Headphones 101: How to Pick Your Perfect Pair

When was the last time you shopped for a pair of headphones? Did you go in blindly? Read a bunch of reviews or ask for recommendations? Maybe you were lucky enough to test drive a few pairs. Whether you're looking at your first high-end headphone purchase or this is your fifth go-around, you may feel overwhelmed by the plethora of high-quality headphone brands, options, and styles. After all, there's so much out there:

• Open-back headphones vs. closed-back headphones
• Over-ear headphones vs. on-ear headphones vs. in-ear monitors (IEMs)
• Wired headphones vs. wireless headphones
• Noise canceling headphones ...

And that's just for starters. You also have to think about ergonomics (fit and comfort), as well as how and where you'll be listening to your headphones. After all, headphones are a lifestyle purchase as much as they are about listening to music. You need them to fit into your day-to-day life.

Le'ts not forget the ultimate deciding factor in your purchase: The way a headphone sounds. Because what good are your headphones if they don't sound absolutely amazing to your ears?

We created this Headphones 101 guide to help you weed through your options so that you can find the best audiophile-quality headphones for you to enjoy hi-res audio. Bells and whistles are nice, but they may not be what you need. Hype can be exciting, but it's worth looking past. When you're investing in high-end headphones, you want to be sure you make the best buy for you.

The best headphone brands spend their research and development dollars on materials that improve the level of comfort and the quality of sound instead of bells and whistles and cosmetic glitz and glam. For serious music fans, the investment that high-end headphone brands make adds up to portable designs that offer our on-the-go lifestyles more musical immersion and deeper escapism. Whether it be for home enjoyment or mobility, we need to focus on immersive sound quality and ignore the things we don’t need. Instead, spend the money on headphones made by brands that specialize in the best sound quality.

When was the last time you evaluated your current headphones? Is there a better fit for your noggin or your ears? Have you ever wondered how other headphone styles could complement your lifestyle? Are you using cheap earbuds but thinking there is something better?

Is your current headphone the best for you?

Credit: slate.com

Credit: unsplash.com

Trends and glitz are fun, but don't shortchange yourself with headphones that are uncomfortable or that don't bring you endless hours of pure musical joy!

And aren’t headphones just speakers resting against our ears to make us look “cool?” Sure, brands like Beats and Skullcandy proclaim to provide “big bass.” That’s convenient and befitting for the latest trends in popular music, but that doesn’t communicate anything meaningful about us as unique individuals, does it? Larger headphones with their colorful logos and trendy designs, after all, do have the added benefit of helping us introverts avoid excruciatingly uncomfortable interactions when on-the-go by signaling to strangers that “Hey, we’re busy right now.” So there is that, at least.

But there’s so much more out there, and our ears deserve to hear better sound. While we agree headphones can indeed be a fashion statement, notifying the world around us about our individuality, great headphones can fulfill an even deeper need. And while earbuds provide assistive technologies that help us stay connected and informed, in-ear monitors (IEMs) can offer our lifestyles so much more.

• Don’t judge a headphone based on how it looks.
• Focus on sound quality; ignore the bells and whistles you don’t need.
• Price matters - when it comes to great sound, headphone brands spend their research and development dollars on designs that fit comfortably, and present sound to users, brilliantly. Spend your hard-earned money on headphones made by higher quality brands.

What's Your Current Audio Setup?

Whatever headphones you end up buying, they won't exist in a vacuum. After all, your headphones are only conduits to your music; they need to be connected to a source. What will your source be? Will you be listening on your phone? A computer, laptop, or tablet? Do you currently have a speaker system or a headphone system? Is it a desktop or a whole-room system? What are your space requirements?

Some headphones are easier to drive than others; others are more power-hungry and will require you to connect to a headphone amp. This is an important consideration for the headphones you choose. That being said, just about any high-end headphone or IEM will benefit from the addition of an amp.

Also, know that amps (and other components like DACs and cables) have their own sound signatures, and you'll also want to explore what the best match(es) might be for your chosen headphones. If you will be buying your headphones first (and we recommend that you do), we can suggest a great DAC/amp to pair them with. If you already own a DAC/amp and don't intend to get another, this will be a consideration for whichever headphone you choose.

Whether your goal is to improve your music listening on the go with a fantastic closed-back design, or to listen unapologetically with the most musical open-back designs in the privacy of your home, Moon Audio has you covered.

The main difference between the two lies in how the drivers in each headphone are ventilated. In open-back designs, the ventilation airways allow the passage of air to move freely around the drivers, whereas the drivers are not ventilated in closed-back headphones since the backsides of the ear cups are covered. The results of each design impact the overall sense of presentation in ways that will matter to you and those around you.

Generally, open-back headphones present a wider soundstage and a spacious sound. However, since the ear cups are “open," the sound waves produced by the drivers are audible to people in your vicinity. Additionally, open-back headphones let outside sounds in, which can compete with your music or divert your attention. So, open-back headphones generally fit into more private or secluded ergonomic scenarios, such as the home or a private office.

