Headphone Buying Guide & Info

It seems (sadly) that I go through headphones pretty frequently, and with only 90-day warranties on most, I end up seeking better performers. In this instance, I am not always a fan of "expensive is better."

I can pretty much tell you, that if you look at specs prior to buying, you should be able to tell if they'll sound decent, very good, or excellent. Of course, some of it is just based on how their sound reproduction hits your ear and whetherit suits you... So I just start from here.

I'd done some research on headphones, so here is an overview of what to look for while shoppin' for new ears to rock your mp3 playa.

Three main factors are gonna make you happy (…or not):

• In-Ear Sensitivity. Think of the SPL (Sound Pressure Level) rating as how loud one milliWatt of power gets. This is important stuff. You ever plug in some phones and Max Volume Level is sooo much lower than another pair of headphones? 100 dB is prolly the low cut-off in my opinion. 106-110 dB will do nicely. Over 112 dB is best right now.
• Impedence. Very important for portables. If you plug ‘em in, how much current gets used by your phones? It depends on impedence. Think of it as efficiency…Lower impedance means less battery drain and longer battery life! Something like that. LOWER impedence (20-35 ohm) is better, match w/ Higher Sensitivity for best results.
• Dynamic Range. You still want your small drivers to go low and hit high. Most mid-priced headphones get about 20-20,000 Hz. I want better, like 12- 25,000 Hz (for the lows to get balanced mostly). The high frequencies can tend to get “tin-ny” on headphones so I'd opt for better low response (12-18 Hz).

I'd say you couldn't possibly go wrong with the AKG K-27i (iPod) Heaadphones (above) from DJdeals.com for $58 with free shipping. 126 dBA SPL, 32 ohm impedance, and 11 Hz to 28.5 kHz!

Another solid choice is the Sennheiser PX200 closed ear headphones. 10-21,000 Hz dynamic range, 32 ohm impedance, and 115 dB Sensitivity. They are foldable, light, and comfortable enough to wear all day long, fer real. Best part, these performers cost only about $50 these days.

If you want something for home theater use that will blow your ear canals to wimpy little bits, the AKG K-181 Headphones are right there for ya. Sure, they're $164 (free shipping), but at 120 dB SPL and 42 ohms what else gets low like 5 Hz low and high like 30,000 kHz ? That's like... under-the-rug limbo low, and high like... um... Snoop Dog...ummm. Oh, never mind.

Further choices:

• Do you want noise-canceling? I don’t. It’s simple… Safety demands that I have a small sound input from the outside world while walking along or whatever. Plus size/weight. Noise canceling has to generate a sound wave that counters the audible levels we are sensitive to. That means a battery. That means heavy. It also means your headphone battery may expire before your mp3/cell phone. That would suck if you can’t listen to music ‘cuz o’ your headphones. Oh, the irony of it all.
• Open Air or Closed Air. Contrary to noise-canceling arguments I’ve just made… I prefer closed ear. The sound is much, much cleaner. And I trust myself to know when to turn ‘em down if I need to hear a little ambient sound from my environment.
• Ear buds? No way. Unless your shelling out hundreds for the customs… They don’t fit well enough and get uncomfortable after a while. Plus, if you snag the cord on something your ear can get kinda hurt/sore… Just not for me, others like the portability of them. Your personal call here.

Other features:

• I’d always prefer a shorter cord- like 3-4.5 ft. A 6+ ft cord is only good for studio (“monitor”) headphones I’ll mostly use at home.
• I also would prefer a volume control on the headphone cord. Just another feature you can actually use. I find it indispensable when I get used to it.
• Folding: only helpful if they are durable enough and fold into a fairly compact size. Still, a small benefit, but mostly my headphones remain on my neck when not in use, so not a big dealio.
• Around the neck phones? Nah, I can never get comfortable with these. Wearing most mid-profile baseball caps pushes these HARD against the top of my ears. Wearing a knit cap/skully/beanie means these have to go UNDER them most likely. You'd look like a phreak with earPods. These can “pinch” against eyeglasses or sunglasses around the top of your ear. They also get very, very tangled around the speaker, it’s the shape of the plastic molded into something that will take lots more untangling after they’ve settled into your backpack or handbag.

There you have it, most of these stats and facts were gleaned from this webpage. Check it out if you want more deets. Oh and this site Buyer's Edge has a great price search engine for audio and tech stuff.

If you just can't do without sporting the hottest headphone on the planet, I suggest you check out the DJ headphone stylings at DJdeals.com. Their prices are amazing, and their selection rox0rz!

Just don't get the Sony MDR-V700's. Ask any DJ, they've prolly broken their first pair in no time at all. They break almost as crazily as Crazy Legs in Beat Street. They may look cool, and be fairly priced, but even their sound isn't up to par for monitor phones. Cheers.

image credits: AKG K-27i Headphones from DJdeals.com, Sennheiser PX200 headphones from PriceGrabber.com.