Bud earphones go right into your ear canal, instead of over it like standard earphones. While some people find this type of earphones uncomfortable, they also offer a number of advantages---namely, in their size and convenience. Earbuds experienced a resurgence in the early 21st century with the advent of the new portability of music brought about by the iPod and other MP3 players.
Size
The biggest advantage is in bud earphones' size. MP3 players have become so small that they are often substantially smaller than standard headphones. This means that standard headphones are often less convenient than the MP3 player they attach to. Bud earphones solve this problem, however; they're small enough to simply wrap around the MP3 player and slip into a bag or pocket. Some even come with a spool into which you can crank the cord, which makes storing them even easier.
Bass
Bud earphones offer extremely good bass response for their size. Though many music listeners associate bass with larger headphones, earbuds' ability to go directly into the ear renders the size of the speaker irrelevant. Thus, bud earphones can often give a better musical experience than regular earphones or standard speakers.
Noise Cancellation
Bud earphones' noise cancellation capabilities in relation to expense remains unparalleled as of 2010. Noise-canceling headphones that go over the ear can become very expensive. However, bud earphones can cancel all or most ambient noise by---again---going right into the ear. This means that you can listen to music without having to turn the volume up really high, which risks damage to your ear.
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