Headphones - Useful life products

Headphones:        

The below article is based on headphones. It is written in sequence starting from it's Nature of work, when it got invented and need for its invention, it's types , general pros and cons of using different headphones. For analyzing which headphone should be selected and the recommended safest volume and time for listening to earbuds and headphones is considered in FAQ's. Hope you all will enjoy the article. Kindly provide your inputs/feedback regarding the article.

Table of Contents

Nature, invention and Need of headphones:

Types of Headphones:

a.      Over the Ear Headphones

b.      On the Ear Headphones

c.      Closed Back Headphones

d.      Open Back Headphones

e.      Wireless Headphones

f.       Wired Headphones

g.      Bone Conduction Headphones

h.      Active Noise Cancelling Headphones

Headphone sub-categories types – Earbuds:

Wired Earbuds, Wireless Earbuds, Classic Earphones, True Wireless Earbuds

FAQ's:   Which Type of Headphones is the Best?                                                                                    Which headphones are the safest ?  Recommended Safest Volume and Time for Earbuds and Headphones

Link for purchasing Headphones and Earbuds:

Headphones

Earbuds

Headsets

Nature, invention and Need of headphones: 

Headphones are made for private use for user's where there are a pair of small loudspeaker worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are termed as electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound. Headphones are invented for a single user to listen audio source privately, in contrast to a loudspeaker. Headphones are also known as ear-speakers, earphones.

Headphones need for invention started from beginning of 20th century, it's invention was done in mid of 20th century.

The need of headphones arrived from making hands free of persons while operating a telephone, that's why in the recent terminology it is named as hand's free.

In recent years headphone's technology has been transformed from a beginner level to an advance pro level which has been amazing and it's being growing at such a higher level from what it was invented. there are several types of headphones which

 

Types of Headphones:

There are almost 12 types of Headphones which have emerged from time to time as the invention of advance technologies took place. Headphones can be categorized with ther Pros and Cons as under:

a.    Over the Ear Headphones: They are bigger in size with headband for connecting two earcups. They are most common type of headphones big enough to fit and cover your entire ear with perfect and clear sound technology.

+P They are high quality headphones with noise cancellation technology isolating with outside world, with wider soundstage.

-C Some headphones are heavy in weight not comfortable and portable due to their size they can’t be handled easily. Also can cause ears damage due to continuous listening more than recommended hours.   

 

b.  On the Ear Headphones:  These headphones are similar to what Over the Ear headphones are except the Earpads are smaller in size as equal to your ears size

+P offering portability and stability while physical movements

-C as having small size noise leakage can occur, also there may be irritation due to sweat and improper earpads placements.  

  

c. Closed Back Headphones: These headphones can be over the ear, on the ear or any headphone which covers earcups, offering studio quality sound with superior quality noise cancellation, usually used for Gaming, or sound recording purpose i.e. for hearing quality game sounds and voice chats without any interruptions from background noise.

+P Perfect sound bass optimization and sound isolation, with clear and crisp sound quality, and pricewise more affordable compared to Open Back Headphones. 

-C Direct forcing of sound into ears for long time may cause pain in ears, also due to tight fittings and closed earcups it may prevent air vent resulting sweat and irritation.   

                                                                         

d. Open Back Headphones: With major headphone design difference compare to Closed Back headphones where back of such headphones earcups are completely open physically with a grilled mesh making visible internal circuit. Unlike Closed back headphones Open back headphones do not block outside noise they allow the natural outdoors noise to be listen along with sound that you are listening in your open back headphones. 

+P  Best sound quality avoiding trapping of sound and allowing natural presentation of sound🔊 from headphones. Wider soundstage and circulation of air avoids sweat and irritation. 

-C No noise isolation can't be preferred while outdoor travelling, also cause sound leakage even listening at lower volume. provide poor bass performance.

e.  Wireless Headphones: Wireless technology is the modern technology which facilitates headphones to be used more conveniently without wire, using mostly Bluetooth technology for listening to headphones. Such headphones may come with two technologies one with Bluetooth covering shorter range for connectivity and the other is Wifi connecting via USB dongle. Comes with battery power back up for minimum 20 hours.

