[WD]The science of sound: Choosing the right type of headphone
It's all in the sound. The timbre of instruments, the sound of rain falling against the window, the soft whispers of a gentle breeze, the creak of a window and the motley mix of wide-ranging auditory sensations that cause your body and mind to sway to every beat. Now imagine the result if these were to be taken away. Yes, you are probably losing out on the same details with your current set of headphones. Wouldn't it be nice if you could use a set that had nice clarity but was value for money at the same time?
This guide focuses on helping you understand the finer nuances of designs and sorts through the plethora of brands that are available in the market today to help you choose your first or if you already own one, next headphone. Please note that custom molded sets as well as cheap Chinese manufactured unbranded products are beyond the scope of this article since both products cater to two extreme ends of the segment.
There is no ideal headphone in this world, primarily because one has to take into account a variety of parameters such as price, portability, build quality, usage with an amplifier, and most importantly, the quality of sound. All headphones do not sound the same, and in fact, the same brand and model of headphone might sound very different depending on how long they have been broken in. This might come as a surprise to most people but the gleaming white earbuds that came with your shiny new iPod or mobile phone don't sound great by any measure. In fact, almost all headphones included with Portable CD Players, Digital Audio Players and any other device tend to sound quite bad, with few exceptions. Those exceptions, however, are few and far between.
Let’s get started with an overview of the different types of headphones:
CircumAural or full-size headphones: This type of headphone has an ear cup that fully cover your ears, as a result of which they tend to be slightly bulky which makes them unsuitable for portable use. They can be either open or closed, in which the driver is exposed to the air or not, respectively. Higher end headphones in this category tend to be driven by an amplifier since their impedance rating makes it difficult to be driven by portable devices and gadgets.
SupraAural or Earpad headphones: This type of headphone rests on your ear and have a band that goes over your head or behind the neck. They are much smaller than circumaural and their design tends to be open, because of which the level of noise isolation is not on par with circumaural headphones.
In-Ear Monitor (IEM): This type of headphone goes into the ear canal, thereby providing a high degree of acoustic isolation. A lot of people find them uncomfortable since the piece of foam or plastic in the ear tends to irritate the lining. Examples are the offerings from Shure and Etymotic.
Earbuds: Usually bundled with audio players, portable players and cell phones but tend to be low quality. They are similar to IEMs in that they sit in the ear, however the earbuds sit right at the entrance of the ear canal and thus don't block sound out nearly as much. On the upside, they are compact and lightweight and create zero to little interference for caps and eye glasses.
To clarify the earlier point about open and closed headphones, Open headphones refer to designs where the driver is exposed to open air. Open designs tend to give a great sound for less money but offer almost no to very little sound isolation in either direction thereby enabling the wearer to listen to the outside environment. This is very beneficial if you can't afford to be isolated from the world, such as walking around on city streets. On the other hand, the driver in Closed headphones is sealed which blocks some sound in and out. The isolation depends on the quality (and your budget!), but it is usually much better than open headphones.
Now that you know the differences between the most common type of headphones, you need to decide what you are going to primarily use them for. If you need a set that is comfortable while jogging or exercising, a neckband style of headphone would be most useful. These units have a flexible bar that loops around the back of the head and connects the two earpieces. These headphones are especially suited for constant or bouncy movement. The de facto earbud headphones, like the ones supplied with the iPod, would keep falling out in this case while clip-on earphones, such as the Koss KSC75 would add too much weight to the sides of your head to allow a smooth work out.
On the other hand, if you intend to use the headphones in a stationary or slow moving position, earbud headphones are probably the best choice since they are quite small and light and form a comfortable fit at the entrance of your ear canal. However, they are usually very poor at sound isolation and are a bad choice for listening to your favourite track on the subway or train. Clip-on or closed headphones are a better choice in this regard. The latter headphones cover the ears completely and help to block out outside noise so that the listener can concentrate on the musical notes emanating from the ear pieces. These headphones also are known for the best overall audio quality, which is essential for mixing tracks and creating music.
