Best Over-Ear Headphones Under 150

Superior music experience without a hefty price tag? Sounds unrealistic right? But it is not!
Let me tell you that great sound doesn’t have to cost you your living. I have scoured the market to curate a list of Best Over-Ear Headphones Under 150 USD, where affordability meets premium sound quality.

Quick List of Best Over-Ear Headphones Under 150

1. Audio-Technica ATH-M50X – Best Overall Over-Ear Headphone 
2. Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 – Best Over-Ear Headphones for Travelling 
3. PHILIPS Fidelio X2HR – Best Open-Back Over-Ear Headphones under 150
4. Clear Audio Enduro ANC – Best over-ear headphone for Extended Use
5. JBL Tune 760NC – Best Over-Ear Headphone with exceptional Zoom Calls and Meetings
6. Edifier W820NB Plus – Best over-ear headphone under 150 for bass lovers
7. Baseus Bowie 30 Max Active – Best over-ear headphone for workout and gym enthusiasts 

Read on to find the perfect blend of quality and affordability!

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X – Best Budget Over-Ear Headphone

Audio-Technica ATH-M50X are super cool, studio-quality headphones, ranked at the top of this list of Over-Ear Headphones under 150. From sound quality to the comfort of having these headphones on for hours, they are my go-to new daily driver.

Sound Quality:

With the V-shaped sound signature of Audio-Technica ATH-M50X, listening to rock music is a wholesome experience. The bass and treble are more emphasized, making it suitable for various dynamic and energetic music genres.  Sound across frequency is further improved by 45mm large-aperture drivers. Overall, sound reproduction is high-end, detailed, and clear.

Portability: 

ATH-M50X is moderately portable. It weighs only 285 grams. It doesn’t require an external amplifier, so I could take it with me without the worry of carrying extra weight. It easily slips into a backpack for the daily commute and can be conveniently folded and packed for travel.

Build and Design:
ATH-M50X are closed-back, over-the-head headphones. They are constructed with functionality and comfort in mind. The build is durable and solid.  Over-the-ear round ear cups provide Passive noise cancellation.
An attractive feature is swiveling ear cups that rotate about 90 degrees, which allow one-ear monitoring and are heavily adored by DJs and music engineers.

Connectivity:
This wired headphone comes with three detachable cables. These cables differ in type and size. There is one coiled cable sized 1.2 m – 3.0 m. there are two straight cables sized 1.2 m and 3.0 m.

Battery Life:

ATH-M50X is not electrical which means it doesn’t require charging. Plugged it directly into my laptop and viola! I was set to rock as long as my human battery drained out!

Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 – Best Over-Ear Headphones for Travelling

Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 is a perfect travel buddy with long battery hours, active noise cancellation, and immersive music reproduction. Q45 was my fun companion on a 3-day solo trip. Here’s what I found out about its remarkable features during that time:

Sound Quality:

Anker Space Q45 has a decent and well-detailed sound profile. Music reproduction is satisfactory and detailed. The headset delivered a well-rounded audio experience throughout the travel.

The Adaptive Noise Cancelling with up to 98 percent of ambient noise filtered out, provided me the freedom to focus on some pending tasks while still being aware of my environment.

Portability: 

The lightweight build and foldable features make Anker Space Q45 easy to store and carry around.

Build and Design:
Anker Space Q45 are solid-looking headphones with an ergonomic build. The earcups are padded with memory foam which comfortably fits around the ears. 

Connectivity:
The advanced 5.3 Bluetooth chip supports stable and efficient Wireless connection. Anker Space Q45 also features a 3.5 mm audio jack for those who prefer wire connectivity. I preferred the wired connection option to conserve battery, but you can choose whatever works for you.

Battery Life:

I have used these throughout the trip. Its battery can last for up to 50 hours. I added a boost of 3 minutes charge providing a tension-free playback window on the way home.

PHILIPS Fidelio X2HR – Best Open-Back Over-Ear Headphones under 150

PHILIPS Fidelio X2HR are wired open-back headphones with a comfortable listening session on a quiet and peaceful night. These cans work incredibly well for daily rugged use for music, gaming, and entertainment.

