buying guide: Best headphones

While shopping online or at your local electronics store, it's pretty easy to wind up with a bad case of consumer paralysis, or that feeling you get when you're so overwhelmed by purchase options that you can't make a good decision. It's not so much of a worry when you're paralyzed by the wall of different chocolate rice crisp cereals, but when it comes to selecting headphones, you have to be sure you're making the right decision.

If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed with the sheer amount of headphones out there, don't worry, you're definitely not alone. We're only experts with what we know, and with headphones, it's hard to stay abreast of the best. That's why we've built this in-depth guide based on our top-ranking reviews which will help you select the headphones that are the perfect fit for you. Let's go through the different types of headphones.

Gimme a headphone breakdown

As you may know, headphones come in all shapes and sizes. Not only is it important to select the headphones to match your style, but there are specific requirements that you'll need to be sure are met when you're shopping for headphones. We'll do our best to break down, and constantly update, the best headphones available in each category.

In-ear headphones AKA "earbuds"

Though in-ear headphones typically aren't well-received, they're the most popular type of headphones for a few reasons. If you've ever purchased an MP3 player, or more recently, a smartphone, there was likely a set of basic in-ear headphones included with the purchase. Because of this, most households have more sets of earbuds than they know what to do with.

In-ear headphones are the most compact and discreet sort of headphones you'll find. But with that small form-factor, you likely won't find each earbud packed with high-fidelity sound drivers, unless you're prepared to shell out the big bucks.

What you can expect in a sub-$100 pair of earbuds is pretty standard across the board: decent, but tinny sound, with the spectrum of sound represented leaning more towards highs than lows. Bass is usually pretty miniscule, but this varies by model. Be aware that you'll always get a much fuller sound if you're in-ear headphones are properly seated inside your ear.

Are these for you? Great! Let us show you the best in-ear headphones

Over-ear headphones AKA "DJ headphones"

Ok, these aren't specifically "DJ" headphones per se, but most people have a false association that any headphone that goes over the ears are specifically for those who scratch vinyl. Negatory. Feel free to use whichever headphones you'd like to pursue your jockey career, but don't say we didn't try to convince you otherwise!

Over-ear headphones are for enthusiasts of comfort and full sound. Not all over-ear models are created equal, of course, so be prepared to pay the big bucks for a pair of these headphones, but don't be fooled by flashy options that can't pack a punch.

Aside from a huge boost in sound (highs, lows, and bass are fully represented in most models), these headphones are sometimes chock full of premium features, like ANC (active noise cancellation) and comfortable padding.

Interested in something that goes over the ear? Check out the best over-ear headphones

Wireless headphones AKA "Bluetooth headphones"

Most people get along with cords just fine, but there's a futurist in us all that just wants cables to die, die, and die some more while they're at it. And if you look, wireless headphones are popping up all over the place.

Wireless headphones come in a variety of form-factors, from earbuds, on-ear and over-ear options for you to choose from, you're not necessarily limited depending on your style preference.

One important thing to consider is that wireless headphones will always be more expensive than their direct wired counterpart. Two sets of headphones with the exact same specs, one wireless and one wired, will show a price difference of about $50-100.

With that out of the way, you should also consider that while Bluetooth standards have become exponentially more reliable, wireless technology is always susceptible to disturbances in the force. By that, I mean that any little thing, from the understandable (conflicting Wi-Fi signals, microwaves, cordless telephones), to the absurd (sticking a hand in the space between the device and the headphones can sometimes cause skips) can sometimes interrupt a wireless listening experience.

Think these are for you? Here's our list of the best wireless headphones

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