Now that you have decided on the type of headphone, next up is the process of separating the grain from the chaff. There are a few parameters that you need to look at when deciding if a headphone is worth your hard-earned cash. Let's take a brief look at the two most important ones:
Audio Quality
The defining characteristic of a headphone is its frequency response rating, which in all likelihood is rated somewhere around 22 hertz (Hz) to 22 megahertz (Mhz) for most consumer headphones and well as low end prosumer ones. The higher the difference between the low and high numbers, the larger frequency response the headphones will offer you. Very high quality headphones may offer a low-end frequency response as low as 8 Hz. A pair of headphones with this number means that at least at low volume you will be able to fully realize the deep low end bass that makes the music sound great.
The higher number of the frequency response spectrum, while not as likely to fluctuate too much, will produce crisp, clean highs that cut through the mix.
This is not the only measurement that separates good-sounding headphones from poor ones. Also check the package or browse the online product page for decibel response. This defines how loud the headphones will sound without any clipping.
For the more serious audiophile, a parameter that should not be overlooked is the headphone's audio response curve. A perfectly flat response curve is the ideal line and most high-end units achieve a curve that is almost flat. A pair of cheap headphones or almost all ear bud style sets are unlikely to achieve this.
Build Quality
Any pair of headphones, cheap or expensive, can last a very long time if they are well taken care of. However, everyone knows that is just not possible which makes good build quality even more important than audio response properties when deciding on a pair of headphones. The biggest point of failure is the connector cable that links the jack with the earbuds or pads. Two independent and shielded cables running parallel to each other with their own rubber covering means that a headphone is more likely to last than a unit with a single wire. A crossed wire due to improper handling of the connector cable could cause your headphones to become worthless.
The thickness of the connector cable is another important factor since a thicker cable can shield the internal audio wires more carefully, thereby decreasing the chance of break or a cross.
There are two kinds of connectors that are commonly available in consumer and prosumer headphones. The most common of the two is the 1/8 inch or 3.5mm connector which is found in iPods and most cell phones. The line-out slot in your laptop or PC's motherboard is of the 3.5mm variety too. Some cell phones however, especially those from HTC and Sony Ericsson have a custom line-out slot which would require you to purchase an adapter to fit these headphones.
Now that you have zeroed in on a specific design and need, let's take a look at the most popular brands in the market, in alphabetical order. As mentioned, there are niche and boutique manufacturers that build hand-crafted or extreme precision units but these are beyond the scope of this article.
AKG: This highly respected manufacturer from Austria competes in the mid-range and high-end segments. Their K701 is one of the most popular semi-high end models available.
Audio-Technica: AT is a smaller Japan-based manufacturer of quality headphones. They are comparatively cheaper than high end units from Sennheiser and AKG. However, low end headphones are not usually recommended due to average frequency curves.
Beyerdynamic: This German firm is renowned for making high end closed cans, although their creations tend to be bass heavy. Their DT880 is a shining example if you want great Sennheiser sound mixed with bass.
Bose: Unfortunately, their marketing campaigns in the media lead many to believe that they are the pinnacle of audiophile nirvana when that is not the case. Their designs are nice but are grossly overpriced for the quality of sound on offer. Their most famous line is the Quiet-Comfort range of noise-canceling headphones. Most veterans recommend staying away from Bose.
Creative: A low end manufacturer that makes some very nice earbud style of headphones. They are a good step up from the default iPod buds if you want to continue with the same look. The EP-630 and EP-830 have gained great popularity in recent years.
Etymotic: This company is a specialist IEM manufacturer with incredibly detailed sound but lack the thump. Noise isolation tends to be better than comparable Shures. Due to the aforementioned lack of bass, they are unsuitable for dance or rock music. Jazz or classical genres sound great though.
Grado: A great bang for the buck manufacturer and tend to have good bass, thereby making them suitable for metal, rock and other genres. Their designs leak sound but offer great sound. Their SR-60 is one of the best entry level to mid-range headphones available. The iGrado is one of the best neckband style of headphone and both are highly recommended to novice audiophiles.