Sound Quality:

Here’s my take on its sound profile after trying different music genres:

50-mm Neodymium Driver provides a thorough and immersive soundstage. Bass is dynamic and controlled for casual bass-heads. Mid-ranges are negligibly recessed, still beautifully capturing the essence of vocals and instruments. Treble is a bit troubled in some soundtracks but was good in others. Overall, the pop music went very well with Fidelio X2HR imo. (in my opinion-common slang word)

Build and Design:
Fidelio X2HR is comfortable to wear, and the credit goes to its soft and plush earcups. The Deluxe Memory Foam is used in ear shells. Having it on the ears gave a snuggly and cozy feeling around the ear, perfect for a winter outdoor activity.

Additionally, the headphones are stylish and trendy, available in black color. 

Portability: 

Fidelio X2HR weighs 380 grams. These are relatively heavier and bulky than other headphones enlisted. Still, with time I got used to the weight.

Connectivity:
Fidelio X2HR with its wired connectivity provides clear and accurate music.
The 3.5 mm jack ensures the headphones are compatible with a variety of devices. The cable is very long 93 meters). I wasn’t confined to the cell phone but could freely sing and dance along the beat.

Cleer Audio Enduro ANC – Best wireless over-ear headphone under 150

Cleer Audio Enduro gained my respect when I binged Friends over the weekend using them with one time charge. Enduro ANC is a treat for those who have extended headphone use but don’t like putting their drivers on charging all the time.
Compatible with smartphones Enduro ANC is packed with robust specifications, details are:

Sound Quality:

Cleer did great with the sound profile of Audio Enduro. With its V-shape sound signature, the bass and trebles are more boosted while mids are a bit less prominent. Overall music reproduction was great with hiphop and mixes. Another thing that needs to be highlighted about these headphones is that the sound profile was great even with ANC on, a rare aspect of budget headphones.

While talking about noise cancellation, this headset filters out ambient noise up to 25 dB.

Note: Use the Cleer app to adjust sound EQ and Noice canceling options

Portability: 

Weighing about 290 grams, Cleer Audio Endura can be folded and conveniently packed in a protective case to take them with you wherever you go.

Build and Design:
Audio Endura ANC is aesthetically pleasing smooth and modern designed headphones.
These are constructed with plastic, while steel is used on a “where it matters” basis.

Ear-cups are memory foam-padded that might need replacement with time. I was happy to find handy Button controls.
Connectivity:
I wandered around the house while my cell phone was placed on the living room sofa two walls away, all because of Audio Endura’s excellent wireless connectivity. This headphone features Bluetooth 5.0 chipset. On top of that, you can pair it with 2 devices at a time.

Battery Life:

As formally mentioned, I adored these cans for their long usage time. 60-hour extended battery usage with ANC turned on! Some peak sorcery, isn’t it?

Further, a quick charge of 10 minutes and you are good to go for 3 hours of use. 

I will rest my case by highlighting the excellent audio and video call quality that Cleer Audio Enduro offers. The background sound during a call is canceled and the speaker’s voice is captured via Qualcomm cVc (Clear Voice Capture) microphones, loud and clear.

JBL Tune 760NC Best Headphones for Large Ears

JBL Tune 760NC provides the perfect blend of quality music, portability, and comfort. With its long battery life, active noise cancellation, and wireless connectivity, these headphones are bliss for music lovers on a budget.

Sound Quality:

With its true-to-life sound profile, JBL Tune 760NC delivers well-balanced, clear, and accurate music. The bass is deep, the vocals are clear, and the mids and highs are not overwhelming. It goes well with various music genres, such as hip-hop, mixes, and EDM.

I had fun listening to a true-story podcast with Active Noise Canceling on for an entire 3 hours. This experience was immersive, comfortable, and without ear fatigue even after 3 hours of continuous use. 

Another appealing aspect of these headphones is the quality of sound on calls. These over-ear headphones are exceptional for Zoom calls, team meetings, and fun calls to family. 

Build and Design:

Though JBL Tune 760NC is constructed with plastic, this headphone can survive falls, drops, and bumps like a superhero. I can vouch for it as I have dropped it several times (not on purpose I am just a bit clumsy I guess).  JBL Tune 760NC is comfortable on the ears for extended listening.  

Portability:

With its lightweight material and foldable design, 760NC is portable and easy to pack for commuting in the provided carrying case.

Connectivity: 

Equipped with both wired and wireless connectivity options, the headphones appeal to a wider audience. Though Bluetooth version (5.0) is not an advanced version still this standard Bluetooth version transmits sound pretty clearly. 

Battery Life:

With my average of 3 hours of use, these headphones did not require charging for about 10 days. Long battery hours and quick recharge option available, add to the value of this headphone. 

