What kind of headphones (or ear buds) should I be using?

Weigh the pros and cons when choosing headphones that go over the ear versus ear buds that fit inside the ear (also know as ear phones). The standard open-type ear buds may results in a need to increase the volume to hear music over background noise at a gym, for instance.  Headphones with some type of noise canceling or sound isolation work well to allow enjoyment of music at safe, lower levels, without interference from background noise.

One compromise: ear buds with soft tips that are sound isolating, so you can enjoy full ousnd at lower, safer levels. They can also be inexpensive. But keep in mind that using any kind of headphone or ear bud can be risky during situations where hearing is necessary for safety, such as when running or biking.

HEADPHONES
Brands: Shure, Sony, Extreme Isolation. These are great for stage, studio recording, or listening to music.

HEADPHONES THAT BLOCK OUT SOUND
Brands: Peltor, especially Peltor Kid Ear Muffs for teens at concerts. Also Aearo/EAR offers at good, sound-dampening headphone.

NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES
Brands: Bose, Sony, Logitech, JVC, Able Planet. Volume levels can be kept lower since ambient noise, such as from an airplane engine, is reduced. The cost is a bit more than standard headphones. They aren't recommended for professional musicians because they alter sound signals.

EAR BUDS
Brands: Future Sonics, Shure, Westone, Ultimate Ears, Monster, Etymotic Research, JH Audio, Sensaphonics, Senniheiser. The universal fit models offered by these companies offer good quality at less expense than models fro the pros, which are used by U2, Eric Clapton, Beyonce, Alicia Keyes, and others
-Be cautious of cheaper generic earphones. The sound quality is not very good and they must be turned up loudly to hear any bass, which can cause more hearing damage.