How to choose headphones

Therefore, in this material we will try to explain in an accessible way what types of headphones there are, how to choose them correctly for your needs and not get confused in all the variety of types and models.

Wired and wireless headphones

To begin with, we will divide the headphones into wired and wireless.

Wireless headphones solve one of the main problems of modern humanity — tangled wires. Thus, they will preserve nerve cells and prolong life. On the other hand, wireless headphones are more expensive than wired headphones of the same class and may have certain limitations.

Since the Bluetooth module is available in almost any smartphone, the most popular type of wireless headphones are Bluetooth models. Moreover, it can be both tiny earbuds and full-size over-ear headphones. Ideally, modern Bluetooth headphones should support the aptX codec, which will not reduce the audio quality due to transmission speed limitations.

Largely after the release of Apple AirPods a new class has appeared among wireless headphones — True Wireless. Usually, True Wireless models are two standalone in-ear headphones without any wires and jumpers between them, each of which has its own battery and receiver built into it. Because of this, True Wireless is more expensive than other headphones of the same class, and their not yet solved problem is a small audio delay when watching videos.

Headphones with wireless connection

The third option of wireless headphones is radio headphones, the essential attribute of which is its own radio transmitter. On the one hand, it allows you to transmit a signal without loss and compression, on the other hand, it requires its own place on the table and a free USB port. Therefore, unlike Bluetooth headphones, radio headphones are most often used in conjunction with a stationary PC for playing games, listening to music, etc.

With wired headphones, everything is much simpler, they are extremely simple and effective, but they are limited by the wire itself, which can get tangled, catch on something when walking, tear or wear out over time. And if replacing the cable in the service centre is not a problem for high-quality overhead headphones, no one will undertake to repair inexpensive plugs. And then you will either have to buy new ones, or look for a high-quality model with a replaceable cable.

Now let's divide the headphones by price

In the case of prices, it is difficult to advise something unambiguously, since everything depends on the goals. For a morning jog or listening to the radio on the way to work, the most affordable earbuds or "plugs" may be suitable, but trying to listen to classics or jazz in Lossless in them is to condemn yourself to disappointment in advance. In general, inexpensive headphones can sound both very passable and completely disgusting. Therefore, before buying, it is advisable to read the reviews of other buyers.

In the middle price segment, you can find both real diamonds and completely overpriced models with a mark-up for the brand, design or functions you don't need.

In our opinion, this segment has the widest room for manoeuvre, since the models are not so limited by the form factor, and the manufacturer does not have to save on everything.

Expensive Hi-End headphones are already from the category of falling into a rabbit hole, from which no one returns the same. With a high-quality player and high-quality audio (no MP3, no streaming with low bitrate), they reveal their favorite recordings from a completely new side, unfolding the sound scene and focus on details that you might not have guessed existed. That is why they are the main weapon of audiophiles, sound engineers, DJs and anyone who works professionally with sound.

What types of headphones are there

Vacuum

Vacuum (or in-channel) headphones have become one of the most popular formats on the market in recent years. These miniature headphones are inserted directly into the ear canals, disconnecting the listener from the surrounding sounds, street noise, birdsong and the cries of sellers. However, you should be careful, because you can simply not hear the signal of a traveling car, bus or tram. The second advantage lies in their acoustic features. They reproduce low frequencies very well and, in general, can be compared with overhead models in terms of sound quality and saturation.

The same system is also a cryptonite of in-channel headphones. Usually, several pairs of nozzles of different sizes for ear canals of different sizes are included, but this is not enough for some — the headphones either "sit" too tight in the ear, causing discomfort, or hold loosely, which is why the sound loses strength and pressure. Plus, they should not be worn for too long, otherwise tightly clogged ear passages will not be able to be cleaned of dirt, and listening at high volume for a long period can negatively affect hearing.

Popular vacuum headphones

Perfect for people who need inexpensive, compact and multifunctional headphones for all occasions.

Inserts

Earbuds, also known as "tablets", are the ancestors of in-ear headphones. They are also small in size, but they do not create a vacuum inside the ear canal, but just gently sit in it. To simplify it a lot, it's like 2 micro-columns for the ears.

