2026 Annual Headphone Shootout The Over The Ear Models

There’s been a lot of hype around men’s basketball, with March Madness in full swing. Which means, it’s also time for our annual Headphone Shootout. But unlike seeding with March Madness, with headphones we have an MSRP. Yet like March Madness, where some teams perform above their assigned seed, some headphones also perform above their MSRP.

 

We divide up our annual Headphone Shootout into two parts: the over the ear models, and the in-ear monitors. This year we’ll be starting with the over the ear models. This year we have some excellent products from some great manufacturers. They comprise of JBL Live 670NC, MSRP $129, Shure SRH840A MSRP $169, Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 MSRP $229, Sony MDR-M1 MSRP $269, and lastly Pioneer HDJ-X10 MSRP $449.

 

Up first is the JBL Live 670NC.  JBL has been in the business of making great audio products for generations. And while not as long, they still have a long history of making great headphones for decades.  They have a wide selection of quality headphones. This year they have included their JBL Live 670NC.

 

 It came shipped in a nice color printed box, with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone, held in place by molded cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal, cloth, and foam. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, was very good. Also included was an audio cable, charging cable, cloth bag, and owner’s manual.

 

Features and specs:

General Specifications

Driver size (mm): 40

Activity: Leisure

Noise Cancelling: Yes

Noise Cancelling Type: True Adaptive Noise Canceling

Number of Microphones: 2

Audio Specifications

Driver sensitivity at 1kHz/1mW (dB): 98

Dynamic frequency response range: (Hz): 20 Hz - 20 kHz

Impedance (ohms): 32

Dimensions

Audio Cable Length (ft): .7

Audio Cable Length (m): .2

Weight (g): 219

Weight (oz): 7.7

Charging Cable Length (m): .2

Charging Cable Length (ft): .7

Ear Cup External Height (in): 2.7

Ear Cup External Width (in): 2.7

Ear Cup Internal Height (in): 1.1

Ear Cup Internal Width (in): 1.1

Ear Cup Depth (in): .8

Ear Cup External Height (cm): 6.9

Ear Cup External Width (cm): 6.9

Ear Cup Internal Height (cm): 2.7

Ear Cup Internal Width (cm): 2.7

Ear Cup Depth (cm): 1.9

Control and Connection Specifications

Bluetooth version: 5.3

Bluetooth frequency: 2.4 GHz – 2.4835 GHz

Connection: Wireless

Connectivity Technology: Bluetooth

Bluetooth profiles: HFP v1.8, A2DP v1.4, AVRCP v1.6.2

Bluetooth transmitted modulation: GFSK, π/4-DQPSK, 8-DPSK

Bluetooth transmitter power: ≤ 13 dBm (E.I.R.P)

Battery

Charging time (hours from empty): 3

Maximum music play time with ANC off (hours): 65

Maximum music play time with ANC on (hours): 50

Maximum talk time (hours): 33

Battery Life: 65

Maximum play time (hours): 65

Features

Spatial Sound: Yes

Voice Aware: Yes

True Adaptive Noise Cancelling: Yes

Foldable: Yes

Audio cable: Yes

Speed charge: Yes

Voice Assistant integration: Yes

Ambient Aware: Yes

Built-in Microphone: Yes

Detachable Cable: Yes

Hands Free Call: Yes

JBL Signature Sound: Yes

Multi-Point Connection: Yes

TalkThru: Yes

Wireless: Yes

Charging cable: Yes

Over-ear: No

Rechargable battery: Yes

Bluetooth: Yes

JBL Headphone App: Yes

I really like the design of the JBL Live 670NC. And I love the bang for the buck! While they cut some corners, it’s still a good quality headphone. They also managed to provide some excellent features. Not only do you get 40 mm driver’s that provide the JBL sound, there’s also active noise cancelling, the JBL app, built-in mics for handsfree calls, and Personal-FI 2.0. It’s also built for Alexa and Google.

 

The JBL app is what’s used to control most of the features. There’s an EQ. Here you adjust the sound to your liking. You also can adjust the Active Noise Cancelling settings. There’s off, on, and you also have an ambient mode where you can also hear the surroundings around you. And you also access its additional features such as the Spatial Sound, and Voice Aware.

