Although they do the same job, headphones and earphones have their own specific uses. Headphones are used to monitor sound from a mixing desk or recording situation and DJs use them for their mixing in a live performance. Headphones are usually the closed back type which cut out much of the external sound.
Earphones are similar to those used with a personal music player. In the music industry these days the trend is to use them for individual performers to give them monitoring. This music accessory also helps protect the ears on stage where sound levels can be very high.
