Friday, November 26, 2010

Buying Guide - Headphones Types

By Javier Dreier


So, which headphones should you use for different situations? Well there are so many kinds these days. There are open, closed, ear-bud, wireless, noise-cancelling, Bluetooth, surround, DJ, mobile phone and many other styles.

Well first I'll outline the big, normal style headphones. If you're a serious music listener or movie buff then I would recommend an open style headphones like the Sennheiser HD595 headphones. These have amazing sound quality but at the expense of isolation unfortunately. If you have a loved one or child that must not be disturbed then closed would be a better option though. However, the bass level is usually a lot higher with these and not as accurate either. It's what people refer to as hyped bass.

Next up is the 'in-ear' style earbud. The best pair to go for in terms of outright audio fidelity is the Etymotic ER-4 ear-buds. They might take a little getting used to since they go so deep into the ear and the driver sits so close to the eardrum but they deliver unparalleled sound for any earbuds so check them out.

Then we have surround headphones. These are perfect for gaming and watching movies. If you have neighbors that wouldn't appreciate a Bruce Willis film complete with extremely bass heavy subwoofer-driven explosions every 5 minutes then these are a great alternative. While the surround experience is not as good as in a cinema, it's often a lot better than the average home surround system without any acoustic treatment in the room.

Another popular and more recent addition to headphones is the wireless variety. If you're the sporty type and can't be fussing with cables getting in your way then look no further. You can run, hike, sprint or play ball to your hearts' content with these and not worry at all.

DJ headphones are a special breed. These are designed for only a few things. To not let sound in or out, to last a long time and to have good bass. However, sound quality on these is never high on the list of priorities so if that's your thing, look elsewhere.

Developed in the jet pilots cockpit, the noise cancelling headphone is a special breed. These are made for anyone in noisy places such as: frequent flyers, factory workers and commuters. These definitely need a test listen beforehand as some can negatively affect the sound quite a bit so try out about 5 pairs before you buy. A talk button and volume slider are a must too. If you need peace and quiet and love your music, try out a few pairs of these today.

This is pretty much everything you need to shop for your new headphones with confidence. Get out there, get listening and good luck.




About the Author:



No comments: