How to pick the best ASMR headphones?
There are hundreds of different headphones out there, making your search for the best headphones for listening to ASMR even more difficult. But with our help, you can shortlist the best options and weigh them against each other to see which one suits your needs. Our ASMR headphones reviews are designed to help you make the right choice.
Type
When selecting a pair of ASMR headphones, you can choose between two types of headphones: in-ear and over-the-ear. Both types have their pros and cons. For instance, in-ear headphones, such as the Shure SE215-K, are compact and can be worn anywhere and anytime without any hassle or discomfort. On the other hand, over-the-ear headphones, like the Sennheiser HD 599, are relatively bigger, and since they are wrapped over the head, they are easily visible and thus can’t be used as freely as you would want.
Over-the-ear headphones are further divided into two types: closed-back and open-back. In closed-back headphones, you would see the outer part enclosed in a piece of metal or plastic. Open-back headphones have the outer part open or free.
The major difference between the two is that closed-back headphones provide more sound isolation and noise cancellation than open-back headphones, which tend to release the sound out.
Sensitivity
Sensitivity is another factor that comes into play when considering buying ASMR headphones. It measures how loud the headphones can output a sound at a certain power level. If you compare two different headphones at a power level of one milliwatt, the headphone with a greater output also has more sensitivity.
However, you shouldn’t rely solely on the sensitivity levels of the headphones you are pitting against each other. This is because all headphone manufacturers measure sensitivity using different methods. Therefore, it might be hard to find any consistency between these ratings. You should consider headphones with a sensitivity rating in the 90-110 gap since that is neither too high nor too low.
Impedance
While evaluating ASMR headphones, or any headphones for that matter, one of the key factors is impedance. It measures the power your headphones will need before they can output a sound that the human ears can pick up. Impedance is measured in ohms and also refers to the volume level at which you can start hearing the sound from your headphones.
You would want to select headphones with greater impedance, but be careful. If you are plugging them into a smartphone, the phone might not be able to generate enough power to output a decent sound from the headphones.
Frequency response
All types of sound and music have a certain frequency for output, and frequency response refers to the range of frequencies that a particular set of headphones can reproduce or output. Typically, audiophiles prefer headphones with flat frequency response, i.e., headphones that don’t alter the levels of bass, middle, and treble too much, such as the Sony WH1000XM3. This will help you hear each sound clearly and as naturally as possible, which is one of the basic aims of ASMR. Headphones that fiddle with the frequencies too much or tend to change their levels end up projecting sound with a few frequencies muted out.
Connectivity
Another major factor to consider when choosing the best headphones to listen to ASMR is the headphones’ connectivity, which refers to whether the headphones have Bluetooth or wired connectivity. Some headphones come with Bluetooth and wired connectivity, such as the Beats Solo3, and you can alternate between the two as your usage demands. Getting Bluetooth headphones seems wise, as it allows you to be free from tangling wires and also allows you to work and move around while using them.
However, Bluetooth headphones come with battery charging, and if you often forget to charge your devices, you will have trouble keeping them ready for use. On the other hand, wired headphones come with different types of jacks, but the most common ones are 3.5mm and 6.3mm jacks. Since you will be mostly using the headphones with your smartphone or laptop, you can do well with the 3.5mm jack.
Size and weight
The size and weight of the ASMR headphones you choose play a major role in your selection if you wear them for a longer period or all day.
For instance, if you wear your headphones for more than 4 hours each day, your ears will certainly start to hurt if you choose bulky or heavy headphones. Mostly, in-ear headphones are compact and hardly have any weight.
However, if you have your heart set on buying over-the-ear headphones, be sure to check whether their headband is adjustable or not and also whether the earmuffs are big enough to fit your ears comfortably. Otherwise, you will end up having a painful listening experience.
Comfort
Comfort refers to how good or easy you feel when you wear your headphones. Since you will be listening to ASMR for concentration, relaxation, or sleep, you will need to be as comfortable as possible.
You should choose headphones that are big enough to fit around your head or in your ears easily or are adjustable. If you opt for in-ear phones, check whether the earbuds are not too big or hard.
Durability
Last but not least, you should also consider durability when buying the best ASMR headphones. Since you are spending quite a lot of money to buy these headphones, you should be confident that they will last long. Otherwise, your investment isn’t safe at all, and you will have to buy a new pair of headphones eventually. Therefore, you should always check the materials from which the body or cables of the headphones are made. This way, you will be able to ascertain how durable they actually are.
What else can be important?
The aforementioned features are extremely important when buying the best headphones to listen to ASMR. However, you can consider some value-added features while buying headphones. One key feature is touch controls on your headphones, such as with the Bose 700. Typically, you would find these on over-the-ear closed-back headphones and in-ear Bluetooth earbuds. This feature is handy if you listen to ASMR while outside or doing your chores.
It’s always a good idea to check whether the headphones are foldable or come in a carrying case, and this is particularly important if you travel a lot.
Prices
The prices for ASMR headphones greatly vary, but we can make a safe estimate for it to lie between $30 and $350. If you consider buying in-ear headphones, you can find them for as low as $30, with the TOZO T10 being a great example here that features a Bluetooth connection.
On the other hand, over-the-ear headphones are more costly, with some high-end options like Sony WH1000XM3 available for $350. The wired variants are still less expensive, whereas the wireless headphones cost more.
Generally, you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get great quality headphones for listening to ASMR. But you can’t go wrong if you can set aside $250-300 for this purpose.