Headphones

As entertainment becomes increasingly mobile, an excellent pair of headphones  is a required accessory for all your portable gadgets.

Things to Keep In Mind

Whether you listen to music at home or in the gym or on the go, there is a pair of headphones on the market that will meet your needs. The following criteria will help you choose the product that best compliments your lifestyle.

• Sound: Of course, the most important thing about a pair of headphones is how it sounds. This is where personal preference can play a big roll in your purchasing decision. If you like a full spectrum of sound, you're going to prefer Shure's  high-end models. If you're a fan of heavy bass, the Ultrasone HFI-550s  or the Sennheiser HD212 Pros  are strong choices. Noise reduction features can be very important when working professionally towards a final mix and sound isolating headphones ensure that you don't annoy your mates on the train after work. If you're a serious audiophile, you can expect to pay in the hundreds for high-quality performance headphones, but it can be worth it.
• Comfort: For casual listeners and professional sound engineers alike, comfort is of extreme importance. There is nothing worse than headphones that are too tight and don't fit properly within or over the ears. Folding headphones  and full-size headphones  are probably the most comfortable models, generally speaking.
• Look: Personal taste and style will make you gravitate towards either the full-sized headphones or ear buds. Audiophiles looking for high quality sound should bet on full-sized headphones in order to ensure the most realistic sonic experience, while active-minded individuals may prefer ear buds for their light weight and streamlined size.
• Portability: If you are always on the go you might prefer something lightweight and compact. Full-sized headphones are more suited for watching DVDs, gaming at home or working in the studio. Runners might find the non-slip, over the ear styles more useful for exercising.
• Durability: Most headphones are built for active lifestyles and come with one year warranties. Foldable headphones are relatively delicate and require more care. Ear pads wear out easily but are inexpensive to replace. Shure's best models offer long-term warranties that ensure that your high end cans do not fail you too soon.
• Cords: Headphones come wired or wireless (see below for more info). Some wired headphones come with self-contained/built-in volume control. This handy option makes volume control easily accessible, especially if your CD player or MP3 player is tucked away in your coat pocket. Earbuds sometimes come in nifty compartments, similar to women's makeup compacts, making storage simple, safe, and tangle-free. See the Earbudz  by Koss.
• Connectivity: Most headphones come with a standard audio jack. However, some professional grade headphones come with jack expansions to ensure that they can accept output from any device.

Standard Headphone Types
Full-Size  Generally more expensive and better quality construction. Excellent for reproducing deep bass and surround sound. Comfortable for the ears and less damaging to the ears at higher volumes.	Bud (or Earbud)  Rest on the ledge of your ear, but aren't actually in the ear canal. The most portable headphones around. Produce lousy bass and higher noise distortion	Standard  Fit over the ear. Inexpensive and usually lightweight. Mediocre sound quality reproduction.	In-Ear  By far the lightest headphones. Excellent sound quality. Most accurate sound reproduction. Long-term, high-volume use can damage the ears.	Folding  Fold to fit in a pocket. Prone to breakage. Produce quality sound reproduction.

Headphones and Accessories: Top Picks!

A few of our choices for stellar sound quality and some other items you might need.

iGrado - Behind-the-Neck Stereo Headphones : These portable audio headphones provide comfort and a secure fit. The standard 1/8-inch plug can be used with just about any audio player and the earpads are cushioned for easy listening.	RA1 Reference Headphone Amplifier : This is a standalone unit that can be hooked up to your headphones for higher volume capacity and better sound.  It's design allows for stereo output and long-lasting battery power.	L-CUSH Replacement Foam Ear Cushions  : These cushions are compatible with multiple headphone models and provide comfort for extended listening sessions. They are also lightweight and easy to use.	RS2 - Dynamic Open Air Supra-Aural Stereo Headphones : These headphones use mahogany wood to eliminate resonance and give a high frequency response for top sound quality with any type of music. Leather headband and foam ear cushions allow for maximum comfort.

Sporty Non-Slip Styles
These slip over the top of the ear and rest behind the head. Very comfortable, slip-free, and less cumbersome for people with big hair. Also available in earbud styles. Cannot lie down while these are on.	A similar style that wraps around the ears. Comes with cords instead of a headband. Go into your ears instead of lying on top of the ears.	Same as the non-slip and go over the ears. If you don't like earbuds, these are perfect. Cannot lie down while these are on.

