Ah, summertime! There is never a better time than to get up from your desk/sofa/floor and go outside for some fresh air and exercise. Even if that exercise merely entails a short stroll around the park! It’s this time of year that gets us thinking about all things outdoors. The portable, the movable, the durable. You know as well as we do that high fidelity is getting more and more accessible with every passing month – and now it’s possible to take hi-fi out as far as you’re willing to go!
Now, we are all pretty big headphoniphiles (is that a word? Should be a word.) here at AA HQ – and this is the time of year where we stop looking at the high-end stuff that requires you to sit down and listen – and start looking at the stuff that makes you stand up and look around. All with an excellent musical accompaniment, of course!
Now, you have A LOT of options when it comes to headphones (even the portable ones!) so we’re going to give you one of our favourites, from each of the catagories.
Starting with…
1. Open Back (… and portable!)
Open-backs permit sound to escape – which gives the impression of a much wider, vaster soundscape. This is the kind of headphone you want if you like to feel as though you aren’t wearing any at all (in terms of the style of sound, that is!) Air flow allows for resonance to be reduced, with means a more natural, open, ‘loudspeaker’ style sound is what you’ll get.
In this category, we would recommend…
The gorgeous Grado iGrados! These have been a long-standing favourite of ours – partly due to the absolutely unbeatable price point (currently a whopping £49.90!). Super contemporary, super stylish and great for the music lover who has spent all of their hard-earned pennies on their music! The iGrado are an absolute bargain, offering lightweight and comfortable headphones which don’t skimp on the sound for a fraction of the cost of its competitors. They feature a vented diaphragm – a common feature of a hi-end headphone as well as UHPLC copper voice coil wire and connecting cord. The behind the neck headband assures maximum comfort and style, and allows for multi-purpose activities, including light sport. Perfect for the street and the commute, these headphones have proven themselves in the market by offering a surprisingly full, open and rich sound, for a fraction of the cost. They’re a critical favourite too, and have never failed anyone who has tried them.
2. Closed Back (… and portable!)
The closed backed headphone creates a seal around the ear – which means anything external is effectively cut out (so, you know, take extra care when crossing the road!) Heavier resonance also means deeper bass response, and a more atmospheric listen. Some liken the closed back headphone to an experience alike to 5.1 (or surround sound) rather than the standard stereo format.
For the closed backs, we’ve gone for…
Yes, it’s another old favourite of ours: the incredibly cool Sennheiser Mometums! Available in both black (with extremely cool super car-style red-stitching – yes we like that sort of thing) and a much more demure brown, these luxurious headphones encapsulate everything that makes modern portable audio technology great and good. Constructed out of the finest quality metal and sheep leather, Sennheiser’s ‘passion for perfection’ is apparent. Much like its minimalist design, Sennhesier have approached the sound engineering with a very purist mentality: clean, uncoloured sound is always best. Nothing unnecessary leaves room for the true sound to shine through – and it’s quite magnificent. Smooth, punchy and refined – in a super cool (closed!) shell.
Maybe you fancy something like this… but wireless. Well, that’s an option too.
3. Wireless (… and portable!)
Wireless harnesses recent advances in Bluetooth, infared and RF (usually just the one at a time) to bring you a listening experience free from tangling wires. Great for in and out of the home.
Our wireless stars are…
Sennheiser really do spoil us for choice in this catagory! But once again, we’ve gone with some slightly older favourites: the Sennheiser MM 550 X Travel Headphones! The MM 550 X are AptX compatible, and offer a host of features designed to help you along on your travels. And with the Noiseguard 2.0, 90% of the background noise is eliminated, helping to encase you in your own stereo-sound bubble, even in the nosiest of settings. An invisible microphone and TalkThrough Technology allows for you to switch seamlessly between audio and phone calls and there are very easy to use controls too. The AptX is aided by SRS WOW HD™ technology, which enhances the sound quality of any track. They’re comfortable, portable and seamless in their delivery. Perfect. These beautiful looking – and sounding – ‘phones compliment the emergence of AptX perfectly. And, like the MM 450s, they’re fully foldable- so extremely transportable. We just love them.
4. Noise-Cancelling Headphones
If you like what the closed backs did – but want that little bit more, you want something that is fully noise cancelling (again, please pay attention with your other senses!) noise cancelling headphones do exactly that: they cancel virtually all external and environmental noise, leaving just you and the music baby.
We’ve gone for the rather charming PSB M4Us as our offering for this segment. These critically acclaimed headphones are designed for people who like to move. Be that on the pavement, on a train or even on a plane! Nothing will get in or out of these incredible noise cancellers – leaving you alone to enjoy a world of incredible sound. These stylish phones are incredibly comfortable and durable, and offer three modes of noise cancellation: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Active Mode, and Passive Mode (without batteries). Listen all day and all night with 55 hours of run time in ANC or Active modes. When you’re out of batteries, switch to Passive Mode without missing a beat. Best of all, they sound as good as any high-end closed back. A really powerful pair of headphones with unlimited potential!
5. In-Earphones (… of course, portable!)
I think you all know what earphones are now… right? Just in case you don’t: these are the simple, easy and storage-friendly alternatives to headphones. Initially they were included with portable music players before those were capable of high-fidelity. Now that there are, the earphones have had to pick up the pace…
And pick up the pace, they did! The Sennheiser IE800s are by no means cheap… but they are pretty darn magnificent! These highest-of-the-high earphones have cleared the boards of awards (multiple times!) and still sit at the top of their game. Precision engineering and cutting edge technology are at the heart of what makes these beauties what they are with a large helping of Sennheiser’s expertise in the field of all things portable and headphone(s). At the heart of the IE800s are several small but invaluable breakthroughs, like the perfected extra wide band (XWB) transducer system. Flaunting a diameter of only 7mm, it is currently the smallest extra wide-band sound transducer available in dynamic ear canal phones and promises distortion-free sound, capable of performing even at high sound pressure levels. And all of that spells a virtually unparalleled quality of sound that we have yet to find a match for.
So, there you have it. A choice from each of the major headphone categories that you can take… outside! So go on, go outside and get some sun, and enjoy some high-fidelity music while you’re at it.
Remember to give us a shout if you need any further recommendations or assistance. These may be our favourites, but there are plenty more like them on the shortlist!