Hi-Fi Headphones Buying Guide

• Fit and comfort
• Specifications
• Portability
• Surround sound
• Cables
• Volume levels
• Wireless
• Sound Quality

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Do you love your music? Do you like to listen to your tunes at top quality? Whether you want to turn the music up loud without disturbing others around you, or you want to get the most out of your new MP3 player, this guide will help you select the right headphones for you.

Fit and comfort

It is not uncommon to put a pair of headphones on in a shop and find them quite comfortable for the minute or so that you're browsing tracks and checking them out in the mirror. Get them home, however, and by the end of the first album or movie, your ears are aching - on the inside and the outside. If you are going to wear headphones for hours on end, make sure they sit over and outside your ears - the larger the cup size, the better. Similarly, a soft fabric will minimise the pressure on your ears and head while ensuring the least number of gaps that let sound both in and out of the cups.

While cups and straps can cause physical pain after an hour or so, things like bass boost can have a similar effect on your ears. Many consumer level headphones are designed for listening to certain styles of music and, as a rule, this means they have a certain level of 'sweetening' built into them. In other words, they have the equivalent of an EQ preset that is designed to make music sound 'better'. This is the major difference between Hi-Fi headphones and monitoring headphones used in professional sound recording. If you plan to use headphones while writing music or making soundtracks on your computer, for instance, look for a pair that has a 'flat' frequency response. Similarly, if a model has a bass boost or any other equalisation feature, make sure it can be disabled - unless you are prepared to live with it permanently on.

The style of cup is also a large factor in headphone comfort, especially over long periods of use. For closed cups (otherwise known as "circumaural", "closed-back" or "sealed" cups), the larger the cup is, the more comfortable the headphones will be. The opposite is true for open cups (otherwise known as "supra-aural" or "open-back" headphones). Soft fabric and a padded leather strap will also help. The headband design can make a difference. Some people find that over-the-ear or "hanging" style headphones reduce the pressure on the ears, thereby making them more comfortable over longer periods. Alternatively, behind-the-neck headbands can have a similar benefit, although you may find that this design adds more to the aesthetic properties of the headphones than to its comfort. In any case, make sure the strap is fully adjustable - it should have leeway on both sides when it is adjusted to fit comfortably. Rotating cups also make it easier to fit closed-back headphones to maximise comfort and minimise sound leakage.

Specifications

If you're listening to analog recordings like cassette or radio, you probably won't need to worry too much about frequency response. For digital recordings and home theatre, however, look for something that claims to be at least 20Hz to 20 000Hz. Many headphones also provide an equalisation setting that is designed to simulate a listening environment, and there are two common algorithms. Free field equalisation (FF) is intended to simulate an open space without echoes or reflections, and the sound source positioned directly in front of the listener. The other type of equalisation is called diffuse field (DF) which is designed to reproduce the listening environment of a room with reflecting walls, and is generally more natural sounding than FF equalisation. Although DF is an industry standard algorithm for sound reproduction, it does not suit all recordings or listeners, so it is best to compare a few types before making a decision to buy headphones that incorporate it.

Portability

If you're after high quality headphones for wearing on the move, you may want to choose smaller cups which sit on the ear, although a lightweight "closed-back" model is still an option. One downside with open style headphones is that they are subject to bass leakage, which is why some manufacturers build bass boost into either playback devices or the headphones themselves. If you want something that cuts out external sounds but is still compact, an alternative to sealed cups is to use noise-cancellation headphones instead. Noise-cancellation headphones are designed for use in places with significant ambient noise (such as aeroplanes), and they work by using miniature microphones that record the ambient noise and mix a cancellation signal inside the cups. These are generally very lightweight and compact, but are often fragile as well. So if you are planning to buy a lightweight model, make sure it comes with a protective bag or case.

You won't need a long cable if you're carrying a portable media player around, but you might need a mini-jack adapter on the plug. Some headphones have screw-on ones which make them harder to lose. If you are looking for the best possible sound from a portable player, however, you might want to consider a portable amplifier. These are very compact and provide the level boost you need to get the most out of your headphones. On the down side, they are likely to cost at least as much as the headphones themselves as they are usually designed for professional use.

