Introduction
I’ve been reviewing audio products for over a decade and can help you find the best product for your needs.
After testing multiple over-ear headphones for working out, our view is that the Best over-ear headphone for working out is the.
Apple AirPods Max
Anodised Aluminium Cups
Comfortable Ear Cushions
Digital Crown and Hi-Fidelity Audio
Immersive listening
However, if you are on a tighter budget and prefer something that works here is another alternative.
Philips SHP 9500
50mm High Power Drivers
Open-back, over-ear headphones
Breathable Ear Cushions
Precisely Angled Drivers
If you would like to know more about additional over-ear headphones for working out then keep reading.
As people have different tastes and preferences, I’ve included 16 reviews of over-ear headphones, including what makes each of them unique.
Below is a snapshot of the best over-ear headphones for working out.
Click under the product headings in the table to find out where to get one, and click under the review heading in the table for the full review below.
We have also prepared a buyer’s guide in addition to the over-ear headphones for working out reviews below so that you can know what to consider before you make your purchase.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at and review the types of exercise headphones you can use.
Can you work out with over-ear headphones?
The answer is yes. Advances in technology and design have made over-ear headphones perfect for working out.
So what are the best over-ear headphones for working out?
Naturally, the headphones would have to be wireless headphones given that you want to be flexible at the gym and not have wires to contend with.
Listening to music or audio when working out is in order to get into a rhythm.
There can also be lots of noise in the gym, and headphones allow you to focus on your workout without getting disturbed.
So without further ado, here are the
16 Best wireless over-ear headphones for working out
16 Sennheiser HD-25
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.3 | 7.8 | 5.9 | 7.1 | N/A | 7.5 |
Why We Like It
Closed-back design and professional monitoring facilitate the reduction of outside noise.
Designed to withstand high sound pressure levels, and can therefore withstand high-pressure environments.
These are multipurpose headphones. You can use them at the gym, at the club as a DJ, and at the studio.
The Bass is thumpy, yet crisp
The Sound is versatile and maintains a good balance between low and high range frequencies.
Very Durable – Whilst the guarantee is only 2 years, Many owners of the original models have had them for 10 years plus.
Why What Others Say About Them
The Sennheiser HD25 headphones have a lot of punch in them, they let you feel the rhythm whilst pulling you into the groove of the music.
Perfect for DJ’s as they reproduce a clear flat sound.
Durable, comfortable, lightweight, and every part is replaceable.
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15 Skullcandy Hesh 3 wireless headphones
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.7 | 7.3 | 7 | 8.1 | – | 7.5 |
Why We Like It
Design
The design of the Hesh 3 is sleek and lightweight.
Due to the nature of the design of the Hesh 3, the headphones sit with a low profile on your head.
The Hesh 3 headphones are designed for easy storage as they fold up.
You can easily pack them into any backpack or storage facility.
Just by looking at the box, you can tell that the headphones are slimmer than usual.
Ear Cups/Cushions
The ear cups are made of memory foam on the inside and then covered in faux leather on the outside.
I think that it will do well for about 3 straight hours of listening, after which it is advised that you remove the ear pads and give yourself a break.
The ear cups do swivel inwards for ease of storage.
I like this feature as the headphones can be placed with the smallest luggage and will not be a burden when you are traveling.
Sound Quality
Skullcandy’s signature sound is delivered through 40mm drivers.
The sound delivered is crystal clear and gives life to a variety of music genres.
The one thing that skull candy has done, which as well is not in line with past conventions is to make the sound profile appeal to as many people as possible.
This time around though they have decided to make a full switch and optimized the mids and treble.
Controls
Incoming calls can be answered by using the buttons on the ear cup to answer.
The buttons on the earcup allow you to also change tracks and adjust the volume without having to pull out your phone.
The Hesh 3 comes with voice prompts that tell you when your device is paired and when your device is on low battery.
Looking at the controls, you will notice that most of the action is taking place on the right ear-cup.
Included in the right ear cup are the headphone jack, the micro USB slot, the volume up and volume down functions, and the multi-function button that allows you to answer calls and play and pause music.
Battery
The Skullcandy Hesh 3 comes with 22 hours of battery life.
By plugging the backup aux cable, you can also access wired listening.
The other amazing feature of these headphones is that they come with some incredible fast charging capabilities.
3 hours is about the most that I have ever heard of.
I mean Bose and Sony do not give you that much and those headphones can retail at double the cost of a Skullcandy. 4 hours for 10 minutes of charging is just incredible.
listening time is approximately 22 hours uninterrupted.
Build Quality
If you look at the outside of the cans you will notice that they are almost completely made of plastic, and may not be the strongest.
Headband
Inside headband slider though is made of metal, which is a good thing as it ensures that the headband is not fragile.
Fortunately, there are a variety of colors in the Hesh 3 range.
Skull candy designed these cans in black, red, and white.
As far as aesthetics are concerned, the only other feature of the headphones, is that they have the skull candy logo on the headband and a slight bit of gloss.
The one thing that you will notice about the headband is that there is some padding underneath the top of the headband to protect the head against the plastic surface.
I do think that they were a little skimpy on the padding and could have put a little more.
I suppose that this was done to cut costs.
However, these headphones can get a pass on little headband padding because they are so light that they are unlikely to cause any severe pressure on the top of your head.
