I don’t know about you, but I’m always having to buy headphones and earphones. When I’m at home, I listen to my music and do my singing practice (and occasionally listen to the radio) using my over- or on- ear headphones, which I find far more comfortable than earphones.

When I’m running or walking outside or at the gym, though, headphones aren’t really the thing. I’m not keen on how isolating they can be out in the street, and, let’s face it, you look like a bit of a plonker wearing them outside. I suppose they’re just about permissible inside. So I have to buy earphones.

Generally, I find that the earphones that come with my phone are fine for my use. I know, I know: the sound quality isn’t great but that’s of secondary importance when I’m pounding away on a treadmill, and the noise of traffic or aeroplanes makes for a sub-optimal listening experience anyway.

I always have problems getting and keeping the earbuds in my ears and no matter how many permutations there are of the the little foamy plasticky things that come with the earphones and supposedly mould them to the workings of your ear canal, they’re invariably uncomfortable, that’s if they don’t worm their way out of your ear in the first five minutes on the treadmill. It’s so annoying.

From time to time I’ve wanted more, as is my wont, and I’ve bought much more expensive earphones. I’ve had Jabra, Bluetooth ones which cost quite a lot, I’ve had Sony and Sennheiser ones too and my latest Bose pair cost a substantial amount of money for me. And then they always go wrong.

This morning, as I prepared to go out for my walk, the inevitable happened, and I could hear sound only in one ear. Why does that always, ALWAYS happen with earphones? Music in tinny mono instead of the rich sonorous stereo that I’ve come to expect. I have hurled my latest pair of faulty earphones across the room in my rage.

I think I’ll stick with the ordinary Apple earphones in the future.