Untangling mini earbud or headphone cords has become the most irritating part of portable, digital music. Comedian Bill Murray said it best:
How to tie the strongest knot ever:
1) Put some headphones in your pocket
2) Wait one minute— Bill Murray (@BiIIMurray) August 5, 2013
I recently tested two sets of headphones that take dramatically different approaches to solving the common problem, plus one cheap plastic gadget that actually does a pretty good job.
Wear your wires as a bracelet
Wraps headphones curl around your wrist and plug into themselves to keep the tangles away. (Photo... [+]
Wraps headphones take a simple approach to the problem. Instead of hiding away your headphones in a pocket or purse where they can get into trouble, they double as a fashion accessory, wrapping around your wrist like a multi-strand bracelet. As a bonus, they're coated with fiber or wood or leather, making them more attractive when you're using them.
I found the sound quality of Wraps to be less than the other option listed here, and I never could get the bracelet to sit just right. However, the coatings made the cords more attractive, sturdy and less likely to tangle. Plugging them into themselves to make a loop of pretty strands in my purse and pocket worked just as well.
This is one option I found myself continuing to use; I don't really need my headphones to be an accessory when I'm not using them, I just don't want them to become a Gordian knot. Wraps did a great job of preventing the problem, and the headphones looked good in use. It's possible that my size of wrist is just perfect to mess up the arranging of the loops as a bracelet, but two other testers had similar results.
Wraps start at $20.
Wear your headphones in style even when the music's off
Yatra Music Muffs combine headphones and earmuffs. (Photo courtesy of Yatra.)
The second option I tested combines headphones and earmuffs. It's been done before, but I found this combination to hit the sweet spot for style and performance--they sounded great, and looked pretty darned good. My only minor complaint is that the earpieces, while extremely fluffy, are harder than a traditional earmuff and therefore a little less cuddly. They're still comfortable and warm, however.
Yatra's Music Muffs start at $30.
Trap that cord so it can't wriggle away
Above: Scott Rodwin, inventor of The Loop, shows how it works.
The final option is the cheapest: a simple plastic device that holds your cables so they can't tangle. A wide variety of these exist on the market, but of all the ones I've tested, I found the Loop most consistently easy to use and least likely to tangle my headphones around other things. It comes in a bunch of colors and is lightweight, but it does take up some room in your purse or pocket.
You can pick up one of The Loop for $4.
The Loop offers a variety of colors. (Photo courtesy of The LOOP Solutions.)
