Are you thinking of buying new headphones? In this guide we tell you everything you need to know when choosing, whether you are looking for wireless headphones or if you want to buy cable headphones.
Today, countless people take advantage of any moment to enjoy their favorite music or podcasts. Whether taking a walk, doing sports, on public transport or in the office, many users liven up these moments by listening to songs or programs.
For this reason, headphones are one of the most used technological accessories today, since they allow you to enjoy content in a private environment and without disturbing the people around you. With this headphone buying guide we show you everything you need to know to choose the right headphones .
Having quality headphones has become almost essential for many users when practicing sports, working or entertaining during daily commutes or on long trips.
The problem is that there is a huge offer on the market of headphones of different models, shapes and sizes, so it is not easy to choose between headsets or earbuds, noise canceling or wireless. To help you choose we have created this guide to buy the best headphones for you.
Buying headphones is something as subjective and personal as getting shoes. No matter how beautiful they are, no matter how good the quality of the construction they are or no matter how good the vendor that offers them, in the end what counts is how comfortable you are while you are using them.
Choose the right format
Headphones have evolved a lot in recent years and this has made possible the appearance of different formats and types of headphones.
Each of these headphone formats is tailored to a different type of setting and usage preference. In the same way that you would not go to the gym with elegant shoes or to a gala dinner with soccer boots.
The choice of one type of earphone or another depends mainly on the use that you are going to give them or which one is most comfortable for you to use, so it is common to choose a certain type of earphone for sports and another one for listening to music with the maximum quality at home.
In-ear or in-ear headphones
We start with the type of earpiece that, in all probability, is the most widespread. We are talking about the button type, also known as in-ear or in-ear.
These headphones are inserted directly into the ear pavilion, accommodating at the entrance to reproduce the sound. This type of headphones are especially attractive due to their small size and low weight, making them ideal for connecting with smartphones or portable players.
These headphones can be more or less anatomical depending on the manufacturer and there are those who bet on a solid design that fits with the morphology of the ear pavilion, to those that use different sizes of silicone pads to adapt to the shape of the interior of the ear avoiding let them fall out of the ear with the movements.
As a general rule, the latter are usually more comfortable since they do not contain hard parts and are better adapted to the shape and size of the ear.
In-Ear or in-ear headphones tend to be more affordable, but that also tends to affect the sound quality they offer. Although while they are sufficient for most situations, as soon as you appreciate the sound quality, you will look for other alternatives of higher quality.
The small size of the speakers integrated in this type of headphones forces you to search among the high-end in-ear headphones to find better sound quality, which also increases its price.
Since its majority use is together with smartphones, most quality in-ear headphones usually have a microphone and playback control integrated in the cable to use it as a hands-free phone from which to answer calls or control music playback without having to take out the pocket mobile.
If you decide to buy In-Ear headphones, an interesting alternative is the Xiaomi Redmi AirDots, which stand out for their good value for money and you can buy them for 22 euros.
It is a lightweight and compact wireless headphones equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, which work at a distance of up to 10 meters from the device. In addition to listening to music, you can use them to talk on the phone thanks to its built-in microphone. They have environmental noise reduction technology and offer autonomy of up to 12 hours with their charging box.
Here are other recommended in-ear headphones of different price ranges:
Apple AirPods for 142 euros.
Apple AirPods Pro for 279 euros.
Samsung Galaxy Buds for 115 euros.
SoundMAGIC E50 for 42 euros.
Sennheiser CX 300-II for 21 euros.
Sony MDR-EX110LP for 11 euros.
On-ear or on-ear headphones
These headphones, also known as headband headphones, are those that are placed over the ears but do not completely cover them. Resting on them can put more pressure on the ears so they can be annoying in the long term, especially if you wear glasses.
Despite being more bulky than the earbuds , the over- ear headphones continue to be very portable and lightweight, and can also be folded down to take up less space during transport.
The headphone headset on-ear or supra - aural are perfect for those looking for better sound quality with in-ear to listen to music from your mobile.
Many of these headphones include a wired and even playback control built into one of the headphones, as well as a microphone for hands-free use.
If you want to buy cheap but performance headband headphones, the Sennheiser HD 201 is highly recommended. They are closed-back, on-ear headphones that stand out for offering good stereo sound, good isolation from surrounding noise and rich bass response. They are very resistant and you can buy them for only 29 euros .
Here we leave you other alternatives of different prices:
Sony WH-1000XM3B for 290 euros.
Bose QuietComfort 35 II for 261 euros.
Bang & Olufsen BeoPlay H2 for 102 euros.
Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless for 380 euros.
Circumaural, Over-ear or Full-Size Headphones
Without a doubt, the circumaural headphones are the most voluminous since their pads completely surround the ear. Since the earphone drivers are located close to the ear, but without touching it, it creates a more natural sound experience for the brain.
