What headphones to choose to not regret buying

Educational Program How To Choose / by admin / December 19, 2019

1. prioritize

When buying a headphone is important to understand that any of your choice in some way be a compromise. Only the right priorities will help find the best solution that meets the essential requirements. Conventionally, three criteria can be distinguished from that and have to make a start. It is about accessibility, portability and, of course, sound quality.

Three of these terms can be represented in the form of a triangular radar chart, where the growth of one lobe oznachat reduction of the other two.

So, choosing the best sound quality requires a maximum price tag and non-portability. Similarly, the ultra-portable wireless headset will not provide a better listening experience and thus is unlikely to be cheaper. That is why it is important to identify at least one of the criteria that you are willing to sacrifice.

2. Decide why you need headphones

Headphones, just like any gadget bought at certain tasks and objectives. You need to understand when and how you will use them. From the use of scripts depends choice of the type of headphones.

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Home & Office

To use at work and at home are usually bought full-size headset, which provide full coverage of the pinna and the most comfortable fit on the head. This type is the best for a long listening to music.

You can also consider the type of surface-headphones, which are due to smaller cups are usually smaller full-size. Ear, they do not bow, and superimposed on top. A striking example - Meizu HD50.

The most popular headphones for office use acoustic model of the closed type. They have better sound insulation, so others can hear your music will not. Open the type suitable for home use. These headphones have openings on the outside of the cups that allow sound vibrations propagate in the same way as in the natural environment, making the sound more realistic.

When you select a full-sized or overhead headphones do not underestimate the importance of the material ear pads. Velor or even synthetics make the ears do not sweat as much as artificial or natural leather.

for the city

For simple walking is quite possible to use the previously mentioned overhead headphones. But if we are to move in the metro and travel to other public transport, the best choice would be in-ear monitor, also called plugs. They are compact, easy to use as possible, and do not create problems when driving in heavy traffic of people. One of the best in terms of price and quality can be called Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD.

Headphones of this type are usually supplemented with silicone ear pads of different size, so that each user can choose suitable. Also enjoy considerable popularity nozzle made of porous foam which, being heated by body heat, adapted to the human ear canal. Compared with silicon, they are less durable, but almost do not distort the sound.

Braided wire also plays a role. One of the most practical is the tissue, as, for example, in Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H5. This prevents tangling wires and reduces the risk of damage in case of accidental pulling.

Separately can be isolated and completely wireless headphones like Apple AirPods. Accessories of this type provide maximum freedom of movement, but the price are quite high. In addition, a high risk of them simply lose.

For Sport

Jogging and gym are commonly used wireless headsets-bore type. They may have a bow with fastening on the neck or ear cups with hooks for better fixation in the ear or on its outer side, as is the case with Xiaomi Mi Sports.

Many of these headsets have protection from sweat and even full immersion under water, which allows to swim without interruption from your favorite music.

In recent years, increasingly sports Bluetooth-headset equipped with sensors to monitor physical activity, as is the case with Jabra Sport Pulse. These headsets allow you to replace a usual fitness devices, but are at the same time significantly more expensive than the classical counterparts.

For traveling

If you fly often and like to listen to music on the road, it makes sense to think about the headset with active noise cancellation. Most often it is a large full-size headphones, which can be both wired and wireless. Their ability to cut off the outside sounds allows you to immerse your head in your favorite music, even if you sit next to the restless child.

An important feature set for travel - foldable design. It allows the headphones to occupy much less space and reduces the risk of damage during transportation in a bag. Expensive models for better protection are often supplemented by hard cover.

for games

The choice of gamers - full length covering the headphones with built-in or detachable microphone. An important criterion in the selection is the availability of surround sound technology, as some models Creative Sound BlasterX. Imitation configuration 5.1 or 7.1 will be a big advantage in the three-dimensional action, which often have to navigate in space at the hearing.

Most gaming headphones differ long, 2-meter cable. It is important to have a reliable hard thickening and braiding in the plug, excluding the excesses and possible fractures.

Noise reduction - is also an important parameter. In this case, this applies to both headphone and microphone, so that you are not distracted by external factors, and you were well heard.

3. Rate baseline characteristics

Regardless of the type and class of all headphones have a basic technical characteristics, can form an idea of the possibilities of sound. When choosing a relatively inexpensive set too serious about such figures is not necessary, but leave them unattended too impossible.

frequency band

This parameter characterizes the range of sounds that can be played headphones. The standard range is 20 - 20,000 Hz. More human ear simply does not recognize, although in the description set often can be found outside these limits values. Wrong with that is nothing but the indisputable advantage of it can not be named.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity indicates how loud will play headphones other things being equal. Direct dependence: the higher the sensitivity, the higher the maximum volume. 95-100 dB or more is considered a good indicator for general use.

Power

This setting also affects the headphone volume ceiling, but it should be taken into account only to fans of bass, using landline amplifiers. In a duet with a quality source of high-power stereo headphones allow for a more vivid and rich sound. If you are going to listen to music mostly from the smartphone, open a large power capacity you are unlikely to succeed.

Resistance

Nominal input resistance headphone, also called impedance exerts an influence on the volume, and the overall sound quality. Focus on this parameter should be in accordance with the device with which you want to use headphones. For smart phones and portable equipment should be selected headset with a lower impedance - even up to 32 or 16 ohms, while for stationary - the higher, 32 ohms.

amplitude frequency characteristic

The frequency response is shown as a graph and characterizes the transmission quality of different frequencies.

The minimum number of sharp bends in the frequency response curve of said balance and sound fidelity source material. The height of the curve in the graph represents the volume in a specific range. "Hump" at the beginning of the frequency response curve at low frequencies, says bass headphones.

plug

It should be noted, and a way to connect wired headphones. Most of the models on sale have a mini-jack plug (3.5 mm). Normal plug (6.3 mm) can be found on the professional level headsets and mikrodzhek (2.5mm) is found recently very rare. Nonetheless, note what kind of plug in a headset, and is there a bundled adapter.

4. Listen and read

Blindly rely on all the digits in the characteristics, of course, is not worth it, especially if you choose a relatively inexpensive headphones. Two suites with equal parameters may sound completely different, because the quality of the effect, and many other features that are not always indicated in the description of the manufacturer.

To know for sure whether or not you fit the selected headset, you can use them to preview. As for this covering and overhead headsets that specialty stores often allow to test before buying. It's a chance to evaluate not only the sound but also the convenience of landing on his head.

Also, before you buy you should definitely turn to the reviews and a comprehensive overview that can be found on the web. This feedback allows you to get at least some idea of the real sound quality, design features and possible weaknesses device detected after prolonged use.

Buyer's checklist

First of all, decide the maximum price and the main use case.
Further, based on the destination, pick headphone type: covering, or intracanal overhead.
Select several models of a particular type that fit into your budget.
Rate the important features of the selected models: ear pads material, braid wires, the performance of the headband and so on.
Examine the technical parameters characterizing the sound quality.
Check out the reviews and reviews on the web, and see if you can somewhere to test the headphones before buying.
Make your choice.