life is on par with competitors, and the support for high-quality aptX HD and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codecs is welcomed.

Noise cancellation performance is excellent, surpassing both competitors Bowers & Wilkins Px8 and the aforementioned Mark Levinson for eliminating train and bus noise during our daily commutes. However, sound quality is the star of the show, with bass performance, detail, and dynamic expression all standing out. Our experts stated that they

“discern low-frequency textures in tracks like “Angel” by Massive Attack better than any other competitor we’ve heard.”

“When it comes to rhythmic drive and dynamics overall, we’ve heard little to rival the IO-8 at this level,” the review states.

Can’t afford to spend more? If you’re an Apple fan, the AirPods Max are certainly worth considering, while the beautifully crafted B&W Px8 and Focal Bathys also offer slightly more affordable alternatives with five-star sound.

8. Beyerdynamic T1 (3rd Generation) – Best Premium Wired Headphones

Specifications:

• Style: Wired
• Noise-Cancelling: No
• Battery Life: None
• Type: Open-back

Pros:

• Clear, balanced presentation
• Unbiased, informative character
• Comfortable and well-made

Cons:

• Requires top-notch partner electronics

The original Beyerdynamic T1 models from a decade ago remain our benchmark in the premium headphone category. The main distinction of this third-generation model from its predecessor is that the new pair is much better suited for mobile devices and laptops: the old model had an impedance of 600 ohms while the new one has 32 ohms. Nevertheless, the high level of transparency provided by these Beyerdynamic drivers means they deserve to be paired with a high-quality source rather than just a phone.

The sound produced is very similar to the original but cleaner, clearer, slightly less bright, and more rounded in the high frequencies, making them more forgiving to aggressive recordings and electronics. The same musical presentation with a palpable sense of power and authority remains, and vocals sound delicate and clear. Our internal review team was

“struck by the sense of control and organization, as well as how entertaining these headphones are,”

in our review of the T1 (3rd Generation).

The T1 headphones are comfortable enough for long listening sessions, thanks to the well-shaped headband covered in Alcantara and large velour-finished ear pads. These aren’t the open-back headphones that impress during brief listening, but if given a few days or even weeks, it’s hard not to succumb to their charm.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are over-ear headphones better than earbuds? Over-ear headphones have larger pads that sit around the ears, while earbuds rest on the ears—they are a dying breed. Earbuds have their advantages: they're often lighter, less obtrusive, and typically more compact and portable. However, there’s a broader selection of over-ear headphones that are designed for more isolated and immersive listening.
• Are these headphones suitable for workouts outdoors and in the gym? Due to their bulkiness, full-size headphones are generally not designed for exercise. For instance, they may shift during running, and their isolating design can block more external sounds than is safe for outdoor activities. That said, wireless headphones can be suitable workout companions, especially in the gym—but consider your gym activities carefully. If lifting weights horizontally, full-size headphones can shift or, worse, slip off. We recommend lightweight, waterproof, and preferably snugly fitting headphones. Additionally, in-ear models are more suitable for workouts.
• Do headphones have microphones? Regardless of whether they are wired or wireless, most full-size headphones have microphones built into the ear cups or cables for convenient voice and video calls. Nowadays, wireless headphones generally come equipped with smart noise-canceling technology that helps reduce wind and other external sounds, ensuring your voice is heard clearly on the other end. However, if you need a pair with a microphone specifically for gaming, you might be better off with a gaming headset that includes a detachable microphone.
• Can over-ear headphones cause headaches? If headphones cause headaches, it’s likely due to one of two reasons: either you’re listening too loudly for too long or the headband is pressing too firmly on your crown. Proper fit is crucial when using headphones. You want the headband and ear pads to fit snugly against the head without letting sound escape, but if the pads press too hard, they can be uncomfortable and cause overheating of the ears. Too much pressure on the crown may stem from inadequate padding on the headband. Of course, heads come in various shapes and sizes, so several reviewers always check how well the headphones fit during reviews.
• Do headphones provide noise cancellation? Because full-size headphones fit snugly against the ears, they tend to be the best type of headphones for “noise isolation,” which is achieved through physical properties. This term is used to describe headphones that block external sounds and reduce the amount of sound entering your ears, which is accomplished purely through build quality and design. So yes, many full-size headphones block some external sounds while worn. However, “noise cancellation” often refers to active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, which requires power to operate. It uses two tiny microphones on the outer ear cups to “listen” to surrounding noise and quickly creates a mirror opposite compression and rarefaction of air (i.e., external sound). Essentially, this is a much more effective method of suppressing external noise than just relying on the physical properties of the headphones.

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