Headphones 102:  ... Answers to Some Common Headphone Questions

Back in 2010, I answered a set of questions for a college newspaper. Since we had been asked many of these questions in the past, we decided posting the answers here might be a helpful resource. Here goes....

• 1) Since all headphones aren't created equal, what makes a good set? How do you cut through the hype for their advertising? a) There are dozens of headphone manufacturers, and in this day and age of marketing products, we have found relatively few advertise good sound quality any more? Very many promote style and try to package their products to be attractive so customer's will pick up the sealed package off the shelf. Most do list specifications on the packaging. But frankly, the specs don't indicate much that will really tell you if a headphone sounds good or not! Just because it can reproduce sound above and below what the human ear can hear, doesn't indicate whether it sounds any good in the middle ranges where music is reproduced. About the only way to figure out if a headphone is good, or not, is to do some research.
• 2) On a similar note, are bundled earbuds worth using? If not, why? a) Some earbuds can sound pretty decent. However quality does vary, and most of those included for free with portable players, are very cheap. Manufacturers always try to cut costs where ever possible, and including cheap earbuds is something they can do for pennies. We have never found an included earbud that cannot be improved upon sound quality wise. Another problem with earbuds is the way they sit in the ear. All ears are different, and the way earbuds sit in one person's ear may be different than the way it sits in another's ear. The way the earbud sits in the ear does very much affect how it sounds. So a bud that may sound good to one person, may not sound so good to another person. This is usually not a problem with headphones. Another alternative, in-ear earphones, normally come with different sizes of eartips which allow the user to try to get a better fit in the ear.
• 3) What's the difference between closed-back and open-back headphones, to a listener? a) Basically "Closed" Cans, (Cans is slang for headphones), have solid material on the outside of the headphone body. "Open" Cans usually have grills on the outside which allows sound through. In general, open headphones can produce a more natural sound than closed Cans. With closed Cans, sound is trapped inside the body and bounces back at the ear. Open headphone designs can reproduce music which sounds less confined. A little more like you're hearing sounds from around you than directly from speakers sitting closely to your ears.
  Therefore, the best sounding headphones tend to be of the "Open" design. Case closed, right? Not Quite. A problem with open headphones is that there are some uses where sound leakage can be an issue. For example, if you're listening in a noisy environment, you may need closed Cans to limit the outside noise. If you're in a quiet environment with other people close by, with open headphones, they'll be able to hear some of your music, (which can get you some nasty looks). In a recording studio, leaking sound can be heard by the microphone, so studio headphones often need to be of the closed variety. The list can go on. Which headphone is best for the individual likely will depend on their primary use.
• 4) Are in-ear headphones any good? How do they compare to full-size? a) In-Ears can be capable of producing very good detail. They are super portable and they can block outside sounds. Quality varies quite a bit. Prices can range from $10 to over $1000, (perhaps you've noticed the in-ear monitors used by most musicians on stage these days). In-Ears sound best if inserted properly. You need to get a good seal in the ear canal. Most come with various sizes of ear tips, (the most expensive models, like those musicians use, are custom molded to the individual's ear). A good fit often takes some experimentation, is easier for some, and difficult for others. I do also warn people sticking In-Ears deep inside the ear canals can take some getting used to, (and some never get quite comfortable with them or can listen only for limited time periods).
  While good In-Ears can produce very good detail where you can hear every little sound on the recording, the sound is very much in the head. Standard headphones, especially good open designs, can produce a more natural sound than in-ears. A little less in the head. Personally, I listen to good open headphones when at home, good portable headphones when out on a walk, and in-ears when in public.
• 5) Bose Tri-Port headphones are extremely popular. Are they worth the money? a) Years ago, mass retailers discovered bass sells. In a quick demo, the average person will perceive that the speaker producing more bass, is the better speaker. They don't necessarily stop to pay attention to the how well the other details of the recording is reproduced, (which can be difficult to hear in a typical store environment). Bose has developed a good reputation largely due to their huge marketing budget. And Bose knows bass sells. So naturally, the Tri-Port produces loud bass. BTW, if you pay close attention, you'll note the Tri-Port is a "Closed" Can, (which can help produce louder bass, but sound is not quite as natural as that heard from some of the better open headphone designs). Bose doesn't make bad headphones, but I could list at least a dozen other manufacturers that offer headphones that many audiophiles would say are better.
  Many audiophiles are not fans of Bose. They consider them a mass marketer, not an audiophile manufacturer. Here at GoodCans.com, we're more interested in audiophile manufacturers. For instance, we love Grado headphones. Grado is a small, family owned audiophile manufacturer. They have been in business for over 50 years. They don't need to advertise as word of mouth keeps their small, Brooklyn based facilities, operating pretty much at capacity. (Yes, you read that right, most Grado headphones are "Made in the USA!") And we love the fact that most audiophiles would easily prefer the sound quality of the $79 Grado SR60i over the Tri-Ports, which cost nearly twice the price!
