Different headphones, when supplied with the same signal level from the amplifier, play at different volumes. Headphones with high sensitivity play loudly, and headphones with low sensitivity play quietly.

The sound pressure level is indicated vertically on the frequency response graph; in world practice it is expressed in decibels (dB). The values ​​can be relative or absolute in SPL (Sound pressure level). If the values ​​are given in SPL and what voltage or power level is specified, then the sensitivity of the headphones can be calculated. Knowing the sensitivity of the headphones, you can calculate the volume at which the headphones will play when a certain signal level is supplied.

The graph shows headphones with different sensitivities; for further example, let’s take the headphone resistance to be 32 Ohms. This is important in order to relate the power output of the amplifier and the sensitivity expressed in terms of power rather than voltage. Below is a visual chart.

Dependence on sensitivity
	high sensitivity headphones (green)	headphones with above average sensitivity (yellow)	headphones with medium sensitivity (red)
to voltage at 1 kHz, IN	133	121	108
Sensitivity towards to power at 1 kHz, mW	118	107	94
Voltage supplied to headphones to achieve a volume of 120 dB, V	0.23	0.8	3.6
Power supplied to headphones to achieve a volume of 120 dB, mW	1.6	3	405
Ratio of amplifier operating time from the same battery	1 time	2 times	250 times
If the amplifier's maximum voltage level for 32 Ohms is 0.3 V / 3 mW, then the maximum headphone volume will be equal to, dB SPL	122	111	98

Sensitivity with respect to voltage is taken directly from the frequency response graph, where the graph lines intersect 1 kHz, the value in dB is taken on the vertical scale. In relation to power, the value is separately recalculated. Knowing the sensitivity is necessary both for calculating the maximum volume that headphones can develop when using a specific amplifier, and for calculating power consumption.

To convert sensitivity from dB/V to dB/mW and vice versa, the following table is proposed:

Sensitivity ratio dB/V and dB/mW
	95 dB/mW	98 dB/mW	100 dB/mW	105 dB/mW	110 dB/mW
12 Ohm, dB/V	114	117	119	124	130
16 Ohm, dB/V	113	116	118	123	128
24 Ohm, dB/V	111	114	116	121	126
32 Ohm, dB/V	110	113	115	120	125
50 Ohm, dB/V	108	111	113	118	123
85 Ohm, dB/V	106	109	111	116	121
100 Ohm, dB/V	105	108	110	115	120
300 Ohm, dB/V	100	103	105	110	115
600 Ohm, dB/V	97	100	102	107	112

If the headphones on the frequency response graph at 1 kHz cross the vertical value of 125 at 1 kHz and the headphone resistance is 50 Ohms at 1 kHz, then look at the line for 50 Ohms. The value of 125 can be seen in the 110 dB/mW column, which is the sensitivity of these headphones in the dB/mW ratio. If you know that the headphones have an impedance of 85 Ohms and a sensitivity of 105 dB at 1 kHz, then look at the line for 85 Ohms and the column for 105 dB/mW, we get a value of 116 dB/V. At this level, the vertical value of 116 dB at 1 kHz will cross the frequency response graph.

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The sensitivity of the headphones is often written in the passport specifications. However, due to the lack of a strict standard for the design of the measuring stand, the sensitivity is not comparable between different manufacturers. For example, Sennheiser CX 550 Style II and AKG IP 2 have the same sensitivity, but the passport data indicates 114 dB/1V at 1 kHz for CX 550 and 123 dB/1V at 1 kHz for IP 2. At our stand, the sensitivity of the headphones was 128 dB / 1 V at 1 kHz. A natural question arises: if the data differ so much, is it worth paying attention to sensitivity? Because each manufacturer often uses one stand for certain types of headphones, then thanks to our measurements it is possible to make a relative correction for sensitivity. It should also be taken into account that different manufacturers measure sensitivity at different frequencies, for example Sennheiser and AKG give sensitivity relative to 1 kHz, and Beyerdynamic according to the IEC 60268-7 standard - 500 Hz, which gives different results for different frequency responses of headphones. The manufacturer can also indicate the average value for a certain frequency range or, conversely, the peak value over the entire frequency range. The manufacturer can provide sensitivity adjusted for the loudness of the sound presented not for a harmonic signal, but for a noise signal. In this case, the sensitivity value will be lower by 9 dB.

High sensitivity values ​​relative to 1B should not be scary. If the sensitivity of in-ear/plug headphones turned out to be 130 dB/V, and at the same time the headphones have a resistance of 32 Ohms, then in terms of mW it will be only 105 dB, a similar figure can be seen on many boxes. For example, let's look at the maximum output voltage of an average player.

Most players produce only 0.2~0.3V at low-impedance loads, which allows the pressure in these headphones to reach only 110 dB. However, this value is valid for a sine wave, and for a musical signal, taking into account its energy density, the value will drop by about 9~12 dB and will be no more than 101 dB. In the metro the noise level is 95 dB. It turns out that the earbuds/plugs will play only 6 dB louder. An additional difference will be made by the sound insulation of closed-type plugs.

It is also important that sensitivity gives fairly rough data on how loud the headphones will play.

The example shows headphones with formally the same sensitivity of 114 dB/V for both 500 Hz and 1 kHz. However, it is clear that in one model the low and high frequencies are raised in the frequency response (orange graph), while in the other, on the contrary, the low and high frequencies are overwhelmed (blue graph). As a result, the first headphones will play subjectively loudly, while the second ones will play quietly, despite the formally identical sensitivity. For this reason, you need to focus specifically on graphs with frequency response, while sensitivity data without frequency response may not show the full picture.

The stand as such can be tuned in different ways, by noise in open or nominal space, by sine or other signal. Depending on the method, the values ​​will vary, and differences can reach up to 10 dB or more. Preference is given to subjective expertise when tuning on sinuses in the low-frequency region and narrow-band noise at high frequencies. Our stand is calibrated for pink noise with a frequency range of 300 Hz - 2 kHz with a subjective comparison of the signal volume between headphones and the speaker system.

This allows you to evaluate the volume of certain headphones in accordance with the speaker systems. Using this method, it was previously recommended to subjectively calculate the frequency response of headphones in GOST 28728-89 (direct measurement method - comparative frequency response of headphones in a free field).

It is worth paying attention to the fact that there is no strict standard as such, and this allows manufacturers to indicate data for marketing reasons. You can indicate greater sensitivity for better sales of a certain model, as more sensitive, or you can underestimate the value so that health authorities do not reproach it for contributing to hearing loss in young people. Also, some manufacturers may quote the sensitivity of headphones based on the sensitivity of the capsule, without taking into account that the final sensitivity of the headphone assembly will be different. Therefore, the data on the boxes should be approached with caution.

We offer the results of measurements taken under the same conditions, which allows data to be correlated with each other. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that the sensitivity for large headphones and earbuds/plugs is measured under the same conditions, which allows you to compare the sensitivity of the headphones with each other.

