I really am an advocate of Headphone usage. As much as I love my loudspeakers, I would part company with my speakers if I had to.   As long as I have a decent pair of headphones to live with, I'm happy. Decent headphones can be had at quite reasonable prices but obviously the more you pay, the better they sound.   One of the best purchases that can be made in the headphone area is in a decent headphone amplifier.   Look out for the Creek and the Musical Fidelity models as starting point for such items. Here's a headphone poser for you. Why, when wearing headphones does everybody feels a need to talk to you, even though you cannot hear them properly?

Purchasing the correct headphones. As with all things HiFi wise,  you should always give them a 'testdrive' to check that you like the sound, fit and weight of them before purchasing.  Hopefully the following information should help you to select the right ones for you. Features What added features are of value to you? A volume control, extra ear cushions, collapsibility, a carry case, or hear through design, for example. Also consider comfort. If you intend to wear a headphone for long sessions, you may want to consider the weight and headband pressure. Design Factors Dynamic headphones, the type most of us are familiar with, work like miniature home loudspeakers. They feature a mylar diaphragm and a magnet, as opposed to a paper loudspeaker cone, however they function in a very similar manner.         Another type of headphone is an Electrostatic. This type of headphone is highly sensitive and accurate. The system utilizes a specially charged, ultralight material that is pushed and pulled by energy flowing across an electrically charged stator plate.     Cushions Cushion design can affect your impression of a headphone as well. A circumaural or closed cushion surrounds the ear forming a closed space that retains the sound, particularly the bass frequencies. (If you have ever pressed headphone earcups tightly to your head, you've probably noticed the impression of the sound changing. This is the result of creating an even smaller air space around the ear.) In addition to retaining the sound, closed cushions are also more effective at blocking out ambient sound. Supra-Aural, or hear through cushions, typically rest on the ear and are usually constructed of a foam or cloth material. They offer the listener a lighter weight feel and allow them to hear some background sound such as a telephone, doorbell or horn. Cords Cordless headphones eliminate the cord. Cordless headphones can use either infrared or RF (Radio Frequency) technologies. Infrared technology works very much like the remote control you have on your TV or stereo system. It requires line of sight interaction between the headphone and the transmitter. Conversely, RF technology does not require a line of sight to the transmitter and allows you to move around a larger space.  Also consider the following points;   Sound is important but never choose sound quality over comfort. You'll regret it. Fit is important. The headphones have to be comfortable. consider the activity you'll be doing while wearing the headphones. It will affect your choice. are they comfortable to wear? are they too heavy? do they stay in your ears or fall out? (some people find the bud type just won't stay in their ears) do you wear a hat? Never mind the band type then. cord length may be important to you...they come in different lengths Durability Examine the phones.  Do any of the parts look like they would snap off?  Are they fragile or of a flimsy construction?  Do they come with a case? A case does offer extra protection for the wires but it may be a hassle to use. Noise Reduction Finally, there are noise reduction headphones. While closed cushions isolate the listener somewhat from ambient sounds, noise reduction headphones reduce outside noise considerably more. Active noise reduction headphones (ANR) use tiny microphones in the earplate to detect unwanted sounds and then transmit them to the circuit in the control box. The circuit creates an anti wave that is the reverse of the sound at the ear and reduces or cancels it. Koss ANR stereophones reduce only low frequency sounds so that you can still hear voice and music. Passive noise reduction headphones do not use any type of circuitry to reduce sounds. They are designed to create a complete seal or vacuum around the ear that blocks the sounds.

CARE OF YOUR HEARING!

One thing that I feel that I should mention, with a particular reference to headphones is their safe and responsible useage.

You will find that most headphones will go much, much, louder than a pair of speakers before distortion sets in. Listening with headphones at extremely loud levels for extended periods can ruin your hearing!

I had my hearing damaged back in 1996 by a particularly nasty Flu virus that I picked up. I had my both my ears damaged and have been left with a hearing defect called TINNITUS. This basically means that for the rest of my life I will have to put up with an extremely annoying whistling sound in both ears.

Please take a few moments of time to read the TINNITUS FAQ.  Once your ears are damaged they can never be repaired.

Happy listening!

Other Headphone Pages:

Beyerdynamic DT531 Phones

Sennheiser HD470 Phones

Stax Lambda Nova Electrostatic Phones

Stax SR001 Portable Electrostatic Phones

Electrostatic Principle

Tinnitus:  Hearing Damage !

Binaural Sounds;  Surround sound with headphones!

Mick Evans 1999-2001

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