If you're looking to get more audio enjoyment from your smartphone, tablet, media player, or computer, new headphones will do wonders. And a set of headphones is a must-have for those times you want to listen to your music without bothering those around you—or being bothered by them.
But the variety of styles and options is wider than ever, and the opportunities for in-person testing are fewer. To help you find the perfect set of headphones, here is this year's version of our annual buying guide: what to look (and listen) for, descriptions of the different types of headphones, and specific recommendations, whether for yourself or for the lucky recipient of your generosity.
What to look for when shopping
Unlike with speakers, headphones don't differ much on features—you plug them in, put the earpieces on (or in) your ears, and listen. (One exception, covered below, relates to remote/headset functionality.) For the most part, the main differences between models are type, comfort, and sound quality. I explain the different types of headphones later in this article, but here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping.
Specs and sound quality: You should generally ignore manufacturers' specifications—especially frequency-response numbers. No standard testing methodology exists for headphone frequency response, and many vendors exaggerate their specs for marketing reasons. Plus, even if the specs were accurate, they wouldn't tell you much about how a particular set of headphones actually sounds. Instead of reading specs, use your ears. (If you can't audition a product in person, read reviews from a source you trust.)
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