Nowadays, you won't surprise anyone with headphones. We will be much more surprised by their absence in the box with the purchased phone or tablet. There are heaps of headphones of all kinds on store shelves. But what are the types and types of headphones in general. Are there so many of them and how do they differ?
Despite the myriad of models, all types and types of headphones can be fit into 4 categories:
- Earbuds
- In-ear headphones
- On-ear headphones
- Over-ear headphones
Most often, the first two types of headphones are combined into one. In my opinion, they should be considered separately, in view of a rather serious constructive difference.
1.Ear earbuds
Earbuds, according to the folk - shells. For quite a long time, they were the most common type of headphone, especially for portable use. But the noisy world has forced many to switch to plugs.
I don't know how they look like shells. Rather, the following picture is more suitable for this title:
But back to the topic. Today, there are also many supporters of this performance. Probably, the love for this type of headphones is partly due to the products of the well-known apple company.
By and large, their EarPods are just like AirPods ( ) are also more likely shells than plugs.
1.1 Comfort
As the name suggests, the earbuds fit into the auricle. To ensure a better seal, some manufacturers wear rubber rings. For less irritation of the auricle with hard plastic, foam nozzles are used.
With or without overlays, these headphones cannot boast of noise isolation, so in most of these headphones you will hear most of what is happening around you, and you will surely listen to the tracks on your player with those around you.
Another problem with this type is that the headphones do not always match the size and structure of your auricle. This leads to the fact that for someone the headphones are small and fall out, but for someone they are crushed ...
1.2 Sound
Such headphones usually have a dynamic emitter with a diameter of 10-15 mm. Earlier, when such current headphones appeared, due to the lack or high cost of technologies for the production of such small speakers, their midrange was very high.
Taking into account the loose fit of the headphones to the ear, the low and high frequencies suffered even more. This even led to the fact that sound engineers, when recording music, artificially increased the low and high frequencies.
Also in vogue was the V-shaped equalizer setting, which today is referred to as "Rock" in many equalizers. This is because there is a lot of midrange in rock music. And there were already too many of them in the shells.
Now we have already learned how to make high-quality speakers, even smaller. However, the problem of a loose fit has not gone away, so today manufacturers are trying to make a dip in the middle frequencies, and raise the low with high frequencies.
1.3 Portability
Headphones definitely have no problems with this. They fit easily in a pocket or in other small secluded places. I would not recommend wearing headphones anywhere. Small debris can get into their holes, which will ruin your life and them.
2. In-ear headphones
Plugs, vacuum headphones - these are the popular names for in-ear headphones. This type of headphone received these nicknames for its sound-insulating construction properties.
2.1 Comfort
The main difference is the creation of a virtually sealed volume between the speaker membrane and the ear membrane. This tightness is ensured by the use of a silicone nozzle.
I have heard more than once that people do not like the feeling of a plunger in the ear. For this reason, they prefer shells. Many people do experience discomfort with plugs.
But in fact, it is enough to put them on and wait a little. The device of our ear is such that it will itself equalize the pressure and become more comfortable. But for some reason this does not help everyone.
2.2 Sound
The major technical difference is the presence of a sound guide placed directly into the ear canal. Due to this, the power of the emitters can be an order of magnitude less than that of other types of headphones. All vibrations of the diffuser are transmitted directly and efficiently to the eardrum.
In-ear headphones with dynamic emitters usually have a membrane diameter of 10-12 mm, but can be as small as 8 mm. Structurally, such a speaker causes great difficulties. The biggest challenge is getting the right low frequencies and even frequency balance.
Today, many headphones, especially those from the budget category, suffer from raised bass that overlaps the mids, making them low-impact. The depth and detail of the low ones is not as good as we would like it to be.
In addition, such a small size of the speaker leads to the fact that its resonant frequency is quite high. This accentuates the high frequencies, which often begin to hiss, clatter and smack unnecessarily.
In addition to a dynamic emitter, a reinforcing emitter can also be used in in-ear headphones. A balanced armature emitter, as it is officially called, has the best sounding in the middle and especially high frequencies.
However, the armature cannot squeeze out decent bass mainly due to its very modest size. Therefore, hybrid headphones are becoming more and more popular in which a dynamic emitter coexists with a reinforcing one. However, these headphones are often not the smallest size and are not so comfortable to wear.