 

What can also make a big difference, and my favorite, is the Personi-Fi 2.0. Some of us hear better than others, and some of us due to work environment tend to lose some of our hearing. We also tend to lose some of our hearing as we get older. But Personi-Fi 2.0 basically takes us through a hearing test, and can tailor the sound to us. And this can also help your music to sound even better. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Earth, Wind, & Fire: September – texture of the wood block came through good, snaps and snare were dynamic, cymbals and hi-hat was crisp and clean, kick drum was deep and played with authority. Trumpets were also really clean with very good harmonics. Vocals were silky smooth with good texture of the timbre.

Guns & Roses: Patience – whistle was smoother than honey. Acoustic guitar was so crisp and clean, with good resolution of the strings. Vocals were really smooth as well with good texture. Soundstage was pleasantly wide with some depth as well

Brandon Beal: Drop That Booty Down Low - Bass beats are nice and tight, clean, and plays with good extension with good authority. But when the booty gets dropped down low, it plays really deep, and has a ton of output. And does so cleanly.

 

Next up is the Shure SRH840A. While known for their professional microphones, Shure also makes other great products for audio professionals. This includes Studio Monitor Headphones. The Shure SRH840A is one of those headphones.

 

Features and Specs:

Precisely tailored frequency response delivers rich bass, clear mid-range and extended highs

Premium, padded headband provides ergonomic fit for superior comfort over extended periods

Closed-back, circumaural design rests comfortably over the ears and reduces background noise

Detachable locking cable securely locks cable into ear cup and enables easy replacement

Matched 40mm dynamic neodymium drivers offer natural and well-balanced frequency response with low distortion

Sleek, durable design looks great on camera and withstands the rigors of everyday wear

Includes additional detachable straight cable, carrying bag, threaded ¼” (6.3 mm) gold-plated adapter and two-year warranty

 

The Shure SRH840A came in a nice-looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone held in place by custom molded cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal, cloth, and foam. Quality of materials used, as well as fit and finish, is very good. Also included was the detachable cable, carry bag, and manual.

 

The Shure SRH840A uses a simple design. It’s a standard corded studio monitor headphone. They keep the cost down by using cloth in the headband and standard foam in the earcups. Yet they still function well. They swivel and fold for easy storage. They are also comfortable to wear, fitting over the ears. I also love the detachable cable. No need to work about them developing a short. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Earth, Wind, & Fire: September – texture of the wood block came through very good, snare and snaps were very dynamic, cymbals and hi-hat were really crisp and clean. Kick drum played really deep and with really good authority. Trumpets were also really clean with very good harmonics and dynamics. Vocals were silky smooth, really rich, with very good texture of the timbre. Soundstage was also really good, wide, deep and good spaciousness like you were in the studio.

Guns & Roses: Patience – whistle was smoother than honey with excellent resolution. Acoustic guitar was so crisp and clean with very good resolution of the strings, being able to hear their decay. Vocals were also really smooth with very good resolution of the texture of the timbre. Soundstage was also nice and wide and deep.

Branden Beal: Drop That Booty Down Low – bass beats are nice and really tight, clean, and plays with really deep extension with a ton of authority. But when the booty gets dropped down low, the bass goes to a whole new level: so deep, so much authority, and does so cleanly.

 

Next up is the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100. They’re a great example of German engineering that have been making great audio products for over 100 years. And they have been making headphones for almost as long. That legacy continues today. Their Aventho 100 is an example of it.

 

Features and specs

Wearing Style: On-ear

Operating principle:    Closed

Transmission Type:      Wireless via Bluetooth®

Remote:            Without Remote

Nominal impedance headphones:      48 ohms

Weight headphones without cable:    220 g

Battery Runtime:          More than 60 hours

Battery runtime with ANC:      Up to 40 hours

Headphone frequency response:         20 – 22,000 Hz

Range: up to 15 m

Supported Bluetooth® Profile:  AVDTP 1.3, AVCTP 1.4, GAVDP 1.3, SPP 1.2, RFCOMM 1.2, A2DP 1.4, AVRCP 1.6.2 HFP 1.9

Bluetooth® version:     5.4

Codecs :  AAC, SBC, aptX™ Lossless, aptX™ Adaptive*

Charging Port Type:     USB-C

 

The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 came in a nice colored printed box, with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone held in place by custom molded cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic with some metal and foam. Quality of materials used as well as fit and finish was very good. Also included was the charging cable, audio cable, cloth carry bag, and manual.

