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No one wants to hear their music through tiny, low-quality headphones. But most people also don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a good set of over ear headphones. Finding a happy medium is often difficult, but that’s why we’re here to give you the best headphones under $50.
Whether you’re looking for something wired, something with Bluetooth, or a noise-cancelling option, you won’t have to break the bank with any of these options.
According to our tests, the best over ear headphones under $50 are the Mpow 059. These affordable, comfortable headphones can be used with or without a wire and have great sound quality for the price.
7 Best Over-Ear Headphones Under $50
The JBL Tune 510BT offers 40hrs of wireless listening time. JBL Tune 510BT provides excellent bass. Listen to them then fold them up for transport when you’re done.
For those of you who want to mix music, you don’t need to look any further than Audio Technica, which have great sound for low frequency and ear cups that contour too.
What makes the Skullcandy Riff great is the easy control options. You only have to click a few buttons to get it to work, and only need to fold it up to travel with it.
You have a lot of listening capacity when it comes to the Samson Technologies SR850, which are made to listen music without dropping out.
If you’re looking for great audio quality, any of these options will do, but Anker’s exclusive technology will especially help with low frequencies for a rich listening experience.
Cancel out the environment around you, and spend some time with your ears in these 90-degree revolving ear cups, both of which have a long effective range of sound.
Pair the Avantree easily with your phone to listen to your music, or connect a call with ease. Either way, you’ll have great audio quality when you slip these on.
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JBL Tune 510BT: Wireless On-Ear Headphones with Purebass Sound - Black
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If you're not looking to spend a fortune but still want a high quality pair of over ear headphones, you should strongly consider the JBL Tune 510BT. These headphones are incredibly affordable, but offer passive noise cancellation and impression audio quality.
The JBL Tune 510BT offers 40hrs of wireless listening time. JBL Tune 510BT provides excellent bass. Listen to them then fold them up for transport when you’re done. The ear cups are made of a memory-protein material that simulates the texture of human skin which helps keep your ears cool and comfortable while your wearing these headphones.
These headphones are also great for on the go. Overall, these are a great value for what you pay.
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Audio-Technica makes quite the professional pair of headphones designed just for studio tracking and mixing. The 40 mm drivers are made to enhance your low-frequency performance, while the design that cups around your ears should isolate your sound even if you’re somewhere loud.
Hopefully, that cord won’t get in the way either, since it’s made to exit out the side of the headphone where you won’t need to struggle with it while you’re working.
Skullcandy Riff Wireless On-Ear Headphones - Black
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Another great-looking Skullcandy Riff
If you’re not using them all day every day, you can go a little while between charges. Just click on the 3-button control for all your music, audio, and books, and call people without struggling thanks to the noise-cancelling quality.
Samson Technologies SR850 Semi Open-Back Studio Reference Headphones, Black
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Listen to a rich bass with these Samson Technologies SR850 Headphones, which are made with passive noise reduction to give you better sound and save your battery over time. Place them on your ears to relax with the comfortable design, and to adjust them however you would like to fit you best.
You don’t even need to ever power these headphones off since they include a built-in rechargeable battery. After four hours of charge, you can listen for 40 hours, or you can just plug them in to make them wired.
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Enjoy the high-resolution sound in these Anker Soundcore headphones, which are made to provide you with a rich listening experience that includes great low-frequency response and 60-hour playtime.
You can listen to your music for 60 whole hours—that’s more than almost any other option out there. It’s nice that you can charge these headphones quickly too if you’re in a rush, and that they’re easy to fold and transport when you’re on the go.
LyxPro HAS-10 Closed Back Over Ear Professional Studio Monitor and Mixing Headphones,Music Listening,Piano,Sound Isolation, Lightweight and Flexible
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You can cancel out noise with these LyxPro HAS-10 Headphones, which are made specifically to reduce the noise around you. Even when you’re on a busy street or in a plane, it won’t be tough to hear your headphones.
Just plug them in for an hour to get the 30 hours of playtime that you’re looking for, but if you want to save yourself some battery, move it to the non-music noise reduction mode. This will save you energy for when you don’t need it and will let you listen to the high-quality sound for longer.
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You can relax with the superior-high-quality sound of the Avantree AS9S, which produce a rich bass and clear treble to all of your music. Check out the long battery life of 40 hours, or use the included cable to plug these in and make them wired without draining any battery at all.
