6 Tips for Choosing the Right Earphone (Buying Guide)

Music lover? Planning to buy earphones for casual listening? With the right pair of earphones, you can experience music on a whole other level. Whether you're listening at home or on the go, consider investing in a high quality pair of earphones for maximum enjoyment. Here are a few tips to help you in finding the right earphones for you.

1. Deciding between earbuds or headphones

Earbuds are best for people who are short on space, but still want a way to listen to their music. The higher-quality earbuds usually come with little cases to put your earbuds in when you're not using them, so they won't get ruined or dirty at the bottom of your bag. If you keep a very small purse or you're a guy with limited pocket space, earbuds are probably a better choice. They're also great if you are on a limited budget, because there's a lot more to choose from and they tend to cost less. But if you really want superior sound quality, go for headphones, as they deliver high-quality sound and great at blocking out ambient noise - background noise that's always present, such as traffic on a street. When it comes in portability, go for earphones, because they are lightweight and not bulky unlike headphones.

2. Setting a budget

If you're a gadget geek, the earphone search can easily make a big dent in your wallet. Don't forget to do some research and get a sense for the price ranges on models that most appeal to you. Spending a fortune on an expensive set of cans that will get sweaty during your workout doesn't make sense. You can easily grab the best quality earphones in your budget.

3. Choosing the correct driver type

There aren't many choices available when it comes to the drivers, with dynamic and balanced armature drivers being the two dominant types. Dynamic drivers are most common because they are the cheapest to manufacture. These drivers are pretty much miniaturised versions of your regular loudspeakers employing a magnet and moving voice coil to oscillate a diaphragm, in order to reproduce sound. Balanced armature drivers employ a similar setup, but the voice coil is stationary. The diaphragm is moved by an armature that's suspended frictionless between two opposing magnets and the voice coil.

4. Checking the portability

Usually portability isn’t an issue - for listening during physical activity, get the lightweight portables designed for that purpose. For traditional stationary studio work, heavier closed-back circumaurals are usually used. These days, however, laptop computers and compact interfaces have made on-location recording more popular. This application requires closed-back, sealed-cup headphones that are bulkier. Fold-up designs are more portable and protect the headphones in transit.

5. Deciding between wired or wireless

Another option worth considering is wireless. Especially for people who want flexibility and do a lot of listening on the go, the chance to untether from wires has a large appeal. New advances with Bluetooth have made it possible to achieve solid sound quality with this model, but that usually comes at a cost. Also, wireless still requires the sound to be compressed, although the best models will try to counteract those effects. Furthermore, they are also requires charging unlike wired earphones, no batteries means no charging. Wireless earphones best suits athletes, travelers, and gamers. Wired earphones best suits audiophiles, desk jockeys, and individuals who are hard of hearing.

6. Checking durability and warranty

Lastly, the important thing is to check the durability. The reason we buy new headphones so often is that the old ones often break or get somehow destroyed. When you get to the store, see how durable each pair of headphones feel - if it feels cheap, it probably is, and might not last you as long as you'd like. More than that, though, check and see what the warranty is like.

Like most things in life, when it comes to choosing the right earphones, headphones or earbuds, you get what you pay for. There is no substitute for listening critically and carefully. Considering how you plan to use your new earphones is also critical in pinpointing the right model.

What kind of earphones do you prefer? Let us know by leaving your comment below.

Credits: miui