Choosing earphones and headphones

Start with where you will use them

The same product gets judged differently on a train and in a quiet room. For noisy places, isolation and noise cancelling matter more than sound quality; for quiet places, an open design that lets in ambient sound is often more comfortable. Buying on review scores without deciding the use case is how people end up with a well-rated pair they never wear. Pick the one situation where you will use them longest each day, and choose whatever has no annoyances in that situation. If you take a lot of calls, weigh microphone quality at this stage too.

What changes with the form factor

In-ear designs are easy to carry but can hurt over long sessions; over-ear designs are comfortable but warm and bulky. The longer you wear them, the more this matters compared with sound. If you wear glasses, check whether over-ear cups press the arms into your head.

• In-ear (inserted): good isolation, very portable
• Open (earbud): lets ambient sound in, less closed-in
• On-ear (rests on the ear): light but can press
• Over-ear (covers the ear): comfortable but warm and large

What noise cancelling handles well

Noise cancelling is strongest against low, steady sound such as train rumble or jet engines. It does much less against voices and sudden noises — which is why people buy it to erase café chatter and feel disappointed. Some people also find it gives a pressured, blocked feeling, so try before you buy if you are new to it. When walking or cycling, switch to an ambient or transparency mode so you can hear traffic.

What to check separately for wireless

Beyond sound, wireless satisfaction depends on latency, battery and connection stability. For video or games, lip-sync lag is far more annoying than any difference in sound. The device and earphones need to support the same codec to perform as advertised, so check compatibility first. Batteries are consumables that lose capacity every year, so choose a rated playback time comfortably above your daily use. If you switch between several devices, check how easy it is to move the connection.

When wired is still better

Wireless dominates, but wired still wins in some situations. Near-zero latency helps with instrument practice and rhythm games, there is no charging to think about, and no battery wears out and forces a replacement after a few years. At the same price, more of the cost tends to go into the sound itself. Many phones no longer have a headphone jack, though, so you may need an adapter, and you have to live with cables snagging or breaking.

What to check in a shop or trial

Photos and reviews cannot tell you about comfort. If possible, try them on yourself, and for longer than a few minutes. If a trial is not possible, check the return terms before buying.

• Play tracks you normally listen to from your own device
• Wear them for at least several tens of minutes and check for discomfort
• Shake your head and walk around to see if they stay in
• Listen with noise cancelling both on and off
• Check return and exchange terms and the warranty

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is assuming the most expensive model will be best for you. Price reflects the number of features, not whether a pair suits your ears and your use. With in-ear models, a badly sized ear tip cuts isolation and bass dramatically, and many people mistake this for a product fault and return them. Simply trying the other tip sizes in the box can change the sound. Clean in-ear tips regularly as well.

Hearing depends on volume and time together

What strains your ears is the combined dose of loudness and listening time, so even a reasonable-seeming volume adds up over a whole day. The real problem is turning up the volume in noisy places, so better isolation lets you listen quieter. If you often listen loud for long periods, turn on your device's hearing-health alerts. If ringing or a blocked feeling persists for more than a few days, see an ear, nose and throat doctor.