Forget the cheap headphones (headphones) or earbuds that came with your MP3 player purchase! With the right pair of headphones, you can enjoy music on a different level. Try buying high-quality headphones (or earbuds) to get the most out of your music listening experience, whether you're listening to them at home or on the go.
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Step 1. Decide if you want to buy earbuds or headphones
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Earbuds are considered more suitable for people who don't have much space to store things, but still want to listen to music. High-quality earbuds, such as Sennheiser or Ultimate Ears products, usually come with a small case to store the device when not in use. In this way, the device will not be damaged or dirty when stored in the bag. If you have a very small purse or handbag and want to carry your iPod Nano and earbuds in it, or you may have small pockets, earbuds may be a better choice. Earbuds can also be a good choice if you have limited funds because there are many types of products to choose from, and they tend to be cheaper.
Cheap earbuds often have problems, such as easily detaching from the ear, injuring the ear, or even denting because the base material is made of cheap plastic. With a higher price range (around 200-500 thousand rupiah, but still classified as low-quality earbuds), you can get earbuds that are more comfortable in the ear, without requiring you to spend more. However, if you are a music fan, you may want to consider other options. Earbuds produced by Sennheiser (eg CX 500 type priced around 1.5 million rupiah), Shure (SE 115 type priced around 1.4 million rupiah), EtyMotic Research (HF5 type priced around 1.7 million rupiah), Sony (type XBA-H1 with a price of around 1.7 million rupiah), or even Ultimate Ears (at least type Super.fi 4) can be a better choice
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Headphones can be a good choice if you feel comfortable slinging them around your neck as you walk from place to place (or if you feel comfortable carrying them that way). You can also get devices with thicker cables or more attractive options, such as wireless/bluetooth devices. The downside is that good quality headphones sold in your desired price range can be hard to find. Plus, headphones take up more space than earbuds, especially DJ-style headphones that take up a lot of space if you don't carry a bigger bag.
- The DJ-style headphones have the look mentioned earlier; big, attractive and reminds you of a DJ playing music at a discotheque. The structure of the device can produce good sound, but it has an impact on the size of the device which is considered "difficult". Many music fans buy it because of its good sound quality and less pressure on the eardrum so that users can listen to music for longer, with less risk of eardrum damage.
- Behind the neck type headphones can also be the right choice. The device has a kind of link that binds the two speakers at the back of the user's neck, not over the head. This device is recommended for those who often do jogging or people who often wear hats and glasses. So if you're a girl (or guy) with long hair who doesn't like headphones pressing your hair, or if you don't like headphones that irritate your piercing, this type of device could be a great choice. Apart from that, there are a few things that differentiate behind the neck headphones from DJ-style headphones or standard headphones.
Step 2. Remember that the quality you get is what you buy
In general, the more expensive headphones are made from higher quality materials, as well as better mechanisms/technology to improve sound output. Headphones for 300 thousand rupiah can provide good sound output, but not as good as headphones for 600 thousand rupiah. For products in the price range of 800 thousand to 1 million rupiah, you can hear aspects of music that you have never heard before. Meanwhile, discount earbuds or headphones for 100 thousand rupiah may last a long (maximum) 1 year and do not produce maximum sound output. Therefore, it's a good idea to prepare a fund of (minimum) 200 thousand rupiah so that you can get music with good basic quality. As a guide, it's a good idea to prepare 500 thousand rupiah to buy portable headphones and 2.5 million rupiah to buy a home stereo device. In addition to sound quality, what you buy also determines its durability. There may be some people who still use headphones from the 70s or 80s that still work because they are well made to last a long time. When you buy a product from a certain brand, sometimes you don't just buy the brand; You also buy trusted quality.
Step 3. Evaluate the sound insulation produced by the device
In this context, isolation refers to how well the headphones hold sound output from being heard outside and block sound from outside into the ear. Of course, it's very annoying when you have to turn up the volume of the music so you don't hear the roar of the bus. Also, if you have poor hearing, enjoy listening to loud music, and/or use headphones to cover up outside noise while the device is "open," there's a good chance that people around you will talk about you. Therefore, with sound isolation, you don't have to drain your device's battery or increase the volume of your music to listen well.
