Headphones don't have to be huge, over-the-ear affairs (but they can be - more on that later!). Small in-the-ear "buds" can be nearly as effective. Commonly seen as the standard headphones for MP3 players, these headphones use tiny transducers to reproduce sound in the ear canal. Problems arise when the earbuds don't fit well in the wearer's canal. Loose-fitting earbuds can be annoying and diminish sound quality to the point of uselessness. Some folks (like me) can't really get a good fit using earbuds. Many manufacturers provide different sizes of the gel-like ear plug covers to press onto the ear buds to fit more ears snugly.

Not always cheap, earbuds are available in a very wide range of prices, sometimes into the hundreds of dollars. Most are less than $100 and reproduce sound quite well. They're convenient because they're small, which means you're more likely to carry them with you and to use them. They have the benefit of almost no bulk and are less likely to get in the way during awkward or crowded movement. Also, they're less visible than the other choices presented here and may make the wearer less conscious in a social setting.

Although earbuds are some of the most common headphones, there may be a time when you need a better way to monitor sound quality or the budget forces a single choice in headphones for multiple applications. Mid-sized headphones used to be the most common type when cassette players ruled the world. Usually found with sponge-foam ear pads, they fit over the head and press lightly against the ear, enhancing sound quality. Higher-end versions may have a vinyl-covered, foam-filled "doughnut" instead of plain foam, to better seal the ear and block out outside noise pollution. This type is a step up from the earbuds, but it lacks the studio-monitor quality of its big brother. It has the advantage of offering relatively light weight, better ambient sound sealing against the ear and higher frequency response. As with its little brother the earbud, you often get what you pay for, and higher priced models often have better response on the extreme ends of the audio spectrum.

Mid-sized earphones are less convenient than earbuds. However, some models can fold up into a very small package for storage, and others fit behind the neck instead of the conventional over-the-head style. A few hang over the ear and appear to be oversized earbuds. These hybrid models can be hit and miss in the fit department, however.

The top of the headphone food chain is occupied by the stereotypical huge over-the-ears headset that studio engineers, video production sound recordists and some musicians use to make their livelihood. Heavy, bulky and top-of-the-line expensive, they're also the best available when it comes to blocking out exterior sound, reproducing low bass notes and high-frequency response. Not conveniently portable, they're an excellent choice for an editing suite or to keep speaker noise from waking the family. They also allow the editor to pick out audio irregularities that wouldn't otherwise be audible and to eliminate them as a source of distraction.

Not at all portable, they don't store conveniently, and they take up a good amount of space. However, the audio-quality plusses more than make up for the convenience minuses. They reproduce low-bass and high-frequency tones with crystal clarity. So, if the audio you're listening to is somehow muddled or of poor quality, chances are it's not the headphones, and there's a problem that needs addressing in the video or editor.