I can't use in the ear head phones at all. Ever since I was young they've given me ear infections. They're also terrible for your ear. Your tragus is there to help protect your eardrum from loud noises, among other things. Sticking noise emitting things behind it is a bad idea.
I've been alright with over the ear style ones for the most part. Though I can see why they, noise cancelling ones especially, could cause infections if worn for long periods.
They create moist anaerobic environments liked by a lot of bacteria and because headphones tend to be left around or carried outside, they're not the cleanest things around. So as they sit nice and snug around your ears, bacteria have a nice happy place to live all cuddled up close like to the entrances to your ears.
I mostly don't use ear buds, but when I do/did I'd wipe them with rubbing alcohol before using. Not, like, constantly, but after putting them down for more than a moment, every trip to the gym, etc.
I've been prone to ear and sinus infections since I was a kid. Apparently I have narrow sinuses. I end up with a sinus infection nearly every time I get sick.
To be fair, I find the sound quality lacking on most ear buds, even expensive ones.
When it comes to low frequencies, the size of cone makes a difference. You'll never get the same kind of bass from an earbud as an over the ear headphone or a speaker.
Music just isn't the same without bass or with lackluster bass. Bassvin most tracks is the bridge between melody and rythym and in many genres actually carries the song. If I had a choice between high quality treble and lakcluster bass, like most ear buds offer, despite, marketing and lousy high end with full bass, id' take the latter every time.
I've been alright with over the ear style ones for the most part. Though I can see why they, noise cancelling ones especially, could cause infections if worn for long periods.
They create moist anaerobic environments liked by a lot of bacteria and because headphones tend to be left around or carried outside, they're not the cleanest things around. So as they sit nice and snug around your ears, bacteria have a nice happy place to live all cuddled up close like to the entrances to your ears.