Now hear this: Headphones make easy gift

Headphones are hot.

Through September, 40.4 million of the audio accessories were sold this year, up an impressive 25 percent from the same period last year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. And that doesn't even include the headphones that came with the millions of iPods and other MP3 players sold so far in 2008.

In fact, the middling "earphones" that Apple includes with its ubiquitous iPod models are one reason headphone sales have boomed. Many people want something that sounds better and fits more comfortably, said Kristen Schaub, a headphone expert for online audiovisual retailer Crutchfield (www. crutchfield.com).

Finding headphones that also look cool and fashionable are surely another reason. That's especially true among teens, who ranked headphones among the top items on their electronics wish list (along with laptops and cell phones) in a recent CEA study.

Here are tips from Schaub, Consumer Reports and others on selecting headphones, whether buying them for yourself or as a gift.

Choose for your needs. What will you be doing most while using your headphones? Listeners who are jogging or working out at the gym, for example, should consider lighter models that won't slip, such as those with around-the-ear clips or custom-fit in-the-ear plugs. Travelers should go for noise-canceling headphones that eliminate outside noises, or at least models that reduce it.

Find something comfortable. I prefer over-the-ear headphones instead of in-the-ear models, but many people love the latter. There are also all kinds of choices in between -- on the ear, clips, earbuds and variations. Finding what's right for you might require experimenting. Which brings us to ...

Look for accessories. Some in-the-ear headphones come with different-size plugs to fit your ear canal better. Some include adapters to switch between the mini-plugs needed for portable players and the larger plugs used on home components.

Look for respected brands. There are hundreds of models of headphones, but certain brands, such as Sennheiser and Sony, continually excel. Others include Koss, JVC, Philips, Radius and V-Moda in the low- to mid-price range and Shure and Bose on the high end.

Listen safely. Hearing loss is a real threat to those exposed to too-loud volumes for a prolonged period on headphones. One maker, iHearSafe, has a solution. (See sidebar.) The CEA also offers tips for safe listening at www.digitaltips.org/audio/audiosafety.asp.

Do some research. The January issue of Consumer Reports rates noise-canceling headphones, with the in-the-ear Panasonic RP-HC55 ($100) and the over-the-ear Bose QuietComfort 2 ($300) coming out on top. Consumer Reports also offers an online headphones buying guide (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/electronics-computers/audio-video/headphones/headphone-guide/index.htm), as do the highly regarded CNET (reviews.cnet.com/headphone-buying-guide) and Crutchfield (www.startribune.com/a/?4597).