Equipment

Headphones : backing type

Open

Open headphones (sometimes marketed as "open air" headphones) have an open grille on the back of the driver, allowing the sound to vent freely. This usually makes open headphones sound better than closed ones of the same cost range. They also expose the user to more outside sound in cases where that is desirable.

Closed

Closed headphones are just that, closed backing. Usually these are used where isolation is preferred over sound quality.

3345, the Vinyl Records Home.