Headphones Buying Guide

Headphones categories

Over-the-ear
Usually the most expensive headphones, these reproduce sounds most accurately and more effectively block external noise. Full-size headphones will also give you the best bass notes. Circum-aural headphones, as they are formally known, have to be large enough to completely cover the ear, but most are very comfortable. For the best hi-fi reproduction and the fewest distractions, over-the-ear headsets are the choice. They are, however, heavier than any other style, and some find this uncomfortable. If you wear earrings or glasses, over-the-ear headsets can be irritating. They can also contribute to a bad hair day.

Ear-pad headphones
Also called closed-back headphones, on-ear headphones or open-backed headphones; semi-open headphones or supra-aural headphones, they are worn on the ears but do not entirely cover them. Ear-pad headsets range widely in price and quality, from economical and fair to steep and excellent. The audio reproduction can be very good at the high end, and they are lighter and more comfortable than over-the-ear headphones. They do not cut background noise as effectively, however.

Sports

These are also known as behind-the-neck headphones, clip-on headphones, fashion headphones, neckband headphones, portable headphones or vertical headphones. Basically, sports headphones are any headsets designed to stay on your head during athletic activity. They'll have a headband (over the top of the head); a neckband (behind the back of the head) or clips fitting around the ear, plus an ear pad or earbud. This headset design doesn't interfere with your hair, glasses, etc., but the light-weight design means they tend to be less durable. Water and sweat resistance are good features to look for.

Earbud or in-ear
These are the smallest and lightest headphones on the market, and probably the most common because many iPods and MP3 players include earbuds. These headphones rest on the ear or actually slip into the ear canal. Completely portable with good audio reproduction, some earbud headphones also have an ear clip similar to sport headphones. Some reviewers feel these are better noise-cancelling headphones than over-the-ear models, and they won't interfere with earrings, glasses or your hair. On the whole, they reproduce sound as well as any other type, though bass response isn't as good as larger headphones. Some people don't like the idea of sticking headsets into their ears, and, since they send sound straight at the eardrum, long-term use at high volume can cause permanent hearing loss.

Headphones buying tips

First, decide what your primary use will be. For home theater use, you can afford to get the larger, over-the-ear type if you're going to use them sitting back and relaxing in your easy chair. For portable audio equipment, you'll probably want smaller, lighter types. For car audio, wireless headphones are definitely the choice (unless you are driving, in which case, use the speakers).

Second, get the best quality you can afford. Decide how much you can spend and go for it. Use the same standards for headphones as you use with any other audio components (the Overstock.com audio buying guide will help you there), then match your new headphones to your existing components.

Third, check the specs. For example, headphones have always been a plug-n-play option, so make sure your new headphone plug fits the audio source's jack. The standards are 6.33mm (0.25 inches), 3.5mm (0.125 inches) and 2.5mm (0.1 inches): The older, quarter-inch plug is still the professional audio standard and may be found in some home stereo equipment. The 3.5mm is the more common size, used on computer headphones, studio headphones, noise-cancelling headphones, etc. Small, 2.5mm headphones, are used in cell phones and other small devices. Of course, if you have a great pair of headphones that don't fit your audio equipment, you can buy an adapter. Also, gold plating isn't ostentation; gold makes a better connection, so this is a premium choice worth your consideration.

Fourth, be comfortable. Ask your friends if you can test-drive their headsets. Try several different headphone types; you'll be hanging this thing on your head so you should enjoy having it there. Make sure it gives you the sound production you expect. In particular, visit friends who've owned their headphones for a fairly long time, since quality lasts.

Something else to consider: if you are going to give your headphones a workout, look at modular headphones, which have detachable earpieces, replaceable cords, etc. Why pay for new headphones when you only need one new part?

