How To Choose an In-Ear Headphones
The biggest advantage of in-ear headphones is their small size, so they are often used for travelling and for sports. We divide them into plugs and pods. If they have a microphone in the control on the cable, they can be used to make hands-free phone calls.
What is important when choosing in-ear earphones?
Frequency range
Although the frequency range (stated in Herz, Hz) is an important parameter for choosing headphones, it is more of a guide. Many manufacturers test their models at attenuation values of +/- 10 and more dB (the tolerance should be +/- 3 dB correctly), or do not state the attenuation values at all.
Headphones tested with an attenuation higher than +/- 3 dB play within the entire spectrum of the frequency range specified by the manufacturer, but some frequencies will play too loudly, and some too quietly. This is typical for the highest and lowest frequencies. With these values, it is no longer possible to count on a balanced musical playback. On the other hand, the frequency range for headphones tested at an attenuation value of +/- 3 dB indicates only those frequencies at which the headphones will playback balanced sound.
Sensitivity and impedance
Sensitivity expresses the acoustic performance of headphones, which is given in dB / Wm. Headphones with higher sensitivity play louder and use less power, which is useful when listening from mobile phones, tablets, MP3 players etc.
Impedance is given in Ohms (Ω) and is the electrical resistance of the converters in the headphones. Along with sensitivity, it affects the volume of the headphones and affects the quality of the playback. The higher the impedance of the headphones, the better (more accurately), but also the more quietly they will play. In addition, high impedance increases power consumption.
Connection
Wired headphones
Wired headphones offer better playback compared to similarly priced wireless headphones. However, they restrict movement and the cable may become tangled. You connect them to your laptop and computer through the 3.5 mm jack connector.
Wireless headphones
The advantage of wireless headphones is freedom of movement, because they do not have a cable. The disadvantage is that they are powered by batteries (pencil, micro-pencil or rechargeable batteries), which must be replaced or recharged. Compared to similarly priced wired headphones, they play worse (there is a loss of quality during signal transmission). More expensive models with AptX and AAC codecs are exceptions to this, in which there is almost no loss of quality. Wireless headphones are divided into radio frequency (WiFi) and Bluetooth.
Tip: Wireless headphones are better for sports. The fewer wires, the less tangling and the more comfort. They do have to be charged but after that you only have to pair them with a device and don’t need to worry about a cable. In addition, if they support NFC, just pair the phone with the headset to pair.
Microphone
On the in-ear headphones the microphone is located directly on the control panel on the cable. The headphones can thus be used to make hands-free mobile phone calls.
Glossary - headphones
Ear cushion/ earbuds
The part of the headphones that comes in contact with the ear. They are soft to be comfortable even when listening for several hours. They are made of suede, fabric or artificial leather.
Head band
The head band connects the shells of the headphones. It can be made of iron, steel or plastic for cheaper models. The headband is usually designed so that it can be adjusted to fit different head sizes.
Impedance
Impedance is given in Ohms and is an electrical parameter that expresses the resistance of the circuits in the headphones. Headphones with an impedance of up to 100 Ohms have more distortion, but also a higher volume, so they are suitable for portable players. The impedance of 250-600 Ohms results in lower volume and less distortion.
Other concepts
Performance
Earbuds
Miniature headphones that are placed in the ear just in front of the ear canal. Sound quality depends a lot on how well they fit you and how they seal.
Plugs
They slide directly into the ear canal and, and have smaller dimensions. As each person has a different shape of ear, they are usually supplied with interchangeable attachments of different sizes.
Earphones with ear clips
The clip slides over the back of the ear. This type is one of the most popular with athletes.
Fixation behind the ear
The purpose of the fixation is to better anchor the earphones.
Plugs with an occipital bridge
The plugs are connected not by a headband, but by a structure behind the neck.
Tip: These earplugs are suitable for running and similar physical activities, especially sports headphones. They hold better in the ears than their in-ear counterparts and are more suitable for the gym and biking as they have less tendency to fall out of the ears. In-ear headphones are also smaller than over-head headphones and some sports models have increased resistance to sweat.