Which are better: top in-ear vs. top over-ear headphones?

[Gregadd]

...and discover quickly that they get what they pay for.

Tom

If I were selling pricy hi-fi gear, or doing professional consulting on same, where would I be telling my customers "It's all personal preference, nothing is really better, and you can buy a $50 headphone or this-here $4000 headphone and even though they sound different, there's no "right" or "better", just your preference"? They wouldn't need me then, they could buy their gear at Walmart.

Not Walmart. Maybe Best Buy.
What I like is a matter of preference.
Better is absolute.

 

[nirvanana]

If you mean sound quality and noise cancellation, then there is no doubt that headphones are better than in-ear headphones. But if you are after portability and practicality (like making and receiving calls, office use), then wireless in-ear headphones may be a better choice. I recommend you to use Edifier, Naenka, JBL, Jlab wireless in-ear headphones.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Over the ear headphones for me are definitely better.

 

[F208Frank]

Over ears for overall comfort and technical performance. I tried to get into IEMs to fully replace headphones, basically impossible. Sure the portability is great, but I do feel I was just lying to myself to feel better about not having headphones when thoughts of "IEMs are just as good as headphones."

 

[Alrainbow]

To me they are very different. if we were to compare either of these to real live music they fail badly
if we compare either of these to well made and setup system again fail badly.
having said this both are good tools and have great sound.
If I had to pick one to be perceived as better , a word I feel lacks real definition if not used to fully explain why.
headphones win in this case.
people who spend big money on expensive gear like this will say no it’s close enough or whatever

regarding what each do better to each it’s pretty simple.
A headphone is not in your ear there for it allows our brains to expand the sound more. be it the shape of our ears and the space from driver to ear.
headphones can give some level of ambience
and presence
IEMS or better CIEMS don’t have this. they do have a closer upfront sound. so like a microscope to the sound.
while various brands and types of drivers used for IEMS do have big changes when compared
some models are better for classical
some better for live
and so on.
headphones are more complex
a planer of witch I prefer is very different from a stat or diaphragm type.
as an ending there is no best over all as preference is a big part in this.
open or closed back headphones matter to I prefer open types never closed
lastly a given IEM is bettered in a more consistent way if made in a CIEM casing
the tips we use vary the sound greatly as such like cables it tunes the tone