How to Choose the Best Earbuds
Perhaps you are tired of your default iPod earbuds and want a change. Or maybe you need a more portable alternative to your headphones. Either way you are bound to make a careless mistake that many people have made before: buying a pair of earbuds based solely on looks and style. This article will list the Four critical steps that you need to make before buying a pair of classroom earbuds.
1. Decide on the shape. Generally, there are two shapes, the iPod flat shape and the in-ear canal shape. You want the in-ear pair. The in ear pair provide better noise isolation (prevents any outside noise from interfering with your music), then the flat shaped alternative. Also be sure to pay attention to the earbud tips. To enjoy a pair of earbuds, you need to make sure you get a FIRM seal. A loose seal will dilute the quality of the music, while a tight seal will hurt your ears.
2. Look at the earbud specs. You need to pay attention to the impendence (the lower the better), the frequency range (aim for low initial frequency for optimal bass, and high final frequency for good mids and highs) and finally the drivers. The driver is the most important piece of the earbud. The more drivers there are the better your sound will be. Read the earbud manufacturer’s description of their drivers carefully and see if it fits what you are looking for
3. Look at the Earbud cord. A flimsy cord, due to the effects of microphonics can ruin a pair of good earbuds. Make sure your cord is made from good quality rubber.
4. Decide on Style. Now it is the time to choose the style you want. This step generally depends on your taste, so there are no specific suggestions. However, remember that the steps listed above are more important than this step. There is no use in having a good looking pair of earbuds, if they are mediocre.
WARNING: if used improperly earbuds are more dangerous then headphones. Earbuds go directly into your ear and if you listen to earbuds using the same volume that you used when listening to headphones you will surely damage your ears. A safe tip is to use half the volume for short amounts of time and roughly a third of the volume for prolonged exposure.