- In-ear earbuds and headphones have a fairly good sound isolation system because they provide a kind of "seal" or cover on the ear. In addition, the DJ-style headphones (the large ones) also provide a kind of closed “area” around the ear to isolate sound from/outside.
- When buying standard headphones (over the ear type), pay attention to whether the device has the back of the speaker open (open-back) or closed (close-back). Devices with open backs tend to produce a more natural, less distorted sound, but those around you can hear the music playing. You can also hear voices from around. These devices are more suitable for home use and tend to be more comfortable on the ears. Meanwhile, devices with closed backs can better isolate noise from the surrounding environment and produce sound, as if the music being played is coming from the head instead of the surroundings. However, the device is not very comfortable on the ear and produces a kind of echo due to the reflection of sound waves on the plastic cover. Some people like this device for its booming bass and good sound isolation, while others like devices with an open back for a more natural and accurate sound output.
Step 4. Find out the frequency range of the device
The larger the frequency range of the device, the more aspects/elements of music you can listen to. Headphones with a large frequency range (eg 10 Hz to 25,000 Hz) are usually highly recommended. Of course, a device with a frequency that is in that range can be the right choice.
- Most importantly, pay attention to the curve of the sound (also known as the frequency response curve or sound signature). If the lowest curvature is higher than the bottom line of the chart, the device will produce more bass. However, this does not necessarily mean that the bass output will be more accurate or better. For example, Beats headphones tend to produce a noticeable bass boom. However, the boom was too loud and exploded without precision.
- Usually, most products that are sold for under 1 million rupiah will have a U frequency curve. This means that the frequencies in the middle will be trimmed. While the resulting sound may sound “interesting” and pleasing to the ear at first, you can't analyze other aspects or “layers” of music easily. Meanwhile, headphones with a flat frequency response don't highlight any aspect of the sound. This means that you can listen to every layer or aspect of the music in a balanced way. However, the first impression you get if you're used to listening to music using a U-frequency curved device is that the headphone output with a flat frequency response sounds “boring” and lacks bass. People usually need to get used to a certain frequency band to be able to enjoy it well.
Step 5. Don't look for a device with a noise filter feature, unless you want to dig deeper
Products with noise filter features that are sold at a price of 2 – 2.5 million rupiah do not have good feature accuracy. Even if you travel a lot, usually these features are not worth the money you have to spend. Some parts of the music may be filtered too, so you have to turn up the volume to hear it. However, if you are looking for a device with a noise filter feature, look for Etymotic or Bose products. These products usually have a sponge earplug that can fill the ear canal so that noise can be filtered out.
An economical way to drown out outside noise is to put on hearing protection devices (available from hardware stores) after you put on the earbuds to filter/block out ambient noise. On the other hand, if you are not too “fussy” with the features you get, you can buy earbuds or headphones that feature noise filters at a cheaper price. These products can filter noise when you travel by airplane, car or public transportation. For example, Panasonic (and similar brands) produce earbuds with noise-filtering features that sell for around 500 thousand rupiah
Step 6. Test the desired product
The best way to find out whether a product is good or not is to test it. Try out a device that your friend owns (if he or she allows it) or visit an electronics store where you can try out the headphones they sell. By setting up about 2 million rupiah in your wallet and visiting an electronic device store that has a 30-day return policy, you can try headphones there while learning what type of device you want. Of course for courtesy reasons, always clean your ears before trying on any headphones or earbuds!
Step 7. Find out the desired impedance of the headphones
To get the most out of it, you need to match the impedance of the headphones to the audio equipment you're using. Impedance is measured in ohms. In fact, if you don't know and match the impedance of the device to the audio device, you usually need to increase the volume of the music. Of course, you don't need to do this if you're using headphones with the appropriate impedance for the audio equipment you're using.
