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Headphones: "earbuds", "on-ear", "over-ear". What's the Difference?

Some modern sound circuits support changing their output impedance to better match the type of headphone that you plug into your computer. When you plug in the headphones, the system may ask "did you install earbuds, on-ear or over-ear headphones?"

Earbud headphone

Earbud is a very small earpiece(s) worn inside the ear, similar to those used for hearing aids.

Over-ear headphone

Over-ear refers to headphones with large cups that fully enclose or surround your ears.

On-ear headphone

On-ear are similar in style but have smaller cups and sit over your ear.

Some people who wear glasses have problems with on-ear and over-ear headphones because they press on the ear over the eyeglass temple. On-ear headphones can have more problems with audio leak due to the less head-sealed and nature of the design.

Resource: https://superuser.com/questions/1391427/earbuds-vs-on-ear-vs-over-ear-headset-in-windows-10 @Mokubai