You will need to sacrifice the included mic if you wire them, but they’re easy to make calls on. Slip them on over your ears to feel the soft ear pads, and customize the fit to wear all day if you need it.
Can You Get Good Over Ear Headphones Under $50?
Most over ear headphones under $50 have the same potential for overall quality, durability, and audio capabilities as more expensive headphones.
The newer versions of the more affordable headphones can provide you with a better sound balance in comparison to even the best cheap headphones from a few years ago. As long as you properly maintain your headphones regardless of how cheap they are, they can last for many years, providing the comfort and quality you need.
Some best cheap headphone brands may even prove to be much more comfortable than more expensive brands.
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Features To Look For in Cheap Headphones
Sound
Whether you have open-back or closed-back headphones, the sound quality of over-ear headphones is one of the most basic key features to pay attention to, especially when opting for cheap headphones. Over ear headphones can offer you the best sound quality you’ve ever experienced. Many headphones are built differently based on people’s personal sound preferences.
Some people prefer bass-heavy sounds while others may prefer their audio to have a more balanced sound with less treble. The cushioning padding around the ears will also contribute to the sound quality, as well as the comfort level that you will experience from wearing them.
Noise Cancellation
You will want a pair of over-ear headphones that can effectively block out the background noise while you’re playing audio. This will be an effective feature if you're doing activities like travel or if you just want to block out the world around you.
With noise cancellation, you will be able to focus on your music and whatever task you are aiming to complete without any interruption from your environment.
Comfort
Since headphones are usually meant to be used for extended periods, they will have to be comfortable enough to wear for longer times of use. You will need to make sure that the headphones you purchase can fit your head nicely while providing comfort to the most prominent areas of your head.
You may want to find earphones that are adjustable and have comfortable ear and head paddings to prevent discomfort. Sometimes it is also necessary to try some headphones on and see how well they fit before making a final decision. In general, over-ear headphones are more comfortable than on-ear headphones.
Easy to Clean
Over-ear headphones are a much cleaner option in comparison to earbuds, which makes them more hygienic to wear and easier to clean. All you have to do is wipe down your headphones with an antibacterial wipe, especially along the padding where your ears rest. Cleaning and maintaining your headphones will be a breeze if you clean them often.
Wired or Wireless Headphones
When you are in the process of purchasing your over-ear headphones, it is important to distinguish whether you want your headphones to be wired or true wireless headphones. Usually, wired options are the most popular and efficient choice since they will not experience Bluetooth malfunctions as even the best wireless headphones can. Cheaper wireless earbuds are especially prone to connection issues.
Bluetooth malfunctions can be quite annoying and they can compromise the quality of your wireless headphones. But they also provide you with a sense of convenience from connecting to your mobile devices that wired headphones may not have in some cases.
Durability
Any good brand of headphones will have to remain durable through an extended period of use. Some headphones are stress-tested to see if they will be able to withstand regular usage.
Device Compatibility
If you're looking for the best headphones, you will want to make sure that your headphones are capable of plugging into or pairing with any of the devices you regularly use. Laptops, smartphones, and gaming devices are commonly capable of being connected to most types of over-ear headphones, while others may prove to be difficult. It’ll be more convenient if your headphones connect to your devices correctly.
How to Maintain Your Over-ear Headphones
Keeping your headphones clean and properly maintained is essential to keep them durable and comfortable. Make sure you keep the headphone jack and ports clean to protect it from wearing down faster. You can easily clean both the jack and port with an interdental brush.
When you are not using your headphones, keep them in protective cases to prevent them from getting damaged. Keep them out of harmful weather conditions, and make sure to handle the wires carefully if they are wired headphones. If you opted to the best wireless options, this isn't an issue.
Never tug on the wires or you could potentially damage them. When cleaning your headphones, wipe the padding down with an antibacterial wipe. If you splurge for the best headphones you can afford, it makes sense to do everything you can to make sure they last a long time.
Conclusion
With the variety of brands on the market, it is possible today to find decent over-ear headphones for under $50.
As long as your headphones are durable and are able to give you amazing sound quality, over-ear headphones under $50 will do the job. Make sure you clean them regularly and prevent them from being mishandled in order to help them last as long as they possibly can.
