Headphones, earphones, headsets, ears - A beloved child has many names, and this especially applies to headphones. For under the term headphones hides a sea of ​​different designs, sizes, models, and applications. The headphone market can be a jungle to navigate, which is why we have created this guide to give you the best opportunity to make the right choice!

 

The history of headphones

The first set of headphones as we know them today was invented in 1910 by engineer Nathaniel Baldwin. All sets he produced were made by hand, at his dining table at home.

In 1958, John Koss came up with an idea that would prove to change headphones forever. Until 1958, all headphones sent the same signal to both sides. But John Koss developed a set of headphones that played in stereo. This was revolutionary for those who used their headphones to listen to music.

In 1979, Sony launched their Walkman, and along with the Walkman came a set of headphones. Sony ended up selling over 400 million units of their Walkman, and headphones were to be found in every home!

In late 2001, Apple launched their iPod. With each iPod came a set of in-ear headphones, in white. The white headphones were an extremely important part of Apple's marketing of the new iPod and helped make the in-ear headphones a favorite for many people. Everywhere you could see the white wires, which almost became synonymous with Apple's products, to this day Apple exclusively uses the white color for all their in-ear headphones!

Today, headphones are found in virtually every home. Nowadays, headphones for some are as much an accessory as they are headphones. But headphones have also evolved to be the preferred way to listen to music on the go, in the music studio, on runs. At the same time, they are also indispensable tools for DJs and an important tool for gamers worldwide!

 

Over-ear headphones

Over-ear headphone guide

Over-ear headphones are a common term for headphones where the ear cups sit over (around) the ear. Over-ear headphones are often used for studio, gaming, and DJ use, as the closed cups keep external sounds out, and at the same time ensure that the sound from the headphones does not leak out.

Over-ear headphones are also often very comfortable to wear, as they support the top of the head with a headband, and cushions on the ear cups prevent them from squeezing on the sides of the head.

 

On-ear headphones

 

on-ear headphone guide

On-ear headphones look very similar to over-ear headphones in appearance. The biggest difference between the two types is the size of the ear cups. Whereas the cups on over-ear headphones are large in diameter to go around the ear, the ear cups on on-ear headphones are smaller. This means that on-ear headphones, as the name suggests, sit on the ear itself.

On-ear headphones still deliver a good, powerful sound and are often less warm to wear than over-ear headphones, but they are not as good at blocking unwanted sound. On-ear headphones are often used in places such as call centers where they help employees tolerate wearing their headsets for long periods of time.

 

In-ear headphones

In-ear headphone guide

In-ear headphones are the versions of headphones that you insert into the ear. Many will probably be familiar with Apple's classic earbuds, which are probably the most common in-ear headphones. In-ear headphones are super practical. They don't take up much space, they are easy to carry around, and some of them are wireless. In-ear headphones are the preferred choice for many for sports and fitness, as they are lightweight and do not irritate during phys

Another place where in-ears are often used is in stage performances. You have probably seen artists adjusting something in their ears while they are on stage. These are their in-ears they use to hear what the others on stage are playing. They are almost invisible but still deliver fantastic sound!

Some models of in-ear headphones use small rubber tips on the part that goes into the ear. This ensures that the headphones stay in place but also helps to block out sounds from the surroundings, so you are not disturbed when the music is playing!

 

Studio headphones

studio headphones guide

If you spend a lot of your time making music or doing mixing and mastering, a good set of studio headphones is indispensable. Studio headphones are often over-ear headphones designed to reproduce sound neutrally and with a wide frequency range so that all nuances in the music can be heard.

Open back

When looking at studio headphones, you may come across the term "open back". This means that instead of the headphone cup being made in one solid piece, the back part of the cup is open, which has a range of both advantages and disadvantages.

In a closed cup, there can be "accumulation" and resonance from the low frequencies. This is addressed by the open back of open back headphones. By allowing the air to escape at the back, these resonances do not occur, and the bottom end (the low frequencies) can stand out clearly. This is one of the reasons why open back headphones are great for critical listening to music or mixing and mastering tracks!

However, the open back also brings some disadvantages. Because the back is open, an open back headphone does not seal off sound as well, both incoming and outgoing sound. This means that for everyday use, such as using them on a noisy train, in a library where others may be disturbed by sound, or similar situations, a set of open back headphones would not be the optimal solution.

 

DJ headphones

DJ headphones guide

DJ headphones are not just a tool to look extra cool when standing behind the decks at a nightclub or festival stage. Headphones are an important part of a DJ's work, as they are used to properly mix the music together. As a DJ, you don't always have the best working conditions in terms of listening to music. Typically, the music coming out of the club's sound system will be ear-piercingly loud, making it difficult to hear what is coming out of the headphones. Therefore, the sound in DJ headphones is also different from what you will experience in your everyday headphones.

To be able to hear something through the noise from the system, the volume in a set of DJ headphones can often be much higher than other headphones. Additionally, the low frequencies are turned up. The low frequencies are where the bass drum in the music lies, and it is precisely this that is used for "beatmixing".

