In case you can’t tell, I love music. I mean really love music! I wouldn’t call myself an enthusiast because I just don’t have the time for that level of commitment to it, but I’m pretty close. I like my trebles clear, my mid-ranges loud and my lows deep and boomy. I’d rather buy a CD than download an MP3 because I can actually hear the difference when played through a good system. Case in point, audio clarity is important to me.
So the other day in a fit of frustration, I broke my headphones by slamming them against my desk because they were the cheapest expendable thing near me! No problem, I’ll just order another pair. But then I realized my favorite pair of Sony MDR-D777LP Altus Stereo Headphones were discontinued. No problem, I got them from the Sony Outlet for a low price anyway so I’ll just head down to the local Best Buy and pick out a pair of something similar. I knew what a I want; some over the ear headphones to keep the music in and the sound of others out. Nothing over $100 because honestly, that’s way too much for something that could be slammed against a desk and broken.
I arrived at the store and head immediately to the portable music isle. Being a frequent visitor I knew the layout of the store better than some of the employees. After a few seconds of browsing I realized the selection was earphones, earphones and more earphones.
| The quick and dirty difference | |
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Earphones or ear buds go into your ear canal. Friction, suction or braces around the ear hold them in place. Sound reproduction is weak due to their size but they are very portable and compact. |
Headphones fit either over the whole ear (pictured), or sit on top of the ear. A band goes over or behind your head to hold them in place. Sound reproduction is very accurate across the whole range but are big and bulky. |
Baffled, I sought the help of the closest employee thinking there must be another isle that has headphones I didn’t know about. The employee, let’s call him Mike, took me over to a pair of headphones endorsed by Dr. Dre, cryptically called Beats by Dr. Dre. This seemed like an odd endorsement by a rapper but he (and Monster Cable) put a lot of research into the product. And that research is reflected in the price tag, $149 and $299 for earphones and headphones respectively. That’s more than most MP3 players and way too rich for my budget.
Another brand of headphones caught my eyes and the name and insignia say it all, SkullCandy. The skull fashion craze never caught my attention so these were not something I could see myself wearing but they did catch Snoop Dogg’s attention. The company announced a partnership with him. They sell the product and he would simply attach his name to it. Another odd pairing but what do I know.
Mike then took me over to the Bose area. The name alone was enough to keep away from. Don’t get me wrong, Bose is a quality brand name with excellent products but their pricing structure always leaves me with a sour taste in my mouth.
Next stop was Sony. I’ve used them for years and know what to expect from them, how can I go wrong. Well, the selection was pretty dry their as well. Three choices; $19, $29 and $99. For a second I thought I was at Taco Bell with that pricing structure.
After that comment, Mike realized I was serious about this and of course laughed. This is a big gamble for something so little but with a big price tag. One gripe I’ve always had with stores was the inability to listen to headphones before you buy them. It’s a catch-22 that can’t be avoided, consumers are a rick because they could break them if not careful and you don’t know what they sound like until you buy them.
Stores have good reason not to put them out for testing. This things break very easily (as I demonstrated earlier). The cords are usually very flimsy no matter how much they cost and housings are usually thin pieces of plastic to keep the weight down. They offer very little room for repair other than tape and glue. Once they break, people just buy another pair typically by type, price, color and shape (in that order according to Mike).
My all-time favorite brand is Coby. They made a great pair of over the ear headphones called the CV200 that were comfortable, had great sound reproduction (bass included), came paired with a set of earphones all for a nice price; $15-$25. At that price they were a great bargain! They were mainly sold by music stores. You know those places that used to occupy the malls. You see where I’m going with this. This brand is harder to find in stored these day due to their low familiarity with consumers but if you see them pick them up. They have been replaced by the CV210 which look like they are made of stronger material.
It looks like headphones are still around but the selection is dying out. The Beats by Dr. Dre hope to bring them back but the price is too high for that. SkullCandy may have a catchy name, but the addition of skulls on them are enough to keep some people away. Sony offers many price points which help budget minded people. Bose, well they will always have audio enthusiasts and magazine reviewers to help their sells. And last but not least Coby will be my choice once again. High prices don’t always mean a better experience so value will always win out for accessories like this.