+P Portability is the main benefit of using wireless technology when there is no mess of wire. Can be used while walking or doing work. Good sound quality now a days making user to prefer wireless headphones.

-C Lower Battery life requires frequent charging may irritate listener, there may be audio delay due to poor audio transmission i.e. if poor quality Bluetooth connectivity it may cause poor audio transmission.

                                                                                

f.  Wired Headphones:  Wired headphones gets signals from wire which is connected with the device giving output signals for sound. These are common headphones with decent quality sound and traditional way of listening headphones. 

+P Good quality sound with no audio delay and break of sound as directly connected with device. Affordable prices makes them most common device for listening. 

-C Wires may create a mess and irritation for listener. Damage in wires may cause loss of sound from headphones. Less portable compare to wireless headphones.

 

g.  Bone Conduction Headphones:  Bone Conduction technology headphones are weared on cheekbones. They transmit sound from sound vibrations using air conduction. They simulate your Jaw and cheekbones by transmitting sound waves bypassing outer and middle ear. Usually they are used by persons having hearing loss or by sportsman, military personnel's while performing their duties.

+P  Situation awareness is on priority as they are neither on nor over ear they are disconnected with ears preventing no hearing problems. Comfortably fit and placed perfectly for long time wearing. Unique style of headphone with hearing aid helping resolve hearing problems.

-C Bone Conductions headphones uses vibration technology and are not for appreciating actual music as similar to normal headphones. Not a cheap headphone it's costly and being in developing stage. 

 

h.  Active Noise Cancelling Headphones: As the name suggest these headphones uses noise cancellation technology where background noises are actively blocked, recorded, inverted and sent back for listening to ears, eventually crisp and clear sound is listen with perfect sound isolation.

+P Perfect isolation and blockage of external noise, can be used at places where huge external noises are running in background such as in engineering or manufacturing industries, even pilots use them while flying a plane for blocking external noises and to concentrate on quality work also commuters and travelers can use while travelling noisy places. Protection of ears is possible as low noise will also do listening better.

-C  Higher range of prices not affordable to all, high battery usage makes charging frequently and boredom. cheaper headphones may have sound quality and microphone sound echo issues.

  

Earbuds: 

Headphones vs Earbuds vs Headsets

Earbuds: Earbuds are type of headphones but earbuds are different in it's physical appearance. Earbuds are to little tiny hearing instrument which can be fitted into ears for listening. Earbuds are wired, wireless and true wireless depending upon it's design. They are the most portable instruments and light weight. 

+P Portability, Effective noise isolation, Stability, light weight, proper fit, comfort.

-C  for wireless earbuds it may be having audio lag, for wired earbuds wired may be cumbersometo handle and it may became messy.

Headphones: Headphones as mentioned above are two loudspeakers connected by a headband. They can be listened on the ear, over the ear. They have inbuilt microphones embedded for speaking and recording purpose.

Headsets: Headsets differ from Headphones in the context of microphones, where in headsets microphones are external to the listening device whereas in headphone microphones are embedded in the device itself. Headsets are made with the intention of using them mostly for commercial uses such as in official online meetings, calls, etc.

True Wireless Earbuds: 

Wireless Earbuds:

Wired Earbuds:

Frequently Asked Questions:

Which Type of Headphones is the Best?

 It depends upon requirements and specific needs of the user where all headphones have their own pros and cons it cannot be determined which headphone is best. Those headphones which best suits the eligibility of requirement of a specific user such as open back headphone can be used at home for sports wireless earbud can do, over-ear headphones can be used for all round use, for those who can't afford costly headphones can use wired headphones or earbuds which are cost effective for general use and so on.

Which headphones are the safest ?

Over the ear headphone or in ear earbuds, are safest for recommended noise volume and time.  

Recommended Safest Volume and Time for Earbuds and Headphones:

Recommended volume for safety of ears while using headphones and earbuds for volume is 85 decibels or simply below 60% of your volume meter, above this volume level continuous listening may damage ears and listening capability.

Doctors recommend the 60%/60-minute rule:

-  Listen to music or play a movie or video game at no more than 60% of the maximum volume.

-  Limit the amount of time you spend with earbuds in your ears to 60 minutes.