There are four main aspect in determining the comfortability of a headphone. These aspects revolve on how customizable a headphone is and the application of force on the head.

The first aspect is the ear cup extension. Not all headphones have this feature, but those that do allow the movement of speakers up and down. This allows the user to find their best fit. If the headphone isn’t able to fit over the user’s ear then there will be a loss of sound production. This can also lead to pain because the earphone is pressing on the edge of the ear.

The second aspect is the clamping force of the headphone. Headphones need to be stay on the head without causing pain with long term use. The headphone shouldn’t be falling off the head with basic movements such as a head shake. It also shouldn’t be choking the head because it will cause pain on soft tissue. Most headphones will be tough at the beginning and requires use to fit such as brand new sneakers. Don’t be afraid to stretch the headphone to loosen the grip.

The third aspect is the size and depth of the ear cup. Ears come in different shapes and sizes and manufacturers have to design around this. The ear cup should fit around the entire ear for best results and comfortability. The depth of the ear cup should allow the user to not feel the speaker. Touching the speaker might be a deal breaker for some and if it doesn’t then there will be discomfort. A headphone should follow human anatomy for best results.

The final aspect is cushioning. Most headphones use foam for cushion. These foams may be memory foam or just standard foam. Typically more foam is better for comfortability. The cushion should allow for air flow and soft springiness. Air flow allows the ear to not feel stuffy and humid, but this may compromise sound quality. The cushion shouldn’t compress and provide some push back against your head. This prevents the ear from touching the hardware.

There are two main types of headphones: circumaural and supra-aural. Circumaural headphones surround the ear with the ear cup. This type of headphone is used to block out outside noise. It’s great for only listening to music without any distractions. It’s usually heavy ranging up to one pound. Thus, mostly professional or enthusiast use this type of headphone.

Supra-Aural headphones press onto the ear. It has more leakage in noise, although it makes up for that in size and weight. The cheap supra-aural headphones tend to be more uncomfortable due to the pressure applied on the ears.

There are also open and closed back headphones. Open back headphones allow for more ambient sound resulting in a more natural sound. This is used by musicians to hear how their music would actually sound. Closed back headphones offer less ambient noise resulting in better bass.

Speakers convert electrical energy into mechanical energy(soundwaves) with magnetism. To understand this process we need answer what is sound. Sound waves are vibrations that pass through a medium. These vibrations are measured in cycles or frequencies(Hertz). High pitched sound has higher frequencies and vice versa. We can hear sound when the sound waves hit our eardrums which convert the energy into electrical signals into our brain. Humans can hear from the range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and the diaphragms in the speakers vibrate in this range to produce audible sound.

Most headphones use the moving coil design to produce vibrations in the diaphragm. Electromagnetic induction states that when electrical current goes through a conductor a magnetic field develops around it. This force field interacts with the magnet in the speaker to produce an oscillating motion between the voice coil and diaphragm. So when electrical signal is passed into the headphone a magnetic field is created which interacts with the magnet. The magnets cause the voice coil to move up and down creating vibrations on the diaphragm.

There are other methods to produce vibrations with the diaphragm. All these methods involve magnets and a diaphragm.

Most headphones are made of five parts. The most noticeable part is the headband. The headband serves to connect the two speakers and provide comfort while securely holding the headphone to the head. Most headbands also have extensions that allow you customize the position of the speakers. The most important part is the speakers that allow you to hear audio through electrical signals. Cushions cover the side of the speakers to provide comfort to the users. The cable and headphone jack allow for the transfer of electric signals to the speakers.