SOUND OFF: Ear Buds vs Headphones

Photo Credit: Natesh Sood

Living in the 21^st century, we are surrounded by the distracting noise of everyday life. Every once in a while we need to plug into our tunes and let the music take us away. We are taken away by two methods of listening: ear buds, and headphones. Which is the better choice?

Honestly, both, it all depends on lifestyle and personal preference, but it doesn’t hurt to know the pros and cons for both.

Ear Buds

Photo Credit: Nikki Lee

            Pros

·      Flexible

·      Easy to conceal or hide away

        Easy to store

Cons

·      Easy to lose

·      Uncomfortable at times due to abnormal shape

·      Sound escapes easily

·      Higher chance of hearing loss

Headphones

            Pros

·      Fashionable

·      Better with noise cancelation

·      Often quite comfortable with padded muffs

·      Better sound quality

Cons

·      Bulky

·      Hard to hide away

·      Little airflow around ears (depending on which one you buy)

Photo Credit: Nikki Lee

Depending on the activity or lifestyle, one would choose one over the other. For example, a teenager at school in a classroom may use ear buds because it’s easy to hide away from the watchful eye of the teacher. On the other hand, a musician may prefer headphones because of the better sound quality and noise cancelation ability. Either one works in either situation, it just depends on the person.

Nowadays, listening to music often means bumping up the volume to dangerous levels. In the long run, it causes damage to a listener’s hearing, which may become permanent.

According to the American Osteopathic Association website, James E. Foy, DO, an osteopathic pediatrician from Vallejo, California, states the following about loss of hearing in teens.

“Today, 1 in 5 teens has some form of hearing loss - a rate about 30% higher than it was in the 1980s and 1990s - which many experts believe is due, in part, to the increased use of headphones.”

On that scary note, the best advice given by experts and parents alike would be to turn them DOWN! Nothing wrong with rocking out but rocking out safely prevents permanent hearing loss at thirty years old.

#RockItSafe

Sources:

 Hearing Loss and Headphones - Is Anyone Listening? (n.d.). Retrieved August 9, 2015, from http://www.osteopathic.org/osteopathic-health/about-your-health/health-conditions-library/general-health/Pages/headphone-safety.aspx 

 Sood, N. (2009, July 7). Gadgetell Guide: Should I buy headphones or earbuds? Retrieved from http://www.technologytell.com/gadgets/48700/gadgetell-guide-should-i-buy-headphones-or-earbuds/