Click any of the links below to get yourself a pair
14 Plantronics BackBeat Go 810 Wireless
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | 7.9 | 7 | 8.2 | 6.8 | 7.6 |
Why We Like It
Extended Battery Life
The battery life is actually pretty solid, with 22 hours of uninterrupted playback time
This is achievable with 2 hours of uninterrupted charging
Without Active noise cancellation, the headphones can play continuously for up to 28 hours.
Quick charging of 10 minutes provides 3 hours of playback time, which is pretty impressive and comparable with some higher-end models.
Wireless Bluetooth Connectivity
Plantronics has made a habit of making their headphones class 1 Bluetooth compatible.
The range of the Backbeat Go 810 is up to 164ft / 50m, which is more than sufficient, as I would personally never be that far away from my device.
The headphones are Bluetooth 5.0 compatible.
Unfortunately, the Backbeat Go 810’s do not connect to multiple devices, the maximum number being 2.
Call Quality
On the app, there is an HD voice call feature, which when activated provides life-like call capabilities.
Active Noise Cancellation
Noise-canceling in these headphones was rather mediocre.
But, when I was on a workout, I preferred to have on some high-tempo music as I put on sweat, so noise cancellation was not a deal-breaker for me at all.
App
The accompanying app is available on both the i store and on google play.
Using the app however you can set the noise cancellation to High/Low and off.
The backbeat Go 810 supposedly comes with a noise cancellation button.
This happens when you press the volume up and volume down buttons and hold them down for 2 seconds.
With the Backbeat Go app, you can personalize your headset EQ by selecting between bright and balanced EQ settings
Playback
Given that I use my cans at the gym, the 20 hours of continuous playback time last me roughly 2-3 weeks straight without needing to charge my cans.
Controls
I was impressed with the tactile response and the simplicity of the controls.
I think these wireless over-ears are fairly decent and would definitely recommend them, particularly for the gym, but even for listening to your favorite jams.
The controls located on the left and right ear cup allow you to among other things take calls, skip tracks, adjust the volume, and turn the active noise cancellation on and off (take this claim with a pinch of salt).
Headband
The padding on the top of the headband is sufficiently thick to ensure that the cans do not hurt the top of your head when wearing them.
When you extend the headband you will notice that the slider is made of metal.
In addition, the slider is also colored in a color that can only be described as something between gold/rose gold or copper (but still very stylish)
Clamp Force
The Backbeat Go 810’s have a decent amount of clamp force and do stick to the head.
Personally, I felt that they were excellent at the gym, and were very stable when jogging.
Sound
The audio was detailed and thorough which was very impressive.
The 40mm drivers provide these headphones with detailed rich audio, which allows you to hear every note.
The mids were also incredibly detailed and spoke to me.
All throughout the range the vocals and instruments were clear and crisp.
I felt the bass was decent at best. If you are not a lover of hip hop/house or EDM, you may not be too concerned about the performance of the bass.
Whenever I put headphones bass to the test, I will generally listen to tracks such as still Dre by Dr. Dre as these bring out the best in the bass.
Click any of the links below to get yourself a pair
13 Beats Studio3 Wireless
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.3 | 8 | 6.3 | 8.4 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
Why We Like It
Sensors
On the right ear cup, you have the power on button, your LED notification which tells you your battery life, and the micro USB slot.
A double-tap of the power button activates the active noise cancellation.
On the left ear cup, you have a 3.5mm port and an LED which signifies your Bluetooth connectivity or status.
The left ear cup also includes controls for media and calls.
A press of the “b” on the headphones will act as your multi-function button.
One press of the b will play/pause, a double press will skip forward and a triple press will skip backward, and you can press and hold to activate the voice assistant.
When a call is coming in, you will simply press the “b” once to take the call and when you want to end a call you will press the “b” once.
You will notice that there are 2 circles on the ear cups.
The inner-circle with the Beats“b” is for the changing of tracks and making calls.
The outer circle is for adjusting the volume.
The upper portion of the circle is to increase the volume and the bottom portion is for decreases the volume.
Battery
With the Beats wireless studio 3 headphones, you can get up to 22 hours of battery life with the active noise cancellation and Bluetooth on.
Without active noise cancellation, the headphones can give you up to 40 hours of battery life, which is also pretty good.
Quick Charge
10 minutes gives you 3 hours of playback time.
Sound
But you will notice that the Wireless 3’s have had the base slightly toned down to give them a more neutral sound.
I feel like the sub base has been toned down a little excessively in my view.
The headphones do not extend as deeply as one would expect.
The base seems to be focused around the mid base region and the upper base region which has the tendency to bleed into the mid-range.
The base tightness and the focus, the sense of dynamics and impact is in my view fairly mediocre.
It sounds a bit fat and almost monotone, not quite but almost.
Fit and comfort
Clamping pressure is quite high, which is great for high-intensity workouts as the headphones do not fall off.
There is no pinching or sharpness at the crumb of the head.
The foam ear cups and leatherette material on the ear pads were good enough to ensure that I did not experience fatigue and definitely did not sweat under the headphones.
Earcups
The ear cushions are made of memory foam and are finished with synthetic leather, and are quite comfortable.
Noise Cancellation
As expected the beats’ studio 3 wireless headphones are equipped with adaptive noise cancellation.
Their ANC technology is called Pure ANC and ensures that you can shut out the outside world.
Click any of the links below to get yourself a pair
Are Beats good for working out?
The short answer is yes. this is predominantly due to the sound quality.