It is impossible not to mention the measurement error. Depending on the fit of the headphones, the final value may fluctuate around 3-4 dB. For full-size headphones, the final frequency response is the average value between the frequency response for the right and left headphones. So the data looks like 103 ±2 dB/V.

There are studies whose results determine the relationship between loudness and values ​​in SPL:

SPL values ​​in dB
Sound/Volume	dB
Hearing threshold	0
The ticking of a wristwatch	10
Whisper	20
Wall clock sound	30
Muffled conversation	40
Quiet street	50
Normal conversation	60
Noisy street	70
Health hazard level	80
Pneumatic hammer	90
Forge shop	100
Loud music (at a disco, concert)	110
Pain threshold	120
Rivet, siren	130
Reactive plane	150
Lethal level	180
Noise weapon	200

These values ​​refer to volume levels for acoustic systems, taking into account damage to internal human tissue from low frequencies. In headphones, low frequencies affect only the eardrum and do not affect other parts of the body - the heart, liver, muscle tissue, etc. Therefore, in headphones the threshold for maximum volume is generally higher, but you should still remember that listening for a long time at high volume will not do any good. The table also shows values ​​for harmonic signals. Because the musical signal is close to noise in spectral density, then in general the volume of the musical signal is reduced by 9 dB (from the ratio of the energy density of sine and noise, for sine - 3 dB, for noise - 12 dB).

The presentation of voltage sensitivity is convenient because you can clearly evaluate the dependence of volume on the applied voltage. A step of 6 dB gives a voltage change of two times. The dependence of the volume change on the applied voltage is logarithmic. When choosing headphones, you can also conclude that if headphones A have a sensitivity of 100 dB, and headphones B have a sensitivity of 106 dB, this means that headphones A will play at the same volume as headphones B, if the amplifier volume is set to twice as high.

2013-07-12T12:55

2013-07-12T12:55

Audiophile's Software

Sooner or later, each of us faces the question of choosing headphones. These are either headphones for listening to music on the road, in transport, in ambient noise, or for listening to music at home. One way or another, headphones are a means for exclusively individual listening to sound material, and everyone has individual requirements for them, in each specific case.

In this article I will briefly talk about the main design and technical and electrical characteristics of the headphones, because They will allow you to choose the model that ideally suits your requirements.

Design

The main types of headphones by design can be called the following:

Earbuds

The most popular type of design. Almost all audio players and phones are equipped with headphones of this type (“out of the box”). They have a rounded membrane shape and are literally inserted into the auricle (hence the name).

Due to the loose fit to the ear canal, significant power losses occur in the low frequency region. Also, due to the specific design, this type has resonances in the area of ​​high hearing sensitivity (mid frequencies) and when listening at high volumes, such headphones can negatively affect hearing. Also, most often they do not have any sound insulation, and the sound of music is heard by people around you, just like the sounds around you.

In-channel (“vacuum”)

This type of headphones is placed directly inside the ear canal. This provides the possibility of more accurate transmission of low (and not only low) frequencies, as well as significant sound insulation. To seal the headphones in the channel, special rubber attachments are used, which are often removable. The difficulty is that some people's ear canal is quite thin and it can be difficult to find the right tip. Doctors also point out that this type of headphones can irritate the ear canal and also negatively affect hearing.

Invoices

An example of this type of headphones is the popular KOSS Porta Pro. They are placed on the ear, but do not completely cover it. They are pressed to the ear by the elastic force of a special metal or plastic bow, which usually passes over the head (options are possible). The specificity of this type of headphones is that the sound source is located not inside, but outside the ear, which gives the sound some naturalness. Due to their design features, this type of headphones usually has low noise insulation (although some models still suppress ambient noise quite well).

Covering

This type is an uncompromising option, i.e. These are already full-size headphones that reveal all the possibilities of high-quality playback. The membrane is not in direct contact with the auricle and thus does not put pressure on it, which is a plus. Ear pads, especially if they are made of leatherette, can provide good sound insulation. Sound insulation is also achieved in the case of closed-type surround headphones.

This type of headphones usually has membranes with diameters of 40-50 mm, which allows you to obtain high-quality sound in a wide frequency range.

Open and closed headphones

Typically, closed-back headphones are of the enveloping type. The essence of closed headphones is that they do not allow the sound coming from the membrane (mainly emitted by its rear part) to spread outward. This is achieved through a closed lid, dense, high-quality ear pads, as well as an internal design that promotes sound absorption.

The advantage of such headphones is isolation from surrounding noise, as well as low sound radiation to the outside. The disadvantage, or rather the difficulty in this case, is the correct design of the headphones - so that sound waves directed outward are actually damped and absorbed, and not reflected back in the direction of the auricle. Low-quality closed-back headphones may have increased levels of distortion.

Open-type headphones are designed in such a way that the sound from the back of the membrane spreads freely outside the headphones. This eliminates the need to create conditions for sound absorption and allows you to get the highest quality, balanced sound. Monitor headphones are often open-backed.

Electrical characteristics

Frequency range and frequency response

The amplitude-frequency response (AFC) gives an idea of ​​the relative balance of frequencies in the sound signal emitted by these headphones. Essentially, the characteristic demonstrates the dependence of the relative transmission coefficient (signal level at the output to the signal at the input) on frequency, expressed in decibels. The reference level (0 dB) is usually taken to be the coefficient in the 1 kHz region. Further, the lower the frequency response goes, say, in the low frequency region, the lower the level of low frequencies reproduced by these headphones, etc.

However, headphone manufacturers and store owners usually limit themselves to only indicating the frequency range. According to the standard, the frequency range is the range within which the deviation from the reference level is not less than -3 dB. In fact, these are the limiting lower and limiting upper frequencies, within which the attenuation is no more than -3 dB. In practice, we usually deal with frequency response irregularities of +/- 6 dB in almost the entire frequency range (although some dips in the midrange are a necessity), and manufacturers indicate a frequency range with a tolerance of almost -12 dB. Thus, in our time it is highly not recommended to navigate the specified frequency range.

Impedance (resistance)

Impedance is the total active (direct current) and reactive (alternating current) resistance of the headphones. Impedance, accordingly, depends on the signal frequency and is more correctly represented in the form of a graph, but usually the characteristics of headphones only indicate the nominal impedance value (typical for most of the frequency range).

The impedance determines the playback volume and the level of power consumption of the headphones. The higher the impedance, the quieter the headphones will sound (at the same sensitivity), and the lower the power consumption will be. High impedance also improves playback quality by improving the signal-to-noise ratio.

Since the output voltage level on portable devices is strictly limited, the sound volume (which depends on the current) can only be increased by using low headphone impedance - 32 or 16 Ohms. In stationary conditions, sound cards are usually designed to match the resistance with high-impedance headphones (up to 500 Ohms).

