On-ear headphones

On-ear

— on-ear headphones that are not full-size over-ear models (see the relevant paragraph).

In all overhead models (both on-ear and over-ear), the cup is located outside the auricle (this is the main difference from in-ear devices and inserts). This simplifies the creation of headphones with advanced sound characteristics, allows you to use some specific tricks, but complicates transportation and use on the go; and the headband found in most of these devices is poorly compatible with some hairstyles and headgear. As for the on-ear models specifically, in them the cup fits snugly to the ear, but does not cover it — this is the key difference from over-ear devices. These on-ear headphones can have different acoustic design (see the corresponding list), however, when closed, they are noticeably inferior to full-size ones in sound isolation quality. However, this point rarely turns out to be fundamental. The unequivocal disadvantages of on-ear headphones include the fact that they can put quite a lot of pressure on the ears, which can create discomfort — especially when worn for a long time.