Edifier W820NB Plus  – Best over-ear headphone under 150 for bass lovers

Edifier W820NB Plus, the dream of heavy bass lovers,  isn’t so heavy on the pocket. From affordability to high fidelity sound profile this headphone comes at the 6th place in my recommended list of best over-ear headphones under 150.

Sound Quality:

I’ll start with the bass quality of Edifier W820NB Plus. I resonated with every beat and thumb of heavy base remixes, thanks to its low-end frequency range (20 Hz).

Other than the lows, mid-ranges were good, and trebles in highs were decent. Alongside, W820NB Plus was able to capture vocals as clearly as possible.  

40 mm dynamic drivers with LDAC and SBC codec take the audio profile of W820NB Plus to the top.

Another thing, I fell in love with, was the noise cancellation of these headsets. I have attended a work call while sipping coffee in a campus cafeteria filled with energetic youngsters. There was almost no background interference thanks to its Active Noise Cancellation (-43dB). ANC is also the perfect feature to immerse oneself in bass-booted music. Calling is clear and accurate with built-in microphones supported by a deep neural network (DNN). 

Build and Design:
Edifier W820NB Plus is a handsome-looking headphone. There are 5 color alternatives, I bought these in Ivory. The design is minimalist and the construction is quite sturdy. The product heavily uses plastic material in its build.  The headband is padded with standard adjustability.
On-ear circular earcups are padded, giving a good seal around the ear and passive noise cancellation. 

Connectivity: 

W820NB Plus has wireless connectivity with top-notch Bluetooth technology, an attraction for those tired of tangled cables.

Battery Life:

The average run time of these headphones is 49 hours. I kept the LDAC and ANC ON  during the day and found that the usage time was reduced to almost 15 hours. Fast charging with a USB-C type charger is provided with the product.

Portability:

I carried it with me throughout the day as it is very lightweight. W820NB Plus weighs only 220 grams. Ear cups do turn to rest flat around the neck or any surface to store these. But, it is not inwardly folded to a small size. 

W820NB Plus with its well-balanced audio profile, hybrid noise canceling and other notable features is highly appreciated by entry-level musicians, travelers, and gamers. 

Baseus Bowie 30 Max Active – Best over-ear headphone for workout and gym enthusiasts 

Grab it as fast as you can! Baseus Bowie 30 Max are super cheap over-ear headphones with some unexpected performance, at least I didn’t expect when I tried these. 

I had these on for a morning run with noise canceling ON and had a blast hip-hop experience. Let’s highlight the features worth mentioning about these fun and affordable headphones.

Sound Quality:

First of all the sound quality of Baseus Bowie 30 Max amazed me with its high-resolution music in this price range. 50mm bass drivers made it possible to immerse in any bass-heavy genre. 

Another quality of this headset is the accurate representation of mid-range alongside deep bass. I found the treble a bit on the bright side but it wasn’t annoying. These are LDAC Codec supported delivering audiophile-grade sound quality over Bluetooth. 

Also, Baseus BISA Pro Acoustic Technology adds the spatial 3D experience by adjusting the music according to the head movement.

I tested the sound quality by chatting with my long-distance friend. He reported a clear transmission of sound with almost no background sound interference. 

The below 50 Ohm Impedance ensures a perfect match with your portable devices.

Wide sound stage.

Battery life:

I decided to take these headphones on a morning run just before walking out of the door, and to my surprise, these weren’t charged! A 10-minute charge and good to go for 14 hours claim was affirmed that day. These cans bring an impressive 65-hour usage window (50 hours with noise canceling ON). 

Build and Design: 

Bowie 30 Max are black-colored, elegant-looking headphones. Nothing too flashy in design but still good-looking headphones. The ear cup is oval and conveniently covers my ears. The headband is a single steel band with an adjustable feature to fit perfectly on the head. I felt no clamping or pain while on my head.  Button controls on the earcup are convenient to use.
Portability:

In terms of portability, the earcups bend inwardly to a smaller size and can be packed easily. The company doesn’t provide any pouch or bag to pack, so, I just toss them in my backpack.

Connectivity:
Bowie 30 Max provides both wired and wireless connectivity. It is best paired with Bluetooth 5.4 technology. 

Also. It comes with a 3.5mm Audio Cable and a USB-C Charging Cable. Wired connectivity conserves battery while the USB-C charging ensures fast charging. It also makes it compatible with a wide range of modern devices. 

