Best Headphones for Studying In-Ear Edition

The debate between overhead headphones and in-ear headphones (also known as earbuds) has been going on since the release of the in-ear headphones in 2001.  There have even been threads that spanned over 8 years debating which form of mobile listening device is better.  While the internet may not have come to a decision, they have concluded that each have their own perks.

Why In-Ear Headphones for Studying

In-ear headphones are much lighter than their bulky counterparts.  Because of this, carrying them around is a lot easier if you don’t have room in your backpack, or just want to store them away quickly.  You’ll find that the ease of packing and unpacking these headphones  to be a blessing in college, the time when your headphones are basically glued to your ears while you are studying, surfing the web, or playing video games.  For that same reason, the in-ear headphones are better for people who can’t tolerate having thick headphones squeezing their ears for too long.  If you are studying for 3 hours, listening to your favorite music, and have a bulky piece of plastic on your head, you will definitely feel the effects when you take them off.  Your ears will feel raw and your neck will feel slightly stiffer than when you first sat down — and that is all the side-effect of the overhead headphones.

Our Favorite In-Ear Headphones

Now this isn’t to say that overhead doesn’t have some of its own perks, such as improved bass and overall sound quality, but when it comes to studying, earbuds are number one.  Here are a list of the top 5 earphones for studying, based on their longevity (we all know headphones tend to die quickly), price, practicality, and overall sound quality.

1) Panasonic RPHJE120K In-Ear headphone

The Panasonic RPHJE120K isn’t on this list because of excessive features, but simply because it does its job well at a very reasonable price.  These headphones last a long time for a very reasonable price.  You can find them anywhere from $3 to $8, depending on where and when you look, so even if you’re a poor college student, you will always be able to afford a pair of headphones for quiet, peaceful studying.  A feature these In-Ear headphones share with all great earbuds is the bonus package for extra earbud fixtures to fit any sized ear.  These make a very big difference — if you’re going to be sitting with them in your ear for more than 2 hours, you’re going to want them to fit very well.  Also, do to their slick and lightweight nature, if the buds fit comfortably, you won’t even notice them there after a long period of time.

Another feature that some may find lacking, but others find to be exactly what they need, is the cable length.  The cable length is 1.2 meters long, which is the perfect length for going straight from our pockets or our computers, to our ears.  We’ve all dealt with the headphones with and excess amount of wire.  It’s never fun having to put extra wire in your pocket or letting it hang all the way to your knee caps.  It also isn’t fun trying to untangle it every time you move locations.  But it also isn’t fun having to put your face closer to the screen while you work.  If you have ever used a 24 inch cable, you will know that the length of the wire isn’t always the same, and that having the perfect length wire can make all the difference.

So, the Panasonic PH-HJE120 offers:

• Perfect length wire
• Comfortable, replaceable earbud cushions.
• Affordability
• And while we did not mention it, the sound is top notch for its price, and the noise cancellation is better than most headphones two or three times its price.

And this is only our fifth best headphone selection.

2)  Original Gold Xiaomi 2nd Piston Earphone Ii Headphone Earbud

The Gold Xiaomi is the perfect headphone / headset for a college student due to it’s quality / price ratio.  With a sleek gold look and a very light body, it’s hard to not look great while wearing these earbuds.  But appearance aside, the features on this headset will please any college student.  The Xiaomi shares the Panasonics 1.2 meter cable which means it won’t be too much or too little when you need to just sit down and study.

Going up the cable, we see the headset and in-line remote, designed to control Android devices.  While it may not work for iPhone, it is 100% compatible with Android, as opposed to being just 75% compatible with both.  This may throw some people off from buying it, but for the rest of you, having a 100% compatible in-line remote is something you won’t realize you want until after you try it.  Having the ability to pause whatever you are listening to, mute or unmute your microphone or speaker,, answer or decline a call, and switch your music or volume, all with the touch of a few buttons next to your shoulder, is a blessing.  Imagine yourself sitting in yourself sitting in a dead silent classroom while taking an exam, and then your phone stops vibrating.  Rather than punching your pocket until you press the right button to decline the call, you can press the button on the inline remote to decline the call before anyone even realizes it’s you.

Now for the actual studying part.  The noise cancellation on these earbuds are fabulous because, as most earbuds do, they fit completely into your ear to block any sound from coming in.  These headphones will come with 3 sets of spare buds of different sizes, so you can always fun a bud for your ear, no matter their size.  They are also very comfortable; because of their lightweight, you will barely notice them in your ear after you find that perfect fit — then you wont’ be able to hear a thing or feel a thing and will be able to study in peace.