Gaming Headphones
Plantronics GameCom Pro Digital Stereo PC Gaming Headset	Plantronics GameCom Halo 2 Edition	Ear Force AXT Ultimate Gaming Headphones	Icemat Siberia Gaming Headset USB	Razer HP-1 Barracuda 8-Channel Gaming Headphones

• Certain earmuffs  have an option of built-in headphones,  for listening to music outdoors during the winter.
• Check out these waterproof headphones. 

Ambient Noise Reduction Technology

If you prefer the luxury of pure unadulterated sound yet are surrounded by the noise of life, then noise cancellation head phones are the answer to your prayers. For those who travel or frequently use public transportation, you may want to consider looking into noise reduction headphones.  There are two main types.

• Noise-cancelling headphones  work fairly well at reducing ambient noise.
• They come in all form factors, ranging from full-size to in-ear models.
• Tend to be expensive, averaging around $200 a pair, since active noise-cancelation circuitry is pricey to manufacture.
• Some brands that make reputable noise-cancelling headphones are Koss,  Bose,  Sony,  Sennheiser,  Aiwa,  Panasonic,  and Jensen. 
• Noise-isolating headphones  are better at reducing ambient noise.
• These headphones seal the ear from outside noise and they come in a variety of form factors from over the ear to in-ear.
• Used by professional musician especially singers to isolate their voices while performing live. Ultimate Ears manufactures custom-built monitors  for music enthusiasts that conform to the shape of individual ears.

High-End Products

• Grado  is a classic high-end headphone brand with a great reputation for sound quality. However, many of their headphones emanate a lot of sound around you that others might find disturbing. For music afficionados who are willing to spend a pretty penny on headphones, see more hi-end headphones,  or check out Stax. 
• Amplification is an important factor when considering high-end sound. Consider buying a headphone amplifier  to improve the quality of the sound, especially for large headphones. For smaller portable headphones this might not be a practical option.
• Some of Shure's  most expensive models can rival the best high end headphones. The manufacturer's three-drive systems are great.

Wireless Headsets

Most wireless headphones, while useful when hanging around the house, haven't demonstrated great sound quality as they often receive interference from other mobile devices, such as cordless phones. Therefore they produce static, hissing, and other undesirable effects. Bluetooth headphones may reduce some of these problems, but they have a short range and are not widespread.

Fun 'Phones

These three are nifty devices that would make a good gift for anyone -- or for yourself!

Bose QuietComfort 3  These cushy headphones have special technology that reduces noise from the environment by producing an electronic signal to dampen the external sound. End result: you hear your tunes undisturbed.	Sennheiser MX75 Sport  These lime-green sport phones are specially designed to grip your ear (not painfully) so that they don't budge even when you play your hardest. Interchangeable pieces help you size the earbud for greater customization.	Motorola S805  These DJ headphones are Bluetooth-ready -- they can synch up with your music-filled phone or any other Bluetooth system without the annoyance of wires. The S805 isn't available yet, but you can read about it on Gizmodo.

Music

Stereo sound is designed to present a soundstage to the listener when the sound emanates from two speakers in a room. In this situation, you can actually hear each speaker with each ear. However, with headphones, only one ear hears the left channel, and one hears the right. This means you will not hear truly balanced stereo surround sound. Most people have used headphones and are used to this. Though if you're not, you might also want to experiment with some binaural recordings.  These recordings are made in such a way that the headphones give off a realistic sound. Of course, not much content is available in this format, but it is something to try just for fun.

Quick Searches

• Under $25 
• $25-$50 
• $50-$100 
• $100+ 

Related Buying Guides

MP3 Players	Portable CD PLayers	Bluetooth Wireless Headsets	Computer Speakers	Portable Speakers

External Links

• CNET -- Total guide to buying headphones.
• CNET -- Specs that (mostly don't) matter.
• Practical Home Theater Guide -- Some tips on buying.
• Practical Home Theater Guide -- Additional accessories.

International Resources

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DE: Kopfhörer