Are Expensive Headphones Really Worth It?
If you’re stuck in Cubicle Nation, then you’ve probably discovered the value of a good pair of headphones by now. Whether they are for blasting techno while working that insanely boring project or sneaking in a youtube video, headphones have become a must-have in the office place. For those allowed to use headphones at work, being able to escape from the numerous annoying sounds produced by a common workspace to either quiet bliss or streaming music has literally become part or our focusing process. Without headphones pumping sick 80’s tunes in my ears half the day, my mind would easily wander another 10-15 times during the workday. Furthermore, headphones are great because they offer a little bit of privacy in the otherwise very public cubicle landscape. People are less likely to come over to your cube when they see you with headphones on. For these reasons and others, headphones have truly become a cube necessity – the question is are the expensive headphones really worth their price tag?
The set of headphones I’m specifically looking at is the Bose Quiet Comfort series. Bose is aggressively pushing these new headphones for the meager sum of $350. Does anyone out there have these or other high end headphones? If so what are your thoughts?
My current headphones are pretty inexpensive($35) and I don’t really have any complaints. I just looked online and for under $50 dollars, one can choose from a dozens of what appear to be decent headphones. So I’m wondering what does Bose offer that is worth 10x the price?
January 8th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Yes, good headphones are really worth it if you are in a cube!!!
Good ones sound better, and often they are larger and fit on the head using less tension. I wear glasses, so this is really important to me. Cheap (or small) headphones sandwich my ears between the headphone and my glasses and give me very bad headaches.
Also consider a DAC (digital audio converter) and a headphone amplifier.
I have a pair of Beyerdynamic DT880s and a Fubar III DAC/headphone amplifier combination. I love them both dearly.
You can go totally crazy with it (check out headphones.com) but I think $200 to $500 invested in good headphones is well worth it.
Just be sure not to roll over the cord with your chair!
-jacob
December 19th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I had a cheapish pair of over the ear Sony headphones my husband bought to replace my iPod pair. When those weren’t doing the trick I picked up a pair of Skull Candy sound isolating earphones. They now come with tiny (ie: child size) silicone ear parts, so they fit my ears very, very well. I listen at barely visible volume– one little turn and I can’t hear the sound– extending the battery volume and it’s better for my hearing (more targeted sound on the ear drum= less volume needed for sound). I would suggest getting an additional control for volume if you have problems with the iPod wheel.
People tell me that I am so into my work that they didn’t want to bother me, the earphones are always mentioned. It really does impress that you want to zone out. I’m the go-to person in the office, so getting anything done can be an issue. Frequently I’ll have to let my boss know that I’m going to hide in the file room to write a press release or work on a project. They really help me get my work done (Mom, you were wrong!).
Best part? I paid $9.99 for them. I just wish that they did not have a y split, otherwise they are perfect!