Over-ear (circum-aural) headphones:

These are full-size headphones in which the entire ear is surrounded. With over-ear headphones, you get an intimate sound with less noise leakage, but these headphones are also bulkier and heavier. When it comes to the widest soundstage, full-size headphones are the reining choice among audiophiles. This is due to the larger circum-aural design, which surrounds the ears and encases sound waves within the design's larger ear-cup chambers. This feature helps lock in the sound (called “isolation”) and prevents it from leaking out where the leaked sound waves not only could disturb other people sitting nearby, but also compromises the brilliant soundstage of full-size headphones. When a headphone’s “sealing condition” is broken, the resulting sound waves leaking out are called “leakage.” This is bad, and an important issue to look out for when considering either fit-type.

For the geometries of certain users’ head-shapes, only the larger Full-Size types fit comfortably. For users with larger cranial geometries, Full-Size headphones are generally recommended even though some Full-Size options could add a tad bit more weight for the user’s neck to carry when on-the-go.

Sennheiser HD800 S Over-Ear Headphones

On-ear (supra-aural) headphones:

The extra-dimensional “width” achieved through full-size headphones is lost in the exchange for the better mobility afforded by the smallest headphone style on the market. Similar to other small headphone styles available, on-ear headphones position the drivers closer to the ears compared to full-size headphones. However, for many, there’s a significant sonic advantage when placing the drivers farther away from the ears rather than closer. The compromise here is an ergonomic one. Being a smaller form-factor, on-ear headphones travel lighter, but they cannot present a soundstage that competes with the better presentation afforded by the larger, heavier, and sometimes bulkier full-size headphone style. This is why full-size headphones are the best choice for critical listening at home, private offices, or professional studios. However, many headphone brands offer full-size designs that are lighter and more practical for portable on-the-go applications.

In-ear monitors (IEMs):

IEMs (also called earphones) are often equated with earbuds, but the two are not the same. Unlike earbuds, which are held in place by the concha ridge at the center of your outer ear, IEMS sit inside of the ear canal. The tighter seal of IEMs leads to much better sound than typical earbuds, which tend to have weaker volume and bass.

Now, many audiophiles prefer a “wider” sense of presentation compared to the “narrower” “in-your-head” sense of presentation that IEMs can deliver. That being said, IEMs are becoming more sophisticated all the time, with many models offering a soundstage and sonic benefits that were previously the domain of traditional headphones. While IEMs were originally designed for music professionals, many audiophiles are opting to use them for listening at home or on the go. (Did we mention how incredibly portable IEMs are, and that they offer great sound isolation, particularly custom-fit pairs?)

On the other hand, a “narrower,” and more “intimate” sense of presentation that’s more “centered” in the forehead is usually achieved the best with these smaller and more portable headphone styles. In fact, with Earphones & IEMs users can experience a sense of resolution and intimacy with the music that isn’t possible with any other fit-type. It’s important to understand that where psychoacoustics is concerned, there are no right or wrong answers. There are only preferences and compromises; advantages and disadvantages.

When it comes to the best sound quality and the most immersive experience on the go, audiophiles and professional musicians generally prefer custom IEMs as opposed to universal fit IEMs. The reason for this preference among users who are the most serious about their listening sessions is the better comfort and sound quality that custom IEMs deliver. Custom IEMs are molded by an audiologist to fit the one-of-a-kind impressions of a wearer’s uniquely shaped ear canal. Custom IEMs offer the most personalized isolation and sealing condition of any headphone style.

On the other hand, custom IEMs can be more expensive, and the procedure requires an audiologist's expertise to ensure the impressions are captured with exacting precision and form. Because they are made specifically for the user's ears, they can't be easily resold to another user. Universal IEMs, however, are designed to fit in the ear canal universally, making this fit-type more convenient and more economical. Similar to other headphone styles, the pre-formed "universal” molding isn’t the right style for everyone’s ear canals, but for many users, the universal IEM is the perfect fit.

Most universal IEMs come with several pairs of silicone or foam ear tips in varying shapes and sizes so that you can find the most snug fit for your ears. You can also buy aftermarket ear tips from places like complyfoam.com.

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones

Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology is a “bells and whistles” feature that can be an absolute luxury or necessity for certain ergonomic scenarios (e.g. travel, noisy offices). Available in both wireless and wired setups, noise canceling headphones can be used with or without music and effectively reduce ambient sounds, effectively isolating you from outside distractions and annoyances.

Many people have heard of noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds such as Bose QuietComfort and Apple AirPods Pro. You can certainly find many options on Amazon or at Best Buy.

Shoppers of noise-canceling headphones typically fall in a different category than shoppers who are seeking the highest-fidelity sound. The former are generally more interested in solutions that help them relax during a flight, focus in a noisy environment, or fall asleep while on a road trip. These shoppers are generally less interested in the quality of their audio and more interested in a solution that helps them navigate the ergonomics of their lifestyles in therapeutic silence.

Consequently, manufacturers have invested more heavily in research and development that concentrates on their proprietary brand of noise-canceling technologies rather than the quality of the headphone’s drivers. On the other hand, non-noise canceling manufacturers have concentrated their research and development efforts on materials and drivers, which all combine to present the most immersive soundstage to the user.