2.3 Portability
As with the representatives of the previous type, there are no problems with portability. And they will play with sufficient volume from any hole. But do not forget that the sound quality is determined not only by the headphones themselves, but also by the quality of the sound source.
For lovers of maximum portability and lack of wires, a bunch of wireless solutions are divorced today.
3. On-ear headphones
They are named so due to the fact that the earphone, as you would expect, is "superimposed" on the auricle. On-ear headphones are more of a compromise and are a great combination for those who want high-quality sound while still having a fair amount of portability.
3.1 Sound
In-ear headphones are not as large as full-size headphones, but with their driver size, they can provide much better sound quality than their younger siblings.
Due to the fact that the sound source is located behind the auricle, and not in it, it is easier for the sound (audible) image to form outside the head. This contributes to a better perception of the depth and height of the soundstage.
This allows the use of on-ear headphones for professional applications as well. So there is a monitor on-ear headphones. What are monitor headphones, read in .
3.2 Comfort
When it comes to noise isolation, many on-ear headphones nervously smoke on the sidelines. The peculiarity of their design is such that many of them cannot fit snugly to the auricles. If the headphones are open, then in principle there is no noise isolation in them.
In most models, when listening to music on the subway, the subway is much better heard than the music. Although there are also models with decent sound insulation.
For this reason, more and more manufacturers are releasing models with active noise cancellation.
On-ear headphones are usually the same size or smaller than the auricle. At the same time, they are pressed directly to the ear, therefore, with prolonged wearing, they can cause discomfort.
3.3 Portability
On-ear headphones are much more portable than over-ear headphones. For even greater portability, many headphones are foldable. Often, a small bag or carrying case is also included with the headphones.
4. Over-ear headphones
Over-ear headphones, referred to in English Over ear (around the ear) either circumaural (circular) are the largest. They are rightfully considered the highest quality among all types.
As they say - a large piece and the mouth rejoices, and in this case the ear. But why are they better?
4.1 Sound
The main reason over-ear headphones have the best sound is obviously because of their size. More precisely, the size of their speakers. Typically the driver diameter for full-size headphones is over 40 mm in the case of dynamic drivers.
It is much easier for a speaker of this size to fully play out the low-frequency component. As a result, the bass in them is more elaborate, rich and deep. Many of these headphones have a frequency range of 8-10 Hz.
But the size of the headphones allows the use of other more “exotic” types of speakers. For example, it can be iso- or ortho-dynamic drivers, capacitor-type speakers and others.
But it's not just the size of the speaker, the full-size design allows for good noise isolation and eliminates loss due to a loose fit.
It is also easier to implement various systems of acoustic filters and sound guides in such headphones to give the frequency response the desired shape. That is why most often full-sized.
4.2 Comfort
These headphones can also be called the most comfortable of all types. They do not act or press on the auricle, but frame it, pressing soft ear pads directly to the head. Even if the ear pads are not as good as we would like, they can be .
A “microclimate” is created around your ear. However, this can create some problems when used in warm and hot weather - it will simply be hot in the headphones.
4.3 Portability
In terms of portability, everything is somewhat worse here. Most over-ear headphones are designed for home or studio use. It is very rare for full-size headphones to come with a bag or case.
Of course, there are enough models that can be folded quite compactly. But if compactness is a priority for you, it is better to take a closer look at the previous types.
It's not just about compactness. Most full-size headphones are high impedance and require a more powerful amplifier, so not all players can fully drive most full-size headphones.
An interesting representative of full-size headphones are from company ... This is a Chinese company that exactly reproduces the famous models of headphones, at prices several times cheaper than branded ones.
Conclusion
No matter how hard the manufacturers try, the perfect headphones simply don't exist. But each type of headphone has its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, in the subway, it is more logical to take plugs with you, and at home to enjoy full-size headphones.
Material prepared exclusively for the site
There are many types of headphones and each has a different name. However, if in English the name of each type of headphones has long become a standard, then in Russian, thanks to its richness and the vast imagination of listeners, headphones, whatever they call it.
In this article, I will explain to you how all types of headphones are correctly called, their parts and how users on the Internet call them.
In-ear headphones
One of the most common headphones on the market today is in-ear headphones. People also call in-ear headphones: plugs, earbuds, droplets, plug-in, vacuum and many other terms.
