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Headphones, earmuffs, headset, ears - a beloved child has many names, and this is especially true for headphones. Because under the term headphones lies a sea of different designs, sizes, models and areas of use. The headphone market can be a jungle to navigate, so we have made 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. Every set he produced was made by hand, at home at his dining table.
In 1958, John Koss came up with an idea that would prove to change headphones forever. Up until 1958, all headphones had sent the same signal to both sides. But John Koss developed a set of headphones that played in stereo. This was revolutionary for the people who used their headphones to listen to music.
In 1979, Sony launched their Walkman, and with the Walkman came a set of headphones. Sony ended up selling more than 400 million units of their Walkman, and headphones could be found in every home!
Apple launched their iPod at the end of 2001. In the package with each iPod there was 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 in-ear headphones many people's favourite. Everywhere you could see the white wires, which almost became synonymous with Apple's products, and to this day Apple uses exclusively the colour white for all their in-ear headphones!
Today, headphones can be found in virtually every home. These days, for some people, headphones are as much an accessory as they are headphones. But headphones have also evolved into 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 Headphones is a collective term for headphones where the headphones' earcups sit over (around) the ear. Over-ear is often used for studio, gaming and DJ use, as the closed earcup keeps outside sounds out, while also ensuring that the sound from the headphones does not leak out.
Over-Ear headphones are often also very comfortable to wear, as they are supported on the top of the head by a headband, and padding on the earcups means they do not press on the sides of the head.
On-Ear Headphones
On-Ear Headphones are very similar in appearance to over-ear headphones. The biggest difference between the two types is the size of the earcups. While the earcups on over-ear headphones are so large in diameter that they can go around the ear, on-ear headphones have smaller earcups. This means that on-ear headphones, as the name also suggests, sit on the ear itself.
On-Ear Headphones still deliver a good, powerful sound and often feel less warm to wear than Over-Ear Headphones, but they are not as good at keeping unwanted sound out. On-Ear Headphones are often used in places such as call centres, where On-Ear Headphones help ensure employees can tolerate wearing their headsets for long periods at a time.
In-Ear Headphones
In-Ear Headphones are the versions of headphones that you place in the ear. Many people will be familiar with Apple’s classic earbuds, which are probably the most widely used in-ear headphones. In-Ear Headphones are extremely practical. They don’t take up much space, they are easy to carry around, and a number 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 physical activity.
Another place in-ears are often used is on stage. You have probably seen artists reach up and adjust something in their ear while they are on stage. These are their in-ears, which they use to hear what the others on stage are playing. They are almost invisible, yet 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, and also helps block out sounds from the outside world, so you won’t be disturbed when the music is playing!
Studio headphones
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 most often over-ear headphones designed to reproduce sound neutrally and with a wide frequency range, so all nuances in the music can be heard.
Open back
When you look at studio headphones, you may come across the term “open back”. This means that instead of the headphone cup being made as a solid piece, the rear part of the cup is open, which brings a range of both advantages and disadvantages.
In a closed cup, “build-up” and resonance from the low frequencies can occur. The open rear on open-back headphones counteracts this. By allowing air to escape at the back, these resonances do not occur, and the bass (the low frequencies) is allowed to remain clear and well-defined. This is one of the reasons why open-back is excellent for critical music listening, or for mixing and mastering tracks!
However, the open rear also comes with some drawbacks. Because the back is open, an open-back headphone does not isolate sound as well; this applies both to sound coming in and sound leaking out. This means that for everyday use—where, for example, you need them on a noisy train, in a library where others may be disturbed by sound, or similar—an open-back headphone set will not be the optimal solution.
DJ headphones
A DJ’s headphones aren’t just a tool for looking extra cool when you’re standing behind the stove in a nightclub or on a festival stage. The headphones are an important part of a DJ’s work, as they’re what he uses to mix the music properly together. As a DJ, you don’t always have the world’s best working conditions when it comes to listening. As a rule, the music coming out of the club’s sound system will be deafeningly loud, and that can make it difficult to hear what’s coming out of the headphones. That’s why the sound in DJ headphones is also different from what you’ll experience in the headphones you use every day.
To be able to hear anything through the noise from the sound system, the volume of a set of DJ headphones can often deliver significantly more volume than other headphones. In addition, the low frequencies are boosted. The low frequencies are where the kick drum sits in the music, and it’s exactly this that you use for “beatmixing”.
Finally, DJ headphones are also built to be used. They will often be made from materials like aluminium or plastic with extra flexibility, so they can survive a proper party behind the DJ booth!
