Comfort and Headphones

Perhaps the last thing that anyone would think of when it comes to buying headphones is comfort. With all the information out there on the net and in shops no one tells you the most obvious fact and that is ‘try it on before your buy it’. It is all very well spending upwards of $1,000 dollars - for you super rich out there! - on a new set of headphones only to find them so uncomfortable that you avoid putting them on! So what do you look for in comfort? Well, first decide if you like the sound right inside your ears or outside. If outside, do you want the ‘circum’ style which sits around the ear or the ‘supra’ style which sits right on the ear? All have good points and bad points and it is up to the user which style to buy. The circum style like Sony studio headphones sits around the ear and gives a slightly muffled sound as if the user is sitting in an auditorium whilst the supra style feels like the instruments are right there next to the ear. Whichever one is preferred make sure that the material on the ear pads is comfortable. Many have leatherette style coverings which can get a little sweaty in hot conditions. Velvet style pads do not have this problem. For portable headsets personally I don’t like ear bud styles because they make my ears hurt!! Having tried them out on several occasions I have to vote for the other styles mentioned here.