How to Choose the Perfect Pair of Headphones

Whether you're at home or on the go, many of us spend a lot of time listening to music on our headphones. If you're looking to get beyond the iPod earbuds and invest in a nice pair of headphones for yourself, here's how to pick out the perfect set for you.

Form Factors

Headphones come in a number of different styles, that are going to fit your ears and sound differently when you wear them. The first thing you should narrow down, when deciding on a pair of headphones is which form factor you want. You'll want to make this decision based not only on where you'll be using them, but what type of music you're listening to.

Earbuds

Earbuds and in-ear headphones are tiny earpieces that go inside your ears. You're probably familiar with these, as cheaper earbuds often come with music players (like the iPod). Earbuds generally sit in the bowls of your ears, while "in-ear" variants actually go in the ear canal, some fairly deeply.

 

Pros: Earbuds are super portable, which is nice if you're using them on-the-go. In-ear varieties also offer some isolation from outside noise, which is great on airplanes or loud buses. They're also more comfortable than over-the-ear headphones if you wear glasses or have ears that stick out like mine do.

Cons: While you can get some pretty decent in-ear headphones, you probably won't get the same sound quality that you would from an over-the-ear pair of headphones. Some people also find them less comfortable, because they're uncomfortable with putting things inside their ears. Comfort is mostly personal preference when it comes to earbuds. Lots of them are prone to falling out of your ears, too, so not every model is good for exercising

Ear Pad Headphones

Ear pad headphones were much more popular before the advent of the iPod, but they still have some good qualities that make them worthy of consideration. These headphones are usually small pads that go over your ears, but don't cover the entire ear. They're more often than not "open" models of headphones, which means you get some sound leaks both ways—you can hear outside noise and the outside can hear a little of your music.

Pros: These are generally some of the most comfortable headphones around, since they just sit on the outside of your ears. They won't make your ears get hot or pin them back, which is nice. Their open-backed construction provides good sound, and is especially nice for exercising, since it keeps you aware of the crazy old lady going 80 miles per hour behind you. They're also usually very portable, which is great for on-the-go use.

Cons: Since many ear pads are open, you wouldn't want to use them in a situation that's exceptionally loud, like on an airplane, since they won't block outside noise. You also wouldn't want to use them in a super quiet area, like a library, since other people will be able to hear your music. And, while a lot of people prefer open headphones for their sound quality, you probably won't get as much bass response as with closed models. Ear pad headphones do come in closed models, but since they don't cover your ears, many aren't quite as effective as a full size, closed headphone would be.

Full Size Headphones

Full size headphones come with ear cups that surround your ears completely. They tend to be fairly large, and come in both open and closed varieties. Their large size makes them ideal for home use.

Pros: Full size headphones provide great bass response, sound clarity, and isolation from outside noise. They also usually come with a large amount of padding, which makes them comfortable on most heads.

Cons: Since full size headphones are usually pretty big, they don't make for good portable headphones. They also may be uncomfortable for some people, like those with large heads. They can also make your ears hot, which is never fun

Specialty Features

Apart from the general form factor, there are a few other features that you'll want to consider when buying your headphones. Usually these decisions are based on the situations in which you'll be using them.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancelling headphones sample the noise around you and play an inverted version of that sound in your ears, cancelling out the noise around you. The upside is that they're extremely effective, but they tend to be pretty expensive, so that's something to keep in mind when considering noise cancelling headphones. You'll need some batteries for these types of headphones, and while they come in both ear pad and full size models, you'll probably want to go full size for the best noise cancellation.

Noise Isolation

Often confused with noise cancelling headphones, noise isolationheadphones block outside noise by creating a physical seal in or around your ears to keep music in and ambient noise out. They aren't necessarily as effective as noise cancelling headphones, but they don't require batteries and you can find decent models for much cheaper.

Wireless

Wireless headphones are pretty self-explanatory: they don't have wires, letting you roam the world cable-free. Most wireless headphones these days are Bluetooth, and often will let you not only listen to music wirelessly, but even play, pause, or skip music right from the headphones. The problem with wireless headphones is that you have to recharge them or swap out batteries often, and sound quality is rarely as good as wired headphones. If you have other wireless devices in your house, like cordless phones, they can also experience interference. They come in both home versions with big base stations, and portable versions with small dongles. They have their time and place, of course, like when you're exercising and don't want to get tangled up in your own wires.

How to Test Headphones

While these are all good things to know on paper, you don't want to buy your headphones without testing them out first. You'll never know how well they fit, how well they actually isolate and cancel sound, or how comfortable they are just by looking them up online. Here are some tips for getting down into the nitty-gritty of each model.

Read Online Reviews

While you don't want to buy headphones solely based on what you see online, reviews are a great way to narrow it down to a few models, and to know what issues you want to keep an eye out for on any given pair. I usually search sites like Newegg and Amazon for reviews from real people, as well as reviews on CNET, Macworld, and Head-Fi for professional reviews.

Ailihen headphone will give you more surprises.