The way that Beats headphones reproduce sound is unlike anything out there, especially when it comes to bass.
The thump and bass make them the perfect companion for the treadmill.
12 Bose QuietComfort 45 Review
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | 6.2 | 7.4 | 8.4 | 7.6 |
Why We Like It
Noise-canceling wireless headphones
Small microphones measure, compare, and react to outside noise using opposite signals to cancel it.
Giving you the perfect combination of silence, comfort, and sound.
High-Fidelity Audio
A TriPort acoustic architecture provides depth and fullness.
Volume-optimized Active EQ
Keeps the performance of the volume stable, so bass remains consistent, even when reduced, and the music remains clear when turned up.
Quiet and Aware Modes
Turn on aware mode to bring the outside into your environment and your music at the same time.
Quiet Mode provides full noise canceling.
Extended Battery Life
Plugin the included audio cable to listen for even longer in wired mode.
When fully charged the headphones provide you with 24 hours of battery life, and you get 3 hours from a 15-minute quick charge.
Maximize the power of adjustable
EQ, and set the bass, mid-range, and treble levels, or select one of several preset options.
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11 Soundcore by Anker Life Q35 Review
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.7 | 8 | 6.5 | 8.5 | 7 | 7.7 |
Why We Like It
Custom Silk-Diaphragm Drivers
Reproduces music accurately across a wider frequency range.
Removes distortion, whilst delivering Hi-Res Audio Sound.
LDAC Technology
Ensures 3 times more data is transmitted to your life Q35 active noise-canceling headphones compared to standard Bluetooth codecs.
This produces lossless data transfer ensuring you hear every tiny detail in the music.
Multi-Mode Noise Cancelling
For a tailored noise-canceling experience, you can switch between Transport, Outdoor, and Indoor modes.
Each earcup has 2 microphones that detect and filter out distracting noises in your vicinity.
Comfortable and Convenient
Built-in sensors detect when your headphones have been removed from your ears and instantly pause the audio.
Life Q35 active noise-canceling headphones are lightweight and can be worn on your head all day.
Comfort is enhanced by memory foam padded ear cups and headbands.
Using LDAC ensures that even the tiniest details in a song can be preserved.
Beamforming Microphones
Using an AI algorithm, that has been tested thousands of times, has been designed to produce calls that sound crisp, clear, and free of unwanted noise, and pick up your voice with incredible accuracy.
Accurate Noise Cancelling Experience
Targeted and versatile Noise Cancelling, in the form of Transport, Outdoor, and Indoor modes has been configured to block out annoying sounds in these environments.
Activate transparency mode with the tap of a button
Transparency mode lets you be more alert to your environment and allows you to have that urgent conversation immediately.
High-Res Audio
Life Q35’s 40mm silk-diaphragm drivers produce precise sound with a wide frequency range.
This high-res audio means you’ll always enjoy the best sound—no matter if you’re listening in wireless or wired mode.
NFC Pairing
Instantly connect via the NFC connection by Taping the left earcup on your headphones.
Pair with 2 Devices
Toggling between music, online meetings, videos, and calls on 2 different devices is seamless.
Extended Battery Life
If you’re in a hurry, a 5-minute quick charge gives you 4 hours of battery time.
On a full charge, you get 40-Hours of Playtime which allows you to, listen to your favorite media all day long, never having to worry about running out of battery.
Soundcore App
Obtain a white noise soundscape so you can relax and switch between noise-canceling modes.
Use the Soundcore app to configure your own EQ settings or choose from 22 presets, and get a personalized audio experience.
Protect and travel with your headphones
An airplane adapter is included to ensure you can stay entertained during your journey.
With the accompanying compact travel case, your Q35 noise-canceling headphones are protected, so they can last for a long time.
Click any of the links below to get yourself a pair
10 Bose SoundLink around-ear wireless headphones II
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.2 | 7.7 | 6.5 | 8.8 | 7.8 |
Why We Like It
Comfort and Fit
These headphones are extremely lightweight, and allow you to focus on your workout, instead of what is on your head.
I was able to wear these for 4 hours at a time, without any fatigue.
Ear Cups/Pads
The ear cups are oval and large and fit comfortably for people with different sizes of ears.
The profile is very slim and at first glance, the earpads do not seem like they do very much at all.
If you take a really close look inside the ear cup you will notice that the speaker angles into the earcup. This is in both the right and the left ear cup.
When looking at the speaker you see that there are little dots inside for purposes of ventilation and this helps to reduce the heat build-up in your ears.
These headphones quite interestingly recess or press the speaker down towards the bottom.
This downward angle means that your ear will be protected from touching the speaker.
Sound Quality
In my view, the headphone is very neutral sounding, not over-emphasizing bass, mid or treble.
Overall, the sound is crisp and clear and lets you focus keenly on your workout.
Ear Cups
The right ear cup includes the power on/off button and the volume button.
The right ear cup also includes Bluetooth for the headphones and of course has a lithium battery.
Battery
A full charge will power the headphones for 15 hours.
A full charge takes approximately 3 hours when the battery is dead.
The power charging function provides a 2-hour charge from a 15-minute charge.
The headphones do not play whilst charging.
Noise Cancellation
The noise cancellation of the headphones is the passive type and not the active type.
Active noise cancellation uses noise cancellation technology that blocks out ambient sound and lets you determine the amount of noise that you want to cancel.
These headphones are not designed to have superior noise cancellation capabilities.
The noise cancellation is more noise isolating as opposed to noise canceling.
Therefore, you are likely to feel as if you have placed your fingers over your ears (well they perform a little better than that as your entire ear cup is covered)
Build Quality
The headphones are also well-built, do not be fooled by the lightweight thereof because they are built to last.
You would have to really try hard to break these cans.
The headphones do not fold, they simply flip for ease of storage.
This would be one of the more annoying things for me as they will not fit into a compact carry case.
The clamping force of the headphones is pretty good and the headphones also have excellent grip.
This is why they are good for the gym.
As I did my bench presses, I found that the headphones did not slip off, which is an absolute plus.
Connectivity
In addition to being Bluetooth compatible, the headphones have NFC (near field communication), which allows pairing to the headphones by placing your device a very short distance from your earphones.
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9 Philips SHP 9500 Review
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | 7.3 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 7.8 |
Why We Like It
Durable steel headband
Markings on the headband make adjusting the headband size easy.
The SHP9500 comes with a headband made with cold-rolled steel providing just the right amount of tension, ensuring strength and durability during your most grueling workout
50mm High Power Drivers
50mm drivers produce pristine high frequencies, transparent mid-range, and crisp bass.
They do this by making use of high-power neodymium magnets.
Open-back, over-ear headphones
The open back nature greatly improves Sound transparency and smooths extended high frequencies.
Grater freedom of movement to the diaphragm is possible due to the acoustic open-back architecture which removes air pressure build-up behind the driver.
Breathable Ear Cushions
Philips has engineered the SHP9500 with deluxe breathable ear pads that improve breathability and dissipate pressure and heat for longer wearing comfort.
Precisely Angled Drivers
A dynamic and authentic listening experience is created by audio signals channeled directly into the ears.
The ear shells provide accurate and precise sound, having been Engineered to fit the ear’s natural geometry.
Listen For Ours On End
Listen for hours on end, as the headband is made of a comfortable, soft, and breathable double-layered cushion, which is soft and breathable, enabling you to listen for hours on end.
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8 Sennheiser momentum wireless 3 Review
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.8 | 8.1 | 6.3 | 8.9 | 8.2 | 8.1 |
Why we Like It
Intuitive Auto On/Off and Smart Pause
Don’t let the music stop by activating the Auto On/Off and Smart Pause features.
Whether you just need to escape to your own personal audio space, need a chat with a friend, or make a business call, the intuitive controls work in all situations.
Active Noise Cancellation and Transparent Hearing
Transparent Hearing, on the other hand, lets you enjoy music while still being fully present during your workout.
Advanced Active Noise Cancellation with three distinct settings is adapted to different environments.
Active Noise Cancellation and Transparent Hearing modes allow you to immerse yourself in your audio when you are ready.
Built for comfort and durability
The sturdy matte steel arms and durable covers mean you do not have to replace these for a long time to come.
With premium materials in the form of a genuine leather head strap and premium earcups, these headphones provide maximum comfort facilitating long listening sessions.
Touch-Sensitive Controls
Enable touch-sensitive volume control and do the same to enable instant voice assistant technology.
The 3-button interface is simple and intuitive, allowing you to switch between your music and calls immediately and seamlessly.
Voice assistant
You can now get seamless integration with your phone’s voice assistant.
At the touch of a button, you can easily access the virtual or real-world, whenever life gets in the way.
Smart Technologies
The Smart Control app gives you access to a built-in equalizer and three different noise cancellation modes.
Find your lost headphones with smart TILE technology, so the only thing you lose is yourself in the music.
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7 Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5 | 8.6 | 6.5 | 8.8 | 7.9 | 8.1 |
Why We Like It
Sensors
The headphones come with 2 microphones in total, 2 on the outside and 2 on the inside.
The right ear cups include the Bluetooth on/off switch, speech microphones, audio input (for the cable jack), micro USB input, LED display, effect mode control, and Noise guard/ANC control switch.
Sennheiser has made an interesting feature, whereby the headphones are automatically turned on when you turn the ear cups into the use position.
Battery
Unfortunately, the voice prompt that comes with the headphones can become very annoying and will consistently tell you the amount of battery life that comes with the headphones, especially when your battery starts to go below 20%
Fortunately, you can get upwards of 20 hours of use with the Sennheiser PXC 550 wireless headphones.
But one criticism that I have of the headphones is that they do not come with a fast-charging mechanism.
Sound
Effect mode – allows you to control your headphones based on the genre of the music and the effect that you would like.
Higher frequencies have such superb definition
If your phone happens to support APT-X playback, the sound is even more impressive.
The overall sound is crisp and really immersive
The mids are well-defined, and I was impressed with the sound stage.
Fit and comfort
The build is robust and solid.
When I do the flex test, I notice you can stretch these out quite wide and there is no sign of fragility.
So automatically you can see that they were designed with various head sizes in mind.
Active Noise Cancellation
Sennheiser Noise cancellation is the adaptive kind adaptive.
Sennheiser calls their noise cancellation technology “noise guard”, there is a button located on the right ear cup that allows you to control the amount of noise cancellation.
You can choose between full and adaptive noise guard mode.
The cans also come with an effect mode button that allows you to toggle between different effects or the built-in EQ’s.
Talk through is a feature that allows you to be able to hear someone talking to you without having to remove your headphones.
