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Here’s a quick guide to the most common headphone form factors. Tiny in-line microphones sit on the headphone wire near your mouth and allow you to talk on the phone without having to use your phone’s microphone.Īs you’re browsing the headphone market, you’ll quickly find that they come in all shapes and sizes. If you want to make phone calls with your headphones, get a pair with an in-line mic.
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Will you be using your headphones for making phone calls? If you’re an audiophile who cares about hearing music in high fidelity, you’ll probably be better off with a set of wired headphones if you need everything to sound great but prefer the convenience of wireless connections, go for a pair of Bluetooth headphones. The big question is, with the improvements in Bluetooth, can anyone tell the difference anymore between Bluetooth audio and wired audio? It is unclear if the difference is meaningful. Wireless standards like Bluetooth are capable of making music sound great, but because Bluetooth relies on data compression, it will never sound quite as good as a wired connection. There’s a lot of debate in the headphone world about wireless audio. If you’re a swimmer, start your search with waterproof models.ĭo you prefer the convenience of wireless headphones or the audio fidelity of wired headphones? If you’re buying a pair of headphones for an activity that involves moving a lot, start by looking at earbuds with over-the-ear hooks: they’re designed to stay in place no matter what you’re doing. Will you use your headphones while exercising? Your answers will help point you in the right direction.
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Before you consider any specific models, start with these questions. There are thousands of different headphones to choose from, and that can get overwhelming pretty quickly. A good set of headphones can sound great at low volumes, so look for some that can do your music justice without causing any long-term damage to your ears. Hearing damage is permanent, so it’s important to exercise caution and not listen to music at excessive volumes.
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