The best headphones are meant to immerse you in music; but sometimes they can make you feel a bit isolated and cut off from your surroundings. A new wave of 'open' earbuds can help there, but if you still want the option of shutting out the outside world, a pair with Transparency mode is a better choice.
More and more headphones feature it – and not just expensive models – so there's plenty of choice if you are looking for a pair with the technology included.
