The right pair of headphones can solve a number of audio/video dilemmas. They can allow you to listen to music and movies late at night without keeping your family awake. They can let you take your favorite music with you — jogging, doing housework, doing yardwork — wherever. They can provide relief from distracting noise while you're at work or traveling. Even if you just want to get better sound from your home A/V system, high-end headphones are a relatively affordable solution.

When choosing a good pair of headphones, you've got to consider two things: what need do you want the headphones to satisfy, and what kind of music do you generally listen to? Below, you'll find information on the four basic types of headphones — home, portable, noise-canceling, and wireless — so you can choose the one that'll fit your activity the best. Then we'll give you tips on features to look for to get the best sound for your listening habits.

What do you want your headphones for?

Open headphones tend to provide the best overall sound quality. (Grado SR125i pictured here)

Sealed headphones isolate your ears. They keep outside noise from interfering with your music, and prevent your music from disturbing others. (Sennheiser HD 280 Pro pictured here.)

"I just need a good pair of headphones for listening to my music at home or work."
If you want to do a little late-night listening, or if you like to play MP3s or CDs on your computer at work, it's important to have a pair of comfortable home headphones. They're also an affordable way to get better sound from your TV, since most good-quality home headphones can be purchased for less than the cost of a new speaker system.

First, consider whether you want headphones with a sealed or open-back design. Choose sealed 'phones for listening in noisy environments where you'll need sonic isolation, like in an office you share with co-workers and whom you don't want to disturb (sound can leak out of open headphones, especially at higher volumes).

If you don't need the isolation of a sealed headphone design to block out distractions, open-back headphones can deliver the best overall sound quality. The open-back design allows sound to escape to the outside through openings on the backs of the earcups, rather than bounce back and forth inside, which can create unwanted resonance. If you'll be listening for long stretches, look for a headband that's padded and adjustable to comfortably fit the size of your head.

Another consideration to make is ear cushion design. The main two types of cushions found on most home headphones are circumaural (meaning around the ear) or supra-aural (headphones with pads that rest on your ear). Circumaural models tend to be larger, with full-sized earcups that offer enough space inside to let your ears "breathe." 

They're also able to distribute the pressure that keeps your headphones in place over a wider area, making them more comfortable for some listeners. Supra-aural, or on-ear style 'phones, are usual smaller and lighter in weight, which makes them a good choice for portability. But on-ear models can sometimes feel warm, and some listeners don't care for the sensation of pads resting directly on their ears. It's really a matter of personal taste.

Whether you'll be hooking your headphones up to your receiver, or plugging them into your computer, make sure that the cord is long enough. If you've got your eye on a nice pair of 'phones but their cord is too short for your listening setup, an extension cord designed for headphones can bridge the gap. You might also want to consider a one-sided cord — attached to one earcup but not the other — since it can help minimize tangles.

"I want a pair of headphones to use with my home theater system."
If you love watching movies or do a lot of gaming, high-quality headphones can provide an excellent surround experience. Look for home headphones that offer virtual surround sound. These headphones use sophisticated processing to fool your ears into thinking the sound is coming from multiple locations around you, instead of just two. If you already have a receiver in your home theater setup, then you might want to check its manual first; most new receivers also offer this capability, so you'll just need a nice pair of standard headphones.

You might also want to consider a pair of wireless headphones. They let you listen to your favorite music while you work out on your treadmill, do housework, or move around your home without the hassle of the typical headphone cord. They're also excellent for watching TV without disturbing others in the room. Most wireless headphones use a 2.4 GHz radio frequency (RF) transmitter to send audio from a source, like your A/V system's receiver, to a pair of battery-powered headphones. The transmitter connects to an audio source's headphone jack or stereo RCA outputs. These clever devices let you walk anywhere within a specified range and still get great sound. So if you don't like the idea of wires snaking across the floor or around your head, wireless is the way to go. And if you want the best possible reception without fiddling with controls, look for wireless 'phones that provide automatic tuning.

In-ear headphones provide excellent sonic isolation, and make great companions for portable media players. (Klipsch Image S4i pictured here)

Headphones made for active use are designed to stay securely in place during workouts, and are often sweat-resistant and even hand-washable. (Sennheiser/adidas® PMX 680 pictured here)

"I want headphones to use with my MP3 player or music phone."
You may be thinking, "My portable player came with headphones — I don't need to buy any." But if you care about sound quality, that's not the case. The portable headphones included with MP3 players and other similar devices are almost always very basic, and you'll get much better sound if you upgrade your 'phones. The only question is, which features should you look for?

The answer depends on what you'll be doing while you listen. All headphones designed for portable use are lightweight for easy mobility. If you'll be working out, you'll want a set that won't come loose. Earbuds, in-ear headphones, and headphones with clip-on earpieces are designed with active uses in mind. Some people prefer a behind-the-neck or no-headband design — neither of these will mess up your hair, and you can wear a hat while you listen.

If you'll be riding on a subway or bus to work, look for in-ear headphones — they fit just inside your ear canal, and the secure fit naturally blocks out external noise, so you can hear your music and not the people conversing next to you. If you need portable 'phones to work with your iPhone® or other music phone, then look for a pair with a mic and controls built into the cord, or for a good pair of wireless headphonesclude]. Like the home wireless headphones mentioned above, most portable models come with a small transmitter

that connects to the headphone jack on your MP3 player or phone. The transmitter then sends music

and calls from your phone to a tiny receiver built into the 'phones.