Sensitivity

Characterizes the efficiency of headphones in terms of energy consumption. Usually expressed in dB/mW - i.e. what volume level the headphones provide when 1 mW of power is applied to them. Thus, headphones with high sensitivity will provide higher volume while consuming less power.

It should be noted that sensitivity can also be indicated in units of dB/V, then sensitivity in dB/mW also depends on resistance (impedance). Due to such ambiguities, as well as different methods for measuring sensitivity by manufacturers, this parameter does not always play a decisive role when comparing different models.

SOI

Price

It should be noted that high prices for headphones are by no means an indicator of their high quality playback. Firstly, the price on the market is determined not only by the cost, but also by such factors as demand, elitism, and “promotion” of the brand (take, for example, the ubiquitous Monster Beats). Moreover: some manufacturers deliberately inflate the price, depending on the target buyer. This is an important psychological factor - after all, no self-respecting audiophile will buy headphones that cost less than $400 ;)

You can always find prices for headphones in the Aport product catalog (Aport.ru) using the link above.

Subjective factors

A very important point should be noted here. Even the best headphones in terms of characteristics (and reviews) may not be suitable for you personally. Either the ear cup coverage is small, or the sound does not correspond to personal preferences - there are actually a lot of options. This is why I strongly recommend not buying a pig in a poke. Before buying headphones, you should not only familiarize yourself with the technical characteristics, reviews and testimonials, but it is also highly advisable to listen to them personally - ideally on your equipment and the musical material that you will mainly play. Without a doubt, the subjective factor is decisive, and even if the headphones have a perfectly flat frequency response, what’s the point if you don’t like their sound or your ears are simply tired of them.

What parameters and what important characteristics should you focus on so that the purchased device meets all your desires? After all, this accessory for listening to music differs in configuration, size, appearance and purpose.

The list of main requirements for headphones: sound quality and volume, noise insulation, sensitivity, power and design that suits the structure of the ear. In addition, the weight of the device and the presence of additional functions (for example, a built-in microphone) are important to buyers. The most important points are always indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging; all you have to do is learn to read them. This article will help you understand in detail the main 7 characteristics of headphones and tell you what parameters and how to choose this accessory.

Sensitivity

Directly related to the volume of music in the accessory. The parameter depends on the size of the magnetic core used in the headphone design and varies between 20 and 130 dB.

What does headphone sensitivity mean in dB? On the packaging it is defined as “dB/mW” or “dB/V” and shows the proportion between the volume level and power or voltage. Adjusting the sound on a portable device is a way to change its voltage. This suggests that the same headphones will sound differently at different volumes. In addition, the number of decibels determines the energy efficiency of the headphones: the higher the sensitivity, the more economical the device’s battery consumption.

When deciding which sensitivity is better, you need to vote in favor of a device where its value will be at least 100 dB; with lower values, the sound will be very quiet, especially if you listen to music on the street. It is important to remember that prolonged listening to sounds louder than 80 dB can lead to fatigue and problems with the hearing organs.

How to choose headphones based on sensitivity? Today there are no strict standards by which manufacturers measure this parameter. Some take measurements at a frequency of 1 kHz, others reduce the indicators to 500 Hz, and still others generally take average results. The main thing that the average buyer should remember is: the higher the sensitivity level, the louder the accessory. This is provided that all other indicators are equal.

Resistance

How to choose the right headphones based on resistance (number of ohms)? Taking this criterion into account, all devices are divided into 2 types: low-resistance and high-resistance, while this gradation is different in large and small accessories. For “kids”, all accessories up to 32 Ohms are considered low-impedance, and those with a larger number are considered high-impedance. For large specimens - up to 100 Ohms and more than 100 Ohms, respectively.

The numbers in this parameter indicate the following:

• the lower the resistance, the higher the volume of the accessory, and vice versa;
• the higher the resistance value, the more economically the battery charge is consumed;
• The lower this parameter, the greater the acoustic potential the headphones have.

Of course, you shouldn’t rely only on this data, because they are directly related to other device parameters.

How to choose the resistance of headphones (impedance) when purchasing? If an accessory is purchased for another gadget, you must choose options with low numbers (16-40 Ohms). For or the ideal solution would be indicators in the range of 50-150 Ohms, which guarantees 100% purity of music and speech.

To clearly demonstrate the choice taking into account resistance and sensitivity, it would be correct to make a comparative table of 3 types of headphones. For example, “budget” devices from the middle price segment and an expensive accessory.

	Sensitivity, dB	Resistance, Ohm	Frequency range, Hz
Philips SHE3595BK/00	102	16	10-23500
SONY MDR-XB450 AP	102	24	5-22000
ONKYO W800BTB/00	107	16	6-22000

frequency range

On the headphone box, as a rule, the standard frequency is indicated: 20 Hz-20 kHz. These parameters determine whether the user can hear a sound of a certain frequency through the accessory. So what is the value of the property and how to choose headphones based on the frequency range?

Schematically, the proportion between loudness and frequency is drawn by a graph called amplitude-frequency response (AFC). A perfectly straight line on it means the same sound. By indicating frequency numbers, the manufacturer essentially describes the length of this straight line. But the specific requirements for the characteristics are not specified in any standard.

What does the buyer need to remember and what frequency should the headphones be? Here are 3 main rules:

1. You should not choose an accessory based only on frequency parameters. These numbers will only help filter out the most inappropriate options.
2. When purchasing, you must take into account that the specified range is still within the range of 20 Hz-20000 Hz.
3. To determine the sound character of headphones, it is better to test their capabilities live.

You should be especially careful when purchasing copies whose frequency range is very different from the standard one. Many people know that humans cannot hear high notes with a frequency of more than 25 kHz (but dolphins will), which means that this characteristic is most likely just a marketing ploy.

Frequency response curve

This is the same amplitude-frequency characteristic that was already mentioned above. It depicts the tonal balance of sounds, breaking them down into different frequencies.

To understand the issue in more detail, you need to look at the figure on the left. The graph shows the frequencies and meaning of each range. Vertical - volume level. Its value is measured in decibels; doubling the sound is equal to 6 dB on the graph.

A perfectly clear sound, without hissing or hoarseness, occurs with a line that is as close as possible to a flat line. Manufacturers make such measurements based on the SPL (sound pressure) level, and you can view the measurement results on the official websites of the brand. To navigate the schedule, it is worth considering several examples at once.

Graph on the left. Shown here are the frequency response curves for large headphones like .

The lines in the figure mean:

• Green - subjective frequency response, from whose indicators measurements are based.
• Yellow is an accessory preferred by lovers of live music. In recordings of such sounds, as a rule, there are no sharp frequency fluctuations.
• Blue - professional headphones for singers and musicians, in which the emphasis is on high frequencies. In such a device, vocals can be heard especially clearly.
• Orange - headphones in which sibilants (vowel whistling sounds) are muffled.