Finally, DJ headphones are also built to be used. They are often made of materials like aluminum or plastic with extra flexibility, so they can survive a proper party behind the DJ booth!

 

Gaming headset

Gaming headset headphone guide

Are you going to play computer games? Then you need a gaming headset! Gaming headsets are not much different from regular over-ear headphones, but there are a few differences that make gaming headsets ideal for gaming!

Microphone

When playing computer games, one of the most important aspects of the game is communication, and unless you live close enough to your friends to be able to shout to them out the window, a microphone can be very handy! Therefore, gaming headsets also come with a microphone on the side of the headphones.

Surround

In games like CS:GO or Call of Duty where you play against others, it's nice to be able to hear where the opponent or the shots are coming from. In most gaming headsets, a surround effect is built in, allowing you to precisely hear how the sounds are coming. This is done by having multiple speaker units placed differently and can be activated depending on where the sound is coming from.

 

Noise cancelling

When you're searching for headphones, there's a good chance you've come across the term "noise cancelling". Noise cancelling isn't a new technology, but as technology evolves, more and more manufacturers have started incorporating it into their products. Noise cancelling does exactly what the name suggests; it removes the noise. This can be super practical if, for example, you're in noisy environments, at work, on a plane, or perhaps just walking in windy weather.

How does noise cancelling work?

When it comes to noise cancelling, you can talk about two types: Active and passive. We've already touched a bit on passive noise cancelling in the sections about over-ear and in-ear headphones. Passive noise cancelling essentially involves shielding the ear from external sounds. This works quite effectively in many cases but isn't 100% soundproof, so some external sounds can still get through.

In conjunction with passive noise cancelling, some models also utilize the active version. Active noise cancelling or ANC actively helps remove noise from the surroundings in real-time. It does this using microphones on the outside of the headphones, which pick up all the noise from the surroundings. When it detects the frequencies coming from the surroundings, it then creates a frequency in real-time that plays the opposite of the noise frequency.

By playing the opposite frequency of the noise along with the noise, it creates an effect where the frequencies cancel each other out, creating the noise cancelling effect!

How does noise cancelling work

Noise cancelling naturally has its limitations. It often works best with constant noise, such as in an airplane where the cabin noise is fairly constant. This is precisely because the microphones have to pick up the sound in a split second, calculate the frequencies, and then play the opposite frequency. This is easier to do with a constant sound than with sudden loud noises. However, the interplay between passive and active noise cancelling works really well if you want the best experience while on the move or in noisy environments.

 

Wireless headphones

The future is wireless, and this also applies to headphones. Wireless headphones make it easier to not have to deal with wires, and wireless sound is now as good as you would get via a cable, especially if you primarily stream music from Spotify, watch videos on YouTube, and the like. Virtually all headphone designs are made in wireless versions. So no matter what you're looking for, you have the option of wireless.

Battery life

Battery life is where wireless headphones have previously had their challenges. In order to make headphones that could last a reasonably good number of hours, manufacturers had to make the headphones large and bulky to accommodate the battery. Fortunately, we live in a time where development in electronics is extremely fast, and this also applies to wireless headphones. Even small wireless in-ear headphones give you 5-8 hours of playback, and if you go for some slightly larger over-ears, we're talking over 25 hours of playback on a single charge!

 

Are my devices compatible?

This is a question we often encounter when our customers are buying wireless products! The smart thing about wireless headphones is that they use Bluetooth. So whether you want to use them with your phone, your computer, or your tablet, you're covered with Bluetooth headphones. Even some TVs can transmit audio wirelessly via Bluetooth!

 

Accessories

Amplifiers

There are special amplifiers made specifically for headphones. A headphone amplifier takes the signal from your computer, phone, TV, sound card, etc., and amplifies it. The amplifier that drives the built-in jack input in computers, phones, etc., is often not very powerful. Therefore, an amplifier can help give your headphones an extra boost!
Often, a headphone amplifier will also have multiple outputs, making it possible to have multiple headphones connected to the same audio source simultaneously, even if the source only has one output!

Replaceable Parts

Many headphones come with the option to replace various parts. Ear pads, headbands, ear tips, jack cables, etc., can easily be replaced if they wear out or if a different size fits your ears or head better.

Other manufacturers like AIAIAI have made it possible to 100% customize your headphones. Here, you can buy the cables, the headband, the speaker unit, etc., you want, and then simply assemble them so you have the exact set of headphones you desired, clever!

Adapters

If you buy headphones with a cable, you will often receive them with a 3.5mm mini-jack plug. This is also the most common in consumer electronics like phones, computers, etc. But if you need your headphones for DJ or studio use, you will often find that most outputs here will be a 6.5mm jack plug. But fear not if your jack plug has the wrong size! There are adapters that can help you with this problem! You simply and easily plug your 3.5mm mini-jack plug into the adapter, and voilà, you have a 6.5mm jack plug instead!

 

I hope that with this guide, you are ready to dive into purchasing your next pair of headphones, or just got answers to questions you had been wondering about!

At SoundStoreXL, our customer service is always ready to assist you if you have any questions or experience issues when buying headphones!