This is achieved through the microphones that are outside of the headphones
NFC
The Sennheiser PXC 550 wireless headphones are NFC enabled.
Simply slide your phone against the left ear cup to connect and your devices are paired immediately and automatically.
Remember that this can be done only if your device has NFC enabled on it as well.
Bluetooth
The headphones are compatible with Bluetooth 4.2 and cover the traditional range of +/-10m/+/-30ft
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6 UA Sport Wireless Train Project Rock On-Ear Sport Headphones Review
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.7 | 8 | 9 | 8.4 | 8.3 |
Why We Like It
JBL® Charged Sound
Produces bold sound and is optimized for sport.
This creates detailed, heart-thumping bass to help you get through the toughest workout.
IPX4 rating and Rugged Over-Ear Design
Meaning that the headphones are resistant to water splashes from any direction.
Assists in the sweat absorption process
Adaptive Noise Canceling Technology
Removes distractions and provides absolute focus, allowing you to get all those extra reps in.
Under Armour Storm Super Grip
Ensures your headphones are stable and stay firm on your head, during your workout.
UA SuperVent ear cushions
Give your ears breathing room, preventing them from overheating whilst in the middle of a session
light & fast-drying earbuds
Help you focus on your exercise, not the headphones, and additionally means that you can, just wipe them and they will be ready for use in a quick time.
Autoplay & pause—stop music when you take off your headphones, for that much-needed break during sets, and starts again when you put them back on.
Connects with Hey Google or Amazon Alexa with hands-free voice control so you never miss a rep.
Bluetooth® 5 wireless provides decreased audio lag & longer connectivity range, so you can have your phone in your gym bag, whilst you focus on your exercises.
Fast charging provides you with 45 hours of battery life and a 5 minutes Speed Charge provides 2 hours of battery life
12-month premium membership to UA MapMyFitness
Fast & hassle-free pairing with Android 6.0 or above-supported devices
Lightweight at 294g /0.65 lbs
Comes with a durable utility carry case, 1 charging cable, 1 aux cable & a Brahma Bull sticker.
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5 Soul X-TRA Performance Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones for Sports
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.8 | 8.3 | 8.9 | 8.3 | 8.3 |
Why We Like It
Headband
The headband is made of some pretty strong plastic.
You will notice that the top of the headband is not solid as is the case with more traditional headphones.
The headband contains open spaces which allows air to come into the headband and cool you down during a workout.
The headband slider that is used to adjust the headphones on your head is made of metal, ensuring that the headphone will not break easily, as a result, these are cans that you will keep beyond 1 year.
One thing that did let me down was the fact that the top of the headband was made of rubber and there was no padding whatsoever.
I am not sure whether this was done to save costs, but it can be slightly uncomfortable, especially after long periods of use.
But if you only need the headphones for a 1-hour gym session in a day, then I suppose that they will do the job.
The other reason, which is far more plausible is that the design of the headband is to keep the weight down.
Ear Pads/Cups
Thankfully soul recognized that it is important not to create leather ear cups for workout headphones (unlike some headphone makers that I will not mention here).
My biggest problem with leather ear cups is that after extensive sweating, they lose their visual appeal and the smell can be a bit disturbing.
Thankfully the ear pads can be removed so that you can clean them when they become dirty.
If you do wish to wash the ear pads then I would suggest that you make use of some warm water with some soap or disinfectant.
I would also suggest making use of a microfiber cloth.
Another cool feature of the headphones is the fact that the ear cups fold inwards for easy storage.
This makes the headphones the perfect travel companion, as you can carry them with any size of luggage.
The earpads are surrounded by a breathable material and have a fair amount of padding.
The ear cups also have heightened ventilation and breathability.
The surface area of the mesh allows for greater air to moisture contact, allowing your body to maintain a more consistent level of comfort.
If you happen to damage your ear pads or they wear out then ensure that you can buy a pair of replacement ones.
The ear cups do also swivel on the joints and you can turn them in all the way such that the inside faces you.
At the bottom of the right ear cup are the USB charging slot and the 3.5mm jack slot.
Sound Quality
From a sound perspective, you will find that the Soul X-TRA wireless produces balanced bass, with clear mids and highs.
The sound in the headphones is powered by 40 mm dynamic drivers.
The sound quality is HD, that’s no exaggeration, you really can enjoy your movies and music with good sound quality.
Sound Quality
From a sound perspective, you will find that the Soul X-TRA wireless produces balanced bass, with clear mids and highs.
The sound in the headphones is powered by 40 mm dynamic drivers.
The sound quality is HD, that’s no exaggeration, you really can enjoy your movies and music with good sound quality.
Battery
The headphones are powered by a 320mAH Li-ion Polymer battery
The headphones can go for 24 hours unwired.
So, if you average 1 hour at the gym, that’s a total of 3 weeks of listening time.
3 weeks before you need to recharge these bad boys is amazing.
Of course, do remember that your battery lasts depending on the way you use your headphones.
If they are constantly on high volume and connected to multiple devices then the length of time can decrease.
Keeping up with the latest in headphone technology, the headphones come with a fast-charging option.
Fast charging of just 15 minutes provides 2.5 hours of playtime or 2.5 gym sessions.
The amount of battery life will also depend on whether you have the safety LED light on or off.
The 24-hour time frame is for when the safety light is off.
If the safety light is on then the headphones will go for 8 hours of continuous use before they need a recharge.
