There are two main types of headphones: circumaural and supra-aural. Circumaural headphones surround the ear with the ear cup. This type of headphone is used to block out outside noise. It’s great for only listening to music without any distractions. It’s usually heavy ranging up to one pound. Thus, mostly professional or enthusiast use this type of headphone.

Supra-Aural headphones press onto the ear. It has more leakage in noise, although it makes up for that in size and weight. The cheap supra-aural headphones tend to be more uncomfortable due to the pressure applied on the ears.

There are also open and closed back headphones. Open back headphones allow for more ambient sound resulting in a more natural sound. This is used by musicians to hear how their music would actually sound. Closed back headphones offer less ambient noise resulting in better bass.