Holiday Gift Guide: Headphones

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Headphones have become the ultimate accessory. A fashion statement for some, a necessity for others, headphones come in all shapes and sizes and the functionality ranges from the most basic to the truly innovative. Here are some headphones well worth considering this holiday season.

Klipsch SA4 Headphones for Android

While iOS devices have compatible headphones by the tonneload,good ' Made for Android' headphones that offer audio volume and music player controls are few and far between. Thankfully, Klipsch has the SA4 Headphones for Android which give users some of the best audio headphones in the market that play nice with many Android smartphones. Here are the features.

• Volume up/down
• Play/pause
• Track forward/track back
• Patented oval ear tips best fit the natural shape of your ear
• Noise-isolating design blocks outside noise

ideal for the Android user in your life, the Klispch SA4's might be sourced from http://www.gentec-intl.com/

 Sennheiser Momentum Headphones

Almost a reaction to all those loudly coloured and plasticky headphones that are so popular today, Sennheiser's elegant and luxury Momentum headphones pump out the tunes with class. 

Sennheiser's Momentum headphones feature a timeless and almost classic design but one that is far more luxurious that its competitors. Using supple and breathable stitched leather for the headband and the earcups, this set gives users a snug yet soft fitting headset that weighs next to nothing. The fit and finish on these headphones is unreal, something one would expect from way more expensive

The Sennheiser Momentum also has a useful articulating audio jack that can be bent 90 degrees so it can fit most devices without any problems. Costing $399, these headphones are some of the bes I've tested this year.

Nokia Purity on ear headphones by Monster

Nokia has no shortage of cool accessories for its Window Phones and the Purity by Monster is a specifc line of  headphones that work well with Nokia Phones (and possibly other Windows Phone 8 smartphones). With bright colours corresponding to some of the Lumia hues, the on hear headphone are comfortable, have a convenient tri-folding feature and have built-in mic and controls for music and calls.

Sound quality is superb, not bass heavy and well defined. I found them to be specifically great for enjoying vocal tracks, music with precise midrange tones and great overall balance.

Apple EarPods

Apple hasn't had a reputation for making outstanding headphones, until now. The Apple EarPods were released with the iPhone 5 and are a result of incredible research into sound science and the anatomyof the human ear. As far as in-hear headphones go, these are probably the best one-size-fits-all models in their $30.00 price range.

Apple says engineers asked more than 600 people to test over 100 iterations of the Apple EarPods. Testers ran on treadmills in extreme heat and extreme cold. They performed various cardio workouts. They were even asked to shake their heads side to side, up and down. 

For iOS users, the EarPods offer full control for taking and making calls and navigating music as well as volume. The built-in microphone is good and the sound coming from the EarPods is surprisingly punchy.