Unlike some of the audio snobs among us, I rarely use noise canceling headphones with my iPod. I’m not that trusting of my environment and the people in it to turn off the sounds around me and insulate myself inside my music. I want to hear danger approaching. When I do occasionally use standard headphones, I wear them a little bit off center so that I can still hear the phone, the doorbell, the dog, the leaky faucet, the creepy footsteps coming down the stairs. With earbuds, I keep the volume low, which isn’t much fun.

AirDrives headphones are made for people like me (and those interested in keeping their hearing intact for the long haul). Unlike ordinary earbuds, they don’t go inside the ears, but rest on the exterior of the ears, delivering rich sound quality while keeping the listener aware of surrounding sounds. AirDrives are based on InAir Technology  developed by founder Ken Wright who was inspired by concern for his daughter’s health and safety.

AirDrives are available for pre-order ($99.99 for regular model, $69.99 for children’s version).