Koss: The king of low end headphones; they make some spectacular entry level units. The KSC75 and PortaPro are probably the two most recommended headphones on any forum. The former is probably the best clip-on available at any price while the latter adds better sound for a bit more in price. All Koss units carry a lifetime warranty, thereby increasing their appeal.
Sennheiser: The emperor of the headphone world; there are barely any audiophiles who haven't heard a Senn in their lifetime. They have detailed sound with a good soundstage and there is a design available at all price points to satisfy even the most discerning customer. At the low end of the scale, the PX100, HD202 and DJ-style HD205 are highly recommended while the HD650 and HD800 are probably two of the most popular units around.
Shure: Another specialist IEM manufactuer like Etymotic. Their e2 and e3 earphones are extremely popular due to great isolation and decent sound. Shures are highly recommended if you need to concentrate in a noisy environment.
Sony: Most units are quite flimsy with poor sound quality but Sony has made a conscious effort to change this perception in recent years. The SA5000 is a very popular headphone, often competing with the HD650 from Sennheiser. The streetstyle series of headphones are not recommended due to poor sound quality and uncontrolled bass.
Other than the manufactuers listed above, you might come across lesser known manufacturers such Labtec and Zalman. They are known for "gaming" headphones; however, if that is what you are interested in, a comparable Sennheiser or Grado will handily beat it. If you need a gaming headset with a microphone, get a seperate line-in device from eBay or a retail shop and stick with a dedicated headphone.
Conclusion:
As we have seen above, the market is flooded with a bewildering range of headphones for all kinds of budgets. It is very important to try a headphone yourself rather than depend on online reviews or friends' opinions since everyone's ear is tuned quite differently. What might sound great to you might sound rubbish to someone else.
It does not matter whether you go for a low end Koss KSC75 or an ultra high-end HD800, it's the fact that you are upgrading your standard is what matters. People do tend to go crazy with their new purchase, so always follow the necessary precautions while handling or storing them. Wind or loop the cables carefully and stow them in the manufacturer provided case, if one is available. Do this and your headphone will give you years of worry free pleasure!
It's all in the sound. The timbre of instruments, the sound of rain falling against the window, the soft whispers of a gentle breeze, the creak of a window and the motley mix of wide-ranging auditory sensations that cause your body and mind to sway to every beat. Now imagine the result if these were to be taken away. Yes, you are probably losing out on the same details with your current set of headphones. Wouldn't it be nice if you could use a set that had nice clarity but was value for money at the same time?
This guide focuses on helping you understand the finer nuances of designs and sorts through the plethora of brands that are available in the market today to help you choose your first or if you already own one, next headphone. Please note that custom molded sets as well as cheap Chinese manufactured unbranded products are beyond the scope of this article since both products cater to two extreme ends of the segment.
There is no ideal headphone in this world, primarily because one has to take into account a variety of parameters such as price, portability, build quality, usage with an amplifier, and most importantly, the quality of sound. All headphones do not sound the same, and in fact, the same brand and model of headphone might sound very different depending on how long they have been broken in. This might come as a surprise to most people but the gleaming white earbuds that came with your shiny new iPod or mobile phone don't sound great by any measure. In fact, almost all headphones included with Portable CD Players, Digital Audio Players and any other device tend to sound quite bad, with few exceptions. Those exceptions, however, are few and far between.
Let’s get started with an overview of the different types of headphones:
CircumAural or full-size headphones: This type of headphone has an ear cup that fully cover your ears, as a result of which they tend to be slightly bulky which makes them unsuitable for portable use. They can be either open or closed, in which the driver is exposed to the air or not, respectively. Higher end headphones in this category tend to be driven by an amplifier since their impedance rating makes it difficult to be driven by portable devices and gadgets.
SupraAural or Earpad headphones: This type of headphone rests on your ear and have a band that goes over your head or behind the neck. They are much smaller than circumaural and their design tends to be open, because of which the level of noise isolation is not on par with circumaural headphones.
