Ever since I got into any audio stuff, I gradually became aware of how important it was, that whatever portable player I bought or owned at the time, it was just as important to get a reasonable pair of headphones to go with it. To this day, I had never thought about ever replacing the headphones that I got bundled with a player. Nowadays I'm consistently being asked by a friend or co-worker "I'm wanting to get some new headphones (usually for an iPod) what's a good set?" Usually I know what they are thinking; "I want a better pair, not a more expensive pair"; which leads me to the first question, "what are you using them for?"
The good thing I hear is that most have realised that the standard headphones they got, are not delivering the best sound possible from their player, which is great. However, I know many people that just want a simple set for the gym, so they have to be light weight and not fall out of their ears on the treadmill, or a canal set to block out the ambient sounds, which otherwise ruin their listening pleasure. Not often would someone ask, "what's the best pair you can get". If someone ever asked that, I would immediately know that they have no idea that a good pair of canal, or any other type of headphone, can easily start at around £600 and work their way up. So my last question I put to them is "how much do you really want to spend?"
Let's face it, I could sit here and talk about those prices, but I don't know many that will spend that kind of money. For the average person, who cares a little more, they may want to spend a maximum of about £25, which is fine, as a recommended set at this price will certainly do a better job than anything you get with the player.
Here's just a quick breakdown of the most common types of headphones on the market:
Earbuds (earphones)
These are easily the most popular; the type that sit just inside the ear, but do not fit into the ear canal. The most obvious ones are, of course, the iPod ones that come with the player.
In-ear or In-canal
These actually sit and push (only very slightly) into the ear canal; creating a more secure fit in the ear over the Earbud types. They also acts in insulating the ear from any external noises, which helps you hear more music. Another great benefit from this is that you would not need as much volume over Earbuds; as when using them you have to add extra volume to 'drown' out any ambient sounds.
Circumaural
It used to be that these where the most popular form of headphones, with them covering the entire ear with plenty of padding for both comfort and again to help keep outsides noises out. Now, due to the advancements in In-ear headphones, these have significantly dropped off the market.
Supra-aural
Not really a recommended type of headphone, but they are worth a mention as these sit over the ear. The problem with these is that they were never shaped around the ear, and they are not large enough to seal onto the ear like circumaurals. Although, some of the top manufacturers have recently released newer versions using this style.
Let's face it most people are going to be happy with whatever they get in the box sitting next to their new Walkman or iPod. However, there are some reasons as to why I would push people into upgrading their headphones.
How much did you spend on your last player? Now, I'm not going to sit here and think or expect that everyone has spent around, or even close to £100 or £200 for the latest model; many don't. To those who have, it strikes me as a little stupid that such people would spend that kind of money that produces a very good audio playback, then uses the suckiest set of headphones, only to let the whole thing down. Although the player may be outputting a great sound, the lesser headphone won't be able to project the same quality, making the average user think that the player is to fault, and not the phones.
I have never personally known any player to come with a good set. Don't get this confused with players that come with better sets. When I say better, I mean this when compared to another set that comes as standard, so if they are better, they are still not impressive.
The most obvious are the iPod headphones. Please do not get me wrong, I have owned about three Apple Mp3 players over the years and I think they are great. The headphones supplied on the other hand are, well, pretty useless. A strange trend has happened though; so many people that I see (which is just about any open street nowadays) always have those two white cords coming from their ears. I know these are not good headphones; 90% of iPod reviewers know they are pretty useless. Yet, people still use them. This is a sure sign that advertising and the "cool, look at me I have an iPod", can will the mind into thinking they are really quite a good pair of headphones. I wonder what would happen if I stopped everyone I saw in the street and let them try and compare them to a relatively cheap, but highly rated Sennheiser CX300s, which retail at about £16, and even a white finish for about £20. I would bet about 80% of these people would have to admit, yes, they are better. I would go as far as to say half of these people would consider buying them or another better set.
I'll say it again; I am not slagging off Apple or the iPod, I own them, and think they are great, and my issue is not with the player itself.
What I would say is to think about it, and if you own a good iPod; Sony Walkman, or a Creative, in fact just about any player, and I really don't care how cheap the player is, a good set of headphones will definitely make huge gains to the experience. As well as, in my opinion, being more comfortable and help to save your hearing! There are plenty for us to choose from, although I have my favourites and have managed to go through several pairs over the years. There are many considerations for each person, so if you have a question or would like a recommendation for your player, why not post a question on the AVMT forums?