Headphones terminology

Specifications can help you pick the headphones that will work best with your audio equipment; however, they won't tell you if you'll like what you hear coming out of the headphones, that's a completely individual response. Knowing a few basic technical terms will make buying headphones easier:

• Frequency response: This describes the sounds the headphones can reproduce without distortion. Normal human hearing can detect about 20Hz to 20,000Hz (or 20KHz). Listed frequency response is a generalization. Because of the physical properties of sounds and speakers, full-range headphones don’t reproduce very low or very high notes as well as midrange, but very few people or instruments produce the highest or lowest notes, so they can still provide great listening. Don't worry about getting headphones with a narrower frequency response.
• Sensitivity: This describes how efficiently headphones use energy is difficult. If headphone A has a sensitivity rating 3dB lower than headphone B, B requires twice as much power to reproduce audio at the same volume. In other words, at the same power level, headphone A would be 3dB louder than B. Each has an advantage: headsets with higher sensitivity ratings perform well at varying power levels and don't need peak power to put out a good performance, while lower sensitivity headphones are harder to damage through heavy use.
• Power: Two power levels are listed, RMS (short for "root-mean-square") and Peak. These ratings describe how much electrical power you can pump through the headphones without damaging them. More volume, of course, means more juice. RMS is the safe, steady power level; Peak is the power you can pump through for very short bursts. Measured in watts, Peak is usually twice RMS.
• Impedance: Being physical objects, headset components slow the flow of electrons ever so slightly. Lower impedance, measured in ohms (symbolized by the Greek letter omega), means the headphones draw more power. This means shorter life in battery-powered audio equipment. When using headphones with a home theater, the system will work most efficiently when all impedances match.

Headphones care

Since modern consumer electronics really don't require much care, just a couple of common sense suggestions:

• When you roll up your headset's audio cables, roll carefully. All wires have a natural twist; if you wrap your headphone wires incorrectly, you can kink or break them.
• There are many good reasons for connecting your audio equipment to a surge protector. Among other reasons, surge protectors allow you to really turn your home theater off. Many modern consumer electronics use a trickle of electricity, even when they are "off." Flipping the switch at the surge protector means no electricity gets to the audio gear, saving you money and safeguarding your home theater in case of a power surge or spike.

Other headphones features

DJ headphones
Designed for professional use, DJ headphones may have some nice extras. Earpieces may swivel, so you can keep one ear open to the sounds of the environment. The DJ equipment may also fold for smaller storage and be more robustly built, as they get more vigorous use. One pays extra for these enhancements, but if they improve your listening experience, they're worth it.

Dynamic versus Static
Every speaker needs a driver; essentially, they are the device's vocal cords. Two drivers are common in today's headsets:

• Dynamic: A cone-shaped diaphragm connected to a voice coil is generally the more affordable option, but high-end dynamic headphones which deliver very high-quality sound are available.
• Electrostatic: A thin sheet of stretched Mylar replaces the cone-voice coil. These headsets provide superior sound reproduction, especially in higher frequencies, with very low distortion and the predictable increase in price.

Folding
Over-the-ear, ear-pad and sports headsets can be designed to fold up. Folding headphones are a great portability option with good quality sound. Some reviewers claim they break more often, which is not too surprising. If you plan to carry folding headphones in your pocket, be careful which pocket you choose.

Wireless

If you have to move around a lot or simply want to use your headphones away from the audio equipment, wireless headphones are a great feature. There are two types:

• Radio Frequency (or RF): It works just like any FM radio and has a very healthy range (100 to 1,000 feet, so it will work all over the house or office) and can be added to most home theater systems without a lot of trouble. Other RF devices can interfere with your headphone reception, so they're not the best choice for areas with a lot of RF signals floating around. And remember that the farther your receiver is from the source, the lower the quality.
• Bluetooth: First used in cell phones, PDAs and similar devices; headphones are now using this great technology. The range is shorter (5 to 250 feet, depending on model), but Bluetooth uses narrow bandwidth transmissions to reduce interference. This new technology costs more, but you do get excellent sound clarity.

Noise Cancelling
This is a great idea; noise-cancelling headphones have a microphone and electronic circuit as well as a speaker. How does it work? Every sound has a wave pattern; the microphone hears background sounds and feeds those sounds through the circuit, which reverses the wave pattern. It's like two football players the same size pushing against each other -- neither moves much. In the same way, the reversed wave patterns push against background noise patterns and they cancel each other out. This works best in over-the-ear or earbud headphones. Although no system is perfect, some come very close.