In English, the term in-ear headphones has become established, less often these headphones are called earphones.
The name of the in-ear headphones is understandable, because these headphones are literally inserted into the ear canal so that the driver is as close to the eardrum as possible, so that you can hear the high-quality and full-weight sound produced by such miniature drivers.
In general, the name "In-ear" refers to a different form factor of headphones, but people very often confuse these headphones, so it can be attributed to two types of headphones at once.
Small headphones, called in-ear headphones, due to their excellent noise isolation and modern technologies, are not inferior in sound quality to full-size competitors, quite often even outstripping them in detail and overall sound quality.
In-ear headphones
Earbuds are very often confused with in-ear headphones, it's not difficult to make a mistake, because they look very similar to each other.
But there is one significant difference that dramatically affects the sound character and sound quality - the lack of noise isolation.
In-ear headphones do not have noise isolation, because they do not have ear cushions and do not fit into the ear canal. They are embedded in the auricle and are held there by the natural curves of the ear cartilage.
Due to the lack of noise isolation, these headphones do not sound very good to be serious about it. However, this drawback is also an advantage of the headphones. with headphones on, you can perfectly hear everything that is happening around you.
In many cases, the loss of sound quality can be neglected in order to watch out for sounds that surround you in real life.
The most prominent representatives of in-ear headphones are the famous Apple AirPods.
Compare the structure of the case of in-ear and in-ear headphones, I think now everything has become clear to you.
If you are primarily interested in sound quality, then you need in-ear headphones.
If you need to hear well what is happening around you when listening to music, then you need in-ear headphones.
On-ear headphones
On-ear headphones are the little brothers of the full-size, or monitor, models.
In English, the term On-Ear Headphones has become established, which can literally be translated as headphones on the ear.
All on-ear headphones are characterized by the fact that the ear cushion of the headphones rests on the auricle, slightly pressing it to the head, thereby forming passive noise isolation.
The main advantage of on-ear headphones is that they are much more compact than full-size models, but at the same time they can use a full-size serious driver that provides high sound quality.
Despite the fact that on-ear headphones can look very miniature, a full-fledged driver is hidden inside and the sound quality rather depends on the desire of the manufacturer and almost does not depend on the restrictions that can be caused by miniaturization.
Due to the specific wearing method, on-ear headphones are not suitable for all people. If you don't like it when something presses on your ears or presses them against your head, then on-ear headphones are not for you. If you normally tolerate tight contact between your ears and headphones, then overhead models should be considered when choosing future headphones.
The sound quality of some on-ear headphones can be very high, comparable to the best full-size models.
Over-ear (monitor) headphones
Full-size, or monitor, headphones are the very form factor that we imagine when we mention the word “headphones”.
In English, the term Over-Ear Headphones has become established, it can literally be translated as "headphones around the ear".
The design feature is that the auricle does not touch the headphones at all, the soft ear cushion rests on the head and covers the ear, and the inner part of the headphones does not reach the ear. Thus, maximum comfort is achieved, because the ear is a rather delicate part of the body and the lack of contact is the key to high comfort and ease of listening to music.
In addition, thanks to this form factor, engineers are almost unlimited in the use of the most exotic driver technologies, so that the world's best headphones are always full-size.
Bone conduction headphones
There is a separate small class of headphones that transmit sound not with the help of air, but with the vibration of the skull bone.
In English, the term Bone Conduction Headphones has become established.
In the beginning, this technology was used for hearing prosthetics, for those people who damaged the eardrum, but the inner ear remained in order. For them, this technological novelty has become a salvation, tk. they were again able to hear sound in fairly good quality.
Today, headphones of this type are manufactured by several companies around the world for ordinary consumers. These headphones are great for outdoor sports, as well as for all professions that need to maintain full contact with the outside world and still be able to hear the sound from the headphones.
Headphones with bone conduction sound are worn on the head, the vibration generators must be in contact with the cheekbone, because it has minimal body fat and the vibrations from the headphones are very well transmitted to the inner ear.
At the same time, the ears remain absolutely free, if your hearing is in order, you will hear everything that is happening around and at the same time you will record the sound from the headphones.
Bone conduction headphones are not the best choice for those who want to experience all the delights of music, but are indispensable in certain cases and circumstances.
What are the parts of the headphones called
Now let's briefly analyze what all the main parts of the headphones are called.