This larger size allows transducers (also known as drivers) of a larger diameter to be installed inside, so the sound quality improves considerably compared to any other format of headphones.
This type of headphones is the one that offers greater acoustic performance. The reason is no other that, by completely covering the ear, it provides better sound insulation, allowing you to better enjoy the audio you are listening to.
You should choose this type of headphones if you are going to spend a lot of time with the headphones on since they are usually built with high quality materials to make them more comfortable. But above all, you should buy circumaural headphones if you want to get the best sound quality.
However, not all are advantages. On the other hand, by covering the entire ear, they generate more heat and can be annoying if you wear glasses or bulky earrings.
There are two types of circumaural headphones: closed circumaurals and open circumaurals. In this guide we also show you how to differentiate between both types of headphones and which one is best for you.
The closed Over-ear headphones create a sound chamber in the area that encompasses the pads that provides better passive acoustic insulation, enhancing the lower frequencies.
Instead, by choosing open circumaural headphones, you don't create an isolated chamber, but the back of the transducers lets out some of the sound by relieving the pressure your ear receives.
This, which may seem inconvenient because it does not insulate as much as closed ones, actually makes them sound more natural and precise since it allows the transducer membrane to move without interference or vibration reflections that can occur in closed models.
If you have decided to buy a circumaural headphones, a recommended option is the Hifiman Sundara. It is an open-type over-ear headphones that offer you high-fidelity sound, they are very comfortable to wear and their price is somewhat more contained than other high-definition models. You can buy them for 349 euros.
In this list we leave you other alternatives to consider:
Sennheiser HD 660S for 449 euros.
Meze 99 Classics for 199 euros.
Audio Tecnica ATH-MSR7 for 208 euros.
Superlux HD681B for 27 euros.
Fully wireless sports headphones
As we said at the beginning, today many users use headphones while exercising, and for this reason there are models that have been specifically designed to withstand splashes of sweat and water.
In fact, the most advanced wireless sports headphones allow to be used even inside the pool since they have a special connection system without cables that allow Bluetooth connection even in the water, where wireless waves are not capable of transmitting.
This type of headphones is usually wireless since only this type of connection guarantees the total freedom of movement required in sports training.
Some sports headphones include their own internal memory and MP3 player to avoid having to depend on an external device and they can even incorporate their own activity monitors that send training information to an app installed on your mobile. This eliminates the need to carry an audio player with you while playing sports or using other sports accessories.
These headphones are anatomically designed to prevent them from falling while you play sports and, through the use of special silicone pads, they fit like a glove to the earpiece to prevent them from falling and could be lost or interrupt your training.
These bluetooth earbuds provide four hours of battery life and automatic pairing, all at record prices.
Buy it at the best price
There are many types, among which are the necklaces, which consist of a kind of necklace that is placed around the neck from which intra-ear headphones come out. This improves the stability of the headphones and prevents them from falling off with sports activity.
Recently, a new type of sports headphones has been developed that provide total freedom since they are totally wireless, that is, they do not have a cable that connects one earphone to the other, so the feeling of freedom of movement is even greater.
In this type of headphones, the box itself is its charging base, so they are extremely comfortable to take them to the gym and leave them charging while you shower after training and thus continue listening to music back home.
Here is a selection of highly recommended sports headphones :
Powerbeats Pro for 212 euros.
Sony WFSP700NB for 138 euros.
Jabra Elite Sport for 186 euros.
JBL Reflect Mini 2 Sport for 77 euros.
Bose SoundSport for 109 euros.
Bluetooth or wired headphones, quality vs. comfort
After choosing the headphone format that is most appropriate for your use and needs, the next is to decide what type of connection you prefer to connect the headphones to your playback devices: Bluetooth or wired.
On the one hand, the Bluetooth headphones provide a much more comfortable connection since you are not tied by a cable that hinders your movements and you can get up from the chair without fear of pulling the cable, or without the cable cluttering you while doing other things with hands.
Choosing a Bluetooth headset is perfect if you are looking for greater comfort of movements, so they are the ideal headphones to use with your mobile phone or as headphones for sports since they allow to move in a radius of 10 meters around the device that emits the sound. If you are looking for sound quality, the cable is the best choice to achieve it.
Bluetooth connectivity compresses the audio signal that the player sends to the headphones, which means losing data in the transmission that affects its quality.
Although compression has greatly improved with the arrival of aptX HD codecs, they still cannot be compared to the excellence provided by the wired connection that does allow the transmission of all the audio information provided by the player.
One of the main advantages is that some Bluetooth headphones can also be used with a cable when the battery runs out, which makes them a much more versatile option. With them you can choose between the comfort of wireless headphones and the option to connect them by cable to obtain the maximum sound quality.