Bluetooth
The headphones support Bluetooth 4.0, which means that they are compatible with most Bluetooth devices.
The Bluetooth range is the standard range of roughly 33ft or 10m.
The headphones are additionally compatible with Android and Apple devices.
The headphones come with a built-in microphone that enables you to answer and make phone calls using your headphones.
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4 Under Armour JBL Sport Wireless Train headphones-Best sweatproof headphones for the gym
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.9 | 8.2 | 9 | 8.2 | 8.3 |
Why We Like It
Battery
You can get up to 16 hours of battery life. This means that you can use your headphones for up to 2 weeks’ worth of exercise before you have to recharge.
There is a quick charge feature with the headphones that provides 1 hour of playback for 5 minutes of recharge.
Bluetooth
The Easy-to-connect Bluetooth ® technology provides cable-free, zero-distraction performance
When you are ready to pair your headphones, you turn them on and you will see the blue LED light indicating that the headphones are ready to pair to your device.
On your device, they should appear as JBL rocks.
When outside the Bluetooth works perfectly fine.
The Bluetooth range does not lend itself to long distances, however, so I would not try to make use of the Bluetooth beyond a range of 9-10m or 30 feet.
Sound Quality
The audio is bold and has been tuned for sporting activity with abundant bass to squash any workout.
The JBL sound is top-notch and is so amazing!
But with that being said, the sound here is nice and thumpy, filled with umph, which I think the average gym-loving music lover will enjoy.
In typical JBL fashion, the headphones come with a lot of base and crystal clear sound.
Controls
Extra-large controls which have premium finishes provide sturdiness & are simple to gain access to.
Talk Through Technology
The Talk-Thru technology is very innovative and reduces the volume of your music & turns on the speech-optimized, noise-canceling mics so you can quickly (or over a longer period) have a conversation between gym sets without having to remove your headphones.
The talk through technology is powered through the AU logo on the right-hand side.
So this feature is perfect for when you want to talk to a friend at the gym, but you do not feel like taking off your headphones to do so.
The technology encompassed in the talk-through feature is the same one that is in noise-canceling technology.
You even have the ability to mute your mic during telephone calls.
Compatibility
The headphones are compatible with Android devices and any other devices.
You can also make use of an extension aux cable in order to plug it into any device.
Unfortunately, I was not in any way able to connect the headphones to my apple watch which is a bit of a bummer.
Headband
The headband is lined with sweat-resistant, anti-slip material.
The Under Armour grip material entirely lines the inner portion of the headband, as well as the ear cushions, giving a tender feeling as well as optimum stability and security.
The headband is soft and ensures that your head will have a comfortable place to rest.
Comfort
These headphones are perfect for heavy sweaters.
I found that they hold extremely well, especially when I am doing intense exercises that release sweat from my body.
What does make the headphones uncomfortable over an extended period is the fact that the clamping force is good and they absolutely stay on your head.
So whilst this is advantageous for the gym it can get a little annoying especially if you are using the headphones outside of gym.
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3 Bose noise-canceling 700
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 8.9 | 7 | 8.8 | 9 | 8.5 |
Why We like It
Weight
These headphones are very light coming in at 254 grams, so you can focus on the workout and not the headphones.
Battery
The headphones can go for a continuous 20 hours with noise cancellation on before they need to be recharged.
If you use the headphones with the attached cable instead, you can use your headphones continuously for 40 hours before they need to be recharged.
Connectivity/Bluetooth
Fortunately, you can play up to two devices which means that you can switch between your tablet and your smartphone, without needing to disconnect from one in order to access the other.
Active noise-canceling technology
Conversation Mode – allows you to adjust noise cancellation and pause your music when you want to have a conversation.
Adjustable noise cancelation lets you decide how much of the outside world you would like to hear
Bose Proprietary active noise canceling technology makes use of microphones inside and outside the earcups, which monitor the sounds around you, and instantly produce an opposite signal, which cancels them out.
Consistent Sound
The Bose 700 headphones deliver sound that stays consistent at any volume and acoustic noise reduction.
Crystal Clea Calls
Four microphones on the other hand combine to diminish the most disruptive of the remaining sound around you.
Six microphones working collectively, cancel any noise around you and make your calls sound better.
Even in less-than-ideal conditions, the revolutionary mic system is engineered for making and taking calls.
Capacitive touch controls
The Headphones have been optimized for fast effortless access to music, messages, and information, owing to the Low-profile buttons that control the power, noise-canceling presets, and voice assistants.
The capacitive touch sensors on the right earcup allow you to manage volume, calls, and music, without ever needing to look at your phone.
Built for Comfort
The secure steel headband fits comfortably on your head with an underside of soft silicone-covered foam.
To reproduce the anatomy of the human head and ears, the earcups are tilted at 15 degrees.
plush leather protein ear cushions make long listening sessions a possibility.
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2 Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Review
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 9.4 | 6.7 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 8.7 |
Why We Like It
Great Wireless experience
Enjoy High Quality/High-Resolution Audio driven by LDAC, which transmits approximately three times more data (at the maximum transfer rate of 990 kbps) than conventional BLUETOOTH®
HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1
Working in conjunction with a new Bluetooth® Audio SoC (System on Chip), the HD Noise Cancelling Processor senses and adjusts to music and noise signals, and acoustic characteristics between the driver unit and ears, at over 700 times per second.
Making use of a new algorithm, the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 applies real-time noise-canceling processing to various acoustic environments.