Next up is the picture on the right. It shows frequency fluctuations for in-ear headphones or “earbuds” (such as). What does it show?

The green curve has the same purpose as in the previous graph. And then:

• Orange line - illustrates equipment with high output at lower frequencies. This is a good option for smartphones and other devices.
• The blue line, on the contrary, shows the headphones where the high frequencies are especially prominent. Such equipment is intended for musicians, since the voice here is heard more clearly than the music.

To focus on such indicators, you must first decide on the purpose of purchasing headphones. It is also worth considering that the price depends on the quality of the equipment.

Driver Diaphragm Diameter

This indicator in headphones directly affects the sound quality. It is logical that the larger the speaker, the louder and clearer the sound, especially the “low bass”.

If you choose small “droplets” or other headphones of a similar design, then the membrane dimensions will range from 9 to 12 mm, which clearly does not guarantee the reproduction of high-quality lows.

The “strongest” headphones in this regard are . The diameter of their speakers is often more than 30 mm. It is with this membrane size that you can achieve ideal depth, clarity and richness of sound. And why all? The larger the membrane, the easier it is to improve it. Manufacturers install various “chips”, improved magnets, etc. inside the body of such headphones, which ultimately help develop “deep” sound.

Headphone power

The volume of the sound will depend on this indicator, but the choice here is rather based on the technology to which they are connected. When paying attention to this parameter, it is worth considering several points:

• what this characteristic defines;
• what is measured and what power is better to choose headphones.

So, the accessory has two powers: the maximum input power, which indicates that this device can be connected to equipment with the same performance, and the nominal one. It, on the contrary, indicates the size of the signal that the headphones need to reach their peak performance.

The power that the headphones are designed for varies from 1 mW to 5000 mW. If the main goal is to purchase an accessory for a smartphone or, then you should not focus special attention on power. It is enough to take into account the sensitivity parameters so that the music plays loudly without overloading the battery.

Harmonic Distortion Factor

This property tells about the purity and clarity of the sound in the headphones. Measured as a percentage. For a good device, the coefficient does not exceed 0.5%; equipment with the highest indicators is already classified as mediocre.

While focusing on these parameters, it is also worth considering the frequency range at which the measurements were made. Thus, for low-frequency sounds the distortion rate reaches 10%, for high-frequency sounds (from 100 Hz) - 1% or less. Having read this characteristic on the packaging, you can only roughly judge the sound quality, but to be sure of this parameter, you need to listen to the headphones.

In addition, poor-quality (dull) sound in the device may occur during operation or due to breakdown. Why do headphones distort the sound? In most cases this happens due to:

• Bad wire contacts - this problem occurs in the headphone jack, which is the weakest part of the design. Especially if you regularly use the accessory during sports activities and trips, putting the player (or other device) in your pocket. Thus, a large level of load falls on the jack and the wires inside it, causing the wire to fray. The solution to the problem is to replace the jack or buy new headphones.
• Broken wire inside the device - a “afterlife” voice from the headphones can also appear in the event of a broken wire, which leads to the speaker. It is difficult to notice this defect, since the headphone cable is thin. Even after feeling its entire length, you may not understand where the gap is. When repairing, it is necessary to replace the entire cable.
• Water getting into the earphone - when walking with the accessory in the rain or snow, you need to be prepared for moisture getting into the inside of the device. If the headphones are not dried immediately, the water will oxidize the “insides”. You can dry the headphones near the battery (placing them on top is not recommended) or by leaving them in a jar with rice for a couple of hours, which will draw out the moisture.
• Damage to the jack for connecting equipment - another reason for distortion and poor sound in headphones can be an unsuitable jack or damaged contacts in it. The latter occurs if you often pull the jack back and forth from the socket. In case of such a breakdown, you need to contact a service center for help.

It is worth correcting these problems if they appeared on headphones that were already in use. When a dull sound, distortion or “trumpet” effect occurs with a new device, it is definitely not worth purchasing such an accessory.

The problem of choosing what at first glance may seem to many to be an unimportant “accessory” like headphones is more relevant today than ever! Thanks to the efforts of marketers, many truly important selection criteria have been pushed back, and practically meaningless ones have been pushed forward.

Choosing headphones: ZOOM tips

This led to some pretty funny situations. From the perspective of a person who understands the problem, it looks as if buyers began, for example, to choose cars by engine length and foam at the mouth to prove that a car with a long engine is better than a car with a short one, completely ignoring all other criteria. Figuring out what to look at, what to listen to, and what you shouldn’t even pick up is the goal of this material.

What is it for?

Why you need headphones in general - I think everyone understands - to listen to music alone and disturb others less with this process, or so that they disturb you less.

Why do you need to change the headphones that come with the player? Here the answer is also quite obvious - they are of very low quality. Good headphones are expensive, and using them as a set will dramatically increase the final cost of the device. Which will immediately reduce its competitiveness - you can’t explain to everyone that here 50% is the cost for headphones. However, the final sound quality of the player is determined primarily by the headphones. A $500 player with included headphones will sound incomparably worse than a $50 player with good $50-$100 headphones.

Why do you need separate expensive large headphones? First of all, for listening to music at home, on stationary equipment, portable players in most cases cannot pump them up at all. And why is this? - you ask. To achieve the highest sound quality! By purchasing such headphones, with a small budget, you will get sound that is an order of magnitude more expensive than speaker equipment, and with a serious budget, you will get sound quality that is simply unattainable for speakers. And, it should be noted, you won’t need to create a special room for listening to music and you won’t have problems with the “household” (the fact that you will be maimed for spending the monthly family budget on headphones does not count).

What to look for when choosing?

The first thing everyone looks at is the frequency range. There is no need to look at this, this is the most meaningless parameter in the characteristic. In terms of importance in selection, it corresponds to the “motor length” mentioned in the introduction. It’s easier for buyers - they compared two numbers and made a choice, and marketers took advantage of this, inflating the importance of this parameter to enormous proportions.

Sennheiser IE4: high quality earbuds for a reasonable price

Let's figure it out from the very beginning. Many people remember from school that a person hears from 20 Hz to 20 kHz of the frequency range. At the beginning of this range there are low-frequency sounds - “bass”, at the top - high-frequency sounds. The task of any headphones is to correctly reproduce this range, that is, without blockages, without wheezing or muttering in the “bass”, without hissing or grinding in the “highs”, and without problems in the middle. This ability is reflected by the amplitude-frequency response (AFC), the dependence of loudness on frequency, usually presented in the form of a graph. Accordingly, the smoother this curve, the more accurate the sound. When the manufacturer writes the frequency range on the box, then ideally he should indicate the length of this linear, flat section. But if it is written, for example, the range is 5 Hz - 30,000 Hz, this does not mean that above 30 kHz or below 5 Hz the headphones do not produce sound at all - the volume just starts to drop there. If the volume drops by 0.0001%, is this considered the limit of the range? What if by 0.1%, 1% or even 10%?