 

I love the design of the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100. It’s a Bluetooth headphone that are a more compact on the ear design. They cut some corners to keep cost down such as using leatherette and regular foam in the earcups and headband. But they use the quality materials where they count, such as using metal in the headband and swivel and connecting it to the back of the earcups. One earcup has the connectors for charging cable and audio cable. The earcups also fold in for easy storage, and the earpads are also user replaceable.

 

The Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 are also very easy to use. Bluetooth makes them simple to use with your smartphone. They even have Active Noise Cancellation. Their app also makes them easy to use. Through the app, you control the ANC, with off, on, as well as ambient mode option. This option let’s you not just hear your music, but by using the built-in mics used for handsfree phone calls, the mics also let you hear your environment around you. It’s a well-made product with excellent features, now let’s see how it sounds.

 

Earth, Wind, & Fire: September – texture of the wood block came though good, snare and snaps were dynamic. Cymbals and hi-hat were really crisp and clean. Kick drums played really deep and with very good authority. Trumpets were also really clean with very good harmonics and dynamics. Vocals were silky smooth with very good texture of the timbre. Soundstage was also nice and big. With some width and depth.

Guns & Roses: Patience – whistle was smoother than honey with very good resolution. Acoustic guitar was so crisp and clean with very good resolution of the strings being able to hear their decay. Vocals were also really smooth with great texture of the timbre. Soundstage was also nice and wide with depth as well.

Branden Beal: Drop That Booty Down Low – bass beats are nice and tight, clean, and plays with good depth and really good authority. But when the booty gets dropped down low, it gets even better! Bass beats go even deeper, louder, with a ton of authority. And is really clean doing so.

 

Now it’s time for the Sony Professional MDR-MI. Sony does a lot! And this includes Sony Motion Pictures. In speaking to Sony, they needed a true monitor headphone for working on the sound tracks for their films. So the MDR-MI was developed for their professional line.

 

Features and specs:

SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES

Headphones cable (Approx. 1.2m/2.5m - Stereo mini plug) Plug adaptor (Stereo standard plug ↔ Stero mini plug) Reference Guide Warranty Card

Size & Weight

Weight: Approx. 216 g (without cable)

General Features

Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 80,000 Hz (JEITA)

Cord Length: Approx. 1.2m/2.5m

Driver Unit: 40 mm

Impedance (Ohm): 50 (omega) at 1kHz

Magnet: Neodymium

Plug: Gold, Stereo Unimatch Plug 1/4" and 1/8"

Sensitivities (dB/mW): 102dB/mW

Wearing Style: Over-ear

Headphone Type: Closed dynamic

Frequency Response (Active Operation): 5 Hz - 80,000 Hz (JEITA)

Input(s): Stereo Standard plug/Stereo mini plug

 

 

The Sony MDR-MI reference closed monitor headphones came in a nice-looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box revealed a pair of headphones held securely in place by custom cardboard. Materials used in the construction was mostly plastic, with some metal, memory foam, and leatherette for the earcups. Quality of construction as well as fit and finish was excellent. Also included were two detachable cables, a 1/4 “adapter, and the reference guide.

 

I love the background story of the development of the Sony MDR-MI reference closed back headphones. Some work by music mixers/creators was done in the studio at Sony, some was done at their homes. So it was determined there was a need for a modem high resolution closed back headphone that could be used by music creators who needed studio quality monitoring in any environment. And Sony worked closely with top industry engineers in their development to ensure they met the high demand of professional engineers. But not only that, they also allowed the creation of a reference point, which ensured that mixes created with them plugged in accurately into end user systems.

 

Created with high expectations, their design works well. Earcups are easy to adjust to fit the end user. They also fit well over the ears for a comfortable fit, as well as earcup swivel and fold in for easy storage. And what really stuck out to me was just how light they were. Sure they fit well and are very comfortable to wear. But the fact that they are so light, means that you hardly notice them on, which for a professional engineer sitting at a computer working on content creation, this translates into ease of use for long sessions. Now let’s see how they sound.

 

Earth, Wind, & Fire: September – texture of the wood block came through in spades, dynamics of the snare and snaps were excellent. Cymbals and hi-hat were really crisp and clean being able to hear the decay of the clash. Kick drum was shockingly deep and played with a ton of authority! Trumpets were so clean with excellent dynamics and harmonics that gave me goosebumps. Vocals were so silky smooth with excellent texture of the timbre. Soundstage was huge, deep, wide, and like being in the recording studio.