Embouchure
In English, the terms are used: ear pads or ear cushions.
In the case of in-ear headphones, the ear cushions simultaneously perform two roles: it holds the headphones in the ear and is a part that creates the effect of noise isolation. This is very important for comfortable listening to high quality music.
In the case of on-ear and full-size headphones, the ear cushions are necessary for a comfortable fit of the headphones on the head, for noise isolation, if we are talking about closed headphones.
Headphone cups
The ear cups are the case, or the outside of the case. The headphone housing itself can be called an acoustic chamber, because usually the sound propagates inside the entire volume of the headphones and the shape, as well as the material from which the case is made, are at the same time an acoustic chamber.
Internal protective mesh
The internal protective mesh of the headphones performs two functions at the same time: it protects the driver from dust and foreign objects, and acts as an acoustic filter. At first glance, it may seem that the protective fabric mesh of full-size and on-ear headphones can be made of any beautiful material, but this is not so. After all, the sound, passing through the material, will change, but how it changes will depend on the type of mesh and its structure. Therefore, the mesh is an important part of the design, replacing or spoiling it, you can spoil the sound of the headphones.
External safety net
An external protective mesh can serve as a decorative function if we are talking about closed headphones, or a protective one if we are talking about open models.
Wire socket
If the headphone wire is removable, then the headphones themselves will necessarily have a socket to which the wire for transmitting electrical signals is attached.
Wire divider
If the wire goes to each bowl separately, then somewhere in the middle there should be a wire divider that divides one wire into two. It can have a very different design, but functionally it plays the role of protecting the place where the wire is divided into two parts.
Jack wire
The wire jack is a contact pad that is inserted into the jack of the sound source to transmit an electrical signal.
The name "Jack" comes from the English term "Jack".
It can have different shapes and sizes, the most common today are the sizes of 6.3 mm, 3.5 mm and 2.5 mm. Dimension means the diameter of the jack section, i.e. the 3.5 mm jack has a 3.5 mm diameter.
The absence of shortages and a wide range of products from all over the world has led to a massive filling of the market with goods of various categories, quality and level. The headphone market is no exception. A lazy buyer, having made a rash decision, easily says goodbye to money, giving it for the first model he likes. There is no desire to understand the issue, and as a result, a product is purchased that hardly justifies the initial requests. The presence of thousands of different models has led to the fact that the purchase of those "one and only" headphones for the complexity of the choice is not far from the purchase of the first car.
In today's article we will try to understand the question of what main headphone categories presented on the market, what are their main differences and advantages.
Before talking about all the modifications of the presented headphones, I will try to put myself in the shoes of a buyer who has set aside a n-th amount and is ready to start buying right now. Our customer is hardly familiar with the peculiarities of each category of headphones, but he has a little free time in order to delve into the essence of the matter and then make the right choice.
By type of construction
Among all the abundance of headphones, one of the main criteria for dividing them is type of construction... We meet any product by clothing and it is the type of design that immediately catches the eye.
In-ear headphones.
This type of headphone in everyday life is more often called "Buttons" or "Inserts"... They are inserted directly into the auricle and are among the most common. The generally accepted standard was developed back in 1991 year company engineers Etymotic Research, and the progenitors of plug-in headphones were the audiological headphones used in scientific centers.
Among the accessories accompanying the in-ear headphones, it is worth noting the primitive ear pads- round pieces of foam rubber.
Their main task is not only to make wearing more comfortable, but also to improve the level of sound insulation.
In-ear headphones
Most often, plug-in headphones are confused with in-ear headphones, popularly called "plugs" or "vacuum". In-ear headphones ( IEM – In-Ear-Canalphone) are inserted directly into the ear canal. They fit significantly deeper into the human ear than in-ear headphones.
The design of in-ear headphones is also borrowed from advances in the field of medicine, and the ancestor of this category of audio devices was the hearing aids and headphones-monitors, which have been successfully used by musicians on stage for over 20 years.
The main thing the difference between in-ear headphones and plug-in is improved sealing and concentration sound. The use of soft ear pads allows you to maximally isolate music playback from extraneous noise and reduce the level of amplitude distortion of the membrane by increasing the sound area.
Another distinguishing feature of in-ear headphones is the wide range of nozzles... In short, if you see headphones with a characteristic soft spout, you can be sure that this is a representative of in-ear headphones.
