Headphones

Consumer Reports - Headphones by Smita Anu

With audio and video gear taking center stage in many households, it's bound to happen: You're relaxing to a classical CD when your kids start blasting MTV or a DVD movie. Rather than resorting to a duel of decibels, you can keep the peace by doling out headphones.

WHAT'S AVAILABLE

There are a few hundred different headphone models on the market. Sony is the market leader; other leading brands include Aiwa, Jensen, Koss, Panasonic, and Radio Shack.

Home/studio. Most look like earmuffs, with earpieces on a headband. They can be corded or wireless. Corded sets, which account for 9 out of 10 sales, have a wire about 8 feet long that connects to your receiver, CD or DVD player, or TV. Wireless sets have a battery-powered headset and an AC-powered transmitter that connects to your audio or video gear.

Price range: $20 to more than $1,000.

Portable. Headphones for use with portable audio devices such as CD and MP3 players vary mostly by whether the earpieces sit on or go into your ears. Because many sacrifice sound quality for size, serious listeners may prefer a home/studio model even with a portable player.

Price range: about $10 to $30.

IMPORTANT FEATURES

Headphones feature a few basic designs. Closed over-the-ear sets cup your ears and create a seal to your head that reduces the amount of sound that escapes. They also muffle ambient sound. But you may miss some things that you want to hear, like a doorbell. Open over-the-ear models don't press as firmly on the sides of your head and are usually lighter. They let more sound in and out, so late-night listening could keep your spouse awake.

On-ear headphones have earpieces designed to lay flat on your ears, with no gaps. Models can be open or closed. They let more sound in and out than closed over-the-ear headphones. Comfort is a very individual matter; any type of headphone may feel uncomfortable after a while, especially when it's hot.

Portable models vary in a few ways. Lightweight on-ear headphones, a good choice except in noisy environments, are secured by a headband, neckband, or earclips. The in-ear style features earpieces held securely in place by ear clips or a neckband. These are a good choice except in noisy settings. Earbuds (and a variation called earplugs) are the lightest, but active use may shake earpieces loose. Earplugs are best for noisy settings.

On wireless models, multiple channels are a plus. As with cordless phones, you can switch channels to minimize interference. On some wireless sets, the transmitter uses radio frequency (RF) to communicate with the headphones. Other sets use infrared, much like a TV remote, which requires a line of sight between the headphones and the base.

For connecting headphones, most models have a 1/8-inch plug and a 1/4-inch adapter so they can work with home- and portable-audio systems. Some home/studio models have volume and mute controls. On some models, earpieces swivel and fold for easier storage; of these, some have earpieces that reverse for single-side monitoring, of particular use to DJs.

HOW TO CHOOSE

Performance differences. Headphones should feed you clear, accurate sound with sufficient volume. Based on our tests, corded models are likely to offer better sound quality than wireless units. Wireless models are prone to interference from devices such as cordless phones resulting in static, hissing, or clicking. All the models we've tested recently should produce adequate volume with any home-audio device, but some sets exhibit lower sensitivity that results in reduced volume with used with certain portable players.

Recommendations. Price isn't always the best gauge of sound quality. Some low-priced corded headphones have performed as well as sets costing far more. Headphones scoring good in our Ratings are fine for watching TV or, if you're not too fussy, for music. Like speakers, headphones may emphasize various parts of the audio spectrum, so sets with the same scores may sound different.

Because potential interference problems with wireless headphones wouldn't be known until you tried them at home, we suggest you buy wireless models only if they can be returned for a refund.

Whichever type you go for, try them on before buying, if possible, to judge the comfort and sound quality. Online shoppers should be sure to check out return policies.

Copyright © 2002-2006 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.

For the latest information on this and many other products and services, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

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Headphones and the Power of the "Zone" by Brad Howard

Have you noticed that many people tend to use headphones when they workout?

Of course, we may think that these people have a certain type of music that gets them in the mood, but what are we really working with...

The Power of the Zone

A few things happen when we put on the mighty headphones.

1. We focus more.

Because there aren't any outside noises or distractions, we can really get in to what we are doing - which cuts down on workout time. Plus, the harder we concentrate, the better mind-body connection we has a very strong correlation to results. This is important in all weight bearing exercises.

2. People don't tend to bother you.

It's a fact. People wearing headphones get more done because they don't get talked to. Who's going to try to talk to someone that they know isn't listening. Hell, I know people that wear headphones but don't have any music pumping through just because of this "switch". Headphones mean you're serious.

