Are you still using the earbuds that came with your smartphone or MP3 player? I'll wager they're not the most comfortable headphones to wear, and I guarantee they don't help block outside noise (unless you crank the volume, which is ruinous to your hearing.)
Do your ears all kinds of favors and switch to in-ear headphones. Like these: Newegg has the Sennheiser CX 485 in-ear noise-blocking headphones for $19.99 shipped when you apply promo code EMCNDHD65 at checkout. (As always, you need to be a Newegg newsletter subscriber to use the code.) That's a full 50 percent off the regular price.
The CX 485s are designed for smaller ears, meaning the 'buds themselves are physically a hair smaller than most and therefore easier to snug into your ear canals.
However, because they come with the usual small/medium/large sets of tips, they should be able to fit even larger head-holes.
I'm actually not sure what constitutes "smaller ears," but I do know that typical iPod-style earbuds hurt my ears after about 20 minutes. A good set of in-ear 'buds, on the other hand, I can wear indefinitely. And because they form a noise-blocking seal while they're in there, I can keep the volume at a reasonable level while still keeping the world's irksome ambient noises at bay.
The CX485s have an inline volume control, a great perk if you're using them with something like the Kindle Fire, which lacks external volume buttons. Sennheiser also supplies a carrying case and a Y-splitter so you can share your audio with a friend.
The majority of Newegg customers rated this set four or five stars, though I will say that earbud fit and sound quality tend to be highly subjective. At least $20 is a small price to pay to find out if these satisfy your aural needs.
Bonus deal: TigerDirect once again has the refurbished Vizio VSB200 sound bar for $49.99 shipped. That's after redeeming a $30 mail-in rebate (PDF). Offering a marked improvement over built-in TV speakers, it sells new at most places for around $100.
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