The sore spot of in-ear headphones is the transmission of a high frequency range, losing to a booming and meaty bass.
Conclusion:in-ear headphones or earbuds and in-ear headphones - “earplugs” are two different types of headphones that belong to the same category of in-ear headphones.
On-ear headphones
The on-ear headphones got their name for a reason. Their principle of fixation is to fix it on the surface of the ear and press it against it from the outside, and the sound source itself is located outside the auricle. 
Due to the fact that on-ear headphones are at a tangible (by sound standards) distance from the ear canal, a higher volume level is required for their full sound. On-ear headphones can have various types of attachment: with an ear-clip, or with an arched headband.
Over-ear headphones
The ideal headphones for home use are rightfully considered oversized headphones... A feature of their design is full ear coverage. High-quality sound is emphasized by good noise isolation. What's more, by covering the ear, the ear cushions create additional sound space. 
Full-size headphones are rarely equipped with a folding mechanism, so they are far from the best allies in terms of portability. In order to promote full-size headphones to the market, manufacturers use a pseudo-class headphone close to overhead, but tending to full-size in terms of characteristics. What can't you do for the sake of popularization. "Demi-season" in music is bad, so you shouldn't choose something "between overhead and full-size".
Monitor headphones
A separate category of headphones, which at first glance can be confused with full-size ones. It is really possible to call monitor headphones full-size, because they completely cover the ear with their ear cushions. The main signs that you have monitor headphones in front of you are: a large, powerful headband, considerable weight, a thick, often ring-shaped, long cord and the absence of any hint of portability.
The category of these headphones is intended exclusively for sound engineers, but not for music lovers. Monitor headphones have a wide frequency range and reproduce sound without unnecessary "embellishments" and post-equalization. In other words, your favorite songs that have delighted you with their sound over the years can appear dull, boring and distorted on monitors.
By the design of the emitter
Depending on which source of sound radiation is installed in the headphones, they are divided into 4 categories.
Dynamic
The most common type of headphone. They are based on the electrodynamic type of transformation. In the part that is inaccessible to the buyer without third-party tools, there is a membrane to which a coil with a wire is connected. Under the action of alternating current, the installed magnet creates a magnetic field, which is transmitted to the membrane.
Despite the fact that from an acoustic point of view, such a design is considered the most primitive and has a number of disadvantages, the improvement of technologies and the use of new solutions by manufacturers allow us to call dynamic headphones, headphones with good sound quality.
Electrostatic (Electret)
Headphones classified as Hi-End devices. You will not find them in consumer electronics stores, they are not widely available. All because of the high cost, the lower limit of which is 2.5 - 3 thousand dollars.
The principle of operation of electrostatic headphones is to use the thinnest membrane located between two electrodes. Under the influence of a high current, the membrane is set in motion and creates sound vibrations. Electrostatic headphones provide the highest quality sound with virtually no distortion. A significant drawback of such headphones is the mandatory presence of an impressive amplifier.
Isodynamic and orthodynamic
In pursuit of quality loudspeaker sound in 1973 an application was filed with the United States Patent Office for a so-called Hale emitter... It is this invention that underlies isodynamic headphones.
A rectangular membrane made of a thin Teflon film with aluminum sputtering in the form of rectangular strips is used as a radiated element. This complex structure is located between two magnets with a strong magnetic field. The current drives the plate and it is these vibrations that the human ear hears. The advantage of isodynamic headphones is high accuracy and an impressive power reserve (especially important in the production of loudspeakers).
Hale emitters are orthodynamic headphones. Their only difference is the use of a round membrane (in isodynamic ones it is rectangular).
Rebar
Armature headphones are headphones with an exclusively in-ear design. They are based on a U-shaped magnetic circuit, in the field of which an armature with a voice coil is located. The diffuser is attached directly to the armature. The moment current is applied to the voice coil, the armature comes out of rest and sets the diffuser in motion.
Armature headphones have a high level of efficiency in a compact size. Due to the specific design of the emitter, reinforcing headphones sound clearer and cleaner.
Conclusion: in-ear headphones can be dynamic. In-ear headphones can be dynamic and reinforcing. On-ear headphones are mainly represented by dynamic models. Over-ear headphones can be dynamic, electrostatic, iso- and orthodynamic.
