Best on-ear headphones for good sound quality without the bulk

Sony is a top-tier brand for audio, and a pair of on-ear headphones with good sound quality at this price is a steal. The headphones quickly pair to devices via Bluetooth, and you can control your music without touching your phone thanks to the on-ear controls, which include volume and track skipping. They don't have active noise cancellation, but the seal from the padding around your ears should help to block out some unwanted background noise.

The headphones don't fold up, but the ear cups do swivel in, so they're flat and easier to pop in a bag or suitcase. The battery lasts up to 35 hours and 10 minutes of charging with the USB-C cord yields 90 minutes of playback time.

According to the PCMag review, the Beats Solo3 headphones have "powerful, bass-forward (but balanced) audio performance" and feature "exceptionally comfortable earpads." Though the headband could be more comfortable, the 300-foot Bluetooth range helps balance out some of the cons.

The Beats have active noise cancellation, the Apple W1 chip, and Class 1 Bluetooth connectivity. Five minutes of charging gives you three hours of playback, and a full charge powers the headphones for up to 40 hours.

With three levels of adaptive noise cancellation that adjusts to your surroundings, you can truly focus on your music or podcast without any distractions. They have 40-millimeter drivers for immersive sound, so that distraction-free music actually sounds good.

The headphones automatically pause your music when you take them off and resume when you put them back on. There are a couple transparency modes that let you hear what's going on around you either with or without your music still playing.

The Skullcandy Uproar's ear cups are made with soft synthetic leather for a pair of headphones that feel as good as they look. They're not bulky like some of the other on-ear headphones, so you're less likely to be left with sore earlobes. With a 10-hour battery life, you can pretty much go all day without worrying about needing a recharge (though other headphone options have much longer battery lives). There's an onboard mic and remote so you can take calls from work and navigate your Spotify playlist with the easy-to-reach buttons on the ear cups. 

PCMag gave this set of headphones 4 out of 5 stars because they produce powerful, balanced audio. These headphones have up to 30 hours of battery life and are designed for easy transport. The lightweight black earphones can be folded down to fit in your bag while you're on the go. The headphones feature active noice cancellation, so if you're on your next flight and want to block out the sound of jet engines, you can do that.

Super plush earcups will keep you comfy for long-term wear. And if you need to go wired for any reason, the AKG N60 NC headphones come with a removable headphone jack — which extends the battery life if you don't use Bluetooth BTW.