Just how do you go about choosing the right set of headphones? Well, a good place to start is to think about how they are going to be used.
Are they for exercising, listening to the TV late at night, DJing…you get the idea?
You then need to get a grasp on all the different types (or form factors) available.
Here is a quick guide to the main types of headphones and the environments they might be better suited to.
What Are The Qualities Of A Good Set Of Headphones?
Comfortable To Wear
Comfort is paramount when selecting the best set. You can’t manage to regularly use a pair of headphones that you are not comfortable with. Some in-ear headphones are comfortable, but if you intend to use the headphones for long periods, then you might consider trying the on-and over-ear models.
Good Sound Quality
Great headphones should produce the full sound that is balanced across, midrange, treble, and bass frequencies. Some headphones struggle when it comes to providing bass, but some over the hear headphones produce deep sounds. Most headphones are either closed or open ear back ear cups. The open-back headphones offer more sound than the closed ones. The only problem is that they tend to leak more noise. Closed headphones are capable of preventing sound leakage and can thus block unwanted noise. The best way to test headphones is to try them out.
Types Of Headphones That You Can Buy
Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Noise-Cancelling headphones or ear-buds are designed to reduce the amount of outside noise or interference that you are exposed to.
The two main types of technology you are likely to encounter are `passive’ & `active’.
Passive technology is usually referred to as `noise isolation’ and is designed to block out noise as best it can by enclosing your ears with sound deadening materials and creating a seal between you and the speaker. Depending on the headphone and manufacturer this can be quite effective.
There are no moving parts or technology that requires power in a noise isolation headphone.
Noise Cancellation, however, does require additional power to be used (usually supplied by an additional battery). In order to understand how these headphones work think of an absolutely smooth lake that has just had a pebble dropped into the middle of it – the ripples spreading out represent sound waves.
Now if we were to drop an identical pebble into the lake a bit further out but at exactly the same time as the first, the ripples would at some point meet each-other – when this happened they would in effect cancel each other out, You see, two opposing waves of exactly the same force meeting each other head-on count as a double KO! Each of our contestants (sound waves) gets knocked out.
So how do they do it? Well, noise cancelling headphones have 2 sets of speakers in each ear-cup as well as microphones. The headphones `listen’ to the outside noise and then attempt to re-create exactly the same noise as an opposing sound-wave… effectively neutralizing the sound before it reaches your ear. How each manufacture implements this may vary, but the science remains the same.
Closed Headphones
These are the largest of all types of headphones and because of this are usually best suited to home, studio or DJing.
This type of headphone is designed to fit completely over your ear giving you an effective isolation from outside noise.
Because of the size, this form factor also tends to also sport the largest speakers or drivers. The result of this is they are more likely to achieve a higher quality reproduction of audio as well as exuding less pressure on the eardrum. This means that if you are likely to be using headphones for an extended length of time, then this form factor should be a high consideration!
Over-ear headphones
They are large and have cushioned pads that cover the entire ear. With the cushioned pads, you can wear them for long periods and they also produce good quality sound. Since they are bulky, they can best be used at home.
On-ear headphones
These types of headphones tend to be extremely comfortable and portable. In the pictures they may look very similar to their bigger brothers the `On-Ear Headphones’ but the difference is that these puppies just sit `on’ your ear – not over it.
This design has the advantage of keeping your ears cool (they can become quite warm in a closed design) and also giving you a bit of peripheral sound which can be useful if you are wearing them out in the public – hearing motor vehicles approaching can be a life saver!
On the flip side it’s worth remembering that equally as you can hear some of the outside world – the outside world can also hear you. This means that on-ear headphones can be a nuisance to others if used in the vicinity of others – i.e. on public transport.
In-ear headphones
They are common and are usually supplied with portable music players. They are lightweight and cheaper than the first two sets. They fit into the ear to provide a tight seal thus preventing a sound seal. However, they tend to have less sound quality than the first two.
Earbuds
These types of headphones are usually supplied with MP3 players and smartphones. They leak a lot of sounds. In addition to these, there are specialized headphones that can be used for specific purposes such as sports and gaming.
How much should you spend?
Depending on the type that you choose to purchase, they can cost anything around £5 to £250. It is therefore important to determine your budget. Price does not necessarily equal better sound because sound can be very subjective at times.
There are also wireless headphones that let you listen to music without being tethered to the audio source. You can choose to buy this type of headphones if you want to listen to your music in place such as gym.
You can also opt to invest in sound-isolating headphones if you can to enjoy your music at lower volumes without affecting people around you. Noise cancelling headphones fit tightly on the ear to eliminate ambient sounds.
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