The problem is that the manufacturer himself sets this criterion. Moreover, trying to increase it as much as possible in order to write the range wider and attract more buyers (we will not consider cases when the range is written without any measurements at all, but this does happen). This is where incidents arise when $200 headphones with amazing sound have a declared frequency range worse than a $10 unit and sound like a tin can.

Sennheiser IE8: model for professional monitoring

Even if the range is measured correctly and fairly, it still cannot be a selection criterion. Since the main thing is not the width of the linear part of the frequency response, but precisely its linearity. Two numbers at the beginning and end will not say anything about the “distortion” or linearity of this range. Manufacturers of budget models do not like to show frequency response graphs of their headphones, since the linear range there, to put it mildly, is not entirely linear.

At the same time, you again cannot choose headphones based on the frequency response itself - you can only filter them into good and bad, since it is very difficult to determine the nature of the sound based on the frequency response - it is easier to listen to the model live, using specific compositions. In addition to the frequency range, the box indicates two more parameters that are already of some importance.

Audio-Technica ATH CK9: 11mm diaphragms provide excellent sound transmission

One of them is resistance. Without going into radio engineering, we can say the following - the greater the resistance, the more powerful the source needed for the headphones and the less the influence of the source itself on the sound. That is, if you connect headphones with a resistance of 8-16 Ohms to a low-quality player, then in addition to all the smallest details and nuances of the music, you will also hear such “pleasant” sounds as amplifier noise, crackling sounds from internal processes (for example, movements of the hard drive head in HDD players, or just a rustle from switching tabs in the player menu, etc.). Naturally, it is assumed that the headphones themselves are of quite high quality in order to hear such nuances; there are no such problems on low-quality ears, but there is also no good detailing of the music itself.

If you connect large 250 Ohm monitor headphones to a portable source, then nothing will happen to the player - it will not smoke, as for some reason many people think. The sound will just be quiet and flat. The headphones will “whisper” and not play. And just as in a whisper bass, depth, and beauty of a voice are not possible, so here all this will be lost.

The compromise for a portable device is usually in the region of 32-64 Ohms - in this range the ears will be driven by almost any player. One will play a little louder, the other a little quieter, but you can listen comfortably. If the resistance in the headphones is more than 100 Ohms, then there is no point in using them for portable equipment, connecting them directly; if it is less, then the player must have a high-quality audio output. First you need to figure out the specific headphones and source, and then judge whether the playback will meet your needs or not.

Sennheiser HD 595: a great model for home

Sensitivity is the second significant parameter of headphones. Again, if you don’t go into radio engineering, then this is the efficiency of headphones. With it everything is much simpler than with resistance: the higher the value, the louder the sound, the lower the value, the quieter. And without any regard to the source.

Resistance and sensitivity can give approximate parameters about the volume of headphones and the possibility of using them with a particular source (exceptions, of course, also exist, but they are in the minority). For example, if you have ears with a resistance of 100 Ohms, then, most likely, they will not be fully driven by a portable player, but there is a Numark D200 model, in which, with such resistance, the sensitivity goes off scale over a hundred, as a result we get quite rich sound on a portable device.

If you don’t want to struggle with numbers or you don’t understand anything about them, don’t be upset - these data are still very arbitrary, and as you may have guessed, they allow you to very roughly judge only the “global parameters” and not at all about the sound quality. Therefore, it is better to hear headphones once than to see them a hundred times.

M-Audio IE-40: model for 18 thousand rubles for professional sound monitoring

It is also necessary to pay attention to the acoustic design of the headphones, which can be “closed”, “open” and intermediate – “half-open”. The name is pretentious, but in reality everything is simple. I think you've seen large headphones more than once, the kind that cover your entire ear. Take a closer look at them, you will notice that in some models the outer wall of the earphone itself is tightly closed, and in some it is “all full of holes,” or even simply covered with a mesh. In the first case, these are closed headphones, in the second, open ones. There is also some intermediate option with “half-covered holes” - half-open.

What does this affect besides appearance? First of all, for sound insulation. With closed headphones, you can't hear anything around you, and no one can hear what's playing in your room. In open ones it’s the other way around - you hear everyone, and everyone hears what’s playing in your headphones.

At first glance, it may seem that open-back headphones are not needed at all, as they have only disadvantages. But this is not at all true, because of the blank back wall of the speaker, the sound does not come out, it is reflected from it and goes back to the ear, which introduces slight distortion, a certain boominess. Manufacturers are trying their best to combat this effect, covering the inner walls of the headphones with various materials, coming up with various design solutions, but there is no radical remedy. Closed headphones with the same sound quality as open ones are more difficult to make, as a result, if we take two models of the same price range, the open ones will play better (but every rule has its exceptions). On the other hand, if you use headphones on the subway, or your household doesn’t really like your music, then you have practically no options other than to take closed models. Also, the closed acoustic design is suitable for bass lovers. The bass in such headphones is usually reproduced richer, although not always more accurately.

Closedness and openness are characteristic not only of large monitor headphones, but also of any headphones; even small in-ear headphones can also have “holes”.

The legendary Ultimate Ears 10Pro reinforcement headphones are made only according to an individual impression of the ear canal of its future owner

What you shouldn’t look at at all when choosing is all kinds of “revolutionary technologies”, such as Bluetooth headphones or even banal radio headphones. Just try to count. If wireless headphones cost $60-100, and a normal radio or Bluetooth transmitter/receiver costs about $50-80, then no more than $10-20 will be left for the headphones themselves. And if we add to this, often, the complete incompetence of the company in the field of ear design, then we get headphones for 100 dollars that sound like the worst 10-20 dollar ones. Of course, there are good radio headphones, for example AKG HEARO 999 AUDIOSPHERE, but their price is 10-20 times different from the “consumer” variety.

The situation is similar with headphones with five-channel sound. Normally designing headphones with one speaker is difficult, but with two it is even more difficult. It's almost impossible to achieve consistent sound in such a small ear cup volume. But putting in five and putting it in in concert is damn difficult! Therefore, these headphones simply have 5 speakers plugged in and that’s it. The manufacturer calmed down on this. How they will play together is no longer important. These headphones are not suitable for listening to music at all. For computer games - with great tension. Fans of dynamic games, I think, have long known that regular good headphones will localize sounds much better than 5.1.

Earbuds

Let's start with the most famous and common “inserts”, or “tablets”. I think absolutely everyone is familiar with this type, since the vast majority of players are equipped with such headphones. There are few expensive and good models here. It makes no sense to consider closedness/openness - their sound insulation is extremely weak, even in models with a closed type of acoustic design. “Earbuds” leave the ear canal open, without preventing the penetration of sounds from the outside, thereby reducing sound insulation to nothing. The advantages of “tablets” are comfort and price, but the disadvantages include poor sound insulation and lack of volume in the sound stage. There are quite a few models of this type, but most of them, to put it mildly, are short-lived, not to mention the low sound quality. However, as everywhere else, there are exceptions to the rules. For example, the line of in-ear headphones from Sony and Audio-Technica can compete with the best representatives in other classes.

