You wouldn't take your sports car off-roading, neither would you race your pickup truck around an oval against NASCAR drivers. It's a no brainer'you use the right equipment for the right job.

For recreational audio enjoyment (like listening to music or chatting on your cell phone with friends), there are several different kinds of head phones you can choose from, but just a few that will do the job you want them to do. We'll look at some of the more common uses for headphones and give some suggestions as to which headphone might be the right one for you.

When you are simply hanging out and relaxingon your own or with friendsa regular set of headphones is probably appropriate: by regular, we mean ones that are commonly found in music or electronic stores and are fairly affordable. Often these are in the earbud style, which means they are small speakers that fit into your ear and connect with a cord that either goes over your head in a headband or (more commonly today) are connected under your chin at your neck to your ipod. These are appropriate for casual use because they don't block out outside sound so that if your friends decide to go to the mall, you won't be left bopping to the music because you can't hear them. These are also good if you are out on a bike ride, for example, and want to be able to hear the traffic noise but still enjoy music. These same earphones can be appropriate, with a microphone, for your cell phone.

Audiophiles (which is a phrase derived from Greek to mean lovers of sound) are people with a real passion for music. If that describes you, it probably means that you have a serious sound system at home. You will want headphones that perhaps have their own amplifier and you will definitely want noise canceling headphones. Noise canceling headphones are usually closed back headphones with padding around the side and fit over the entire ear. They use special circuitry and electronics, as well as insulation, to block out exterior noise. Obviously these kind of headphones are only appropriate in a music theatre style of home entertain systems. They're also good if you want to watch a move but have to keep the sound down because other people want it quiet in the house.

Video gaming is increasing in popularity as computer games and game systems compete for you to race or fight villains or play sports on the screen. Headphones are great for this because it not only keeps the game from disturbing those around you, it also allows you to hear elements of the game that could be lost because of background noises or the way your room deadens that sound. (One example is in first person shooter games, where headphones might allow you to hear footsteps coming up behind you).

Remember that your enjoyment of sound is best kept turned slightly down. Don't turn the music up all the way as permanent hearing loss can result from listening to music too loudly.