Surround sound

If you're planning to use your headphones with a home theatre system or a gaming rig, you might want to consider headphones that support surround sound. These days there are several brands with models that support 5.1 playback as well as the older 4 channel gaming configuration. Because 5.1 incorporates multiple channels, it can be a good idea to look for a model that lets you adjust the mix between the front, centre and rear channels.

If you're not concerned about surround sound, but still want a pair of headphones that are good for lounge-room movies, TV and music, look for something with large cups that completely cover the ears. These will block out sounds from outside as well as minimise the noise they create in the room around you. You may need a long cable to reach the headphones output of your amplifier, however, and coiled cables are the best way to minimise knots and mess, but make sure they are long enough. Most cables are 2 - 3 metres in length, but measure up the room beforehand.

Cables

Headphone cables can either be connected to one side or the cable can be "Y split" with a wire going into each cup. Avoid the split cable type as you will inevitably become entangled in it on a regular basis. While a long cable will give you the flexibility to move away from the source of the audio, it's worth bearing in mind that cable length can impact the sound quality, both by lowering the overall volume level and introducing noise. Quality headphones will come with shielded cable to prevent handling noise and, if you need more than 3 metres of cable, you will probably need to buy an extension. If you are buying a quality pair of headphones, be sure to get a quality extension cable as well. Some models let you replace the cable with a longer one instead. This is a feature lacking even in some top quality pro headphones, but it's worth paying a little extra for. If your cable gets sliced or the plug gets bent, it's cheaper to buy an expensive cable than an ordinary pair of replacement headphones. The same goes for cups as well, if you're spending several hundred dollars, find out if the parts are replaceable.

Volume levels

Some headphones are louder than others. This is often because the speaker drivers have higher sensitivity, meaning they require less amplification power. Many DJ headphones are designed with high sensitivity and incorporate bass and treble boosts as well. This can make it easier to mix music in a loud environment, but it doesn't necessarily lend itself well to listening enjoyment. Portable headphones will require a sensitivity rating of at least 100dB, while most others can get away with 90dB or less. The other specification that's worth comparing is the impedance of the speaker drivers. The lower the impedance, the less power that is required to drive the speaker and, as a result, the more volume you will get out of it. Portable headphones should have less than 64 ohms whereas anything up to 100 ohms is fine for most other uses. Occasionally you will find models which have volume controls mounted on the cups or along the cable. While the added convenience may be appealing, it is better to avoid inline volume controls as these can be a source of noise and, as they involve moving parts, they have a tendency to be the first things to break.

Wireless

Wireless headphones usually employ infrared (IR) transmitters and receivers, although sometimes radio frequency (RF) is used instead. Infrared headphones will work within a range of about 10m and RF can operate for distances up to 100m. IR requires a line of sight, whereas RF can operate through walls, although this will reduce the range of operation. Both technologies are likely to introduce hiss, making them generally unsuitable for Hi-Fi use.

The exceptions to this rule are models that use digitally encoded signals instead of sending raw analog transmissions. These work much like a modem does by converting the analog signal coming out of the player into digital before sending it out of the transmitter. The headphones then demodulate the signal back into the original analog. Because signal noise is only being incurred within the digital realm, the analog signal is impervious to hiss. However, if the signal is weak enough - or the noise is loud enough -you will experience digital artefacts that are much more intrusive than any analog hissing. While digital wireless headphones are considerably more expensive (at least $100 more than a wired equivalent), they are the only option if quality is important.

If you happen to be going off the idea of wireless by now, you may be encouraged to know that many wireless headphones have a digital input in addition to a regular RCA or mini-jack. This means you can take a digital output from CD, Mini Disc or DVD and have it pumped directly into the headphones. Some models even have built-in Dolby decoders that provide virtual surround sound as well.

Another thing to remember about wireless headphones is that they need power. Transmitters will use a wall plug adapter while the headphones themselves will use batteries. Because of this, you might want to look for headphones that have a rechargeable battery which can be recharged when not in use, either via the transmitter or a separate stand that is mains powered. Be sure to also look for a set that allows you switch the frequency channel, which will not only let you use multiple pairs in close proximity to each other, but they can also help minimise interference from other cordless equipment such as phones and door bells that are nearby.

Surround quality

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