• 6) Colorful Skullcandy and other circumaural headphones are also popular these days, and are sold at places like Urban Outfitters. Are they worth the money? Does bass = quality, like Skullcandy would lead you to believe? a) Marketing sells!
  Good bass is actually a touchy subject. Many are accustomed to loud, muddy bass. They perceive that as good bass. Whereas to an audiophile, clear reproduction in the lower registers is considered good bass.
• 7) Can you recommend any headphones for a student in Chicago (student budget, wearing on public transportation, etc.)? a) Obviously, use on public transportation rules out good "Open" headphones. And some people think Noise Reduction headphones would be a product for such a use. But ANR headphones, (Active Noise Reduction), are a mis-understood product. ANR circuitry creates an opposite sound wave to reduce one droning sound, like an airplane engine. Random noises are not affected by the circuitry. So, for many public transportation uses, simple "Closed" headphones might be a better choice. More affordable and actually better sound quality.
  We usually recommend in-ears for use on public transportation. With a good fit in the ear, you can isolate yourself and actually hear some pretty good detail from your music. If you just don't like the idea of in-ears, our favorite recommendations for good Closed Cans are the Sennheiser HD280Pro, which goes for around $100, or the Ultrasone HFI-580, which goes for around $190.
• 8) It's scary to spend $100 or more on a set of headphones that can be broken or lost. Is there a distinct point of diminishing return when shopping for a pair? Can I get them repaired if they break? a) All headphones come with warranties, and if they develop issues within the warranty period, most higher quality manufacturers will stand behind their product. But after the warranty period is over, costs of repairs can be high and in many instances hardly worth it. One exception we have found is Grado. They will repair their headphones for reasonable costs even after the warranty period. There's one catch though. You need to be the original purchaser and have purchased a new headphone from an authorized dealer, (i.e. they won't repair used Cans purchased from places like E-bay).
• 9) Most students have all of their music encoded as 128kbps MP3 files. Does it make sense to get nice headphones for that quality of audio, or will it just sound muddy? a) Such files can easily sound better from good quality headphones than from supplied earbuds or cheap department store headphones. But yes, there is a diminishing point. For example. The $79 Grado SR60i or the $99 Grado SR80i sound quite good connected to most portable players or computers. While Grado makes better headphones ranging from $150 to $1700, the more expensive Grado's don't really sound any better to the average ear if the standard mp3 file is your primary sound source.
  I might mention here a product we recently started recommending. Given many now use computers as their at home music source, improving the sound quality from the computer is something that can be done even if your sound files are 128kbps mp3 files. I'm talking about a USB DAC which basically replaces the computer's internal sound card with a higher quality one outside of the computer. Sound cards in computers are often cheap and inside the computer they are subject to much interference. The product we are excited about is a combination USB DAC with a built in headphone amp, the NuForce uDAC. It goes for $100, and for many, it would be a step up in sound quality that can be had from their computer.
• 10) A lot of students use smartphones these days, and would like to have a pair of headphones that also have an inline mic, to use as a headset. Do these exist, or is that just a wish? a) This is a category of product that has not necessarily been tackled by many audiophile headphone manufacturers so we haven't studied up much on it as of yet. Frankly, many of the companies who are producing such products, often don't pay much attention to delivering audiophile sound quality. There are some exceptions. For example. We recently started recommending a $40 In-Ear that we are very much impressed with, the NuForce NE6. It just so happens for $10 more, NuForce is making a version of this In-Ear with an in-line mic, the NE-7M.
• 11) Is there anything else that people should know about headphones? Any comments here are fine. a) In this day and age of researching purchases on the Internet, it's easy to be inundated with information overload. For example, reviews from individuals found on mass retailers web site, can be helpful at times. But keep in mind most individuals have few, if any, competing products to compare with, and they have little background with such products. Often they may rave about a headphone, but in reality, they have no basis for comparison. Plus, keep in mind that everybody's tastes are different. Their music sources are different and their needs may be different. At GoodCans.com, we try to compare like products side by side and point out both Pros and Cons. I have personally been listening to audiophile quality headphones since 1976, and began comparing and selling them in 1988. So hopefully, we can include some comparative experience when passing along information about Good Cans! And yes, I own Listening Station, a mail-order headphone store that has been selling over the Internet since 1999. You might think we might be biased. But a major part of our longevity has been providing honest reviews and comparisons. Our goal over the years has been to stock only headphones we truly feel comfortable recommending.
  
  
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