In-Ear Monitor (IEM): This type of headphone goes into the ear canal, thereby providing a high degree of acoustic isolation. A lot of people find them uncomfortable since the piece of foam or plastic in the ear tends to irritate the lining. Examples are the offerings from Shure and Etymotic.
Earbuds: Usually bundled with audio players, portable players and cell phones but tend to be low quality. They are similar to IEMs in that they sit in the ear, however the earbuds sit right at the entrance of the ear canal and thus don't block sound out nearly as much. On the upside, they are compact and lightweight and create zero to little interference for caps and eye glasses.
To clarify the earlier point about open and closed headphones, Open headphones refer to designs where the driver is exposed to open air. Open designs tend to give a great sound for less money but offer almost no to very little sound isolation in either direction thereby enabling the wearer to listen to the outside environment. This is very beneficial if you can't afford to be isolated from the world, such as walking around on city streets. On the other hand, the driver in Closed headphones is sealed which blocks some sound in and out. The isolation depends on the quality (and your budget!), but it is usually much better than open headphones.
Now that you know the differences between the most common type of headphones, you need to decide what you are going to primarily use them for. If you need a set that is comfortable while jogging or exercising, a neckband style of headphone would be most useful. These units have a flexible bar that loops around the back of the head and connects the two earpieces. These headphones are especially suited for constant or bouncy movement. The de facto earbud headphones, like the ones supplied with the iPod, would keep falling out in this case while clip-on earphones, such as the Koss KSC75 would add too much weight to the sides of your head to allow a smooth work out.
On the other hand, if you intend to use the headphones in a stationary or slow moving position, earbud headphones are probably the best choice since they are quite small and light and form a comfortable fit at the entrance of your ear canal. However, they are usually very poor at sound isolation and are a bad choice for listening to your favourite track on the subway or train. Clip-on or closed headphones are a better choice in this regard. The latter headphones cover the ears completely and help to block out outside noise so that the listener can concentrate on the musical notes emanating from the ear pieces. These headphones also are known for the best overall audio quality, which is essential for mixing tracks and creating music.
Now that you have decided on the type of headphone, next up is the process of separating the grain from the chaff. There are a few parameters that you need to look at when deciding if a headphone is worth your hard-earned cash. Let's take a brief look at the two most important ones:
Audio Quality
The defining characteristic of a headphone is its frequency response rating, which in all likelihood is rated somewhere around 22 hertz (Hz) to 22 megahertz (Mhz) for most consumer headphones and well as low end prosumer ones. The higher the difference between the low and high numbers, the larger frequency response the headphones will offer you. Very high quality headphones may offer a low-end frequency response as low as 8 Hz. A pair of headphones with this number means that at least at low volume you will be able to fully realize the deep low end bass that makes the music sound great.
The higher number of the frequency response spectrum, while not as likely to fluctuate too much, will produce crisp, clean highs that cut through the mix.
This is not the only measurement that separates good-sounding headphones from poor ones. Also check the package or browse the online product page for decibel response. This defines how loud the headphones will sound without any clipping.
For the more serious audiophile, a parameter that should not be overlooked is the headphone's audio response curve. A perfectly flat response curve is the ideal line and most high-end units achieve a curve that is almost flat. A pair of cheap headphones or almost all ear bud style sets are unlikely to achieve this.
Build Quality
Any pair of headphones, cheap or expensive, can last a very long time if they are well taken care of. However, everyone knows that is just not possible which makes good build quality even more important than audio response properties when deciding on a pair of headphones. The biggest point of failure is the connector cable that links the jack with the earbuds or pads. Two independent and shielded cables running parallel to each other with their own rubber covering means that a headphone is more likely to last than a unit with a single wire. A crossed wire due to improper handling of the connector cable could cause your headphones to become worthless.
The thickness of the connector cable is another important factor since a thicker cable can shield the internal audio wires more carefully, thereby decreasing the chance of break or a cross.
There are two kinds of connectors that are commonly available in consumer and prosumer headphones. The most common of the two is the 1/8 inch or 3.5mm connector which is found in iPods and most cell phones. The line-out slot in your laptop or PC's motherboard is of the 3.5mm variety too. Some cell phones however, especially those from HTC and Sony Ericsson have a custom line-out slot which would require you to purchase an adapter to fit these headphones.
