Thinking about getting a pair of music headphones to listen
to your music? How do you find best stereo headphones to fit your needs?
In today's marketplace there are a large number of headphone
manufacturers and models to choose from. Headphones have become increasingly
popular because music is everywhere we are; it's on our phones, MP3 players,
and laptop computers. The newest generations of slimmed down headphones bring
high resolution music or home stereo sounds directly to our ears no matter
where we are.
There may or may not be one style that will fit all your
needs. Whether you prefer snug fitting earbuds, or full size "cans"
(stereo headphones) is a matter of personal preference, and there is nothing
wrong with owning more than one pair of course. How you plan on using your
headphones will also be a big determining factor in what models will work for
you.
With this being said, the first step to choosing a pair of
headphones is deciding what style or styles will work for you. See also best headphones under $50
Below is a breakdown of the different styles of stereo
headphones:
Earbuds
You are most likely familiar with earbuds as the headphones
that typically come free when you purchase an MP3 player, iPod, iPhone, iTouch,
smart phone, etc. These tiny headphones seat inside the ear canal. Earbuds are
very small, making them great to travel with, they provide moderate to good
isolation from external noise, and are fairly low cost. However, they do not
typically provide the highest quality audio reproduction, can be uncomfortable
over long periods of use or for those who don't like things in their ear canal,
and they also have tendency to fall out during running or other physical
activities.
Sport Headphones or
Clip On Headphones
You may remember this category of headphones as the yellow
headphones that used to come with the yellow colored Sony Walkman. Nowadays
some of these models have a plastic like hoop that goes over the top of the
head, around the back of the neck, or clip onto the ear. These are the type I personally
like to use when running, or lifting weights at the gym. They stay on your ears
a little better than earbuds during activity, don't need to be put in your ear
canal, don't overheat your ears, are portable & easy to travel with, and
are fairly low cost.
Ear Pad Heaphones
The pads from these headphones sit on your ears as opposed
to in your ears (like earbuds) or fully encase your ears like (full size
circumaural headphones). They tend to be fairly comfortable, can provide high
quality audio reproduction, don't overheat ears as much as fully sealed
headphones, are typically moderately priced. However, they can become
uncomfortable over long periods of use because they push down on the ears since
they sit on them.
Fully Sealed
Headphones
These headphones are also known as "cans", stereo
headphones, ear cup headphones and even a few other names. Basically, they seal
around the ear, so that it is fully enclosed, which helps to eliminate outside
noise while producing a very high quality audio listening experience. These
headphones provide the highest quality audio listening experience delivering
full broad range of sounds, and eliminate outside noises. These headphones can
overheat ears & be uncomfortable over long periods of time, they are typically
not as portable as the first two styles above, and they can be quite expensive
depending on the model.
Noise Cancelling
Headphones
These headphones help eliminate noise by creating
anti-noise. You may have seen people on the airplane using this type of headphone
to help eliminate the whining noise of the jet engines, while also listening to
music or perhaps not. These headphones help to reduce ambient noise, allow you
to listen to your music at lower volumes, and can produce very high audio
quality. Some users may be bothered by the pressure created to eliminate
ambient noise (those with really sensitive ears), they can be bulky &
heavy, use traditionally batteries for power, and can overheat ears.
Wireless Headphones
With advancements in technology these types of headphones
are becoming increasingly popular in today's marketplace. They have no cords to
keep you tethered or to get you tangled. These headphones usually cannot
provide the audio quality of a wired headphone, they can be expensive, and also
can be bulky & heavy.