Gaming Headset
Are you going to play computer games? Then you need a gaming headset! Gaming headsets are not very different from regular over-ear headphones, but there are a few differences that make gaming headsets ideal for gaming!
Microphones
When you play 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 of the window, a microphone can be really nice to have! That’s why gaming headsets are also made with a microphone on the side of the headphones.
Surround
In games such as 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, which makes it possible for you to hear exactly where the sounds are coming from. This is done by using several drivers placed in different positions instead of one large speaker driver, and they can be activated depending on where the sound comes from.
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Noise cancelling
When you’re searching for headphones, there’s a good chance you’ve come across the term “noise cancelling”. Noise cancelling is not a new technology, but as technology continues to develop, more and more manufacturers have started integrating 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 surroundings, at a workplace, on a plane, or maybe just walking in windy weather.
How does noise cancelling work?
When looking at noise cancelling, you can talk about two types: active and passive. We have already touched a bit on the passive type in the sections about Over-Ear Headphones and In-Ear Headphones. Passive noise cancelling is, quite simply, about shielding the ear from sounds from outside. This works quite effectively in many cases, but it is not 100% soundproof, so sounds can still get in from the outside.
In combination with passive noise cancelling, some models also use the active version. Active noise cancelling, or ANC, actively helps in real time to remove noise from the surroundings. It does this using microphones on the outside of the headphones that pick up all noise from the surroundings. When it detects the frequencies coming from the outside world, it then generates, in real time, a frequency that plays the opposite of the noise frequency.
By playing the opposite frequency of the noise at the same time as the noise, it creates an effect where the frequencies cancel each other out, and the noise cancelling effect is created!
Noise cancelling of course also has its limitations. It most often works best with constant noise, such as on a plane where the sound of the cabin is fairly constant. This is precisely because the microphones, in a split second, have to pick up the sound, calculate the frequencies and then play the opposite frequency. This is easier to do with a constant sound than with loud, sudden noises. But the combination of passive and active noise cancelling works really well if you want the best experience while on the go or in noisy environments.
Wireless Headphones
The future is wireless, and this also applies to headphones. Wireless Headphones make it easier not to have to mess around with cables, and wireless audio is now just as good as what you would get via a cable—especially if you primarily stream music from Spotify, watch videos on YouTube and the like. Pretty much all headphone designs are made in wireless versions. So no matter what you are looking for, you have the wireless option.
Battery life
Battery life is where Wireless Headphones have previously had their challenges. To be able to make headphones that could last even a reasonably sensible number of hours, manufacturers had to make the headphones big and bulky to make room for the battery. Thankfully, we live in a time where developments in electronics are 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-Ear Headphones, we are all the way up to more than 25 hours of playback on a single charge!
Are my devices compatible?
We often get this question when our customers are buying wireless products! The great 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 the sound wirelessly via Bluetooth!
Accessories
Amplifiers
There are special amplifiers made specifically for headphones. A headphone amplifier takes the signal from your computer, phone, TV, audio interface, etc. and amplifies it. The amplifier that drives the built-in jack input in computers, phones, etc. is often not very powerful. That’s why an amplifier can help give your headphones an extra boost!
Often, a headphone amplifier will also have multiple outputs, making it possible to have several headphones connected to the same audio source at the same time—even if the source only has one output!
Replaceable parts
Many headphones come with the option to replace different parts. Ear pads, headbands, ear tips, jack cables, etc. can easily be replaced if they get worn out, or if a different size fits your ears or head shape better.
Other manufacturers such as AIAIAI have made it possible to 100% customise your headphones. Here, you can buy the cables, the headband, the speaker unit, etc. that you want, and then simply assemble it so you end up with the exact pair of headphones you had in mind—smart!
Adapters
If you buy wired headphones, you’ll often receive them with a 3.5mm mini-jack plug. This is also the most commonly used plug in consumer electronics such as phones, computers, etc. But if you need to use your headphones for DJ or studio use, you’ll often find that most outputs here will be a 6.5 mm jack plug. But don’t worry if your jack plug is the wrong size! There are adapters that can help you solve this problem. You simply and easily plug your 3.5 mm mini-jack into the adapter, and hey presto—now you have a 6.5 mm jack plug instead!
I hope that with this guide you’re ready to take the plunge and buy your next pair of headphones, or simply got an answer to something you’d been wondering about!
At SoundStoreXL, our customer service team is also always ready to help you if you have any questions or experience issues when buying headphones!
