O.K. Now you've finally purchased your beloved iPod and your ready to listen to some tunes. Unfortunately the headset that came with it are for crap! Who wants to waste their time listening to poor audio on an expensive iPod. You want gear that will match the quality of your iPod and offer the best sound quality possible. Good news is there is a HUGE selection of quality headphones. A wide range of styles, quality, and prices. Don't waste your time with the crap missing out on what music should sound like. Don't be afraid to try something new and know that mixing brands is o.k.. When it is time to shop for headphones consider the following.

Fit: Fit can make a huge difference in terms of sound quality believe it or not. Ear bud headphones fit into the ear canal but don't enclose the ear as a result of this other sounds can interfere with what your listening to. In turn ear bud users turn up the volume which damages the ears. Ear buds can also be rather uncomfortable. This type of headphone is the kind that came with your iPod.

An excellent alternative to ear buds are the enclosed model of earphones with padding. This type of headphone contains what is called a dynamic transducer, and in my opinion offers the best type of audio listening experience. Another type of headphones is headsets that fit tightly on the head or wrap around the head DJ style.

Another alternative are the Canal Phones. These are designed to fit comfortably inside the ear canal and provide better sound with more isolation and good bass. Canal phones are considered to be more effective and safer than other headphones. They are able to eliminate most of the external noise. Which in turn means you won't have to turn up the volume in order to hear it, reducing the possibility of hearing loss. The lesson here is find headphones that block external noise, then you won't have to turn up your volume!

A nifty feature on some enclosed headphones is a noise cancellation feature. This is used when there is a hissing, or you can hear external noises which lessens your listening experience. All you have to do is flip a switch to take advantage of this feature. The background noise will be cancelled out and all you hear is sweet music to your ears!

Wireless headphones are also another great feature available for people on the go who don't want to be “tied down”. The one draw back is wireless headphones usually have a small broadcasting range. Try and find one that offers a good range so you can wander far and wide!