As smartphones become increasingly
prevalent, more and more people are scrapping their iPods and burning their
Zunes in favor of using their iPhone as their primary music player. The little
white earbuds that come with the iPhone are great for casual use, but they
don't quite cut it when it comes to extended listening. Now that iTunes Match
loads your iPhone music at 256 kbps, the sound quality is just too good to use
cheap headphones.
There are so many options out there that
it's important to be clear on your needs when buying a new pair of headphones.
You have to balance portability, sound quality, and, of course, price. There
are three main types of headphones: in-ear, on-ear, and over-the-ear. Each type
has its advantages and disadvantages.
In-ear headphones (Earbuds)
In-ear headphones are the most portable
style of headphones. The small earbuds fold up easily, allowing you to carry
them comfortably in your pocket. In order to offer maximum portability, in-ear
headphones sacrifice sound quality and noise cancellation. In recent years,
earbuds have made large improvements in sound quality, closing the gap between
earbuds and on-ear headphones.
Etymotics
hf2
The Etymotics sound great. They deliver
clear, low-distortion audio, and look sleek doing it. They come with several
different earpiece options and a convenient carrying pouch. The hf2s also have
a built-in mic that allows you to control your music and talk on the phone.
The bass can sound a little weak, so if you
listen to bass-heavy music such as hip-hop or electro, these may not be the
earbuds for you. The long, slender earbud piece slides deeper into the ear
canal than most headphones do. Most people find the shape to be comfortable,
but if you are sensitive to sticking things in your ears, or if you have a
shallow ear canal, these headphones may feel a bit uncomfortable.
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Price:
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$159
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Website:
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www.etymotic.com
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Klipsch
image S4i
Klipsch recently released a retooled and
much improved version of their S4i earbuds. These headphones have exceptional
sound quality for their price. They also have a convenient remote that is
designed to work with all Apple products. All in all, they're a great value.
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Price:
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$99.99
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Website:
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www.klipsch.com
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On-ear headphones
On-ear headphones have small pads that
press up against your ears. Many of them fold up, making them easier to travel
with. With better sound quality than earbuds and better portability than
over-the-ear headphones, they offer a happy medium.
Bowers
& Wilkins P3
Bowers & Wilkins has a reputation for
making stylish products, and the P3s are no exception. These headphones exude
sexiness. I've always found on-ear headphones to be a bit uncomfortable, but
the P3s feel great. The pads have a soft fabric that doesn't apply too much
pressure against your ears. The headphones fold up for travel and come with a
hard plastic carrying case. They also have a built-in mic and volume control
that works great with Apple products. While the P3s still don't have the sound
quality of over-ear headphones, they sound great for this class. If you want
high-quality headphones, but travel too much to get over-the-ear headphones, I
strongly recommend the Bowers & Wilkins P3s.
Koss
PortaPro
While the Bowers & Wilkins P3 looks
retro chic, the Koss PortalPro just looks retro. Some people love their classic
style, while others prefer a more modern look. If you're one of the people who
likes the look (or just doesn't care), these headphones offer great sound for a
great price. The PortalPros also fold up for easy travel.
For the audiophile
Westone
4R
No, that price is not a typo. Westones are
top- of-the-line earbuds. These bad boys have four symmetrically balanced
armature drivers and a three-way crossover network. If that doesn't mean
anything to you, then you probably don't need these headphones. But if all you
care about is sound quality, then these are the earbuds for you. Simply put,
they sound amazing.
Beyerdynamic
T5p
I know what you're thinking: "For
$1,400 I could buy a new iMac or three above-ground pools!" Audio
perfection never comes cheap, my friends. TheT5ps are on a whole other level.
Listening to them feels like listening to live music.TheT5ps have amazing sound
clarity; it almost feels like 3D quality. The headphones have a solid build
that could easily last 10 to 15 years. My only knock on theT5ps is that they
don't fold up, making them hard to travel with. $1,400 is definitely a serious
investment for a pair of headphones, but if you are a serious audiophile or
listen to headphones while you're at work all day, the BeyerdynamicT5ps won't
let you down.
Over-The-Ear Headphones
Over-the-ear headphones cup your ears, allowing
for better audio isolation, and their size allows for superior bass and volume.
Most people also find over-the-ear headphones to be the most comfortable. While
the sound quality of over-the-ear headphones makes them sound undeniably
better, the bulkiness makes them difficult to travel with. They also tend to be
the most expensive type of headphones.
V-MODA
Crossfade LP
After breaking a few pairs of headphones,
DJ Val Kolton set out to create a pair that wouldn't break. After several years
of trial and error, he came up with the Crossfades. Not only are the headphones
very sturdy, but they also look great. The Crossfades come in a variety of
colors, and you can engrave an image and text on the side for free. They were
designed for DJs and have very heavy bass. If you listen to a lot of hip-hop or
electro, these headphones will sound great. If you listen to a wide range of
genres, you may want to look for a more balanced set of headphones. I also
found that they became uncomfortable after prolonged use.
Philips
Fidelio L1
Generally I prefer boutique brands over
large corporate brands. However, for the Philips Fidelio L1s, I'll make an
exception. These headphones are beautifully crafted with brushed metal and
real leather. The memory foam pads provide a sealed fit and good sound
isolation, while applying a minimal amount of pressure. The semi-open back
allows for a fuller sound than closed-back headphones do. I found the sound to
be rich and well balanced. All in all, this is a great pair of high- end
headphones.
Happy listening
If you listen to music regularly, don't
settle for those little white Apple earbuds. That's not how music was meant to
be heard. A good pair of headphones allows you to appreciate the finer details
of music. While you may not need the world's greatest headphones, investing in
quality is definitely worth it.
