09-15-2012, 09:13 PM
People are talking about headphones.
I knew this day would come.
Alright, let me get the cross-over part out the way here, you sound like you're talking about earbuds, there's a few things that everyone should know right off the bat;
Firstly, earbuds and earphones just don't sound as good as a pair of cans, or "circumaural headphones" if you want to get technical about it, they just don't, that might matter you or it might not.
Secondly, and more importantly, long-term use of earbuds or earphones is a bad idea, firstly they'll make your ears sore, and excessive usage can actually damage your eardrums and cause tinnitus, you have been warned.
Now, if you're looking at earbuds and you don't want to block out ambient noise, that's not gonna happen, that's what they're designed to do.
What you really want to look for is a pair of open cup headphones, they're like regular headphones but the back of the earpiece is mesh rather than being solid, that let's much more ambient sound in. (be advised, it also lets sound out, so people nearby will be able to hear it.)
But if you're looking for something specifically designed for letting ambient noise in, you might want to look into cycling headphones, they come in various designs (some sit in front of your ears, some actually make sound by vibrating your jaw), but they're all designed to let you hear your surroundings.
Unfortunately I'm a studio guy, I don't know enough about specialist headphones to give advice on specific brands or designs, I'd suggest doing some research.
I knew this day would come.
Alright, let me get the cross-over part out the way here, you sound like you're talking about earbuds, there's a few things that everyone should know right off the bat;
Firstly, earbuds and earphones just don't sound as good as a pair of cans, or "circumaural headphones" if you want to get technical about it, they just don't, that might matter you or it might not.
Secondly, and more importantly, long-term use of earbuds or earphones is a bad idea, firstly they'll make your ears sore, and excessive usage can actually damage your eardrums and cause tinnitus, you have been warned.
Now, if you're looking at earbuds and you don't want to block out ambient noise, that's not gonna happen, that's what they're designed to do.
What you really want to look for is a pair of open cup headphones, they're like regular headphones but the back of the earpiece is mesh rather than being solid, that let's much more ambient sound in. (be advised, it also lets sound out, so people nearby will be able to hear it.)
But if you're looking for something specifically designed for letting ambient noise in, you might want to look into cycling headphones, they come in various designs (some sit in front of your ears, some actually make sound by vibrating your jaw), but they're all designed to let you hear your surroundings.
Unfortunately I'm a studio guy, I don't know enough about specialist headphones to give advice on specific brands or designs, I'd suggest doing some research.