In Headphones, Two Things Matter the Most: Sound Quality and… shape! This article will explore how to choose comfortable headphones.
Most of the time, we look for the best headphones in terms of sound quality and budget. However, when looking at how to choose comfortable headphones we often ignore a key feature: the shape.
We are not referring to the aesthetic shape of the product, but to its physical shape. This means if they are on-ear, over-ear, earphones, etc. It seems an obvious feature, but we tend to forget that the shape of our headphones is a decision that will determine the use we will give them in the long term.
Important To Remember
The shape, besides being an aesthetic factor, will also tell us its level of comfort. However, a comfortable headset does not mean that it can be used at any time or anywhere. With that said, the shape of your headphones will also determine when you can use them.
Before buying any headset, in addition to the sound quality you are looking for, it is also advisable to know beforehand in what moments you will use them. For example, there are people who love over-ear headphones for long sessions while they are studying or reading, but they can not bear the weight or movement when they are exercising or doing any physical activity while using them, so they decide not to use their loved headphones during these activities and do not enjoy their purchase as much as they would like to.
Another real life example, are people who work in offices. If these people want to enjoy relaxing music while they work, their bosses or co-workers will most likely not agree with them to use their beloved over-ear headphones during work hours. This is because their beloved headphones with their shape are sending a not very friendly message: “I just want to listen to my music and not you“. But not everything is bad, in these cases it will always be a good idea to have smaller and more conservative secondary headphones.
But, how to choose comfortable headphones? Undoubtedly, the shape of your headphones will also have to do with the level of comfort by the shape of the pads, the size of the headphones, how much they adapt to the shape of your head and ears, rigidity, flexibility, mobility (wired or wireless), etc.
How to Choose Comfortable Headphones
If you think that these are too many features that must be considered in order to buy ‘just’ a pair of headphones, do not worry because it really is very easy to choose your next pair of headphones by following a few steps:
- Do not use your hearing, use your touch. Visualize using your headphones in the least favorable situations possible. If they are still worth it, buy them. Of course this depends on your lifestyle, habits, activities, preferences, etc.
- When buying online. It is impossible to know the sound quality and comfort like at a store. In addition to sound quality reviews, specifically seek for comments about the comfort and rigidity or flexibility in long sessions. This will give you a better idea of the product that awaits you.
- Videos, videos, videos. The review videos give very good information about the final product you can expect. Remember not to focus on comments about their aesthetics or comments about the sound. It’s better to focus on the comments about their use and build quality.
- Larger brands are not always the best. There are many “hidden gems” among the headset manufacturers. Always look alternatives rather than the big brands; nowadays, that extra money you’re paying for a pair of headphones may not be due to quality (necessarily), but rather the name that’s written outside.
Conclusions
In conclusion, the sound quality is a very important factor for the headphones, but it is not the only one. As you can see, the shape should take a big part of the user’s final decision. Because of this, manufacturers have a great challenge up ahead since they must look to please as many users as possible, this is because each user has different needs and tastes. Nowadays, big brands make a lot of products, but great products are made by great brands
As a bonus, you can find these “hidden gems” that are mentioned before, in brands that care about their users, their comments about their products, and look to improve based on what their audience is looking for. In other words, a brand that makes you feel like part of a great family.
This article was contributed by Gerardo Perez, Tech Blogger & Enthusiast at Watteado Inc. Read more of our posts here!