With either wired or wireless 'phones, when a call comes through you can pause your music and take the incoming call at the press of a button. Best of all, you can do all of this while your cell phone or music player is safely stored in a briefcase or purse, making it a convenient option for long walks or subway rides to work or school.

Just be aware that in-ear 'phones can accumulate ear wax over time, so be sure to either clean them regularly or replace the earbud gels from time to time. And never share your earbuds with other listeners — it's an easy way to spread bacteria and catch an ear infection.

Noise-canceling headphones can work wonders in a noisy office or on a loud airplane flight. (Sennheiser PXC 450 pictured here)

"I need headphones that keep other noises out."
Whether you do a lot of traveling, have to work amidst distracting sounds, or just live in a busy household, noise-canceling headphones can be a godsend. They use active noise control — sophisticated circuitry that relies on tiny microphones to pick up the noises around you. The headphones then play a signal that's out of phase with the unwanted sounds, which helps to cancel and quiet the noise. Just be aware that they work best with steady, droning noises, like the sound of an airplane engine — they can't "erase" loud, sudden noises.

These 'phones use batteries to power their noise-canceling circuitry, so check battery life specs before you buy. Most noise-canceling headphones include adapters for airline audio systems. So if you're on a flight, you can choose whether you want to listen to the airline's audio selections, your portable player, or sweet, sweet silence.

What will you be listening to?

After you've chosen a design that meets your needs and that's comfortable for you, you should take a look at some of the specs listed for each model you're considering to find a pair that fits your listening habits. Different drivers and materials reproduce sound differently, so you should acquaint yourself with a few terms so that you know what to look for.

Drivers and armatures: What's inside?
If sound quality is important to you, then be sure to choose a well-built pair of headphones, no matter what design you choose. Pay attention to the type of driver that's producing the sound, since it'll help determine the sound quality. Most headphones use "dynamic" drivers, which work much like any full-sized speaker. You can count on them to deliver a full range of sound with plenty of detail and clarity.

Balanced armatures are much more efficient than dynamic drivers and can be built smaller, so they're mostly used in in-ear headphones. However, they're generally limited when it comes to reproducing extremely low or high frequencies, and require a good seal in your ear to deliver their full audio range.

Frequency response: How low — and high — can they go?
The frequency response is the range of sound that the headphones can produce, measured in Hertz (Hz). When you're looking at the numbers, keep in mind that the human hear can generally only perceive sounds from 20 to 20,000 Hz. Most headphones can easily cover this range. Some may claim to go beyond it, but the tiny drivers and armatures in headphones traditionally have difficulties reproducing sounds lower than 20 Hz. Still, the wider the range the better, since the bass will be lower and the treble higher, giving you better overall sonic performance.

If getting accurate, dynamic sound is your main concern, then go for some high-quality home headphones that can handle a broad frequency range. Fans of jazz and classical music should pay extra attention to headphones that deliver more detail in the midrange and highs. For rap and hiphop, go with 'phones that deliver more lows. (Generally, if you want more bass, then you'll want to go with larger home headphones, since their size allows for better low frequency response.)

Impedance: How much power do they draw?
One issue that's especially important for portable headphones is impedance. The higher the impedance, the more electrical energy is required to drive the headphones' tiny speakers. Because of the limited power available from a portable player, headphones for portable use should have a maximum impedance of 64 ohms — the lower the impedance, the more efficient the 'phones, and the more battery life you'll get out of your player.

An example of some helpful accessories (clockwise from top left): clothing clip, extension cord with stereo mini plug, carrying pouch, interchangeable ear gels, cord wrap.

Other important details to consider

When you're shopping for a pair of headphones, make sure the cord terminates in a plug size that's compatible with the component or portable you'll be listening to. Most headphone cords end in a stereo mini plug; if your source has only a full-sized output, you'll need an adapter. Some headphones come with one or more adapters, but if the 'phones you want to buy don't include one, an adapter is relatively inexpensive.

Some headphones include detachable parts, like ear cushions or cords, that you can replace if you need to. Pretty handy — if you mangle the cord in your vacuum cleaner, you won't need to buy a whole new set of headphones. But of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of replacement gear: if your 'phones are going to be in rough surroundings, look for a model that comes with a carrying case.

Be careful of your hearing — please

High-volume listening is causing severe hearing loss in more and more individuals these days, with aural damage starting at a younger age. So what can you do to protect your ears? Start by listening at lower volume levels, and not relying on volume to mask loud external noise.

Also, consider that when you insert an earbud into your auditory canal, it has the effect of increasing the decibels considerably. This happens because less of the sound is dispersed and more of it reaches your eardrum. You may want to switch to on-the-ear or over-the-ear headphones for sustained listening, and only use your earbuds for limited portable listening. Headphones with noise-canceling technology can also help you keep the volume low without any loss in enjoyment, by reducing the outside sounds that might otherwise cause you to turn the volume way up.

For more tips on safe listening, learn about how your hearing works and what you can do to protect it.