Acoustic design
Depending on the design of the case in which the headphone speakers are enclosed, they are divided into two categories: closed and open.
Closed
They have a completely enclosed body without the characteristic perforated grill. Closed-back headphones are used to isolate the sound from extraneous noise.
At the same time, closed-type headphones completely direct the sound to the listener's auricle, and the sound from the outside is practically inaudible.
Open
Open-back headphones allow the speaker to be placed in a chamber equipped with slots, slots, or draperies. Thanks to this solution, open headphones have a "connection with the outside world."
From the point of view of listening to music in city mode, open-back headphones are safer. In addition to music, open headphones also allow ambient noise to pass through. The use of open earpieces avoids the air cushion effect, which complicates the operation of the membrane, creating additional acoustic distortion.
Conclusion:Regardless of the type of construction and the emitter used, all headphones can be either open or closed. You can determine their type by the appearance of the ear pads and the head in which the speaker is located. "Semi-open" or "half-closed" headphones in practice exist exclusively in the imagination of marketers.
By signal transmission method
Depending on how exactly the sound travels from the sound source to the headphone emitter, they fall into two categories: wired and wireless.
Wired
Wired headphones provide high quality sound reproduction. Despite the fact that the entire evolution of headphones is inseparably associated with a wire directly connected to the emitter, in parallel with the development of the headphones themselves, the acoustic cables used have also improved.
All of the above types of designs with various types of emitters and acoustic design can belong to wired headphones.
Wireless
Having decided that the consumer was tired of the ever-confusing headphone wires, manufacturers decided to take another step towards comfortable listening to music by creating wireless headphones.
There are four types of wireless headphones: infrared, radio, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi... Presented on the market and "hybrid" models, using which the user can independently decide to connect him a wire or take advantage of all the advantages of its absence. Wireless headphones are practically not used when recording, since they have a slight delay of a few milliseconds.
Whichever headphones you choose, remember that the main criterion should always remain sound quality... As sound engineers say: “You need to listen to headphones with your ears,” and there is an undeniable truth in this. Decide exactly how you plan to use the headphones, then what style of music you prefer and confidently head to the store with a wide range of models.
If you want to take a look at the detailed history of the development of headphones: from origins to ultramodern models, we recommend reading the material.
If you want to know about the effect of noise reduction on a person, read "".
Happy reading and happy shopping!
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People of all ages actively use headphones for entertainment or work. This simple invention made our life easier and better at times. Many are interested in how headphones work and what elements they consist of. The answer is in this article.
Main components of headphones
Standard headphones include the following items:
- Plug. It can be straight and L-shaped. This element serves as an adapter between a device that reproduces a sound signal (for example, a player) and a speaker in the headphones. The straight plug is convenient for use with a player or phone as it fits easily in a pocket without kinking the cable (which is very bad for headphones). The L-shaped plug is typically used for fixed-line applications.
- The plug, receiving the signal, transmits it over the wire. As a rule, the home headphone wire does not exceed a meter in length. But when using headphones in a recording studio, the length of the wire can reach several meters. The wire transmits electrical vibrations to speakers, which then reproduce sound. Recently, "flattened wires" have become popular. According to manufacturers, they do not get confused and last much longer than their regular rounded counterparts.
- The last element in the chain is the speakers, which are embedded in the plastic shell of the headphone housing. Receiving an electrical signal, the speaker creates acoustic vibrations, transmitting sound to the ear.
There are also headphones that do not require wires, the so-called wireless. The signal is fed to them using the available radio frequencies. The signal quality depends on the proximity of the transmitted signal.
How headphones work
The operation of the headphones is quite simple. A magnet is attached to the body of the device - it is needed to generate a static magnetic field. A coil of wire is placed within the field, which receives an alternating current transmitted by a reproducing device.
Due to the difference between AC and static voltage, the coil is set in motion, which is transmitted to the membrane attached to it. The membrane, in turn, duplicates the movement of the coil. These vibrations of air are perceived by a person as sound.
Good modern Hi-End headphones are capable of reproducing a very wide frequency range (from 5 to 25000 Hz). Previously, similar results could only be achieved with bulky and highly complex equipment.