All in all, the Bowie 30 Max is best suited for entertainment, travel, and fitness at a very cheap price. Dubstep kept me motivated throughout the exercise due to Bowie 30 Max’s ability to capture strong bass.

Conclusion

Headphones are an essential part of this era but for people on a budget, it might be difficult to find a good pair of headphones with an immersive audio experience within their range. I have reviewed a precise list of over-ear headphones under 150, that you can buy according to your preferred specifications. 

If your desired headphone isn’t added to this list, keep reading!
I have curated a guide to highlight important aspects that shouldn’t be missed while buying a new pair of headphones.

Buying Guide for Over-ear Headphones

Here are the important aspects to consider while buying over-ear headphones under budget. 

Sound Quality

The sound quality and profile matter the most when buying a budget headphone. Headphones with a well-balanced sound stage and accurate music reproduction are good to go. Test for music reproduction of your favorite genre at high, mid, and low-frequency ranges.

Portability 

If you are constantly on the go, pay special attention to the weight, build structure, and material of headphones before buying them. Usually, headphones weighing less than 300 grams are considered lightweight. Besides, your selected item should be foldable for convenient storage and packing. Certain materials used in the construction, like plastic or aluminum, make headphones lightweight. 

Build and Durability

If you want to use your headphones for a long period, make sure your selected item is made of a material to stands the test of time. Commonly, the mid-range and affordable headphones are made of plastic. Other factors that add to the durability are reinforced hinges in foldable headphones, the replaceable ear-cup parts, and headband size adjustability. 

Noise Isolatiollation

The over-ear headphones seal ears completely, a passive noise cancellation. Active Noise Cancellation is a feature sought more often nowadays given the remote work structure of the modern age.

Battery Usage 

Generally, the headphone’s battery lasts about a day. Battery time of 20+ hours is the standard battery duration. Some factor drains the battery faster such as Active Noice Cancellation and Codec settings. Some headphones provide a fast charge option as well that lasts for hours on end. Edifier W820NB Plus is an over-ear headphone that lasts up to 50+ hours (15+ with ANC and Codec setting ON). 

Connectivity

Over-ear headphones under 150 have both wired and wireless options in the market. Wired connectivity brings out better sound quality with low audio latency. At the same time, wireless connectivity is more convenient and attractive for those who are tired of tangling cords. 

Here’s Phiaton’s take on the Bluetooth range of headphones 

“Headphones with Bluetooth 5.0 technology or higher improve their range and audio quality by reducing back-and-forth communication with transmitters and receivers.”

Audio Codec Support

Knowledge about Codec comes in handy if you desire to buy a wireless headphone. 

Codec enables the transmission of digital audio data from music sources to headphones. SBC (Subband Codec) is a default codec supported by various devices whereas LDAC codec is more advanced and high resolution. In this over-ear headphones under 150 list, Soundcore by Anker Space Q45 is LDAC supported ensuring the best sound quality in this price range.

Microphone and Call Quality

Microphone build and placement play a major role in productive and hands-free communication via headphones. Some headphones have in-built microphones in ear-cups while others have externally placed microphones. The array of microphones supported by some headphones focuses more on the speaker’s voice while reducing the background noise. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Are over-ear headphones better than on-ear headphones?

Both on-ear and over-ear headphones have perks and cons of their own. It usually boils down to the preference of the user. Over-ear headphones are generally more comfortable with passive noise-canceling than on-ear headphones. In contrast, on-ear headphones are more portable than the Over-ears. Select over-ear headphones for better sound quality, noise isolation, extended use, and comfortable fit. If portability is preferred, go for in-ear headphones.

2. Are there over-ear headphones that can be used for voice recording?

Yes, plenty of over-ear headphones options are present in the market that can be used for voice recording. To name some: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x, Beyerdynamic DT 770 PRO, Sennheiser HD 280 PRO. 

3. What are the most common problems with over-ear headphones?

The most common problems with over-ear headphones range from audio distortion to physical damage. Some wireless over-ear headphones face battery issues, while wired over-ear headphone owners occasionally lose or damage cables. It is recommended that you pay attention to your headphones’ performance to remedy your concerns in a timely manner.

Michael Smith

I am Michael a Texas-based recording engineer and sound enthusiast. I contribute to Headphones Pedia’s efforts to educate readers about intriguing new devices and other audio-related issues by drawing on their experience working on several sound projects. I also use AI tools to assist with content creation.