Wireless
These headphones are free of cords and cables, and can
be used comfortably without worrying about cable length
and tangling. Wireless headphones usually work on one of
three major transmission technologies: radio frequency, infrared and Bluetooth. The first two require a dedicated base
unit which connects to the source device and transmits the
frequency to the headphones, while the third uses the popular Bluetooth technology and can be paired wirelessly with
a wide range of smartphones, tablets and computers. RF
headphones usually work over larger distances, while infrared headphones rely on line-of-sight, and Bluetooth has a
30m range limit in most cases.
Pros: Better portability and more suitable for outdoor use.
Also useful for home use when the source device is placed
at a large distance, such as when watching TV or listening
to music in the living room.
Cons: Sound quality is usually not as good as wired headphones. Range issues and battery life can also create
problems in the sound and listening experience.
These are the main types of headphones you'll be looking
at in the market, but if you're confused by some of the jargon you come across in the shops, don't worry. There are a
few basic terms you should know about, and you can probably ignore the rest. You'll find most of these mentioned
on e-commerce websites, or on the box of the set you're
buying.
Headphone Jargon
Drivers
The core components of any headphones, the drivers are
used to convert the electrical signal fed to the headphones
into an audible sound signal that can be perceived by the
human ear. There are various types of drivers used in headphones, including the most commonly used moving coil
(dynamic) drivers, balanced armature drivers, planar magnetic drivers and electrostatic drivers, among others. They
use different technologies to power the sound, with some
technologies offering better, more powerful sound than others. Dynamic drivers are used in all kinds of headphones,
balanced armature drivers are general used in in-ear headphones due to the small size, while planar magnetic and
electrostatic drivers are the largest and are usually used in
built-for-home over-ear headphones.
Some headphones, known as hybrids, use a combination
of two drivers (most commonly a combination of dynamic
and balanced armature drivers). Generally speaking, bigger drivers don't necessarily mean better as there are other
factors as well, but they are a contributing factor, particularly for bass. However, it's best to audition headphones
before buying, or read reviews to make sure the product is
suited to you. Typically, earphones like the ones bundled
with your phone will be around 15mm, while over-ear sets
will be around 30-50mm.
Closed- and open-back
Headphones can be either closed or open at the back of
the driver enclosure. Since a driver fires both into and away
from your ear, an open-back headset will allow the sound to
escape outside, while a closed-back headset will block the
exit of the outward sound. There are pros and cons to both.
Closed-back headphones prevent others from listening
to what you're listening to and are therefore more suited
TECH
for public places as opposed to open-back headphones
which leak sound and are perceived as inconsiderate to
use in public. However, open-back headphones (like the
ones pictured below) have a much more open sound, giving a more comfortable and realistic listening experience,
while closed-back headphones sound more 'in-your-head'.
Suitability depends on the purpose for which you need the
headphones, and auditioning or reading reviews is recommended.
Frequency response
The fre