How To Choose The Right Earphones: Headphones Or Earbuds?

We all have headphones. They are as common an accessory these days as a wallet or a belt and you probably have a pair lying around in your backpack, at the office, at home or even in your pocket.

Headphones and earphones come in a multitude of colours and shapes and there seems to be a match for every occasion. With a great variety of options, making a choice keeps getting harder.

There are lots of parameters at play, when it comes to deciding which headphones or earphones would suit you better. Today we’ll start with a simple and yet significant question: earbuds or headphones?

Portability

It’s pretty clear that earbuds are more lightweight and compact – and thus much easier to carry around. You can pretty much put them in your bag, purse or even pocket and move around the city with, while the earphones patiently wait till the next time you feel like listening to some tunes. One problem you may encounter when throwing your earphones freely in the bag is that they may get dirty and they will (almost surely) get tangled up. So you may want to consider a separate carrying case or choose earphones with thicker and more tangle-resistant cords.

Headphones are definitely bulkier and would not be an easy fit for you purse. They may also feel heavier on your head and are surely not as subtle as earbuds. On the other hand, you can always put the headphones around your neck when not using them and after some time you won’t even know they are there.

Sound Quality

We will not talk about sound quality per say, as this would largely depend on a number of different parameters.

However, an important element of the overall sound quality is sound isolation – the ability of the headgear to seal the sound in your ear and not let in the distracting outside noise. However, headphones and earbuds take a slightly different approach to the matter.

Earphones act similarly to ear plugs and the sound is being sent directly into your ear. As a result, you are immune to the ambient noise and can focus on the flowing music. One downside of that is that earbuds put a lot of pressure on your eardrums, especially if you like to listen to music at high volume. Some people may also experience discomfort when putting earphones inside their ears.

Headphones create a seal around your ears and are softer on your eardrums. They are also a popular choice among music fans, especially for listening to bass tones and instrumental compositions. However, you may experience pressure on your head and temples, if your headphones are bulky.

In the end, you will find that both options provide sound isolation and you choice should be guided by which one feels most comfortable to your ear.

Style

Headphones and earphones are not simple audio gadgets and have long earned their place in the list of fashion accessories. What you go for will surely depend on your personal style and you may want to consider having both types ready, depending on the occasion.

Earbuds are surely more subtle and, if you really want them too, can become invisible. If you do want them seem and being part of your outfit, you could try more daring options like earphone necklaces or earbuds with brightly coloured or bejeweled cords.

Headphones are a powerful fashion statement and there is no way of hiding them. They would make a strong accessory choice and could complete your outfit with a final bold touch. DJ-style headphones also come with an innate “cool” tag, as they seem to immediately make you the undoubted music authority. One thing you may want to think about is you hair. Headphones with the over-the-head band may alter it in a way you did not intend.

So what do you think? Feel free to browse through our selection of headphones and earphones and choose away.