10 tips to buying headphones

•• Here are my top 10 tips to buying the correct pair of headphones.

Having just gone through this process for the umpteenth time, here are some tips to think about when purchasing headphones. Each time I have done this I have had a different use in mind and I have found that knowing what you want is paramount to getting the most out of your purchase. Here are some good ways of clarifying, in your own mind, what it is you're looking for.

1. Know your headphone types.

There are several types of headphones available on the market and each have their positive and negative points. They are essentially split into 2 types.

• Ear cup (sometimes known as full size) Headphones. These are further split into:

•Circumaural (literally around the ear) Headphones. These are generally the heaviest of the sets and have a circlular pad that completely surrounds the ear cutting off almost all outsde noise. Being larger that some of the other headphones they also generally have a higher quality of sound reproduction.

•Supra-aural (literally over the ear) Headphones. These, again, are larger but the phones consist of a pad which rests on the ear. They are generally considered to be a little more comfortable than circumaural headphones but are not as good at blocking out external noise.

• In ear-phones. These are further split into:

•Ear buds. These are the type that you get free with your ipod. They sit in the outer part of the ear and are much smaller and more wieldy than the Ear Cup Headphones. They are the cheapest but in a lot of cases they don't have great sound quality and are no good at cutting out external noise.

•Ear Plugs. These sit inside the ear canal and are roughly the same size as Ear Buds. Although they are a bit more expensive they can have better sound quality and are much better at reducing external noise.

2. Know your budget.

This is something you want to decide first up, as your decision will show you where to focus your search. If you are looking for a realy good pair of phones at the top end of the market, this will enable you to rule out the bottom end and will save you an awful lot of time. Similarly if you only want a basic set of phones, it is dangerous to start looking at phones at the top end of the market as you may start getting tempted (trust me I've been there).

It is useful to set yourself an ideal target on what you want to spend, then give yourself a maximum limit on what you can spend. This way you can more easily stick to your decision. Do this while doing your intitial research and get it out of the way, it will save you time.

3. Know what you want them for. Do you need them in a quiet environment?

Every situation is unique but here are some general rules:

It may sound like a silly question, but this will decide for you what type of phones you want. For example, you may want them to listen to music at home while your partner watches tv, for travelling to and from work, or for dj-ing in a club.

If travelling to work, what is your journey like? If you're walking down quiet streets, in a car or on a bus, the chances are you will be abe to get away with Ear Buds as the background noise won't be too bad and the clarity of the music will be better at lower volumes.

4. Or will they have to block out a lot of external noise.

If you're down in the subway or in noisy city streets then you may want to upgrade to the Ear Plugs or Circumaural types. Just be aware that with Circumaurals, they can be so good at drowning out external sounds that it may be hard to hear traffic in some cases which is kind of vital.

If you plan on djing in clubs or parties then you will need Circumaurals. If you are a bedroom dj then Supras will be fine but think ahead, are you going to be playing out in the future? If so it may be worth going straight for a pair that will last you a while.

Just bear your preferences in mind as well, though the general rule is, the larger your phones the louder they will be able to go. You may be listening at home in a separate room to anyone else and therefore go for some Ear Buds, but if you like really loud music you really need one of the Ear cup types to provide the quality at a higher volume.

5. What type of music are you listening to.

Ear buds are great, not just for cost and portability but you can get some with quality sound as well (albeit not at the volumes of some of the others). Just be aware of what it is you're planning to listen to. Ear buds will struggle to play anything with significant bass levels well, so if this is the case, or you just want an exceptional sound quality, for orchestral music for example where there are hundreds of different instruments, it is probably better to spend a little more and reap the rewards when listening.

6. Don't think twice about asking.

So many people do not want to ask in shops for advice because then it is in the sales persons interest to get you to buy from them. In other words they may be biased. By not asking however, you are missing out on some great free advice. They may be sales people but they are trained to know their products, and generally they have an interest in this area as well.

All you need to do is go into a reputable music store where the sales people will know their products and explain that you are going to visit 4 or 5 stores to get some advice, then make your decision on where to buy based on the price of the product and the advice you get from each place. By doing this you let the sales person know that it is in his interests to be open and honest about what would be best for you, but you are not going to buy there and then, it also gives them an incentive to give you a good price as well.

Once you have done this you don't need to visit 5 places (who's got time right?), maybe only 2 or 3 to verify the information you have been given. You don't even have to buy from the best one either, if you can find a better price on the internet. Which leads me nicely onto my next tip...

7. Make good use of the internet.

There is loads of help to be found on the internet, from articles such as this, to more in depth and specialist forums (check out www.head-fi.org). It takes very little time to have a quick surf but I guess since you're reading this you've probably got this one covered.

8. Normal rules apply.

Getting a branded product such as Sennheiser or Sony, as in any other area of shopping, generally means a better product. Obviously you pay for this but that is the trade off. That is not to say that the lesser known brands do not have good products. The problem is that it can represent a risk unless you know a lot about headphones.

9. Pay more get more.

Again this is a generalisation but it does hold true in most cases. Use this tip alongside headhpone review sites and consumer sites to guage which phones in your price range offer the best value for money.

10. Shop around, even when you know what you want.

I touched on this earlier, but once you have settled on a pair that you want,don't just go for the best price you have been given. Go looking for more. Prices on the internet can vary a lot and there are sites that will do bundles at a discount so spend a little time deciding if you need anything else at the same time. Also, don't be afraid to haggle in shops. This is easier with more expensive products where the sales person is more eager to make the sale but I did it with an expensive pair of Sennheisers once and ended up getting a tenner off the tag price so it can work.

Hope this quick guide gives you some help and you find it useful. Happy Hunting!!