Now that you have zeroed in on a specific design and need, let's take a look at the most popular brands in the market, in alphabetical order. As mentioned, there are niche and boutique manufacturers that build hand-crafted or extreme precision units but these are beyond the scope of this article.
AKG: This highly respected manufacturer from Austria competes in the mid-range and high-end segments. Their K701 is one of the most popular semi-high end models available.
Audio-Technica: AT is a smaller Japan-based manufacturer of quality headphones. They are comparatively cheaper than high end units from Sennheiser and AKG. However, low end headphones are not usually recommended due to average frequency curves.
Beyerdynamic: This German firm is renowned for making high end closed cans, although their creations tend to be bass heavy. Their DT880 is a shining example if you want great Sennheiser sound mixed with bass.
Bose: Unfortunately, their marketing campaigns in the media lead many to believe that they are the pinnacle of audiophile nirvana when that is not the case. Their designs are nice but are grossly overpriced for the quality of sound on offer. Their most famous line is the Quiet-Comfort range of noise-canceling headphones. Most veterans recommend staying away from Bose.
Creative: A low end manufacturer that makes some very nice earbud style of headphones. They are a good step up from the default iPod buds if you want to continue with the same look. The EP-630 and EP-830 have gained great popularity in recent years.
Etymotic: This company is a specialist IEM manufacturer with incredibly detailed sound but lack the thump. Noise isolation tends to be better than comparable Shures. Due to the aforementioned lack of bass, they are unsuitable for dance or rock music. Jazz or classical genres sound great though.
Grado: A great bang for the buck manufacturer and tend to have good bass, thereby making them suitable for metal, rock and other genres. Their designs leak sound but offer great sound. Their SR-60 is one of the best entry level to mid-range headphones available. The iGrado is one of the best neckband style of headphone and both are highly recommended to novice audiophiles.
Koss: The king of low end headphones; they make some spectacular entry level units. The KSC75 and PortaPro are probably the two most recommended headphones on any forum. The former is probably the best clip-on available at any price while the latter adds better sound for a bit more in price. All Koss units carry a lifetime warranty, thereby increasing their appeal.
Sennheiser: The emperor of the headphone world; there are barely any audiophiles who haven't heard a Senn in their lifetime. They have detailed sound with a good soundstage and there is a design available at all price points to satisfy even the most discerning customer. At the low end of the scale, the PX100, HD202 and DJ-style HD205 are highly recommended while the HD650 and HD800 are probably two of the most popular units around.
Shure: Another specialist IEM manufactuer like Etymotic. Their e2 and e3 earphones are extremely popular due to great isolation and decent sound. Shures are highly recommended if you need to concentrate in a noisy environment.
Sony: Most units are quite flimsy with poor sound quality but Sony has made a conscious effort to change this perception in recent years. The SA5000 is a very popular headphone, often competing with the HD650 from Sennheiser. The streetstyle series of headphones are not recommended due to poor sound quality and uncontrolled bass.
Other than the manufactuers listed above, you might come across lesser known manufacturers such Labtec and Zalman. They are known for "gaming" headphones; however, if that is what you are interested in, a comparable Sennheiser or Grado will handily beat it. If you need a gaming headset with a microphone, get a seperate line-in device from eBay or a retail shop and stick with a dedicated headphone.
Conclusion:
As we have seen above, the market is flooded with a bewildering range of headphones for all kinds of budgets. It is very important to try a headphone yourself rather than depend on online reviews or friends' opinions since everyone's ear is tuned quite differently. What might sound great to you might sound rubbish to someone else.
It does not matter whether you go for a low end Koss KSC75 or an ultra high-end HD800, it's the fact that you are upgrading your standard is what matters. People do tend to go crazy with their new purchase, so always follow the necessary precautions while handling or storing them. Wind or loop the cables carefully and stow them in the manufacturer provided case, if one is available. Do this and your headphone will give you years of worry free pleasure!