Guns & Roses: Patience – whistle was so amazingly smooth with excellent resolution. Acoustic guitar was stellar, with its resolution of the strings, being able to hear the pick and their decay with easy. Vocals were also smoother than honey with excellent resolution of the timbre. And again the soundstage was almost as if I was right there in the recording studio.

Branden Beal: Drop That Booty Down Low – bass beats were so nice! So clean, and plays with such good depth and authority. But when the booty got dropped down low, it was a whole new level! Bass was so deep, and played with such output I thought my earlobes started to vibrate!

 

Last but not least is Pioneer with their HDJ-X10. Pioneer has a long heritage in the DJ market, providing excellent boards/controllers/mixes and they also provide excellent headphones. The Pioneer HDJ-X10 is their top-of-the-line corded headphone. MSRP is a fair $449.

 

Features and specs

Large 50mm Drivers

Frequency Response: 5 Hz to 40 kHz

Remarkable Left and Right Separation

Bass Reflex Chamber for Deep Bass

Polyurethane Earpads with Nano Coating

Nano Coating Resists Deterioration

Durable Metal Construction

Military Standard Shock Resistant

Includes Coiled and Straight Cables

Includes Carrying Case and 1/4" Adapter

 

The Pioneer HDJ-X10 came in a nice-looking color printed box, with photos and specs of the headphones. Opening the box revealed a well-protected headphone, held in place by custom hard zipper case. Materials used in the construction was mostly metal with some leatherette, foam, and plastic. Quality of materials used as well as fit and finish, is excellent. Also included were two detachable cables, one cloth wrapped, a ¼ inch adapter, a cloth hard zipper case, and manual.

 

I love the design of the Pioneer HDJ-X10. The earcups are large and fit entirely over the ears for comfort during long gigs. The earcups not only fold in for easy storage, they also flip out to be able to monitor current song playing as well as working on your board. There is also a lot of metal in the construction for durability. I really love the durable mini-XLR connector for the cable. The pockets in the case include small pockets for memory cards, which can help you separate your songs by genre/gigs is also a nice touch. It’s a great design for DJ’s, now let’s see how it sounds.

 

Earth, Wind, & Fire: September – texture of the wood block came though so well, dynamics of the snaps and snare was excellent. Cymbals and hi-hat was so crisp and clean with enough resolution to hear the sticks impact. Kick drum was extremely deep and played with huge authority. Trumpets were so clean with excellent harmonics. Vocals were so silky smooth with excellent resolution of the texture of the timbre. Soundstage was also both very wide and deep.

Guns & Roses: Patience – whistle was amazingly smooth with excellent resolution. Acoustic guitar also had excellent resolution of the strings, being able to hear the pick on the strings, as well as their decay. Vocals were also smoother than honey with excellent texture of the timbre. Soundstage was also wide and deep and felt like I was in the recording studio with them.

Branden Beal: Drop That Booty Down Low – bass beats were really nice, really tight, clean, and played with really good depth and a ton of authority. But went the booty got dropped down low, bass beats got so so deep, and played with even more output to the delight of this basshead.

 

Two of the headphones, the JBL and Beyerdynamic, were wireless. In testing wireless performance, we go above and beyond what any headphone will be asked to do. This way you know the limits of their Bluetooth performance. My home is a two story with a finished basement, so three floors. Bluetooth signal going through walls is easy. Between floors is not as easy. Between floors can be a challenge. But add multiple walls and a floor is really challenging. Multiple floors as well as multiple walls can be too much for most. We also take it outside up to 300 feet.

 

First up is the JBL Live 670NC, with my smartphone left in one corner of the basement, there were no glitches wandering around the basement. Walking up to the main floor, there were also no glitches on the main floor. Walking up to the 2^nd floor, and wandering around, just a single glitch. And taking it outside, not a single glitch even at 300 ft! I was extremely surprised! This was one of the best Bluetooth performances we have seen at any price point, let alone their really low $129 price point!

 

Next is the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100. Starting in the corner of the basement, there were no issues roaming the large finished basement. Going up to the main floor, there were a few small glitches, nothing big, and completely usable. But going upstairs to the 2^nd floor, it was too glitchy and not useable. Taking it outdoors, it had a few glitches at around 150 ft, and was usable out to around 250 ft. definitely much better than their advertised 15 meter range.

