Headphones offer an oasis of sound in a busy world, an easy-to-reach catharsis, and a private auditorium. There are many different kinds of headphone systems, and each style has advantages and disadvantages. Here is a quick guide to some of the most popular kinds of headphones.
1. Bluetooth In-Ear
Bluetooth in-ear headphones are immensely popular. Compact and easy to charge on the move, the best Bluetooth in-ear headphones also offer relatively good sound quality and amplification. Although the days of people flashing their air pods as a status symbol are well and truly over, in-ear wireless headphones can still look sleek and smart. Almost all examples integrate microphones so that you can make calls on the go. Bluetooth technology uses radio waves to transmit data such as audio.
2. Bluetooth Over-Ear
Bluetooth over-ear headphones offer better sound quality and markedly better battery life than in-ear examples. They are, however, far less compact. If you care about the quality of sound but don’t want to invest in good wired headphones, then Bluetooth over-ear cans are the kind of headphone system for you.
3. Studio Headphones
Headphones designed for use in recording studios can be extremely expensive but typically offer the most responsive and complete sound picture for true audiophiles. Good studio headphones do not add any more bass to a mix or compress it as some modern headphones do. Instead, they offer a very faithful representation of the original signal. They are often very well insulated and designed for long-term use. Companies like AKG make especially good examples. Yamaha makes studio headphones to suit smaller budgets.
4. Noise Cancelling
Consistently listening to loud music on headphones can permanently damage your hearing. Loss of hearing or conditions like tinnitus can be life-altering. Instead of turning your music up to try and drown out the noises of the outside world, consider getting a pair of noise-canceling headphones. These headphones make use of an effect known as phasing – where near-identical noises can effectively cancel each other out.
Noise-canceling headphones use a microphone to sense the noises of the outside world before mimicking them in the audio feed so that they get canceled out. First developed for pilots, these devices can make urban listening all the more comfortable.
5. Earbuds
Wired earbuds are the cheapest kind of headphones. They can be bought for as little as 10 euros at pretty much all supermarkets and newsagents. Despite their low price and fiddly wires, a good pair of earbuds is not to be sniffed at. Wired headphones do not suffer from the same lag as Bluetooth headphones – making them perfect for watching videos on your phone.
Although cheap and cheerful wired earbuds are not as sound responsive as their expensive cousins, you don’t have to protect them with your life. For audiophiles, there are some very fancy wired earbuds, although if you are keen on the sound, you may as well purchase studio cans.
Also read: Top Reasons Bluetooth Speakers are The Trend