3. We get in the "zone".

If you really want to get to the next level, this is paramount. Interval training and cardiovasular work can get pretty harsh without this effect. In some ways, it is the opposite of "focus", but it's really not. When you start to focus on the music, your body begins to match the cadence (or the speed of the beats). If you are listening to faster music, you tend to naturally go faster and, in turn, work harder.

Also, on another note, try to stay away from the "buds" as they need to be listened to louder and can contribute to hearing loss. Find a pair of headphones that block outside noise and encase the entire ear.

If you are looking to maximize your workout time, invest in a great pair of headphones. Your body will thank you.

About the Author Brad Howard's Burn The Fat Review delves into the "meat and potatoes" of all of the misinformation generated by the diet and fitness industry today.

Synergy and Your Energy - The Best Workout Player / Headphone Combo by David Succi

Total: $80 - $130, depending on the capacity of the player you choose.

I may as well let you know that I am an avid runner, cyclist, and gym rat. Being such, I have tried out many, and I mean many, different mp3 players and headphones that best suit the average-pro athlete.

Firstly, everyone should know by now that you should NOT use a hard-drive or micro hard-drive player for physical activity (i.e. ipod, zen vision, iaudio X5 etc.), simply because they all have moving parts that are extremely sensitive to movement, and you will break or significantly shorten the life of your player if you exercise with it, not to mention the fact that hard-drive based players are already quite large to workout with.

Player Recommendation: So we come to flash players, but which one? There are literally hundreds in the U.S. and Canada right now, and thousands internationally. After rigorous research and extensive testing, I have come to this conclusion: The Creative Muvo N200 (a.k.a. Zen Nano for 2006) is the perfect exercise player.

Let's examine why. Firstly, it has a simple, extremely easy to navigate, blue backlight, LCD screen that easily allows one-handed operation while not even looking at the player, a must for any athlete. Plus, why pay for colour when the screen is so small, and you will rarely be looking down at it while exercising: leave that for a bigger hard-drive player.

Secondly, it is incredibly small, even with the included belt buckle AND arm strap. That's right, out of the box you have everything you need, assuming you are buying the Muvo N200 (don't quote me on the new Zen Nano). The belt clip and silicone case work incredibly well, and stick on one's shorts very securely, for worry-free exercising. The armband is secure as well, a nice option for those who prefer it to the belt clip. With the silicon case on, I seriously doubt that anything short of someone stomping and jumping on this thing will break it, the case is that rugged. That being said, be careful without the case, these things are not that drop-proof, I dropped a test model and the battery door broke off (Darn! Should've had the case on!).

Lastly, This player has incredible features and battery life, including up to 1gig of storage. Add up an FM tuner, FM recorder, Voice Recorder, Custom and Preset EQ, convenient AAA battery that lasts 15hrs, 22g weight, and excellent sound and you got a hard to beat flash player. Not to mention, it comes in an array of colours sure to please everyone.

Headphone Recommendation: No need to say, the included creative ear buds don't produce the greatest sound, and are uncomfortable to smaller ears. In the exercise realm, there's pretty much only one headphone that does exercise like non-other, and that is the Sony MDR-A35g S2. Ok, so we see Sony, perhaps not the greatest sound, but indeed very, very good for the sub $20 price tag. And let's face it, no one needs audiophile quality sound when running and exercising where other noises, be it form an annoying guy at the gym, get in the way.

These phones have a unique sweat-resistant design, and it does work. No sweat penetrated my ears during testing, and these are now my number one workout phones. Sound is excellent for the price. It folds up with a 3-hinged design very compactly, but a carrying case would've been nice!.

The unique over-the-head style combined with ear-bud like, but secure, driver casing makes for a very comfortable headphone, one that never fell off during all tests. A nice feature is that these phones have a semi-open design, so you will hear loud horns and people screaming at you to get out of the way of an oncoming car if you decide to cycle with these (Not recommended!).

Where to buy: So how much will the ultimate workout rig set you back? Not much at all. You can snag the 512mb Muvo N200 up from Amazon.com for $111, and better yet, the Zen Nano 1gb for $66.00!. Canadians and worldwide, got to your local Best Buy, the N200 ranges from $39.99 to $115.00 - these players are truly a steal at these prices! Ebay is also a good bet.

Get the MDR-A35g S2 headphones for $19.00 on Amazon.com. Canada and worldwide, get them for around $25.00 at Best Buy, or cheaper at various online shops.

About the Author David Succi is a Digital Audio Player (DAP) guru, and devotes much of his knowledge in his authorship and maintenance of his blog: http://dapmp3review.blogspot.com

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