 

There is also the app. Both the JBL Live 670NC and the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100 use an app to access and control their features. For the Beyerdynamic it allows you to see the remaining battery life, control the EQ to customize the sound to your liking, as well as set the Active Noice Cancelling. The ANC has on, as well as ambient mode, so you can also hear what is going on around you. This is great for commuters, and from a safety perspective. It gets rid of that low engine rumble from the tram, bus or air plane, which can be fatiguing. Yet you also have the option to bring in the sounds around you, so if there’s any commotion you are aware of it. The JBL has the same features in their app. But with the JBL app you also get Personi-Fi 2.0, which takes you through a hearing test to customize their sound to you.

 

When it comes to the Active Noise Cancelling, the JBL live 670NC performed very well. It’s all controlled through the app. Once turned on the ANC had additional customizations for Adaptive ANC which adjusts automatically for surrounding noise level, and leakage compensation. You also had options for ambient aware, and talk through. They all worked well, and for pure ANC it cut out about 85% which was good.

 

For the Beyerdynamic Aventho 100, the Active Noise Cancellation was more simple. Once turned on, you have 3 levels of ANC with 3 being max. transparency allows outside sounds in from your environment, and it also has 3 levels, with 3 being max. The ANC and Transparency modes both worked very well. Through transparency mode, I did hear everything around me. With ANC at max, it blocked out around 90%, which is very good.

 

This years over the ear contenders can almost be further divided into two sub-categories, the wireless, and the wired monitors which are tailored for more professional use. With the wireless models, they are a little handicapped when compared to the wired monitors, as a big part of their cost goes into the electronics for the Bluetooth, ANC, and battery charging system. That is what has me so impressed with the JBL Live 67ONC. The Bluetooth performance was steller, with great ANC performance as well, yet they also managed good sound performance as well for such a low price point. With the extra cost of the Beyerdynamic’s Aventho 100, you get slightly elevated sound performance, with better construction that included a lot metal in key areas.

 

With the monitors, you can tell these are made for more professional use. The Shure SRH840A cut some corners, like having a more basic headband and putting the money into the actual driver. But this kept the price down, so it’s a great option for many of you content creators trying to make a name for yourself and need to at the moment keep your costs down. And true to content creating, from a monitor perspective they managed to keep a neutral sound signature.

 

For the Sony MDR-M1, Sony knocked it out of the park! My initial impression when I picked them up, and inspected them, is that they are mostly plastic. And though the impression was mostly cheap, but when I put them on for the first time, I noticed how light they were. Listening to them, they have a neutral sound signature like a true monitor, and they also have stellar resolution and throw a soundstage equal to the original source material. That is when the synergy hit me and I was able to put 2 and 2 together. Their sound is superb and ideal for a working sound engineer. To this person they are a tool for work, and won’t get thrown around and abused. And the lightweight plastic construction makes for a very light headphone that is not a burden to wear for long listening sessions.

 

The Pioneer HDJ-X10 is also perfectly designed for it’s use! It does not have a neutral sound signature like a true studio monitor. It has a more live sound. But that is what the DJ needs. A professional DJ will have his music blaring to those dancing around him. And while that music is blaring, he needs to be able to hear the tracks that he is queuing up to come next. And they employ a lot of metal in their construction and robust mini-XLR connectors. They probably got tossed around a lot, packing and unpacking from one gig to another. Higher priced than most headphones, Pioneer also hit this one out of the park! They are perfectly designed for the professional DJ, yet will also work great for anyone who likes a more live sound, and also likes a solid construction so they don’t need to worry about how they are treated. And they also provide excellent sound as well!

 

This years over the ear part of our annual Headphone Shootout had some strong contenders. And while some may be tailored more towards the professional sound, that doesn’t mean that us consumers can’t enjoy them as well! Depending on your budget, any of those models should be on your short list.  Based on their design, features, quality and performance, the JBL Live 670ANC has earned our Value Award, the Shure SRH840A and Beyerdynamic Arentho 100 have earned our Highly Recommended Award, and the Sony MDR-M1 and Pioneer HDJ-X10 have earned our Editor’s Choice Award. For more info and compete specs, check out their websites at www.JBL.com, www.shure.com, www.beyerdynamic.com, www.electronics.sony.com, www.pioneerdjstore.com.