STACK #204 Oct 2021

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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TUNE YOUR TRAINING

Bob Marley famously said, “One good thing about music: when it hits you, you feel no pain”. When it comes to working out accompanied by music, he was bang on the money. Music has been proven to increase work output, intensify concentration, and encourage the body to move. If you work on your fitness, you’ll already know how much music can motivate performance. Headphones and earbuds are perfect solutions for delivering the beats you need when you’re in the zone. However, ear gear designed for exercising differs from what you might traditionally use in the home or on the road, with durability, battery life and water resistance key considerations. With the warm weather upon us and the great outdoors beckoning, getting active for summer with a pair of sports headphones or earbuds will put you on the starting line. This is what you need to know.

IPX what? It doesn’t matter whether it’s

rain or workout perspiration, the earbuds you choose will need to be splashproof at the very least. Every pair of headphones and earbuds will come with either an IPX or an IP rating. IPX relates to the level of water protection and IP to dust. The higher the number, the better the protection, and ratings for consumer technology are generally measured from 0 to 8. If a product is both dust and water resistant, it will be written as IP. So, something with a dust rating of 6 and a water rating of 7 is displayed as IP67. For earbuds or headphones designed for active use, the lowest rating you should accept is IPX4. Everything above that is a bonus.

Getting fit. The right fit, that is Working out generates motion, so a pair of sports headphones or earbuds need to fit well to compensate for that movement. There are two different options – earbuds and on-ear headphones. For runners, earbuds are a solid choice. Some sports earbuds feature additional ‘wings’ that lock the buds into the ear, improving the overall fit and preventing them from coming loose. Sports on-ear headphones clamp tightly to the head, and while they can still be used for running, they’re ideal for more static workouts in the gym or walking. Comfort is also important – maintaining focus during the height of physical exertion is hard enough without worrying about an uncomfortable pair of earbuds or headphones. Generally, earbuds come with different sized silicone tips to accommodate most ear shapes. So, what’s better? Earbuds or headphones? It really comes down to personal preference. It’s best to try them both before you decide.

Wire-free is the way to go True wireless technology eliminates all external wires and connects to a smartphone or smartwatch via Bluetooth, so no wires means no tangling or accidental snagging. A rechargeable battery is fitted into one cup or bud, and volume, play/ pause, or active noise cancellation (ANC) can be configured as either touch or button controls. True wireless connectivity in headphones and earbuds is the ultimate workout partner.

Sound advice Audio is subjective to the listener – what we like will differ from what you might like – but a default setting for many sports-centred earbuds/headphones is an emphasis on the bottom end. The big bass soundscape certainly works in a workout environment, but it isn’t everyone’s jam. Some brands will enable audio refinement via EQ through an accompanying app.

Staying in the zone Active noise cancelling uses tech to reduce background and environmental noise, so you won’t have to worry about that bass-driven dross being piped through the gym speakers ruining your listening experience again. Another neat feature in this space is ambient mode, in which external mics let in a little external noise, making it ideal for runners in built-up areas where traffic can be a potential hazard.

46 OCTOBER 2021

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