This technology features two microphones on each earcup, which pick up ambient noise and transfer the data to the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1.
Optimizing Noise Cancelling
Atmospheric Pressure Optimising – Is designed for air travel and delivers optimal sound at high altitudes.
Personal Noise Cancelling Optimiser – Analyses unique sonic characteristics caused by head size, glasses, and hair, then tailors the sound to you.
Ambient Sound Control
Use the headphones Connect app to cancel noise while still permitting essential sounds, such as transport announcements.
Built-in analog amplifier
Powerful 40mm drivers, with Liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP) diaphragms, ensure the headphones can handle heavy beats and can reproduce a full range of frequencies up to 40kHz.
Integrated with the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1, the built-in analog amplifier realizes an unmatched signal-to-noise ratio for low distortion and exceptional sound quality for portable devices.
Real-time restoration of all your compressed files
Using Edge-AI (Artificial Intelligence), DSEE Extreme™ (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) upscales compressed digital music files in real-time.
Dynamically recognizing the instrumentation, musical genres, and individual elements of each song, such as vocals or interludes, restores the high-range sound lost in compression for a richer, more complete listening experience
Smart Sensors
When you start speaking, your music automatically pauses in Speak-to-Chat.
Proximity sensors provide adaptive playback, and two acceleration sensors detect whether your headphones are being worn or not.
Speak-to-Chat and Precise Voice Pickup Technology
Speak-to-Chat automatically stops the music.
The moment you speak to someone and allow ambient sound in, you can talk to someone when your hands are not free.
Precise Voice Pickup Technology combines advanced audio signal processing and five built-in microphones to recognize and react to your voice.
When your chat is over, your music will start playing again automatically.
Designed For comfort
These headphones combine the perfect blend of exceptional comfort and sophisticated styling
The earpads are Super-soft and pressure-relieving.
Foamed urethane, evenly distributes pressure and increases ear to pad contact, promoting a stable fit.
And with a lighter-weight design, you’ll barely notice you’re wearing them.
These were made for the gym
Extended Battery Life
A 10-minute quick charge gives you 5 hours of battery for the morning that you are under pressure.
One charge gives you 30 hours of battery life
Multipoint connection
WH-1000XM4 headphones can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at the same time.
So when a call comes in, your headphones know which device is ringing and connect to the right one automatically.
You’ll also be able to quickly, and smoothly switch your headphones to either of the two devices at the touch of a button.
Click any of the links below to get yourself a pair
1 Apple Airpods Max Review
| Durability | Sound | Sweat Resistance | Comfort | Noise Cancellation | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.9 | 9.2 | 8.5 | 9.2 | 8.7 | 8.9 |
Why We Like It
Built for comfort
With major changes in fabric From cushion to canopy, the new fit of the AirPods Max creates the perfect acoustic seal for a variety of head shapes which results in you being fully immersed in every sound.
Headband and frame
The stainless steel frame is wrapped with a soft-to-the-touch material to provide strength, flexibility, and comfort.
The headband has been designed to reduce head pressure, by using a breathable knitted mesh that distributes weight.
Telescopic arms
The smooth extending telescoping arms stay in a place where you set them
Anodised Aluminium cups
Employ the latest in design and technology to ensure each cup rotates independently and balances pressure.
Comfortable ear cushions
Ear cushions are wrapped in a custom-designed textile mesh providing pillow-like softness during listening.
Acoustically Engineered Memory Foam creates an immersive seal, which provides the secret ingredient in the sound produced by these headphones.
Digital Crown
Situated at the top of the right ear cup, it allows you to accurately control volume, skip between tracks, answer phone calls, and activate Siri.
High-fidelity audio
AirPods Max incorporates high-fidelity audio with cutting-edge Active Noise Cancellation which delivers an unrivaled listening experience.
Custom-built drivers work to manufacture sound which has ultra-low distortion across the audible range.
From deep, rich bass to accurate mids and crisp, clean highs, all sounds will be heard with immense clarity.
Immersive listening
To eliminate unwanted external sound, AirPods Maximising the power of six outward-facing microphones which identify noise in your environment, whilst two additional inward-facing microphones measure what you’re hearing.
Beamforming microphones isolate your voice on calls, you sound clear — even with the wind in the environment.
Hear every detail
The dynamic driver designed by Apple produces a wide frequency range that brings out the rich details of every sound making sure your favorite songs have texture and accuracy.”
Distortionless playback
Ensures clear playback, even at full volume.
Using inspiration from high-end floor-standing speakers.
The driver’s dual-neodymium ring magnet motor significantly reduces total harmonic distortion across the entire audible range.
Immersive listening
To remove undesirable external sound, AirPods Max uses a total of six outward-facing microphones to detect noise in your environment, and two inward-facing microphones to measure what you’re hearing.
Beamforming microphones assist in isolating your voice when on phone calls, making it crystal clear in extremely windy environments.
The Apple-designed dynamic driver produces a wide frequency range that uncovers the rich details of every sound delivering your favorite songs with previously unheard texture and accuracy.
Apple‑designed H1 chip in each cup
Uses computational audio to create a breakthrough listening experience.
By tapping into each chip’s 10 audio cores, computational audio helps block outside noise, adapts audio to the fit and seal of your ear cushions, and provides a unique surround sound experience.
Noise Cancellation
The noise control button lets you switch to Transparency mode, letting outside sound in, so you can interact naturally with your surroundings.