Step 8. Finally, use your ears
You are the one who will use the headphones all day long. If a 500 thousand rupiah device produces the same good sound output as a 10 million rupiah device, of course you can choose a cheaper device. Sound quality will not change just because the product is sold at a higher price. The thing you need to keep in mind is the overall quality of the device. Will the headphones used last long? Will a lower price always affect the overall quality?
Tips
- As a general guide, the quality you get depends on the price of the product. However, this is not always true. Some brands produce devices at very high prices because they look cool or popular. However, the sound quality it produces is poor. Therefore, always research and test your existing headphones whenever possible
- When using it for the first time, don't forget to turn down the volume of the device first.
- Find out about the desired headphones. Don't visit sites or resources like Consumer Reports that don't focus on audio devices. Instead, visit music-loving forums (eg AVSForum, Head-Fi, etc.) and specialty electronics stores to find out a good quality product instead of going to general electronics stores.
- After buying quality headphones, you will no longer use old headphones for 200 thousand rupiah. You will be disappointed with the sound and feel it produces.
- If you buy good quality headphones, you don't have to ask for an additional warranty. Just take advantage of the warranty that has been provided. Some headphone brands, such as Skullcandy, provide a lifetime warranty for every product sold. That said, the warranty isn't a bad choice if you're going to be using the headphones a lot.
- Be careful with the use of earbuds. Some products break or break easily. If you buy a cheap product, usually after a year the product can no longer produce sound.
- One of the biggest challenges in finding the right headphones is considering their use in the gym. The fitness center often plays annoying music and is too noisy. Using headphones is too distracting due to their large size and odd appearance to use while exercising, while most earbuds can't filter out outside noise. Therefore, find out about the product first before buying it, especially through user reviews. Some stores allow you to try the headphones on sale, but usually you can only find out the quality or character of the earbuds through internet searches and reviews from real-world users. Earbuds with an active noise filter feature are reported to frequently create interference and noise from their electronic operations. Meanwhile, passive (tight) earbuds won't cause any interference and can filter out noise, but keep in mind that not everyone likes the "clogged" sensation in their ear canal. In addition, it will feel strange when the user can hear his heartbeat and breathing which is (in fact) amplified by the device.
- Headphones with noise filter features can block outside noise, but at the same time can actually reduce the quality of sound output. In various situations, usually headphones with this feature do not produce good sound quality compared to other types of devices.
- If you always keep your MP3 player in your chest pocket, you don't need a 3 meter long cable. If you enjoy listening to music from large audio devices using headphones, you don't need a 60-centimeter cable. Actually, there's a way to trim the length of the cable a little bit so that the rest of the cable doesn't get caught in other things. In addition, some headphones with long cables are also equipped with a cord winder (a kind of cable winder). Or, you can also make your own cable winder for headphones. That said, it's generally better to have a longer cable instead of having to buy an extra cable.
- If you often listen to MP3s with quality below 192 kbps, you will only be wasting your money by buying high-quality headphones because you will still not be able to hear certain details of the music. In MP3 files, the music is compressed by removing some of the tracks to make the file size smaller.
- Wireless headphones may sound attractive and comfortable to use, but you will still hear hiss/noise from the surrounding environment and/or dynamic compression range which makes the sound output flat. In addition, there is a possibility that you will also experience interference from other wireless devices. If you're buying wireless headphones, look for a digital model with the largest number of bands (hertz) and dual channels so you can switch to a different frequency if you experience interference.
Warning
- Some people experience headaches due to heavy use of headphones. This may be due to improper installation of the device or the user listening to songs at a volume that is too loud.
- Be careful using noise-filtering headphones (or headphones in general) when driving, cycling, or walking. In addition to the presence of distracting music, you may also be able to miss the "early warning" of danger.
- In general, long-term use of headphones is considered unsafe because the pressure wave will flow directly toward the eardrum. This can cause long-term accumulative hearing loss. Therefore, limit the volume to the maximum and take occasional breaks when listening to music.
