Best full-size headphones

(Sep 06, 2008)

Jasmine France
Senior Associate Editor The tech-speak description for this type of headphone is "circumaural"--it includes any headphones with ear cups that fully enclose your ears. The benefit? Large headphones offer potential for maximum bass and loudness levels, and they effectively block outside noise. Because of their size and their acoustic isolation--and the amount of amplitude required to power their drivers--full-size headphones are often considered to be better suited for home use than as a portable option (such as with an MP3 player). However, you can find some more compact models that include cases, which make reasonable portable options.