Circumaural vs. supra-aural

In layman’s terms, these words simply mean “over ear” (circumaural) and “on ear” (supra-aural). In the case of headphones, this refers to the design of the earcup, which is the cushion that sits between the headphone’s speakers (drivers) and your ear. Here at Sweetwater, we rarely use supra-aural headphones for professional applications, although they’re great for casual listening — especially if you need to be aware of what’s going on around you. On the other hand, over-ear headphones like these Sennheiser HD 200 PROs offer excellent attenuation of external noise.

Closed-back vs. open-back

Also referred to sometimes as simply “closed” and “open,” this distinction addresses the design of the part of the headphone that covers the area behind the driver in a straight line away from the side of your head. Closed-back headphones like these Sennheiser HD 200 PROs prevent sound from escaping and leaking into your microphone. The downside of this design is that it traps pressure inside the headphone, which creates false low frequencies. These false low frequencies are fine for most uses (and even desirable in consumer products), but less desirable for critical listening.