Whether you’re on the run and want to take your tunes with you, or want to block out the noise from the outside world and focus all your attention on your favorite podcast, having the right headphones is essential.
Before you break out your credit card and buy the first pair you see, it’s important to determine which option is best for you — and to do that, figure out how you want to use them and how they fit into your lifestyle.
In this article, we’ve broken down some of the most common headphone-based activities to help you decide.
Headphones for runners
Are over-ear headphones a preferred option compared to in-ear headphones? It usually comes down to your preferences, but this is one case where over-ear headphones are not a good choice in my opinion. Running with over-ear headphones can be awkward, which is why so many people prefer in-ear headphones — they’re usually lighter. Choose a pair with rubber or foam tips of different sizes to make sure they fit snugly in your ears and won’t move or fall out while running.
Some have a degree of water-resistance or sweat-resistant material, but double-check the ones you want contain it. There’s nothing worse than spending money on headphones to let them die out because they’re drowning in sweat. Some have noise canceling capabilities, which can be great on the treadmill. But if you’re running outside, you probably want a pair that still lets the outside world in so you can stay aware of your surroundings.
Headphones for gamers
Chances are you’ll want over-ear headphones to get the full immersive experience of playing. But if you like multiplayer games or live streaming your gameplay, you definitely want too a pair with a built-in microphone. Some have volume and mute controls, while others can connect to your phone so you can make calls while killing zombies.
Headphones for music lovers
Here’s where over-ear headphones can make a big difference. Because they wrap around your ear, they leave some space between the speaker and your ear, and in some cases help shut out any sound that isn’t coming from your headphones. This allows them to provide a truly immersive listening experience without overwhelming the senses.
The downside to these types of headphones is that they can be a bit larger – and thus heavier – than many other types of headphones. They can also make your ears sweaty. Just make sure you buy a pair with good padding on the ear cups and headband so they’re comfortable to wear for a long time.
Headphones for talkers
If you’re one of the few people who still use your phone to talk, you probably don’t need overly rugged headphones. A decent pair of earplugs— wired or wireless — gives you all the audio support you need to get your gab going. Double-check for noise reduction and foam or rubber tips that can be adjusted to your ear canal for a secure fit.
Headphones for commuters
So you want to shut off the outside world and listen to your podcast while on the subway to work. Earplugs can do the trick, especially if they have noise cancellation. But if you really want to distance yourself from your commute, you probably want to check out on-ear headphones or over-ear headphones.
On-ear headphones are the less intense version of over-ear headphones, as they sit on top of your ears like earmuffs instead of enclosing your ears. They are usually smaller than over-ear headphones and generally won’t make your ears sweat or feel too heavy on your head after a while. The downside is that they may not seal the sound very well, so your fellow commuters may hear your podcast, or you may hear them (though less than with non-noise-cancelling headphones). If you really want to go all in to cut out as much outside noise as possible, over-ear headphones maybe the way to go. Just make sure you pay attention to your surroundings.
Do you think you know what you want now? It’s time to shop! Then enjoy the fruits of your headphone labor as you put them on and tune in to what you prefer to listen to.
This article is AT&T sponsored content written by Carly Milne, a TechBuzz contributor. The statements made in this article are its own and do not necessarily represent the views, strategies or opinions of AT&T.
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