In-ear headphones

They are similar in appearance to earbuds, but the fundamental difference is that they enter the ear canal to a certain depth (several millimeters, like regular earplugs) and completely plug the ear, providing very good sound insulation. The sound quality in such headphones varies greatly from company to company and from model to model.

Wireless earbuds from Sennheiser

We can recommend models from Sharp, Creative, Pioneer, Sony, Shure, Koss and Audio-Technica. Separately, it is worth mentioning the budget option Koss Plug, since for their cost (about 500 rubles) they can give more or less passable sound (when using an equalizer).

The sound of in-ear headphones is, of course, better than that of earbuds due to sound insulation, but it is still quite low in terms of detail and volume. Small speakers are not physically able to produce the sound level of large ones. The second significant disadvantage is comfort. Not everyone likes having a foreign object in their ear. Personally, this gives me a headache after just an hour of listening to music. The advantages are its compactness and the already mentioned good sound insulation. In the same metro, you will not need to set the maximum volume to “shout out” the roar of the train; you can listen quietly and comfortably, without damaging your hearing.

Sounds play a much larger role in our lives than it might seem at first glance. They guide us; with the help of sounds we exchange useful and not so useful information. And sounds collected in harmony can influence our mood. Scientists have repeatedly proven the connection between the health of living beings and the sound background that accompanies them every day. Perhaps it is precisely because of this invisible connection that many strive to surround themselves with pleasant music by purchasing audio equipment - amplifiers, players, acoustics.

For many, tinnitus is not just a way to kill time in transport, it is also a way to get your own space, which is sometimes so lacking in everyday life. To make this space comfortable and cozy, it is necessary that the headphones fit perfectly - fit well and, of course, have a pleasant sound. Finding your pair of headphones is no easier than, say, finding good clothes for yourself. Store shelves are bursting with hundreds and hundreds of models at a variety of prices - from “a ruble is a bucket” to those whose cost amounts to thousands of dollars.

How can you not get lost in the variety of forms and characteristics? The answer is simple - you just need to understand for yourself once and for all the classes and varieties of these devices. After this, you should think about which class of headphones is best suited for your purposes, and then navigate your financial capabilities.

⇡ Methods for attaching headphones to your head

Everyone's head shape is different, so the same headphone model may be ideal for one person and completely unacceptable for another. To satisfy all requests, constructors and designers have come up with a lot of ways to attach headphones to a music lover’s head.

The classic option is an arc mount, or “headphones with a headband.” The arc of such headphones goes around the head, pressing the cups with emitters to the ears.

The second option is a hook. The headphones are two hooks that cling to the ears, holding the capsule with the speaker opposite the ear canal. Since this mount uses the same principle as glasses, this option will not be very convenient for those who constantly wear frames.

The third option for wearing headphones is the occipital arch. Similar to the previous one, with the difference that the hooks are connected by a light bow running along the back of the head.

The fourth option is earbuds. These are small, portable headphones that usually come with your smartphone or MP3 player. They are simply inserted into the auricle and seem to lie there. This option has many disadvantages - the headphones do not fit tightly to the ear hole, so the quality of the transmitted sound usually suffers. In addition, this mounting option in the ear is unreliable - they fall out during active movement.

There are some modifications to in-ear headphones. One of the most successful solutions, in our opinion, is the Twist-to-fit design from the German manufacturer Sennheiser. This mounting option allows the headphones not only to lie in the auricle, but also to be hooked onto it by an additional element. A similar improvement can be seen from other well-known manufacturers of portable headphones, such as BOSE.

The fifth option is in-ear headphones (they are also sometimes called vacuum headphones). This type of portable headphones delivers sound directly into the ear canal. In-ear headphones have a flexible silicone tip (like those on a doctor's phonendoscope) or special memory foam. These tips are inserted directly into the ear opening, literally plugging it. For a perfect fit, in-ear headphones usually come with three pairs of interchangeable silicone tips of different sizes. The result of this tight fit is an amazingly high degree of isolation from external noise. These headphones can even be used as earplugs.

However, this design also has its drawbacks. Firstly, the load on the hearing aid increases, and prolonged listening at high volumes with such headphones can quickly damage your hearing. Secondly, the ear hole does not “breathe” and wearing in-ear headphones for a long time can cause unpleasant sensations, such as itchy skin.

Headphones may differ in one more design feature - the way they fit to the head. For example, models that completely cover a person’s ears are called full-size, or monitor.

Headphones that simply sit next to the ear are called over-ear headphones.

Not only in-ear or in-ear headphones can be portable. Models with a headband can also have a folding design, and the most expensive ones are equipped with a convenient cover or even a carrying case.

⇡ Differences in cup design. Open and closed headphones

First of all, we draw your attention to the fact that all headphones are divided into two large classes - open and closed. These words should be taken literally. Closed headphones prevent sound waves from escaping from the ear cups. The body of the right and left cups of such devices does not contain any holes on the side not adjacent to the listener’s head. The walls of the cups of such headphones are usually quite massive, and the material from which they are made often has the ability to dampen sound vibrations. Typically, closed-back headphones have a noticeably higher degree of passive noise reduction.

In open headphones, somewhere on the body, usually on the back of the earcups, you can see a mesh of holes. These holes are necessary to ensure that sound waves travel in the same way as in the natural environment, which contributes to a more realistic, believable sound of the headphones.

The nature of the sound in closed and open headphones differs. Since in a closed case the sound wave is repeatedly reflected from the walls, the lower range becomes more assertive, which does not correspond to the nominal sound of the audio material. For musicians, it is preferable to work with open headphones, since this design does not distort the frequency response and sounds more authentic.

Headphones with a closed design usually have a characteristic strong pressing of the cups to the head, and not everyone likes this. These headphones have much better sound insulation compared to open headphones. This implies another advantage of a closed design - the listener in such headphones cannot hear surrounding sounds, and those around them cannot hear the music directed to the ears of the music lover. In open headphones, sound waves pass outward, so loud music will “buzz” quite clearly for the person standing next to you.

Sometimes you can find headphones of a semi-open or semi-closed type on sale - these are headphones whose design cannot be classified as either open or closed. This is usually the name for open-back headphones with good passive noise reduction.

⇡ Active noise reduction system

Inexpensive headphones use one method of suppressing external noise - passive. This is usually achieved through the design of ear pads - soft inserts that soften the fit of the headphone cups to the head. However, this method has its limitations. Headphones with the best passive noise reduction have 35-37 dB.