With the gold plated Xiaomi you get:

• Great sound to keep out distractions and focus on what you want to hear.
• Comfortable and light headset that lets you work for hours without even realizing it’s there.
• A quick and easy in-line remote to control your phone and audio with a push of button.
• Great price for the features you get, with them selling on Amazon for only $25.

3) Zipbuds JUICED 2.0 Earbuds

The Zipbuds JUICED 2.0 are known for their extreme comfort and ability to stay tangle free thanks to their zipper wire technology.  They sport a nice angled earbud shape in order to fit into your ear without having to be jammed in, so that you might not even need to change the ear canal cushions.  The cushions are also made of a smooth, gel like head that allow them to stick much easier in your ear, and feel much softer than other earbuds.  This extra comfort allows you to keep them on for hours without getting the sore ear feeling.

They also have a very powerful bass (for earbuds) and crystal clear sound so that all music will sound perfect.  While the noise cancellation isn’t the strongest, if you are already in a quiet study environment and just want to listen to soothing or upbeat music, you will want a pair of these.  They are also tangle free and very lightweight which make convenient to carry around.  Overall, these headphones aren’t amazing at any one thing, but are really great at all things.  Comfortable, attractive, and cheap enough for a college student.  These headphones have everything you would want when you don’t know what you want.

With the Zipbuds, you will find

• A very comfortable in-ear feeling that you won’t find often
• A zipper wire that keeps your headphones tangle free
• A lightweight design so you won’t even notice it whether you’re sitting down or on he go.
• A very modest price for such a great product.

4) Sennheiser CX 300 II Precision Enhanced Bass Earbuds

The Sennheiser CX 300 II Precision Enhanced Bass Earbuds are great for the people that really like to be isolated.  The ones who have noisy roommates or neighbors, but don’t want to make a trek all the way to the library at midnight.  The Sennheiser CX 300 II is known for it’s great bass and noise cancellation.  Using these headphones, you can be sure that you will hear only what is playing on your playlist, podcast, or Skype chat.

The bass also helps some people study better.  In college, a lot of people knock themselves down before an exam, making it hard for them to retain any of the information, ultimately causing themselves to fail.  With a boost of confidence that can come from a song with good bass, one that isn’t too strong or too weak, you can pump yourself up and improve your ability to face challenges head on.  The NPR case study focused on athletic performance, but it has been shown to be seen in all areas of life — school included.  Also, because they are just earbuds and not full on, super powerful headsets, the bass is at a tolerable level that keeps your brain active rather than killing it through sound.

These Sennheiser CX300 headphones give you:

• Isolated sound that keep you focused
• A strong bass to activate your brain and improve your confidence
• SUPER Light weight (.3 oz)
• Extra fit in ear canal cushions to improve comfort for long study sessions
• Asymmetrical cable to reduce tangling and to save time.

5) Symphonized NRG Premium Genuine Wood In-Ear Noise-Isolating Headphones with Mic

These headphones are the real deal.  They are the best you can get for their price of $25, and will please you no matter what you are looking for.  Out of all of these In-Ear headphones, these ones will deliver the best sound, proving to balance a good amount of bass with crystal clear sound quality.  Using a gold-plated audio jack, it ensures no sound is loss through your connection.  If you have ever experienced the shifting audio when moving your wire, you will know that the connection jacks are very important.  The Symphonized NRG headphones also have better acoustic performance than other headphones, which will give your music a different feel.  If you are someone that likes to study while listening to the highest quality of music, without having to pay hundreds of dollars, these headphones are right for you.

The headphones also come with a microphone so that you are able to answer calls and pause music without having to take out your phone and distracting yourself from your studies.  Far too often, students take their eyes off their work for one second and lose track of where they were completely.   The silicone hear buds also provide a super comfortable fit while reducing noise.

These headphones are similar to the Zipbuds, in that they are great at everything.  But the NRGs don’t have any tangleproof mechanic, while the Zipbud has a really strong one.  So why is this one rated higher?  These Symphonized NRG headphones have a much better sound — one that you would expect for a $150 headset, not a $25 one.  While studying to music is preferential and can either help you or harm you, depending on the type of person you are, if you are going to do it anyway, you should listen to something that sounds real, you would think it was playing in the same room as you.  That type of music is the music that will increase the activity in your brain.

So with these Symphonized NRG headphones, you will get:

• A sound befitting of $150 headphones.
• A great acoustic and refereshing sound that will make you feel like you’re living in the music.
• A noise reducer to close out all the sounds you don’t want to hear.
• A comfortable fit in your ear so you won’t notice them even after long periods of time (as you can probably tell by now, comfort is an important part to being able to study with headphones)
• A price worthy of a poor high school or college student that needs to study.

 

Tell us what you think about it when you do, and comment below!