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In this post we’ll take a closer look at sports headphones. I promise you that if you spend 5 minutes reading this post, you’ll be ready to enjoy great sound during all your future workouts!
Sport and music go hand in hand—it’s just the way it is. But poor sound and fit can quickly ruin the whole experience. In this post, I’ve put together a number of different points that will prepare you to make the right choice when you’re buying new headphones!
🤔 What should you consider?
When buying new headphones, many questions may arise. Should they be wireless, are they waterproof, and much more can be part of the considerations before buying.
Below we’ve compiled a few different points with things you should consider before buying:
🏃🏽♀️💨 With or without ear hooks
An important factor in getting the most out of your new headphones is that they fit well and stay in place. How you want your headphones to fit is very individual, which is why different solutions are made.
If you choose a set of headphones with ear hooks, the headphones will mainly stay in place thanks to a hook that goes over the ear. This ensures a secure fit and also ensures that the headphones cannot fall off.
If you don’t want ear hooks around the ear, luckily there are also plenty of models without them. While headphones with ear hooks hang on the ear itself, most wireless headphones without ear hooks stay in place using small “fins” that use the shape of the ear to wedge themselves in. Just like with ear hooks, this isn’t for everyone, so it’s important that you try things out and find the solution that suits you best.
🔌 Cable or not
Some models of sports headphones are made with a cable, others are wireless. But even if they are wireless headphones, there may still be a cable between the two earpieces.
Some will think this feature is really great. Most headphones that have a cable between them often have a small clip that makes it easy to attach them to clothing. In addition, these will also often have a remote control that makes it easy to turn the volume up and down, start and stop the music, and at the same time includes a microphone, so you don’t have to stop your workout to answer phone calls.
Others, on the other hand, will just find the cable annoying, and luckily for them there are also plenty of “true wireless” headphones where the cable has been removed entirely!
🔊 Frequency range
Different tones have different frequencies. In short, frequency means the number of vibrations the sound wave that hits the eardrum makes. The lower the number, the deeper the sound.
Typically, the frequency ranges will be divided like this:
- Bass: 0-800 Hz
- Midrange: 800-4,000 Hz
- Treble: 4,000 - 20,000
Keep this in mind when you’re looking for headphones!
If you listen to a lot of bass-heavy music such as hip-hop or EDM, you should consider headphones that go very low in frequency (20-30 Hz). If, on the other hand, you listen to classical music, you should choose a set of headphones that is strong in the mid and treble ranges. Do you maybe listen to podcasts? Then choose a set of headphones that performs well between 100 and 250 Hz, where the typical human voice frequency lies.
💦 IPX rating
It’s almost unavoidable that your headphones will be exposed to moisture or water when you use them for sports. That’s why it’s a good idea to check whether your headphones are IPX-rated.
IPX is a standard for how waterproof/water-resistant a product is. As a rule of thumb, a higher IPX rating means better protection against water and sweat.
Below you can find a list of IPX ratings and what they mean:
- IPX0: Not protected against water
- IPX1: Protected against vertically falling water drops.
- IPX2: Protected against vertically falling water drops if the product has a maximum tilt of 15 degrees.
- IPX3: Protected against rain.
- IPX4: Protected against splashing.
- IPX5: Protected against water jets.
- IPX6: Protected against powerful water jets.
- IPX7: Protected against immersion in water down to a depth of 1 metre for up to 30 minutes.
- IPX8: Protected against prolonged immersion in water. The exact specifications are provided by the manufacturer.
👂 Replaceable ear tips
Most in-ear headphones come with different sizes of ear tips. This is to ensure a tight seal in the ear and deliver the best sound reproduction. No two ears are the same, which is why it’s great to be able to swap the ear tips. In addition, the detachable ear tips make it easy to wash them after use.
Do yourself a favour when you get your new headphones, and try the different sizes. You will quickly find that both sound and fit change dramatically when you find the exact size that fits you!
🎵 Examples of sports headphones
The budget-conscious choice: Audio-Technica ATH-SPORT1
With their ATH-SPORT1, Audio-Technica has created a great-value sports earphone for those who want good sound at a low price. The earphones are equipped with ear hooks with a swivel hinge that makes it easy to get them to sit comfortably in the ear. ATH-SPORT1 is IPX5-certified and easily handles rain and sweat, so you can also use them outdoors when the weather is bad!
✅ Advantages:
- Ear hooks ensure they stay in place during activity
- IPX5-certified
- Replaceable ear tips
💰 Price: 199,-
Wireless at a sharp price: Phillips SHB4305
Phillips has created a sleek wireless in-ear sports headphone with their SHB4305! Phillips SHB4305 gives you 6-8 hours of playback time per charge. On the cable you’ll find both a clip to securely attach the earphones to your clothing, as well as a remote control from which you can control multiple functions completely wirelessly such as: turning the volume up and down, answering calls, etc. In addition, SHB4305 is IPX4-certified and therefore withstands water and sweat.
A really great set of sports earphones for the price if you, like me, aren’t the world’s best at taking care of your things and they can take a bit of a beating on the go, and shouldn’t be too expensive to replace!
✅ Advantages:
- 6-8 hours of playback on a single charge
- Withstands sweat and rain
- USB charging
💰 Price: 399,-
Mid-range for everyday use: Pioneer SE-C8TW
Pioneer SE-C8TW is for you if you want good quality, but also at a decent price! The wireless earbuds deliver great sound, are IPX5-certified, and offer many wireless features. The included charging case provides up to 15 hours of playback, and gives you 1 extra hour of playback time with just 15 minutes of charging, so you never run out of power on the go—practical for a busy everyday life!
✅ Advantages:
- Excellent sound with deep Bass
- IPX5-certified
- Built-in microphone
💰 Price: 799,-
Top quality for the discerning: Marley Redemption ANC
With their Redemption ANC, Marley has created a set of headphones that, besides being functional, also look great! Marley Redemption ANC gives you 7 hours of playback and 3 additional charges when using the included charging case. Marley Redemption ANC is water and sweat resistant, so you can use them in all training scenarios.
On top of all this, Marley Redemption ANC also has active noise cancelling. This means that all sounds around you are blocked out, a feature I personally enjoy when you're in a noisy gym or out on a windy run!
✅ Advantages:
- Water and sweat resistant
- Up to 28 hours of playback on a single charge
- Active noise cancelling
💰 Price: 1699,-
