NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It seems like everywhere you go, people are wearing headphones —whether it’s the gym, the airport, even the grocery store.
But with so many different types and styles how do you choose the right pair for you without breaking the bank?
Consumer Reports is here to help with an audio expert who shares buying advice from the sound lab.
Elias Arias has been testing audio equipment, like headphones, at Consumer Reports for nearly 20 years.
“We have trained listeners who listen to hundreds of models, and we compare them to references. We judge the sound quality and the noise canceling performance,” Arias said.
Consumer Reports also looks at the fit and how the headphones are to use. The good news—there are great picks at every price point.
“I own many styles of headphones, on ear, over ear, in ear, earbuds, and I use what works best for the activity that I'm doing,” he added.
For example, for exercising, he’d choose…
“--Something that's lightweight and fits securely around my ears and is also moisture resistant,” Arias continued.
Like this sports pair from Sennheiser which has very good sound quality and scored excellent for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction.
“And if you're someone who really is critical about the quality of the sound, then you'll want a headphone that gives you the finest detail," Arias said. "And those are the models at the top of our ratings that produce excellent sound quality.”
Like the Grado SR80x.
“If you're someone who likes to travel a bit and commute, consider a noise canceling model,” Arias said.
The Soundcore life Q20 is a good choice. It has great sound quality and outstanding noise cancellation.
“If you're into noise canceling headphones, I think it's great to know that, in our experience, the technology has improved significantly.”
Consumer Reports labs are seeing more models with excellent noise-canceling performance than ever before. So don’t be surprised if your next pair of noise canceling headphones are even better at canceling noise.
Consumer Reports recommends trying headphones out before buying them. If not, make sure you
check the return policy before buying them.
