In the previous chapters we talked about the basic headphones, which consists of three parts – Source (read here), amplification (read here and here) and transducer (read here). Now we are going to step out of the structural part of a headset system and go deeper into the subject of headphones.
We begin here a new stage that will help you to give a north in the choice of the best phone for you using some criteria that I will address in this and the next chapters. In this chapter we will talk about something that is one of the basic points when choosing a phone: The types of phones. People prefer a certain type of phone for various reasons, whether for comfort, portability, the type of activity to be used or simply feeling very uncomfortable when using a certain type.
There are basically four types of headphones:
Earbuds
Earbud headphones are the portable format most popular with people because of the great success of Apple's first MP3, the iPod. It is undeniable that Apple collaborated to spread a lot of headphones and portable audio on the world market. So much so that when you ask the person about earbud and they don't know what, you just have to say: "those headphones that came with the iPod".
Note: Learn how to maintain and clean your headset here.
iPod earbudsEarbuds are headphones designed to be portable and fit on the outside of our ear. Its rounded shape is comfortable with a good foam covering its structure and many prefer it to in-ear headphones because it does not enter the ear canal.
Fitting earbudsThe structure of the earbuds is very simple and the type of driver is also one of the most used in headphones, the dynamic driver (read about driver technologies here), which makes your price lower compared to other types of headphones. . (read more about the headphone structure on here)
Structure of the earbudMany may think that there are only cheap earbuds, poorly built, poorly made and with inferior sound quality compared to other types of headphones. But not quite, because thanks to the Asian market, there is now a good variety of earbuds from the cheapest to the high-end ones, for example, the earbud from the Japanese manufacturer Audio Technica ATH-CK2000Ti.
Earbud Audio Technica ATH-CM2000Ti
Audio Technica ATH-CM2000Ti removable earbud cable Examples of earbud manufacturers:
- Astrotec
- Audio Technica
- Cypherus Audio
- FAEAL
- Linsoul BLD
- QianYun
- Rose Technology
- RY Earphone Store
- Sennheiser
- Ty Hi Z
- Venture Electronics
- Vido
- WillSound
- Wooeasy EMX500
- Yuin
The weak point of the earbuds is the issue of isolation from the external noise, since its hollow structure (has openings in the housing) to have a better performance of the driver. In addition, this type of headset does not have a good fixation in the ear like in-ear headphones and therefore the person cannot practice activities that have sudden movements. This type of earphone also has difficulties for the reproduction of bass, because this frequency depends a lot on the earphone isolation and sealing (good fit in the ear not to leak sound) between the earphone and the ear of the person to gain strength, impact and extension.
In-Ear or In-ears or IEMs
In-ear headphones are now a favorite for activities that require portability to walk and carry anywhere. What made them a popular format was the isolation of the external noise passively due to the insertion of part of the structure into the ear canal of the person with the use, for example, of silicone structures (silicone tips, rubber, eartips) for more comfort and to shape the ear canal.
In-ear headphones date back to the end of the 19th century, when Thomas Edison connected the stethoscope-like hearing tubes to a phakograph. The first patent for headphones dates back to 1891, when French electrical engineer Ernest Jules Pierre Mercadier designed the "bi-telephone" for use in communications. Headphone technology has improved over the next 90 years, with most developments aimed at hearing aids and other devices. But only from the 1980s, after the launch of the Walkman, that the headphones we know today began to evolve.
In the Brazilian market, we find many uncomfortable in-ear headphones and because of that, many headset users end up having a pre-concept with this type of headset. As the market for headphones in our country is very restricted and not very widespread, with little variety in stores to test and few options on websites also to buy, this view is totally understandable. However, if the person searches on the internet about this type of phone a little more deeply, he will discover that there is a variety of headphones of this format much, but much bigger than he imagined! It is therefore naturally possible to see that there are more elaborate in-ear earphone designs, with higher quality materials, with greater ergonomics (more comfort), better fit (to obtain greater sealing and fixation) and with a removable cable (possibility to exchange for another cable when damaged, replace it with a lighter and more comfortable cable to use).
Note: Learn how to maintain and clean your headset here.
