Earbuds that fold into your ear, large headphones on your head or some sort of toothbrushes sticking out of your ears: headphones come in all shapes and sizes. And we are only talking about how they look. There is also a choice of sound quality, water resistance, affordability and battery life. A lot to think about. Here comes the buying headphones tips. These are things you should always pay attention to! We help you on your way with the purchase of wireless headphones. Then you don’t have any tangled wires.
Buying headphones tips: what should you look out for?
There are a lot of things to look out for when you are in the market for wireless headphones. The first is which shape you like. Now that will partly depend on what you are going to do with it: you can’t really run with a heavy headset on your head. However, it also has to do with what you like to wear or look beautiful. There are people who see headphones as a fashion statement and yet someone else wants to listen to music more subtly by using in-ear earphones.
Buying headphones tips: In-ear, on-ear and over-ear
There are three categories for wireless headphones: in-ear, on-ear and over-ear. In-ear speaks for itself. These are small earplugs that you place in your ear. They are compact, light and can be worn anytime and anywhere. There are variants with and without cable between the two earbuds. In-ear headphones are always supplied with earpieces (attachments) in different sizes so that, theoretically, they should fit into any ear. Finally, in-ear headphones are often supplied with a storage container. This case often serves as an extra battery, so you can quickly recharge the earbuds by placing them in the case.
Over-ear headphones are a lot bigger and you place them completely over your earcups. These headphones are very comfortable, come with buttons on the housing and both often have a long battery life since there is room for a large battery. They also often offer a 3.5 mm connection and an adjustable headband so that it fits perfectly on your head.
If you want something a little smaller and more refined, the on-ear version is an option. You place this on your ears and feel a bit lighter than an over-ear version, without sacrificing much of the functions and possibilities. A small disadvantage is that these headphones do not completely isolate you from the environment and also ‘leak’ sound to your environment.
Compared to the in-ears, it is less easy to carry an over-ear or in-ear with you store and carry with you. Your choice depends on the comfort that you are looking for and the design that you like. Below we look further at the type of user for the different headphones.
Buying headphones tips: Battery life
A big difference between ear-plugs with wire and without is that wireless means that power is needed. So there is always a small battery in wireless (in-ear) earbuds, which you charge with a supplied box that you have previously charged via USB. Headphones often require more, making the battery slightly larger here. That is also possible, because these gadgets are larger anyway. Charging is therefore often done directly via a cable.
The difference in standby time can be huge: the one earplugs last three hours, while there are also copies that you can enjoy for no less than thirty hours. In general, the following applies: the smaller the ears, the shorter the battery life. So an over-ear generally has a much longer battery life than an in-ear. Battery life is one of the most important options to take into account when purchasing earphones or headphones without wires. Certainly if you also use noise canceling: the more you turn this on, the faster the battery life will decrease. So try only to switch on noise canceling if you really need it: then you will have much longer pleasure after one charging session.
Buying headphones tips: Portability
You often get a small pouch with in-ear headphones , container or package made of flexible material. This allows you to securely hold the earbuds together without the dirt sticking from the bottom of your bag. This also applies to earplugs that have a neckband and are attached to each other with wire: it is useful to keep them together in a pouch or container, so that the cables do not get tangled.
For over-ear and on -ear usually applies that you get a case with it, where sometimes even extra pockets are attached for cables, extra foam parts for the ear and possibly a powerbank. Certainly because you often put down more money for wireless ear plugs, it is wise to always store them properly. It is fragile material. And not only that: if they roam in your bag they may turn on. If you just take them out to listen, you must first recharge them.
Adjust the music playback with an equalizer
If you have made a choice in terms of the type of headphones, then It is important that the earbuds do what they are made for. They all make music sound, but the difference in sound quality is huge. You can read reviews on the internet to discover what others think, but also take into account the type of music you want to listen to.
Beats by Dre earbuds are very good when it comes to hip hop and RnB goes, but if you listen to rock music, they can be a bit shrill for example. In addition to reading what others think, we recommend that you also listen. Then you know exactly if it sounds the way you like it. A thick bass can be fantastic, but also check whether the sound is pure. If you like to adjust the sound to your own taste, it is wise to look for headphones that come with your own app and equalizer function. This means that you can play with (in most cases) the high and low tones, and the balance. You also sometimes have the option of choosing specific presets, for example for rock, pop and classical. An equalizer gives you the option to bring out that bit more low, for example. Please note; not every music app and every headphone comes with an equalizer. For example, Sony provides an app with which you can adjust the audio playback to your own liking, but for that you need to use the app.
