Over the Ear Vs. In the Ear Headphones

In my continuing assault on the sensibilities of Audiophiles, I’d like to chat real quick about the different kinds of headphones that are out there. The two types of headphones I’m thinking of specifically over the ear headphones vs in the ear headphones. This is something that I have talked to a few people about. The one common theme that I have found is that no matter who I talk to about it, there seems to be powerful feelings about what types of headphones are the best. Some people say that over the ear headphones are the best because they give the best quality. The point is that you need to decide for yourself what you would like to have. For me, what earphones I listen to depend on a few different factors;

Sound quality – While I will admit that I probably don’t have the most sensitive ears in the world, I can tell when what I’m listening to is good quality or not. There is a marked difference between having something sound like listening to the band through a tin can that you’ve put on a wall in the next room, and feeling like you’re front row at a concert. This, for the most part, has been the downfall of the in-ear headphones for me. They have always sounded tinny and like the music was too far away. Over the ear headphones had always had MUCH better quality as far as the sound is concerned. When I started using the most recent generation of true wireless headphones, however, that all changed. What I like and out the new in-ear headphones is that the sound quality is as good as over the ear headphones. I love the fact that it’s now a matter of what you would like, not which sound is better.

Portability – I will admit, this is where in-ear headphones will win every time just because they are smaller. Here’s the thing though, The over the ear headphones are less and less like the ones that they used in Bomber command in 1944. They are much sleeker and can fold away so that when you need to stow them away, they don’t take up that much space. For me, I like to have music when I’m at work and when I’m on the move (a.k.a walking around, commuting to work etc.) so having something lightweight and easy to transport if I’m not using it is important to me.

Feeling of the headphones – In my opinion, your ears are one of the most sensitive places on your body, the fleshy bits are soft, and if your headphones are uncomfortable, it will be all you can think about. This can be where over the ear headphones take advantage. Because they are…ahem…” over the ear” and not IN the ear, you don’t need to worry as much about what they feel like. I have tried quite a few over the ear headphones in my time, and for the most part, they are all quite comfortable when you put them on. I think that it is essential that the headphones you’re going to use should be as comfortable as possible because, one assumes, you’re going to be wearing them for quite a while (listening to longer playlists or watching movies on plane or trains).

Now I would imagine that you’ve made it this far in the post you’re hoping that the conclusion that I draw is that because of all these factors “Obviously you should get over the ear headphones.” Here’s the thing, I use both, and I find both equally useful. I will admit that for a while I was using my over the ear headphones as earmuffs during the winter months, but I do use both my types of headphones equally. It’s essential for you to find what works better for you, and if over the ear works better for you then great, if in the ear works better than (in my tech opinion) that works just as well. Because the sound quality is getting closer and closer to being the same, it’s vital that you look at other factors like the ones I’ve laid out.

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What kind of headphones do you use?

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