[SNAP]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Jack.
Elias.
It looks like you're having some trouble there.
Yeah, that's the understatement.
You've got to help me here.
I'm trying to watch some TV shows,
but these little headphones--
I can't seem to hear anything over the noise over there.
You know, audio is kind of my thing here at Consumer Reports.
And we test over 60 products a year.
Yeah, I've got some headphones to show you.
Think you can upgrade these?
Jack, come with me.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
All right, Jack, here we are.
Elias, I'm in audio heaven.
I didn't even know there were this many types of headphones.
There's a lot to choose from, Jack.
And before we get into all of them,
all you need to know right now is that these are good,
and that one's not.
OK.
So what do I do with these, then?
Well, why don't we listen to them,
and hear what they really sound like compared
to a great pair of headphones.
OK.
Here we go.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
These sound good.
I like the way they sound.
All right.
Let's try it again, but this time, let's swap.
OK.
You ready?
Sure.
OK.
Here we go.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Man, the sound is so different than those little ones.
It sounds big and full, and those
sound a little small and tinny.
It was like the music coming out of a plastic cup.
[LAUGHTER]
That's absolutely right, yeah.
It's just horrid.
And that's why we want to put these away,
and we want to consider some other choices.
Elias says finding the right headphones depends
on your lifestyle because headphone buyers generally fall
into one of four categories.
First up, the sporty listener.
All right, Jack, imagine this.
When you're out for a jog, or lifting weights at the gym,
the last thing you need is a pair of headphones
that's going to tie you down.
So you should be looking for a pair of headphones
that are comfortable, stay in place,
and don't get in your way.
And with a wireless model, you won't
have to worry about getting all tangled up in a cable.
And it's just good enough for you
to listen to the audio while focusing mainly
on your workout.
Next up, what Elias likes to call the audio aficionado.
This is the headphone that someone
wants where you just want to focus completely
on the best sound quality.
Imagine sitting back in a comfortable chair,
no other distractions, and you can hear every detail.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
I'm sorry.
I just got transported there.
It's simply the best.
They come in two styles, wireless and wired.
In terms of sound quality, the best of the best are wired.
But there are excellent wireless models as well.
Type number three, the frequent flyer.
Do you like to travel?
I do.
Well, imagine this.
You're on a plane.
There's people bustling around, the engine of the plane
is loud, and you reach out for a pair of noise canceling
headphones.
And you see how the cushion fits--
Yes.
--snugly around your ears?
Yes.
That's passive canceling of audio.
Oh, just sealing out the noise?
It just muffles it out.
But those headphones have one more feature,
which is they have active noise cancelling.
What does that mean?
Those have a microphone which picks up the noise around you,
and creates an opposite version of it to cancel it out.
What?
Exactly.
And Elias's most laid-back category
of headphone user, the chill-axer.
You're on a beach, relaxing.
Can I have a Hawaiian shirt on?
Absolutely.
Great.
Any kind of headphones will do.
For instance, you can use on-ear headphones.
Unlike the noise canceling headphones, which completely
enveloped your ears, these just sit on your ears
and give you breathing room.
Got it.
And no matter which type you are,
Elias says their tests show price isn't necessarily
an indicator of quality.
If possible, listen to different headphones,
and compare them even to headphones
outside of your price range, and see which ones sound better,
and which one fits the style that you're also
looking to satisfy.
Thanks, Elias, for the great advice.
One last question-- my neighbor just had a baby,
and even though she's adorable, she's a little noisy.
Any recommendations on headphones?
Jack, skip the headphones.
Go with these.
[BABY CRYING]
[SNAP]