Within the type of in-ear headphones, we still have subdivisions. They are:
Universal in-ear earphones (with silicone eartips / eartips)
In-Ear Audio Technica ATH-CK350
Custom in-ear earphones (they have the shape of the person's ear canal, where the person takes the earmold mold and sends it to the manufacturer's laboratory for the earphone to be manufactured)
Custom In-ear Headphone JH Audio JH5 PROIn-ear custom JH Audio JH5 PRO out of earWireless in-ear headphones (a wire connects one side of the headset to the other, but has no cable connecting to the music player)
In-ear wireless Bose Sound SportTrue Wireless in-ear headphones (there is no wire connecting one side of the phone to the other and there is no cable connecting to the music player)
In-ear true wireless Sennheiser MomentumExamples of in-ear headphones manufacturers:
- 64 Audio
- Advanced Acousticwerkes (AAW)
- AKG
- Audeze
- Audio Dream (national manufacturer of custom headphones)
- Audio Technica
- Avara Custom
- Beyerdynamic
- Bose
- Campfire Audio
- Denon
- Dunu
- Earsonics
- Earsound (national manufacturer of custom headphones)
- Empire Ears
- Etymotic
- Fidue
- FiiO
- Final Audio
- Fit Ear
- FLC Technology
- Grado
- Hifiman
- iBasso
- Jaybird
- JH Audio
- Jomo Audio
- JVC
- Kinera (Available in national territory through the official distributor on here)
- Klipsch
- Noble Audio
- Oriolus
- Philips
- QDC Custom IEM
- Sennheiser
- Shure
- Sony
- Ultimate Ears
- Unique Melody (Chinese manufacturer of custom headphones with representation in Brazil)
- Vision Ears
- Westone
- Xtreme Ears (national manufacturer of custom headphones)
Supra-aurais or On-ears
The supra-aural headphones are still portable headphones, but more awkward to store and carry around. People who choose this type of headset, generally want the portable feature of earbuds and in-ears, but at the same time want some of the benefits that the circumaural headphones provide (greater comfort and sound stage).
The structure of the on-ear type headphones has pads (cushions) that are above our ear. Dynamic drivers are generally used in this type of phone. The pads provide greater comfort for users compared to other portable types of headphones. Larger dynamic drivers (compared to in-ears and earbuds) due to the size of the phone's structure provide greater possibility of resourcefulness in the reproduction of sounds, but there are always exceptions to the rule, so always research well before choosing a phone.
The supra-aural headphones still have a variation where the cups (shells) of their structure (learn more about the structures here) can be opened (with bars) or closed (sealed by some material such as metal, plastic or wood, for example) . Open headphones generally have a larger sound stage, greater ventilation and a more balanced sound while closed headphones generally have better isolation from external noise, more developed bass, a more "colorful" sound and a more "tight" sound stage.
Note: Learn how to maintain and clean your headset here.
Sennheiser HD25 supra-aural headsetBetter-made on-ear headphones have the possibility to exchange pads (pads) and cables (they are removable) with ease and depending on the manufacturer, even other parts that compose them as well.
Koss Porta Pro on-ear headset
There are supra-aural headphones with cable and wireless (wireless).
Supra-aural Audio Technica ATH-AR3BT headsetExamples of manufacturers of supra-aural headphones:
- AKG
- Audio Technica
- Beyerdynamic
- Bose
- Grado
- JVC
- Kuba Audio (national manufacturer)
- Koss
- Sennheiser
- Sony
- Ultrasone
- V-Fashion
Circumaural or Over-ears or Headphones
RELATEDID25349,25397,25423 / RELATEDIDCircular earphones were made to obtain the maximum comfort possible with the maximum performance that the technology offers in terms of sound. These are headphones that are not portable due to their size and the need (sometimes not always) for dedicated amplification, which is usually done by a table amplifier connected to a wall outlet.
Over-ear headphones cover our ears with pads, making comfort great. There are headphones of this type in different sizes, because here it is possible to waste in this regard, since they are made for use in the laptop, that is, to be used at home sitting in an armchair for example. Because of this, manufacturers try their best (thinking about the ideal, it doesn't always happen) to develop the technology of the drivers and the structure of the phone itself to obtain a good sound response that achieves the objective that they intend. That is why there are several types of driver structures and technologies that are developed here first and then developed in miniature for portable headphones.
The headphones still have a variation where the cups (shells) of their structure (learn more about the structures here) can be opened (with bars) or closed (sealed by some material such as metal, plastic or wood, for example). Open headphones generally have a larger sound stage, greater ventilation and a more balanced sound while closed headphones generally have better isolation from external noise, more developed bass, a more "colorful" sound and a more "tight" sound stage.
Note: Learn how to maintain and clean your headset here.
Sennheiser HD600 HeadphoneBetter-made over-ear headphones have the possibility to exchange pads (pads) and cables (they are removable) with ease and depending on the manufacturer, even other parts that make them up too.
Audio Technica ATH-W3000ANVThere are also wired and wireless circumaural headsets.
Sony 1000XM3 HeadphoneExamples of manufacturers of circunaural headphones:
- AKG
- Audeze
- Audio Technica
- Denon
- Final Audio
- Grado
- Hifiman
- JVC
- Koss
- Meze Audio
- Monoprice
- Mr speakers
- Philips
- Sennheiser
- Shure
- Sony
- Stax
- Superlux
This article made in partnership with the Headphones High-End Group:
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