Seeking Headphone Advice

[Luobot]

I’m looking for advice about which pair of headphones to get for studying Mandarin. I won’t be using them for music, so having super great bass and the highest highs actually isn’t important.

Here’s what I think is important in headphones for the single purpose of studying Mandarin:

1. Comfort – The ability to wear the headphones for countless hours without even knowing they are there is the most important criteria.

2. Durability – Can carry them around without their quickly falling apart.

3. Price – Should be under $100, but the price can be higher if they are very comfortable and very durable.

So I think it mainly gets down to comfort and durability, in that order. The cheaper they are, the less durable they need to be. However, comfort can’t be compromised at any price.

Does anyone own or know of anything that meets the above criteria that they would like to recommend?

[Senzhi]

The best brand I know is Sennheiser, but even these, although they have superb sound quality, you can't wear for 'countless hours'. As far as I'm concerned, headphones are not suited for 'countless hours' of listening enjoyment, no matter what.

Oh, and they're not of the cheapest neither.

[WoAiJolinTsai]

The ipod ones are good.. i sleep with em

[LaoZhang]

I'd recommend you pick up a pair of headphones that also have a boom mic. You can search "gaming headset" on Google. One often overlooked tool in learning a language is hearing yourself. I taught English at Peking University and the language lab software gave our students the ability to record and playback their own voice. My students were English, and many of them were shocked to hear their own voice and said "I didn't know how bad my pronunciation was."

You can use this gaming headset at home and a regular pair of ear buds when you're on the go.

我的两分钱,

老张 - LaoZhang

[tonypace]

Countless hours - you are looking for the Sony EX 71s or the fabulous and very cheap audio-technica ATH-CK1 (a straight copy of the Sonys). They do not have top sound quality, but the audiophile ones go farther into the ear and are less comfortable. They also completely block out outside sound - which is asking for trouble on a train or whathaveyou. This style of partly in-ear phone with a soft rubber grip is easy to pop in and out, so light you forget it's there.

I have other styles of phones, and these are always the ones I use on an airplane or during long distance travel. They never hurt my ears, sound good and never fall out. I've logged a lot of chinesepod hours with them.

[Luobot]

Thanks, Tony, for the recommendation. They seem great for the in-ear type. I should have said, though, that I prefer phones that don't go in the ear. Sorry I forgot to mention that.