Among other things, it is customary to distinguish between headphones by the type of emitter. Full-size and in-duct models are distinguished by their design and compactness. Over-ear headphones are manufactured with a headband, i.e. they can be worn on the head. In-ear headphones are those popular models that the music lover "inserts" into the ear. Such headphones are popularly called "droplets" because of their characteristic appearance.
The droplets use a different playback system than full-size headphones. The fundamental difference is that sound is transmitted to the membrane by means of an armature attached to the coil, which perceives its vibrations and transmits them (through a rigid connection) to the working membrane.
You can also find useful information about the headphone device in ours.
Headphone classification or how not to get lost when choosing
Most of us enjoy listening to music. Some are in the background from time to time, and some do not go beyond the threshold of their abode without headphones and a player or smartphone. In any case, the question of buying headphones is relevant, and there are a huge number of them on the market, of a variety of designs, schemes and price categories.
In this article, we will try to slightly streamline all this chaos in the range of headphones. It should be noted right away that there is a percentage of the population who is not too careful about headphones and / or does not care about sound quality. Sounds - and okay. This approach has every right to life, for such cases there is a bunch of "penny" headphones in each transition, we will not dwell on them.
Electrophone System
It is not worth delving into the history in this material, today we are not talking about that, but it is still worth mentioning the progenitors of the current headphones in a nutshell. From 1895 to 1926, there was a service for listening to concerts and church services at home in Britain. The device was called the Electrophone System and looked like old phones, but with four hard-grip headphones. Of course, the similarity of the current headphones was used by telephone companies and for military purposes. The progenitors of today's "plugs" were invented in 1891 by the French engineer Ernest Mercadier. These were miniature, in-ear headphones with rubber caps that were used "to reduce friction on the auricle and effectively block out external sounds." The development was even patented, but they returned to this design much later.
A lot of manufacturers in the first half of the 20th century were already engaged in headphones, including such giants as Beyerdynamic and AKG, but KOSS headphones became really popular among consumers. The $ 200 donated for the wedding of John Koss's wife was invested in the business, namely, the rental of televisions to hospital patients in 1953. A little later, Koss met engineer Martin Lange, with whom he made a "portable" turntable, and military headphones were redesigned to demonstrate the possibilities. It was they who in 1958 interested the public at the exhibition, and this is how the KOSS SP-3 appeared.
Well, enough history, let's go directly to the topic. It is worth remembering that if you buy headphones not "for show", but really get confused with the choice, in any case, you should listen to them and try them on before buying. Each has its own physiology and personal preferences and it is highly undesirable to rely solely on reviews and reviews. So, for a start, it is worth deciding on the sound source, the conditions in which the headphones will be used and their necessary functionality. Accordingly, let's move on to the first point.
Design
The cheapest, simplest and most common are headphones. liners, popularly referred to as "droplets". Quite often, these headphones come bundled with portable electronics and usually have poor sound quality and design. Such headphones usually have poor sound quality, do not always fit specific ears and provide a low level of sound insulation, even with ear cushions that are made of foam. The number of models of such headphones is decreasing, they are being replaced by in-ear models, which provide better sound insulation and convenience. In the more expensive earbuds, special replaceable ear tips are supplied for better fixation in the ear. Sometimes you come across unique models like Dunu Alpha 1 with a hybrid emitter circuit and a bizarre shape. The earbuds are compact for easy travel.
Dunu Alpha 1 plug-in hybrid headphones with a rather bizarre shape
Some of the most popular at the moment (if not the most popular) are intracanal headphones (popularly "plugs" or "vacuum"). Their feature is the attachment directly to the ear canal, plugging it with elastic nozzles. This design provides good sound insulation and allows you to reduce the amplitude of membrane vibration, distortion and increase the frequency range. The design was originally borrowed from hearing aids and in-the-ear monitors for musicians. Actually, this is another name for in-ear headphones (In-ear Monitors or IEM). The main disadvantages of this type of headphone are the need for increased attention on the street and not very good reproduction of the upper part of the range, which is usually solved by using emitters with a balanced armature (armature) or hybrid circuits.
Overhead headphones have a design that involves pressing the headphones to the auricles, while they are not covered by the headphones. Usually fixed by means of a headband (both in the upper part of the head and behind the head) or special earhooks. In this case, the emitters are already outside the ear, so you need to turn up the volume for comfortable listening. These headphones are usually lightweight and can be used as portable headphones. But you should not expect good sound insulation from such headphones.
