Headphone, Bluetooth, wireless, Sony, Apple, Beats, Bose. Trying to select the right type of ear buds or headphones can be difficult given the myriad of options at all price levels.
Ron Raghoo, technical coordinator of Information and Technology at California Baptist University, said the most important things is to invest in a quality product.
“When it comes to electronics, spend the money. If you know you want headphones (or ear buds) and this is an investment, get something that is comfortable, but get something that is going to last,” Raghoo said.
Another important consideration for ear buds is fit. Some people have issues with different ear bud shapes staying in their ear. Therefore, it is recommended to either try them on at the store or borrow a friend’s pari to ensure good fit.
For headphones, there are many Bluetooth options. Headphones, generally, offer the best sound quality and noise cancellation, but come at the cost of being bulkier than ear buds.
There are some budget options under $100 online with good reviews. However, to get the best sound quality one might consider offerings from Sony of Audio-Technica. When shopping for new headphones, read the reviews to ensure the right pair is selected.
For active use, perhaps running, working out or day-to-day use, Bluetooth or true wireless are probably going to be the best option. For Bluetooth offerings that are quality, they will typically run around the mid-to high- $100 range. Sony, Apple and Bose are typically the highest rated on Amazon. Users should just be aware of personal preferences and what sort of activities they will do in order to get the right pair.
However, if one is on a budget, there are inexpensive yet reliable options.
Mick Cortz, junior English major said he just buys positively reviewed headsets.
“My headphones of choice are whatever $25 pair of earbuds I can find on Amazon that are positively reviewed. They generally last about a year, ” Cortz said.
Wired ear buds are the cheapest option.
Devon Samuel, junior kinesiology major, says he used a wired pair for working out.
“I have the Skill Candy airbud 2.0s… I have the ones without the speaker for my active use and then the ones with the speaker for my everyday use – for $20 – not a bad deal,” Samuel said.
There are many options out there for headphones and ear buds. The main question is “is this headset going to work for me and my needs and goals?”