Earbuds are simple in design and in most cases are affordable in terms of price, however, quite expensive models with decent sound are often found. And unlike vacuum ones, they do not affect hearing. At the same time, due to the loose fit in the ear, the sound of the earbuds is not as rich and detailed as that of the in-ear headphones of the same level. Plus, they have weak sound insulation and in the subway you will listen not so much to music as to the noise of the car. Plus, they may not fit your ears. And if the vacuum headphones can be adjusted using a replaceable nozzle, then it will not work to change the design of the earbuds.

Popular in-ear headphones

There are pleasant exceptions among the inserts, but there are relatively few of them and they usually do not live in the low-cost category.

Perfect for listening in conditions where there is no strong background noise.

Invoices

Overhead headphones are called, which, when worn, are adjacent to the auricles from the outside, covering them completely or almost completely. In this class, there is the largest variation in terms of shape — both small, open headphones with a simple design and massive Hi-End models with leather ear pads or wood trim can be overhead. In the first case, we see an perfect street model, and in the second, an option for purely home listening to music, use in a studio or in a club. Although, studio and DJ headphones are a slightly different story.

According to the type of acoustic design, overhead headphones are divided into open, closed and semi-open. Due to the design, open models have a low degree of sound insulation, but they can boast detailed and "open" middle and upper frequencies. Closed headphones are their complete antipode: they do not miss external sounds, have a richer sound with a dense bass, but more clamped "top" and "middle". Well, the half-open headphones are somewhere in the middle between open and closed, trying to get the best out of both. In fact, it does not always work out.

Expensive full–size headphones are often equipped with detachable replacement wires — if the cable fails, it can simply be replaced. This is a very big plus, since cable breakdown accounts for 80% of all typical problems with headphones in general. If the wire is not replaceable, pay attention to its thickness and type of braid. Usually, twisted cable has always been considered the most reliable, but it is not very convenient, so it gradually went out of fashion.

Popular closed headphones

Usually, over-ear headphones are bought for years, so you should pay attention to their frequency response curve (smooth does not always mean better), frequency characteristics (ideally you need from 20 Hz to 20 kHz and higher), and sensitivity. Another important point is the diameter of the driver membrane, which directly affects the sound quality. To simplify it, the larger the speaker, the louder and clearer the sound is. Plus, the large size of the membrane simplifies the process of improving the speakers (for example, improving magnets). But in general, choosing headphones by "numbers" is not the best idea. This is the case when you definitely need to listen yourself.

Due to the large variation in types and classes, the choice of overhead headphones deserves a separate material with a more detailed analysis.

Perfect for home use and listening to music in high quality. However, due to the wide variety in this category, everything is quite conditional.

What should I do before buying

And now that we have sorted out the categories, it's worth deciding which headphones are right for you, for what purposes you will use them and how much you are willing to spend on them. To do this, it is worth answering a few questions.

Where and how do you plan to use headphones — mainly to wear them outside or listen to music at home (or maybe play games so as not to disturb the neighbors)? This will help you decide which type of headphones to choose — unlike in-ear headphones, open ones are poorly suited for a noisy street or a subway ride. Large Hi-End headphones can fall off your head while jogging and generally look silly on the street. Well , etc .
How will you use them? Play games, watch movies in silence or listen to music?
If you listen to music, what genre is it? For example, Koss headphones are often bought by fans of heavy music, hip-hop or electronics with an emphasis on bass. But fans of classical music rich in details do not really like them.
What quality of music are you planning to listen to? Streaming or uncompressed audio (FLAC, WAV)?
Is appearance important to you or do you just need something to play well? The fact is that headphones can be simple, like a corner of a house, or they can be designer. In the latter case, you will have to pay extra for the appearance.
Wired or wireless?

After that, you can go to the catalog, set the necessary filters (in the column on the right) to filter out unnecessary and select several suitable models. If we are not talking about headphones for $ 5, which are bought "what would play", then ideally you should listen to them yourself. Reviews on the Internet are undoubtedly useful, but opinions about the same model can be radically different due to musical preferences, hearing characteristics and listening experience of other headphones.