The Active Noise Cancellation counters external sound with equal anti‑noise, allowing you to immerse yourself in what you’re listening to.
Adaptive EQ
Configures sound to the particular fit and seal created by the ear cushions.
The Inward-facing microphones measure what you’re hearing, and adjust the frequencies of your music so you get a rich, consistent experience that faithfully reproduces every note.
Spatial Audio
Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking provides surround sound audio.
Using built-in gyroscopes and accelerometers, AirPods Max and your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV track the subtle motion of your head, anchoring sounds to your device.
With Apple Music, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you to create a three-dimensional listening experience.
One-tap setup
Ensures your AirPods Max connects immediately to your iPhone or iPad.
To pair simply place AirPods Max near your device and tap Connect on your screen.
Seamless Switching
Seamlessly move between your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV
If you’re playing music on your Mac and taking a call on your iPhone, AirPods Max will automatically switch over
Audio Sharing
You can easily share an audio stream between two sets of AirPods on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple TV.
If you bring any AirPods near the device you’re listening to and connect in a tap
On-Head Detection
Ensures your AirPods Max pause audio when you take them off, and resume playback when you put them back on.
Announce Messages
With Announce Notifications, Siri can automatically read important notifications from Messages, Phones, Calendars, Reminders, and more as they arrive.
You can even tell Siri to respond — no hands required
With SiriAlways on – Get directions, check the weather, schedule a meeting, and more with a simple “Hey Siri”.
Extended Battery Life
You get 20 hours of listening, movie watching, or talk time with Active Noise Cancellation and spatial audio enabled.
A quick 5‑minute charge provides 1.5 hours of listening time
Why We Like It
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Buyers Guide For the Best Over-Ear Headphones for working out
Level of protection against water
As you sweat you will want headphones that are not going to slip off.
All headphones on this list have very good clamping force and can stay affixed when you sweat
A leather headband and ear cushions may not absorb sweat all that well, and you will need to wipe your headphones after your gym session.
Ear cushions and headbands made of mesh or similar material may absorb sweat better.
You may also want headphones with an IPX rating of 4 and above
Click on the following link for more information on IPX ratings
Clamping Force
Clamping force determines how well your headphones and ear cups stick to your face.
Intensive exercises such as running or any exercise involving jumping require quite a bit of clamping force
Bluetooth
If you exercise from home or prefer to leave your phone in your gym bag, then usually 10m/30ft Bluetooth is sufficient.
Most headphones on this list have at least 30ft Bluetooth range
If you want to listen to music without latency then APTX or Bluetooth 5.0 headphones will do the job.
Battery Life
As workouts are usually an hour or so per day, you do not need long battery life for workout headphones.
However the longer the battery life, the less you have to remember to charge your headphones.
Fit, Comfort, and Design
This is crucial as you do not want to pay attention to your headphones, as you would much rather focus on your exercise.
Over-Ear headphones for exercise should be lightweight and stern.
They should ideally resist sweat as well.
Durability
As you will be carrying these headphones around with you, they should be firm
Noise Cancellation
This is optional depending on whether you like music during your workout or silence or something in between.
Sometimes the gym can be noisy and if you want to focus on the workout then you may want noise cancellation.
Other times you may want some nice bassy headphones for added motivation during the workout.
Frequently Ask Questions Regarding Best Over-Ear Headphones For Working Out
Are earbuds or headphones better for working out?
I have in a way covered this in my introduction. In summary, here is my assessment of whether or not earbuds or headphones are better for working out.
The advantages of earbuds are that earbuds are lightweight, and they are also easy to adjust.
When one is working out, usually one earbud slips out at a time, so when you adjust it you do not have to stop working out.
With over-ear headphones, if the headphones slip off, then you have to pause the workout to adjust them.
At least this is what I thought initially. Today headphones have been designed with very solid clamping force and many have sweat-resistant earbuds.
So it is no longer true that over-ear headphones are more likely to slip off your head.
The other advantage of over-ear or on-ear headphones is that they produce better sound, and you can even find a pair that is noise canceling.
So in short it is my view that headphones are better than earbuds for working out.
Can sweat ruin earbuds?
When speaking of earbuds we are also referring to ear pads.
So the questions should ask can sweat ruin earbuds or ear pads.
The reason why most manufacturers will advise you not to exercise in their headphones is that the sweat can cause moisture damage and this can cause additional problems.
Because sweat is corrosive, it will damage the memory foam or cushion-like material of headphone ear pads.
Your cans will look unappealing and wrinkled as a result.
The other issue with the sweat is that your ear pads can start to smell.
It is advised that you remove the ear pads and leave them out to dry or gently wipe them with a damp nut soapy cloth.
If moisture seeps into the electronics of your headphones that could be the end of the functioning of your headphones.
You may notice the sound becoming incoherent and inconsistent.
The other problem with sweat on your headphones is that damage caused by sweat is usually not covered under warranty.
Fortunately, there is a solution. That solution is earplugs.
The manufacturers themselves describe earhugz as follows.
“Ear hugs are sweat-resistant headphone covers with Ultra-Stretch, MAX-DRI™ + Machine Washable fabric to wick moisture away from your headphones.
They come in a range of awesome designs and are all 100% reversible to black”
In short, they cover your ear pads and avoid getting sweat on the ear pads. For more details on the ear hugz , click on the following link.
