The Ultimate Guide to Buying Headphones

Several decades ago, headphones may have been a high-tech gadget, but today they are one of the most common items that virtually everyone owns. There are various types, brands and traits of these items, and you have more choice than ever, which can sometimes be considered a downside. You see, having too much choice means that it might be difficult to choose the right ones. With this in mind, here is a simple step-by-step guide for buying headphones.

1.     Set a budget

Before you even start choosing headphones, you need to make a decision of how much you are willing to spend on them. You see, the price ranges vary greatly and they move from several dollars to tens of thousands of dollars (even up to $120,000) for some of the most expensive ones out there. The headphones you have in mind will be somewhere in between these two extremes but it is vital that you make up your mind where exactly. The price range is probably the thing that will have the greatest impact on the quality of headphones.

2.     What kind of headphones do you want?

The next thing you need to do is decide what type of headphones you want to buy. Here, you can go with in-ear monitors, over-ear open-back or closed-back headphones, as well as ear buds, all depending on what you need them for. It is only logical that for sound editing you need one type of headphones, while you may find a different type more suitable for listening to music on public transportation. When it comes to the latter, you might even consider buying wireless headphones, seeing how they are by far the most convenient to carry around.

3.     Read a review

Another thing you want to do is check out some reviews and see what users have to say about the type of headphones you intend to buy. Of course, every retailer has a direct motive to try and present their headphones in the best light, which is why a user review may be much more reliable. When it comes to this, you have many different options to consider. You can either go to websites such as Head-fi.org, which specializes in headphone reviews or simply google your question. Most likely, you would end up at the same place. If not, sites such as Reddit and Quora are your next two stops.

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4.     Know who you’re buying from

Finally, like with any other type of device you are buying, it is vital that you know exactly who you are buying from. The last thing you want to do is spend a small fortune on some high-end headphones only to find out that you’ve got a cheap imitation instead. The easiest way to deal with this issue is to get familiar with a retailer. While some people may be brand-fixated, with all the online scams that are taking place day in and day out, not even this will be a guarantee of quality. Here again, you should rely on reviews and user testimonials. While these can be faked, as well, it is fairly easy to recognize standard marketing phrases online.

Conclusion

As you can see, while there are some factors that may help facilitate your decision, most of these things are highly situational. Therefore, your price range, the quality of sound and how convenient their shape is for the purpose you have intended for them is all that matters. The brand and where you got them from are issues of secondary importance, as long as you get what you paid for. As always, you should rely on internet strangers to help you out with their personal experiences.

Dan Radak

Dan Radak

Dan Radak is a marketing professional with eleven years of experience. He is currently working with a number of companies in the field of digital marketing, closely collaborating with a couple of e-commerce companies. He is also a coauthor on several technology websites and regular contributor to Technivorz.