Active noise canceling headphones
The active noise cancellation is becoming one of the star features for headphones. This system uses microphones that capture the frequencies of external noise and emit a frequency that counteracts it, creating total silence around you.
The headphones with active noise cancellation are perfect for long trips and isolated in noisy environments such as inside an airplane or a train. In fact, this technology was developed to reduce the auditory stress of airmen who had to endure constant engine noise for long hours.
The use of noise-canceling headphones allows you to isolate yourself from the environment and enjoy only the sound that is reproduced in the headphones. This, depending on the environment, can even be dangerous.
For example, they are not highly recommended for use while walking on the street as you could be the victim of an accident since you would not hear sirens, horns, whistles or other acoustic signals that could alert you to a danger. For this reason, some of these headphones include ambient sound modes that reduce this level of isolation.
Noise-canceling headphones are not for everyone as some people find that feeling of artificial isolation unpleasant and cause “acoustic dizziness”.
If you are looking for noise canceling headphones, here are some recommended models:
Apple AirPods Pro for 279 euros.
Bose 700 for 319 euros.
Sony WH-1000XM3B for 290 euros.
Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless for 380 euros.
Jabra Elite 85H for 199 euros.
The importance of the connector: Lightning, USB type C or 3.5mm jack
The mobile has become the main source of entertainment, so the type of connector you use will be decisive when choosing headphones to listen to music on the mobile.
Some of the latest mobile models have chosen to remove the 3.5mm jack, so the only option is to use headphones with a USB Type-C or Lightning connector. With this type of connection, the power of the headphones comes from the battery of the mobile, so it can affect its autonomy.
Lightning and USB Type-C headphones must integrate their own internal DAC ( Digital Analog Converter ) since the audio output through these connectors is digital and must be transformed into sound waves so that the transducers of the headphones can reproduce it.
Choosing headphones with this type of mobile connector is a good idea even if your smartphone has a 3.5 mm jack, but it is not particularly well equipped at the hardware level for music playback, since by including a External DACs probably give you better sound quality.
If the headphones are to be used to listen to music from a source other than the mobile, as a sound system the best option will continue to be the traditional audio jack.
What to consider when choosing headphones?
Before buying headphones, it is not only convenient to take into account the shape or type of connector. Factors such as weight, size, water resistance or the materials that have been used are essential to choose the right headphones for each type of user.
Regardless of the type of headphones you choose, weight will be a fundamental factor when choosing them as it will not only influence when you have to wear them all day, but heavier headphones will be more likely to fall or accuse a certain fatigue when using them during long sessions.
Something similar happens with the construction of the headband and its size adjustment. It is important to have a good padding on the top of the headband so that they are more comfortable to wear for a long time. If this part is too stiff, it is likely that, with the weight of the headphones, you will notice discomfort in the top of your head and it will make you uncomfortable to use them.
Comfort should also be a decisive aspect when choosing sports headphones or headphones to listen to music from your mobile . In-ear headphones, it is important to have pads and supports of different sizes and shapes to ensure that they adapt as much as possible to the interior of the ear.
Technical characteristics to choose the best headphones
Of course, on a technical level not all headphones are the same, and with a simple glance at their technical specifications you can already get an idea of the benefits it offers.
These are some of the technical characteristics that you should take into account when choosing good headphones.
Impedance
One of the technical terms that you will find in the specifications of the headphones is the impedance and it is measured in ohms (Ω).
The impedance is a value that indicates the resistance to the passage of the electric current. The lower its value will indicate that the headphones offer less resistance to the passage of current, so they need less energy to vibrate and, therefore, they will sound with a higher volume.
Review Audio Technica ATH-MSR7 Headphones
Of course, a higher volume does not necessarily mean better quality. For in-ear and on-ear headphones, an impedance of between 16 and 80 ohms is typical. For full-size headphones, values of up to 600 ohms can be reached, although the recommended average is around 80 ohms.
Frequency sensitivity and range
Human beings can only perceive sounds in a certain frequency range between 20 Hz and 20 KHz (20,000 Hz). The wider this frequency range, the greater range of sound nuances they will be able to reproduce, offering better quality.
Not all headphones are capable of reproducing the full frequency range, so some headphones cut at the lower frequencies. Other headphones, on the other hand, even go so far as to reproduce a greater frequency range, something that will only be technical perseverance since you will hardly be able to appreciate frequencies above or below that threshold.
Headphones buying guide: everything you need to know
On the other hand, sensitivity refers to the sound power provided by the headphones and is represented in decibels (dB). The human ear supports up to a maximum of 100 dB and above these values it can cause pain and hearing damage, so it is of little use to pay an extra cost when buying headphones with a sensitivity greater than 120 dB.
By following the instructions in this guide to buy headphones yourself, you will be able to discard the models that do not suit your needs and the huge list of available models that you had at the beginning will be greatly reduced, leaving only a few candidates to become the perfect headphones for you.
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