What Kind of Headphones Do You Recommend?
One question we get a lot from NuCalmers is “What headphones do you recommend?”. The answer is, well, it depends! Everyone has different demands from a pair of headphones, from fit, to comfort, to sound quality, making the right decision for you might not be as simple as “off the shelf”, but we’ve created a list of some of our favorites in each category to give you a headstart in looking for the perfect pair for your next NuCalm session (or trip to the gym).
Before we get started, it’s important to remember that not all NuCalm channels require headphones. The audio physics of each channel are different, meaning that some channels are intended for headphones, while others can give you the benefits of NuCalm while played over a Bluetooth speaker. To help keep it all straight, we’ve created this handy graphic for reference.
Best Over-Ear Headphones
We recommend over-ear, noise cancelling headphones for the optimal NuCalm experience. This is simply due to the higher range of high and low frequency response, and the fact that the available noise cancelling technology performs best in this particular class of headphones.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Headphones
AirPods Max
BOSE Noise Cancelling Headphones 700
Best In Ear Headphones (Wired)
For those who prefer traditional wired earbuds.
1MORE Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones (E1010)
1MORE Quad Driver In-Ear Headphones
Best In-Ear Headphones (Wireless)
For comfort and usability, many people prefer in-ear earbuds for their portability. It is important to remember, however, that the speaker driver in most earbud style headphones is incredibly small, and NuCalm’s audio physics relies on delivering a full acoustic experience. We have tested and recommend the following earbuds, but it should be noted that the sound quality of most earbuds is not high quality enough to facilitate a true NuCalm effect.
AirPods Pro
Best Bone Conduction Headphones
Bone conduction is a new category on the market that uses acoustic vibration to deliver sound to your inner ear. Because this type of headphones leaves your ear exposed to external sound, we only recommend using headphones of this type for Ignite, Focus, or DeepSleep Journeys.
Aftershokz - Aeropex Wireless Bone Conduction Open-Ear Headphones
Best Portable Speakers
Portable Bluetooth speakers have saturated the market in the past few years, and it seems like everyone owns at least a few of these convenient accessories, but like traditional speakers, not all portable speakers are created equal. We recommend the following speakers for use with Focus and DeepSleep journeys played ambiently in the background at a level that is comfortable for you.