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Listen Up! Videomaker's Headphones Buyer's Guide

Silent movies went out of fashion with The Jazz Singer in 1927. Since then, sound has been important to nearly all productions. So, unless you're looking to be the next Chaplin (who made most of his films in silence, long after the introduction of talkies), it's important to ensure clean, crisp sound for your productions. You can ensure that quality through the use of headphones.

The choice of headphones is important. Like shoes or a good suit, fit is more important than looks. An ill-fitting set of headphones is not only uncomfortable; it lessens your ability to hear the more subtle variations in sound and unwanted bits of audio or to confirm high-quality audio for a top-shelf production.

Even the cheapest set of headphones is better than the small manufacturer-supplied speaker on the side of the camera. Check to see if your camera has a headphone jack on the side. Not sure? Check the manual. As with any MP3 player, plug in the headphones and give a listen. You'll be surprised at exactly what you'll hear - and won't hear. Sounds you would never expect come filtering through the silence, and sounds you're certain would overwhelm all other audio may be quite subtle. Headphones allow the wearer to know exactly what sounds are entering the camera for recording.

Headphones also make it easier for the user to determine when there's a problem with a camera-connected microphone. The headphone wearing camera person can immediately correct static, dropouts, over-modulation, too-low levels and excessive ambient sound. The poor soul without headphones is doomed to discover his poor audio hours after the event is over, and correction is at the mercy of the computer software in his editing program - if it can be fixed at all. Ever try to remove a screaming teenager using software?

Hundreds, even thousands of choices dot the retail landscape. But what really matters is the pair that works for you. Test drive many, many kinds - take along your favorite MP3 player and try them on.

The primary consideration when buying a set of headphones is sound quality. Despite impressive specifications, your opinion is the defining factor. Unlike speakers, headphones lack a speaker's ability to work with the space of the room and even act upon the unique shape of the listener's head to change the perception of sounds. So, it's important to choose the set that suit your needs the best.

Headphones feed audio directly into the ear canal, bypassing the room and head effect that external speakers normally exploit, and affect each person's sensitivity to the same sound. So, one set of headphones ideal for person A may be a horrible choice for person B, based simply on head size!

The next priority is fit-and-feel, according to you and your opinion. Even the finest headphones are useless if they're uncomfortable. Uncomfortable headphones are likely to remain unworn. In over-the-ear models, check for the seal over the ears to block out unwanted noises. Trying to listen to your child's recital over your talking neighbors is far easier when you can block them out with well-sealed headphones. Conversely, a poor seal will block out little to no extraneous noise. Some models are too tight on larger heads or may not seal properly on smaller ones.