A few years ago, people dreamed of wireless headphones that would make it easier to listen to music and talk on the phone and eliminate the need to untangle wires before leaving the house.
Now it is possible not only to buy wireless headphones, but also to choose the appropriate ones among the existing options.
What characteristics to pay attention to, read the article.
Connectivity technology
The connection technology determines how the headphones receive sound from a smartphone or other device. Bluetooth headphones are the most popular, but there are other technologies as well.
Bluetooth
The advantage of bluetooth wireless headphones is versatility: they can be connected to any device with a Bluetooth module, be it a smartphone, tablet, laptop or TV. Moreover, if the device does not have an appropriate interface, a small transmitter will solve this problem.
In addition, Bluetooth is available in most devices, so Bluetooth-connected headphones will become universal.
Radio channel
The radio channel began to be used later than the infrared channel, so it is considered an intermediate step between infrared and Bluetooth connections.
The main advantage of the radio channel was the increased range of signal reception – up to 100-150 meters. At the same time, the connection is not sensitive to barriers and obstacles. Of the minuses, one can note the appearance of noise and hiss due to extraneous signals, as well as high power consumption.
The radio channel is now rarely used and mainly in headphones designed for home movies or video games.
Infrared channel
Infrared was once the only way to transfer data between devices, but now it is an outdated connection type. Despite the cheapness, the infrared channel is almost never found. The only exceptions are television and automotive systems.
Among the advantages of the IR channel are:
- Cheapness
- Good, clear sound
- High transmission speed
- Low power consumption
Negative features of infrared technology:
- Complete absence of barriers between the headphones and the device from which the music is played is necessary
- Fear of direct sunlight
- The maximum distance between the signal source and receiver is 10 meters
The main drawback of the IR channel lies precisely in the poor tolerance of barriers, i.e; go out into another room, continuing to enjoy the music, with headphones will not work. That is why the infrared signal is practically not used in 2020.
Protection from external noise (noise reduction): how it works and why you need it
So that extraneous noise does not interfere while listening to music or watching movies, you can choose closed-type headphones: their speaker is completely covered by the cup body, and if they are also of an enveloping type, then the cup covers the ear from all sides.
But there is another option: choose a model with active noise cancellation. These headphones are equipped with a microphone that measures the level of ambient noise, after which an inverted sound wave is created in antiphase.
This technology allows you to block all extraneous sounds – this is the plus of noise reduction.
Disadvantages of the noise reduction function:
- Headphones with this technology are heavier
- Increased power consumption
- The presence of intolerance in some people of the system of active noise reduction
In the latter case, there may be complaints of headache and ringing in the ears.
Headphone form factor and features of each type
By design, all headphones can be divided into internal and external.
The latter are large pads that completely cover the auricle, and are fixed on the head with a rim. A feature of these headphones is a clearer and better sound, high autonomy and large dimensions.
External headphones are divided into:
- Overhead – superimposed on the ear, but not always completely cover it
- Full-size – the largest, completely cover the ear
Internal headphones are very compact, light, almost invisible. They are further subdivided into 2 types:
- Liners
- Vacuum
In-ear headphones are less securely fixed in the ear and somehow allow extraneous sounds to penetrate. Vacuum headphones are inserted deeper into the ear canal, so they sound clearer, louder and do not allow noise from outside.
The disadvantage of internal headphones is a small autonomy, since their size does not allow you to place a large battery in them.
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Possibility of cable connection
Some models of wireless headphones are equipped with an audio cable jack, which allows you to connect them “the old-fashioned way” with a wire.
This solution is very reasonable if you need to reduce power consumption, so when traveling or on a long journey, headphones with a cable connector will come in handy.
In addition, if the headphones are still discharged, the cable will allow them to be used further for their intended purpose.
Battery Life
Battery life determines how many hours the headphones can work without recharging. Usually, the autonomy of the device is indicated in the technical specifications, and it depends on the type of connection.
The latest versions of Bluetooth provide up to 20 hours of continuous operation.
The presence of a microphone
There are 3 options: headphones without a microphone, with a regular or with a movable microphone. The first option is suitable for those who only plan to listen to music or watch movies using the device.
The second option is ideal for those who will communicate via video and not only. Headphones with a movable microphone are suitable for people who conduct video conferences, lectures or conduct business negotiations.
The microphone, if necessary, can be moved to the side to hide sounds that should not get into it.
