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Sound Advice on
Buying Headphones

To hear or not to hear? That is the question! Professional speakers spend a lot of time on airplanes traveling to and from speaking engage- ments. Although the sound of jet engines is soothing to some, many view the loud, constant drone as an an- noyance that interferes with sleeping or listening to in-flight entertainment. So what’s a traveler to do?

You can slip on the flimsy airline- supplied earphones, which do little for one’s listening or sleeping enjoyment. Or you can bring along your own head- phones. There are many brands and styles available, ranging from inexpen- sive to extremely expensive. Before buying a pair, take the following factors into consideration.

Comfort. Can you wear the head- phones for a long flight? Some styles are in-ear, while others are over the ear. In some cases, over-the-ear headphones pro- vide higher quality sound or noise cancellation, but can be uncomfortable if you wear glasses or are trying to catch some Zs.

Size. Make sure the head- phones are easy to pack. Can they fit inside your pocket or a small carry-on bag?

Sound. Do they cancel out noise and also sound good for music, au- diobooks, TV shows and movies?

Batteries. Some headphones come with rechargeable batteries. Other sets use regular batteries that can be purchased any- where, so you don’t have

to bring your recharger. Find out if the headphones you’re eyeing work if the batteries run out of juice.

Noise-canceling and blocking ability. Look for headphones that cancel or block airplane noise, and have a bypass capability so you can hear the flight at- tendants if they ask you a question or make announcements.

• Noise-canceling headphones are bulky and require a power source.

• Noise-isolating/blocking earphones fit into the ear canal and seal out ex- ternal noise. Some brands come with different sizes to fit your ear bud. This type of earphone does not require a power source.

Customer Service/Warranty. Ask about a warranty and options available with the headphones. Some are better than others. Some brands might be less expensive, but if their durability, cus- tomer service and warranty are weak, you might end up spending more re- placing them.

Price. Headphones are available at all price points. usually, the more expen- sive ones provide better quality; how- ever, price should not be your only cri- teria. There are less expensive brands that work as well as the most expensive.

Quality is in the ear of the beholder. If
you tend to lose or break things easily,
you may not want to buy $300 head-
phones, just to leave them in an airport
or hotel, or accidentally sit on them. My
$60 set of Plane Quiet headphones works
well, offers above-average comfort and
provides good sound/cancellation.
Just as we take care of our voic-
es when speaking, we should take
care of our ears when flying. You
should consider investing in
headphones if you’re spending
a lot of time on airplanes, so
that “To Hear or Not to Hear?”
is a question you can answer.