Cups full-size The headphones cover your ears completely for better sound isolation and less sound loss. Initially, they were intended primarily for home use, but now there are many full-size models that differ in a light, convenient (sometimes foldable) design and a relatively short cable, which makes it easy to use with portable equipment.
Monitor Headphones are basically similar to full-size ones: the cups completely cover the ears. But in this case, the headphones themselves are larger, more massive, as a rule, equipped with more serious emitters and a long, thick cable. This is a typical stationary option, usually with a fairly high impedance, which is poorly suited for portable use. They are actively used by people who are professionally engaged in sound.
Acoustic design
In headphone cases open type, there are usually holes, slots or slots, this is done so that the speaker is not in an insulated chamber. This allows sounds to enter from the outside, and some of the sound waves of the speakers come out, thereby reducing the amount of reflections and distortions in the sound. Usually, such headphones sound cleaner and more natural, but they are poorly suited for use in noisy environments and public places: an excessive amount of noise will interfere with listening to music, while others may well be annoyed by your music, which they will hear perfectly.
V closed Headphones of the case do not have any slots and holes, thus the speakers are closed from the external environment, and the sound is directed into the auricle. These headphones have much better sound insulation and can be used in noisy places. These headphones are usually more "bass".
There is also such a concept as Semi-open (or Semi-closed) headphones, this is a compromise between the above, which does not have any clear requirements and different manufacturers from time to time put different meanings in this name.
Types of emitters
Dynamic emitters are the most common and are used in headphones of all designs and types. They use a membrane to which a coil of wire is attached and a permanent magnet in the magnetic field of which it is located. When an alternating current is passed through the coil, a magnetic field is generated, which interacts with the magnetic field of a permanent magnet. Due to this, the membrane begins to vibrate, repeating the shape of the electrical signal of the sound wave. Dynamic headphones usually have a fairly wide frequency range, but not the best accuracy and detail.
Scheme of "reinforcing" emitter of the Westone company
Emitters with balanced armature (reinforcement) were invented back in the 20s of the last century and were distinguished by high sensitivity and power, their first application was hearing aids. Their main part is a U-shaped plate (anchor), around which the coil is located. The armature can move only around an axis passing through the center of that part of it, which is inside the magnetic field. Electrical signals cause the magnetic field to vibrate, causing the armature to move, which is transmitted to a membrane that produces sound waves. "Armatura" is used only in in-ear headphones. The main advantages are high accuracy, detailed reproduction and high sensitivity. Of the minuses - relatively small range, in particular at low frequencies. This problem is solved by using several reinforcing emitters at the same time, or a hybrid scheme with an armature and a dynamic emitter.
Westone W50 in-ear headphones with five reinforcing drivers
At the heart of Isodynamic, orthodynamic (planar magnetic) of the emitters is a thin and light film membrane with metal paths applied to it. It is located between two magnets, when current is applied to which it is set in motion. The so-called Hale emitter, which was patented in 1973. In isodynamic ones, a rectangular membrane is used, in orthodynamic ones - a round one. They are used in full-size headphones, they are distinguished by high sound fidelity, but at a rather high cost.
V Electrostatic The headphones use an ultra-thin membrane that is located between the two electrodes. Under the influence of high voltage, the membrane is set in motion and creates sound vibrations. Electrostatic headphones deliver incredibly smooth, high-quality, detailed sound that is virtually distortion-free. The impedance of such headphones is measured in kilo-ohms and they usually come with their own amplifier. These are solutions for the most hopeless audiophiles with an impressive income: such headphones are usually very expensive.
Connection options
The standard is wired connection option with a 3.5 mm connector. This option is compatible with the vast majority of sources, be it a portable player, smartphone, laptop, tablet or computer. In some cases, a 1/4 "(6.3 mm) connector is used. More often it can be found in stationary and professional equipment, in some cases an adapter is supplied in the kit, if not, it will not be difficult to find it on sale. Wired connection wins in terms of sound quality and signal stability , however, not so convenient.
Options wireless there may be several connections: home options with radio and infrared connections are gradually fading into the background. More and more models with Wi-Fi connection appear. The most common at the moment are the models with Bluetooth, which usually have a microphone and can be used with mobile phones as a headset. There are models of wireless headphones that also support a wired connection, which will be useful if the battery runs out.