To enhance the effect of reducing ambient noise, engineers came up with a way to suppress unwanted acoustic vibrations with similar waves with the opposite phase. Headphones that implement this idea are called “headphones with an active noise reduction system.” These headphones are designed with a hidden microphone that picks up background noise. The received signal is processed by the electronic unit of the device, and then a signal with an inverted phase is generated. The emitted sound dampens background acoustic signals and reduces overall noise by 70-90%. The active noise reduction system, even in expensive models, partly spoils the original sound, limiting the dynamic range of the model. However, if you like to listen to music in fairly noisy places, such as the subway, bus, airplane, such a system will come in handy.

For its operation, batteries are used, which are enough for a maximum of 3-4 days of continuous operation. Active noise cancellation technology does not eliminate all noise; it is only most effective in a certain low-frequency range (for example, from 25 to 500 Hz).

⇡ Technical specifications: what to look for

Headphones also differ in technical characteristics. You shouldn't take the numbers and graphs on the headphone packaging too seriously. The data provided by the headphone manufacturer is designed primarily for those buyers who, when choosing, are guided not by their ears, but by “smart” numbers and colorful diagrams. There is some truth in the parameters indicated by the manufacturer, but you need to understand that frequency characteristics without indicating the harmonic distortion coefficient are worthless, and a flat frequency response graph does not at all guarantee high sound detail. However, if you want not a single sales consultant to be able to screw you over and sell off your stale goods, you should understand the basic parameters.

⇡ Frequency range

The first is a private range. The wider its boundaries, the better for sound quality. For some, this statement is not entirely obvious. Moreover, if you start thinking about this parameter, you can come to a completely different conclusion: “Why overpay for too wide a frequency range?”

Let's remember the biology textbook - a person is able to understand sound in the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. This is in the best case; in practice, the audible range for many is much narrower. Many people stop hearing frequencies of 15 kHz and below. However, manufacturers of audio devices often indicate frequencies that are two, three or more times higher in the characteristics of their products. For what?

When manufacturers of stationary acoustics go beyond the audible limit, this makes a certain sense. The fact is that theoretically a person feels ordinary sound not only with his ears, but with his whole body. Therefore, the biggest audiophiles are convinced that they are able to feel music literally in their bones. In the auricle, as is known from the same biology textbook, fortunately, there are no bones. Therefore, if the headphones indicate a range that is far beyond the audible frequency, even an audiophile with very good hearing and very sensitive ear cartilage will not hear the “extra” hertz.

Still, if you see numbers on the headphone box that extend beyond the audible range, that’s good. This gives reason to believe that the drivers (the so-called speakers, sound emitters in headphones) do not operate in the boundary mode and therefore have sufficient potential to more accurately, without distortion, convey audible frequencies. Of course, the only way to check this is for sure - by putting on a pair of headphones and listening to them.

⇡ Driver size and power

This parameter doesn't say much. Many manufacturers like to proudly display numbers on the box, say, 50 mm or 40 mm. The diameter of the speaker is its size, and nothing more. This trick is designed to appeal to a common stereotype - most buyers consciously (or subconsciously) believe that the larger the size of the acoustics, the better their sound. It’s as if the manufacturer is trying to say: “See how huge the speakers we used? Can you imagine what a cool sound they have - at such and such a size!”

Sony MDR-XB1000 headphones have a speaker diameter of 70 mm!

In fact, this indicator is often meaningless. The power of the device is another matter. This setting determines the output power of the speakers and affects their volume. The higher the power, the brighter and richer the sound - more bass, more accurate interpretation. But high power headphones (2000-3000 mW) will drain your portable device's battery faster.

⇡ Sensitivity

There is a certain category of users who use the word “loud” to describe the sound, for example, “these headphones play very loud.” Despite the fact that not a single connoisseur of high-quality sound would use this word when talking about audio, considering it amateurish, there is a certain meaning in this definition. The volume of the sound is determined by the parameter “sensitivity”. The higher it is, the stronger the sound (at the same power). Headphones with a sensitivity of 95-100 dB and above can be considered good.

⇡ Resistance

This is a pretty important parameter. If you are choosing headphones for your player, it would be a good idea to check what headphones impedance it is designed for. Typically, portable audio is designed to work with low-impedance headphones, which have an impedance of 32 ohms. But if you connect headphones with an impedance of 300 ohms to the player, this does not mean that you will not be able to hear the sound - they will just sound quieter. High-impedance headphones are rarely used; their resistance is measured in kilo-ohms.

⇡ Frequency response

One of the most visual ways to present the sound of headphones is using a graph of the device's amplitude-frequency response (AFC). Usually this is a curve that describes the transmission of certain frequencies by headphones. The fewer sharp bends it contains and the further it extends on the graph, the more accurately the headphones reproduce the original audio material. Based on the frequency response, bass lovers can immediately determine whether these headphones are suitable for them or not - there should be a “hump” in the low frequency region. The higher the graph is, the louder the headphones sound.

Frequency response of Beats by Dr. headphones Dre Studio

A smooth frequency response does not guarantee high sound quality. This is just a prerequisite to think that the sound is balanced, that is, no frequencies fall or protrude, or hurt the ear.

⇡ Harmonic distortion factor

Harmonic distortion coefficient is perhaps the only parameter that objectively indicates sound quality. If high sound quality is important to you, make sure that the harmonic distortion coefficient of the model you choose is less than 0.5%. Headphones with a harmonic distortion coefficient of more than 1% can be considered mediocre.

If you do not find this characteristic on the packaging or on the official website, this is a reason to think: perhaps the manufacturer has something to hide. You don’t have to go far: the popular Beats by Dr. model among young people. Dre Studio has a THD of 1.5% at 1kHz.

On the other hand, pay attention to what frequency this characteristic is given for. The harmonic distortion factor is not constant across the entire frequency spectrum. Since the low-frequency region the human ear hears less intelligibly, harmonic distortion of less than 10% is permissible in the low-frequency range, but in the frequency band from 100 Hz to 2 kHz - no more than 1%.

⇡ Cable

In the description of headphones you can often find the term “one-way/two-way connection”. This means that the design of these headphones is made in such a way that the wire fits either only one of the ear cups, or has a Y-shape and fits both cups.

One-way headphones

Two-way headphones

The terms “balanced” and “unbalanced” cable usually refer to portable in-ear or in-ear headphones. The design of headphones with a balanced cable means that the wire is Y-shaped. An unbalanced cable allows you to throw the longer cable of one of the headphones behind your neck. These headphones are more comfortable to wear - when they are not in use, they simply hang on your neck.

The cable may also be listed as “flat” in the headphone description. This means that the headphone wire is shaped like a telephone cable, popularly called a noodle. The advantage of a flat cable is that it does not get tangled.

The wire on studio headphones can be twisted, that is, twisted into a spiral.

⇡ Wire may not be needed

Headphones do not necessarily have to be connected to the sound source by wire; there are also wireless versions that can work remotely, without any connecting cables. Wireless headphone models (with rare exceptions) have lower sound quality, which is explained by losses during signal transmission over the air, and sometimes by data compression.

