Compare and Choose the Right Personal Audio
Noise cancelling technology is used to reduce unwanted background sound. Unlike regular headphones and earbuds that passively block outside noise, noise cancelling headphones actively reduce the unwanted sound by adding a second sound designed to cancel the first.
People find the technology helpful for travel, so they can sleep on a noisy airplane or they can improve their concentration when placed in an environment that has distracting activity going on.
This technology can be delivered in a variety of forms. We’ve made a list of headphones, earphones and earbuds to help you compare:
Over-ear Headphones
Over-ear headphones are the most comfortable headphones, with the capability of delivering the best, most hi-fidelity sound. Not as compact as in-ear or on-ear, they are still compact enough to travel with. These headphones are good for when you need to concentrate and hear exactly what you need to hear, because they provide isolation from the environment.
The most comfortable ones will have a thick, padded headband that distributes the extra weight evenly over the top of your head. They provide the most consistent and best possible sound.
On-Ear Headphones
These headphones can be made of lightweight materials and are more portable than over-ear headphones. They don’t completely cut you off from the environment because they rest on the ears and don’t completely cover them.
They are more comfortable than in-ear models, and can be worn for longer periods of time without discomfort than the heavier over ear models.
The difference between earphones (also called in-ear headphones) and earbuds is that earphones are inserted into the ear canal, while earbuds rest outside the ear canal.
Earphones
The primary selling point of earphones is their portability. They can fit right in your pocket, making them ideal for travel.
No fancy noise cancellation technology is needed. When the earphone is inserted into the ear canal, it blocks noise from getting in.
Insertion into the ear canal can mean discomfort, especially for those with sensitive ears. It also means that they can’t be worn for long periods of time because they become too uncomfortable after a while.
The sound you get is as good as any on-ear or over-ear headphones, though some models can be fussy and won’t give the best sound unless they are inserted properly. The sound they produce can be precise, because there is no concern over outside noise because they are so good at blocking outside noise.
Earbuds
Apple EarPods are earbuds that are comfortable, but have a one-size-fits-all design. Because of this, the fit isn’t always stable, and they are prone to falling out of the ear when running or exercising, for example.
They are lightweight and portable enough to fit into most pockets. The EarPod is a little less durable than other models due to a thin audio cable.
The sound is adequate for most genres of music, but there is difficulty with some of the more bass centric music genres like hip-hop.
It has never been easier to find an audio product to meet your needs!