I have been in the market for a new pair of headphones for a little while now, but was never really sure what to look for or what I really needed. I wanted to provide some information that I found that I considered useful, and hopefully it will help you with any headphone decisions you might need to make.
Headphone Basics
Think of headphones as little stereo speakers for your ears. Traditionally, a “pair” of headphones consists of two speakers contained within two ear cups, one covering your left ear, and one covering your right ear, with some form of headband connecting the two cups, and simultaneously securing them to the listener’s head.
A cable will connect with either one or both of the ear cups, and at the other end of the cable a plug (often a 3.5mm headphone plug) will be attached. This plug will be plugged into your music source (whether it be directly into your smartphone headphone jack, your laptop, or even an expensive DAC/AMP) and the music being played from your source will travel through the cable, where the information will be processed by the speakers into audio waves which are audible to the human ear.
Headphone drivers are the component of headphones that actually produce audible sound. Drivers can be tuned to sound more bass-heavy, neutral, or treble-heavy, depending on the sound signature that the headphone manufacturer wants. These different sound signatures are often desirable for specific genres of music: bass-heavy headphones are often chosen for genres such as rap/hip-hop and dubstep, while neutral and treble rich varieties can both be used for genres such as rock, pop, and classical. Often, the goal of headphone manufacturers is to find that perfect balance, where the bass, midrange, and treble all come together harmoniously, each frequency range sounding lively and fun, and not muddled or weak.
What's the difference between in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear headphones?
These three terms each refer to the design of a pair of headphones in relation to how they interact with the human ear. As you might expect, in-ear headphones (also sometimes referred to as earbuds) are much smaller than the other two headphone types and physically fit into the ear canal, creating a seal which not only blocks unwanted outside noise, but creates a fuller sound for the listener. Over-ear headphones (sometimes referred to as circumaural) are effectively the opposite of in-ear headphones, as they feature a large “earcup” which encompasses the entire ear, blocking outside noise, and channeling sound information into the ear. Lastly, on-ear headphones (occasionally called supra-aural), are similar to over-ear designs, except smaller, and instead of totally encompassing the ear, their padded speakers physically sit on the ear, sending sound information directly into the ear, while blocking minimal outside noise.
What is the difference between open-back and closed-back headphones?
The majority of headphones that you will find in stores feature a traditional closed-back design, which means that the entire earcup is made of solid material, which will let no air or sound in or out. To the listener, a closed system makes the instruments being played sound closer together, like you are listening to music in a recording studio. By contrast, components within an open-back headphone are exposed (often the outside of the earcup is made out of a mesh-like grate, allowing sound and air in and out. While, to the uninitiated, this may sound like a bad thing, it actually creates a more “spacious” sound, increasing the soundstage of the music you are listening to, like listening to music at an outdoor concert hall.
What is a headphone amplifier? What does it do?
Headphones require amplification from some form of power source in order to produce sound. Some headphones require more power from that source to be “driven” than others. If you listen to a pair of headphones plugged into a weak source, you may find it difficult to get your music to play at a loud enough volume for your preferences. Often, the amps included popular source devices, like smartphones and laptops, are subpar and insufficient to drive more sensitive headphones. Dedicated headphone amps have higher quality circuitry and a more robust power supply, which will help your music not only sound louder, but will often provide your bass with more punch and your treble and midrange with more refinement.
When buying a pair of headphones, pay particular attention to each pair’s impedance rating, as you can often get a pretty idea as to whether or not they will require a dedicated headphone amp. Often, headphones will feature a low impedance, and will not require amplification, but some high end headphones feature a high impedance and will assuredly require a nice amp to get the best sound out of them.
What is a DAC?
A DAC, short for Digital-to-Analog Converter, is an electronic device which turns digital audio information (presented in binary code) into an analog audio signal that can be sent to a headphone amp, where it then, in turn, can be played through your headphone speakers in a way that can be understood by the ear. Without a DAC (which is often built into your source, like with smartphones and laptops) your headphones wouldn’t know how to play your mp3 files in a way that your ear would register as sound.
What is Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is a wireless method of connection between two paired electronic devices via radio waves instead of physical wires/cables. Bluetooth headphones include a small computer chip which includes a Bluetooth radio and software to help make it connect with other devices.
What is Active Noise Cancellation?
Active Noise Cancellation is an ingenious method for eliminating unwanted ambient sounds when you are listening to music with ANC-enabled headphones. Active noise-cancelling headphones include several additional components that standard headphones lack. These three components are:
Microphone: A tiny microphone located within the earpiece which detects outside ambient sound waves.
Noise-cancelling circuitry: The circuitry receives the sound wave information from the microphone and then instantly creates and sends out a noise-cancelling wave 180 degrees out of phase with the ambient noise, which, in essence, “erases” the outside noise before your ears even have a chance to register it
Battery: A battery is required to power the microphone and circuitry within the ANC system.
Information via Headphone Charts
