Note: This article was first created in 2013 and a lot has changed since. We’ve done our best to update this guide but there were portions that we thought were best left out so the changes in the local landscape are conveyed properly.
Most of us have had experience with headphones even before we started paying attention to sound quality. Why not? Headphones are everywhere. We have one in front of our computers at home, we use it while commuting going to school or the office, etc. And for most of us, it all began even before we got ‘nitpicky’ about sonic characteristics. That said, the moment we started paying closer attention to how good-sounding a headphone can be was the time it became more complicated.
There are a lot of factors to consider when buying headphones. The average headphone consumer normally doesn’t consider any of these factors and more often than not, they end up realizing they’re not happy with the headphone that they purchased.
It, unfortunately, doesn’t help that there are very few stores locally where you can find quality headphones. And even harder is to find one that allows us, consumers to try headphones first (risk-free) before buying them.
Unlike the earlier days, there are stores now like Egghead that carry a wide variety of audiophile brands and more importantly allow you to audition them without pressure. This makes the process much easier as you’re no longer relying on external reviews and can actually audition the products yourself.
Related: Buying headphones locally (i.e. in the Philippines) can be stressful. With that said, check out our article on how to buy headphones locally.
Without further ado, here are the factors to consider before buying headphones. Please keep in mind this guide is mostly taking into consideration someone who is starting his search from scratch or a big list and is trying to narrow it down.
Factor 1 – Usage & Source
The first thing to consider outside of budget is where the headphones will be used. Are you going to use it while commuting or just at home? Does the headphone need to be portable enough to be used while walking around or does it have to be big and more suited to your home entertainment system?
Answering questions about usage should narrow down your choices drastically. Aside from that, it would also answer another part of the equation which is the source. A headphone that is to be used on the go will more likely be used with a portable player like a DAP or smartphone while a bigger one would be more suited to a desktop system.
Factor 2 – Headphone Type
After determining the usage and source, it’s time to determine the headphone type. If you’re going to use a headphone for traveling, do you want a sealed headphone or just an in-ear monitor type? Does a headphone need to have active noise canceling technology as an option?
Comfort is also a big factor here. If you’re seeing yourself using a headphone for 4-5 hours per day, would you pick one that clamps hard but isolates well? Or would you go with a full-size can that is a bit bulky yet can still be portable?
We have a top headphones per category page where you can browse the best headphones based on their type.
Factor 3 – Headphone sound signature, preference & music genre
This one I think is critical. Now that you probably have a shortlist of your possible choices, it’s time to consider your music preference versus the sound signature of the headphone/s that you are planning to buy.
I highly recommend having a look at InnerFidelity’s headphone measurements as it gives you a general idea of how the headphone sounds. If the headphones that you are planning to buy don’t have one or you simply just don’t want to look at the measurement graphs, you can browse through popular forums such as Head-fi, SuperBestAudioFriends, and Audiosciencereview as plenty of people from those communities are now doing their headphone measurements.
I see a lot of people complaining about headphones that are reasonably good just because it doesn’t fit the genre that they’re listening to. Make sure you do your research on this one and find the best headphones based on the signature that would match the genre of the music that you are listening to and your preference.
Factor 4 – Amplification and other enhancements
Some headphones can be enhanced further by connecting them to a dedicated headphone amplifier. Audiophiles generally use a setup where a headphone is connected to a DAC and/or an amplifier. This undoubtedly enhances sound but if you don’t have discerning ears, you will find the difference very minimal or even unnoticeable. And if you are early in the game, chances are you don’t need to buy anything outside of the headphone itself!
Do take note that some headphones NEED amplification, to begin with. The best reference headphones generally need a significant swing of power to perform at their best. With that in mind, please also consider this as a critical factor when choosing your headphones. A Sennheiser HD 800 sounds bad when not amplified (with a good amplifier) and it’s the same with other high-end cans. If you are looking for a high-end headphone, see to it that you also have a budget for additional purchases like a headphone amplifier or an external DAC.
Factor 5 – Availability & Pricing
Finally, availability. A headphone’s availability highly varies depending on your location. Here in the Philippines, I can say that most of the good headphones are not sold or easy to find. Brick-and-mortar stores usually sell headphones that are marketed more than headphones that are actually good. In fact, most of my headphones were purchased from Amazon and shipped through a third-party shipping company. Thankfully, a lot of the popular audiophile brands are now available locally so you should for the most part be able to audition various headphones and decide from your own experience with them. They may slightly be more expensive than the MSRP from the website but on the positive side, you don’t need to worry anymore about overseas shipping.
There you go! After taking an in-depth look at all these factors, you should have a clearer idea of the specific headphone model you will be buying. And hopefully, you’ll enjoy the product once you have it in your possession.
Happy headphone shopping!