Wireless headphones operate from power sources built into the case, the service life of which usually ranges from several hours to several days. The source of signal transmission is the base. The base can be a stationary docking station connected to any line input, or a portable module connected to any analog audio source or USB port.

Wireless models use three main methods of signal transmission - via radio, via infrared, and via Bluetooth. When transmitted over radio frequencies, sound is inevitably accompanied by on-air interference. The infrared port option is a thing of the past, an outdated technology that requires the listener to have his receiver sensor on the headphones in the line of sight of the transmitter. Wireless headphones using Bluetooth technology have a relatively short range, about ten to twenty meters, while radio headphones can operate at a distance of up to 100 meters or more. Many portable devices, including smartphones and MP3 players, can work with wireless Bluetooth headphones.

⇡ A few words about headsets

Headphones with a microphone are called a headset. The microphone can be detached, turning the headset into regular headphones, can be rotated to the side when it is not needed, and can be rigidly attached to the connecting cable of the device.

The computer headset can be connected either directly to the headphone and microphone jacks on the sound card, or using a USB audio adapter, which may be included.

Many well-known headphone manufacturers have recently begun to release special modifications of their time-tested models, giving them support for Apple devices. Models such as the Sennheiser MM 70i and Koss PRODJ200 have an additional microphone and a remote control for quick access to some smartphone options. However, mobile headsets are a separate class of devices with a wide range of functions, the consideration of which is beyond the scope of this review.

⇡ Understanding brands

Despite the variety of headphone brands on sale, there are certain names that have earned a reputation and are in demand among connoisseurs of good sound. Here are some of the "proven" names: AKG, Beyerdynamics, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, Grado, KOSS, Philips, Sony, Fostex, Denon, Bose, Shure and others.

It’s interesting that many companies offer dozens and dozens of headphone models, but all these different headphones are made using similar technology, so their “emphasis” is often very similar. If you're a classic rock fan, you'll probably enjoy most of the KOSS models, which have plenty of bass. AKG models are famous for their very beautiful high-frequency detail, and Sennheizer headphones usually have a relatively flat frequency response.

If you look at the assortment that is offered to headphone lovers, you can see that every second brand has dozens, or even hundreds of models in stock. To enable users to better navigate their products, many well-known manufacturers use certain product labeling principles. A striking example of “smart” labeling of headphones is from the German company Sennheiser. The names of these models contain a letter prefix, which can say a lot about the design of certain headphones.

• CX, as well as the IE series - in-ear headphones;
• MX - in-ear headphones;
• HD - classic headphones with headband;
• RS - wireless headphones, base set plus headphones;
• HDR - additional pair of wireless headphones;
• OMX - in-ear headphones with a “hook” type mount;
• OCX - in-ear headphones with a “hook” type mount;
• PMX - on-ear or in-ear headphones with an occipital arch;
• PXC - a line of headphones with an active noise reduction system;
• PC - computer headsets;
• HME - headset models designed for pilots and crews of airplanes and helicopters.

And if there is an “i” at the end of the model name, it means that it supports work with Apple devices - it includes a four-pin plug, a microphone on the wire and a remote control for controlling some device commands.

For the most popular headphone models, some manufacturers produce separate sets of ear pads, which you can purchase and replace yourself if over time the original inserts lose their appearance - they crack or wear off.

⇡ How to find the perfect headphones?

In fact, even if you are surrounded by oscilloscopes and other measuring instruments, it is difficult to find an objective evaluation criterion for headphones. How to compare different models?

By price, guided by the principle “the more expensive, the better”? But there are also inexpensive, little-known headphones that sound no worse than branded ones (we wrote about one of the models in the article “Superlux HD669 (Axelvox HD 272) headphones: an exception to the rule.”

Focus on power? But this indicator also doesn’t say anything. One of the top Philips headphones - Fidelio L1 - has a power of only 200 mW, but their sound is guaranteed by a control commission of “golden ears”, consisting of people with exceptional hearing.

The frequency range, which is so popularly written on the boxes of headsets and headphones, also does not give an idea of ​​the quality of the product. As mentioned above, not every person can hear the reference 20 Hz - 20 kHz. And if the boundaries of the range are much wider than this frequency band, the proverb “If a deaf person does not hear, he will lie” begins to be justified. Only human imagination can say how beautifully the speakers reproduce a violin at 30 kHz.

The frequency range of the microphone in the headset descriptions is not much more informative. Logic dictates that the wider the band, the more “natural” the sound should be. In practice, this turns out to be completely different. It all depends on the design of the microphone, as well as on the protective filter that eliminates sharp aspiration and extraneous noise. Moreover, in the line of, say, Plantronics there are many headsets that are equipped with a DSP electronic sound filtering module. This unit very effectively removes extraneous noise, emphasizing the sound specifically on the voice. At the same time, the microphone frequency band in such models, according to the technical characteristics, looks more than modest, and speech sounds more natural than in expensive “gaming” headsets.

So how do you form your opinion about headphones? Some audiophiles - those who think they can tell the difference between the sound quality of a regular cable and a cable made of ultra-pure oxygen-free copper - have come to trust not their own ears, but glossy magazines and graphs obtained using a device called an “artificial ear.” . This may be “according to science,” but not everyone will agree with this statement.

It must be said that those who are looking for the ideal sound formula have a hard time in life - they are constantly forced to swallow sarcastic jokes about “warm tube sound.” Not everyone who sneers about “crystal clear sound” is right, just as not all “audio maniacs” can tell the difference between a $400 amplifier and a $4,000 amplifier.

At the same time, it is quite difficult to find real opponents in the debate about high-quality sound. It's not a problem to come across the opinion that expensive audio equipment is a waste of money. However, the reasons that give rise to this thought may be different. For example, let me ask you: when did you have your hearing tested? Most likely - a very long time ago, or maybe never at all. You don’t experience discomfort when talking with friends, so why should you go to the doctor? But the fact that a person does not need to scream in his ear does not guarantee his perfect hearing.

Encyclopedic information that a person hears a range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz is an extremely optimistic statement. In real life, the audible spectrum is much narrower. Yes, you can see this for yourself. Here is a simple, “clumsy” way to test your own hearing. In the foobar2000 player, open the File -> Add Location menu and type tone://20000, where the number is the frequency in hertz.

Did you get a bad result? Dont be upset. Firstly, the results could be influenced by the technical characteristics of the headphones, sound card or acoustics, and secondly, there are not many people who can boast of absolute pitch. Besides, to enjoy music, you need only one thing - a feeling of beauty. It is not the ear or the liver that is responsible for the latter, but some particularly cunning organ called the “human soul,” the position of which no doctor can show you. In the end, Beethoven did not hear his Ninth Symphony due to deafness, but this did not stop him from receiving such a standing ovation at the premiere that the audience had to be calmed down by force.

So the answer to the question “How to choose the best headphones for yourself?” sounds incredibly simple: “Put it on and listen!”