We will explain different types of users later, but before we do that, is something important to look out for when purchasing wireless earbuds. Because they do not receive power from your phone, but are connected to your device via Bluetooth, battery life plays a role. You have to charge wireless headphones. Some copies can charge quickly, which means that you can listen to a whole day in half an hour. If you find it important to have long listening sessions, check the promises of the provider – but also in the reviews – for how many hours of sound you can expect.
Audio quality for music freaks
Music lovers can often be recognized by the headphones . Your hairstyle is usually not improved by the band on your head, but the quality and especially the depth and quality of the sound are considerably better due to the large drivers that you place on your ears. Some headphones are very large and heavy, making them especially suitable for the home. Certainly the more luxurious, more expensive variants. However, if you want to go on the street, you can opt for a smaller headset. However, you often sacrifice the size of the speaker and therefore also the sound box, so that the sound sounds a little less three-dimensional. Larger headphones also often have room for a larger battery and in many cases come with extra control buttons on the housing.
Noise canceling for travelers
As a traveler on a train or plane, for example, you can suffer a lot. have ambient noise. There are various wireless earbuds and headphones that are noise canceling. This means that they filter out the ambient noise. In some cases you no longer hear the person standing next to you and saying something to you, but many noise-canceling headphones can take this into account. When purchasing this type of headset, it is important to test well before you make a purchase. After all, it sometimes happens that when filtering out noise in the background, the quality of the music that you actually want to hear is deteriorating. The better headphones, however, hardly compromise on sound quality when noise canceling is activated.
You also have the choice between passive noise canceling and active noise canceling. With the active variant, the filtering is continuously adjusted by listening to the environment. The headphones therefore perform work themselves to filter sound. With premium models you also often have the option of choosing different levels of noise canceling, from low to high. Passive noise canceling is purely the closure of your ear for the environment, for example with large ear cushions. This is much less effective than the active version.
Waterproof headphones for athletes
Athletes benefit from earplugs that are firmly in the ears, so they should not go for a sliding headset. Here it is handy to opt for earplugs with a neckband. This keeps them together when they fall out of your ears. However, choose your end pieces (“rubber”) well: if these are too small or too large, then ear plugs also slip out of your ears faster. However, it can sometimes get sweaty, so that is not always preventable. Are you someone who sweats very quickly and a lot, who is comfortable running in the rain or who does water sports, then you can opt for waterproof ear plugs. Make sure you look for “waterproof” and not “waterproof”. The noise canceling function can also be interesting for athletes, for example, to really be able to isolate and concentrate.
Wireless for multitaskers
For multitaskers, noise canceling headphones can be a solution, because they help you by filtering out the sound to focus on your tasks. The easiest for multitaskers is to use in-ear earbuds. You can often walk 10 to 15 meters away from your phone and still listen to music or make a phone call. Taking a walk away from your workplace for a private conversation no longer means walking with your phone in your hands.
Buying headphones tips : Design lovers
If you like sleek designs, then you probably want to go for it in-ear earbuds that are connected to each other with a small wire in the neck. These fall stylishly like a kind of chain in the neck and don’t make you feel like some completely wireless in-ears look like Shrek or someone with toothbrushes in his ears. As indicated, headphones can also be a fashion statement.
There are often beautiful designs available, made of wood or with a graphic print, or for example with metal or gold colored details. The headphones are quite an eye catcher. Do you want earplugs that are completely wireless and in-ear? And do you want clean designs in addition to clean designs? There are earplugs from Philips and others that come with a portable charger, in which they are automatically cleaned with UV light.
The last decision you have to make before you make a purchase, that is whether you also want to make calls with the headphones. Most units do have a built-in microphone, but always check it. Certainly if you want to use headphones for gaming or even game streaming, then it is useful if the microphone can be placed a little closer to the mouth so that you can make yourself well understood in the heat of battle. Buying an audio device such as headphones is therefore not just about sound: there are often many more technological elements involved.
Read about our headphone reviews here.
Add Comment