Topic summary
Earphones
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Headphones.
Earphones
Earphones or, more recently, earbuds are very small headphones that are fitted directly in the outer ear, facing but not inserted in the ear canal. Earphones are portable and convenient, but many people consider them uncomfortable. They provide hardly any acoustic isolation and leave room for ambient noise to seep in; users may compensate by turning up the volume, which, in a noisy environment, increases the risk of hearing loss. On the other hand, they let the user be better aware of their surroundings. Since the early days of the transistor radio, earphones have commonly been bundled with personal music devices. They are sold at times with foam or rubber pads for comfort.