The absence of shortages and a wide range of products from all over the world has led to a massive filling of the market with goods of various categories, quality and level. The headphone market is no exception. A lazy buyer, having made a rash decision, easily says goodbye to money, giving it for the first model he likes. There is no desire to understand the issue, and as a result, a product is purchased that hardly justifies the initial requests. The presence of thousands of different models has led to the fact that the purchase of those "one and only" headphones for the complexity of the choice is not far from the purchase of the first car.

In today's article we will try to figure out the question of what main headphone categories presented on the market, what are their main differences and advantages.

Before talking about all the modifications of the presented headphones, I will try to put myself in the shoes of a buyer who has set aside a n-th amount and is ready to start buying right now. Our customer is hardly familiar with the peculiarities of each category of headphones, but he has a little free time in order to delve into the essence of the matter and then make the right choice.

By type of construction

Among all the abundance of headphones, one of the main criteria for dividing them is type of construction... We meet any product by clothing and it is the type of design that immediately catches the eye.

In-ear headphones.

This type of headphone in everyday life is more often called "Buttons" or "Inserts"... They are inserted directly into the auricle and are among the most common. The generally accepted standard was developed back in 1991 year company engineers Etymotic Research, and the progenitors of plug-in headphones were the audiological headphones used in scientific centers.

Among the accessories accompanying the in-ear headphones, it is worth noting the primitive ear pads- round pieces of foam rubber.

Their main task is not only to make wearing more comfortable, but also to improve the level of sound insulation.

In-ear headphones

Most often, plug-in headphones are confused with in-ear headphones, popularly called "plugs" or "vacuum". In-ear headphones ( IEM – In-Ear-Canalphone) are inserted directly into the ear canal. They fit significantly deeper into the human ear than in-ear headphones.

The design of in-ear headphones is also borrowed from advances in the field of medicine, and the ancestor of this category of audio devices was the hearing aids and headphones-monitors, which have been successfully used by musicians on stage for over 20 years.

The main thing the difference between in-ear headphones and plug-in is improved sealing and concentration sound. The use of soft ear pads allows you to maximally isolate music playback from extraneous noise and reduce the level of amplitude distortion of the membrane by increasing the sound area.

Another distinguishing feature of in-ear headphones is the wide range of nozzles... In short, if you see headphones with a characteristic soft spout, you can be sure that this is a representative of in-ear headphones.

The sore spot of in-ear headphones is the transmission of a high frequency range, losing to a booming and meaty bass.

Conclusion:in-ear headphones or earbuds and in-ear headphones - “earplugs” are two different types of headphones that belong to the same category of in-ear headphones.

On-ear headphones

The on-ear headphones got their name for a reason. Their principle of fixation is to fix it on the surface of the ear and press it against it from the outside, and the sound source itself is located outside the auricle.

Due to the fact that on-ear headphones are at a tangible (by sound standards) distance from the ear canal, a higher volume level is required for their full sound. On-ear headphones can have various types of attachment: with an ear-clip, or with an arched headband.

Over-ear headphones

The ideal headphones for home use are rightfully considered oversized headphones... A feature of their design is full ear coverage. High-quality sound is emphasized by good noise isolation. What's more, by covering the ear, the ear cushions create additional sound space.

Full-size headphones are rarely equipped with a folding mechanism, so they are far from the best allies in terms of portability. In order to promote full-size headphones to the market, manufacturers use a pseudo-class headphone close to overhead, but tending to full-size in terms of characteristics. What can't you do for the sake of popularization. "Demi-season" in music is bad, so you shouldn't choose something "between overhead and full-size".

Monitor headphones

A separate category of headphones, which at first glance can be confused with full-size ones. It is really possible to call monitor headphones full-size, because they completely cover the ear with their ear cushions. The main signs that you have monitor headphones in front of you are: a large, powerful headband, considerable weight, a thick, often ring-shaped, long cord and the absence of any hint of portability.

The category of these headphones is intended exclusively for sound engineers, but not for music lovers. Monitor headphones have a wide frequency range and reproduce sound without unnecessary "embellishments" and post-equalization. In other words, your favorite songs that have delighted you with their sound over the years can appear dull, boring and distorted on monitors.

By the design of the emitter

Depending on which source of sound radiation is installed in the headphones, they are divided into 4 categories.

Dynamic

The most common type of headphone. They are based on the electrodynamic type of transformation. In the part that is inaccessible to the buyer without third-party tools, there is a membrane to which a coil with a wire is connected. Under the action of alternating current, the installed magnet creates a magnetic field, which is transmitted to the membrane.

Despite the fact that from an acoustic point of view, such a design is considered the most primitive and has a number of disadvantages, the improvement of technologies and the use of new solutions by manufacturers allow us to call dynamic headphones, headphones with good sound quality.

Electrostatic (Electret)

Headphones classified as Hi-End devices. You will not find them in consumer electronics stores, they are not widely available. All because of the high cost, the lower limit of which is 2.5 - 3 thousand dollars.

The principle of operation of electrostatic headphones is to use the thinnest membrane located between two electrodes. Under the influence of a high current, the membrane is set in motion and creates sound vibrations. Electrostatic headphones provide the highest quality sound with virtually no distortion. A significant drawback of such headphones is the mandatory presence of an impressive amplifier.

Isodynamic and orthodynamic

In pursuit of quality loudspeaker sound in 1973 an application was filed with the United States Patent Office for a so-called Hale emitter... It is this invention that underlies isodynamic headphones.

A rectangular membrane made of a thin Teflon film with aluminum sputtering in the form of rectangular strips is used as a radiated element. This complex structure is located between two magnets with a strong magnetic field. The current drives the plate and it is these vibrations that the human ear hears. The advantage of isodynamic headphones is high accuracy and an impressive power reserve (especially important in the production of loudspeakers).

Hale emitters are orthodynamic headphones. Their only difference is the use of a round membrane (in isodynamic ones it is rectangular).

Rebar

Armature headphones are headphones with an exclusively in-ear design. They are based on a U-shaped magnetic circuit, in the field of which an armature with a voice coil is located. The diffuser is attached directly to the armature. The moment current is applied to the voice coil, the armature comes out of rest and sets the diffuser in motion.

Armature headphones have a high level of efficiency in a compact size. Due to the specific design of the emitter, reinforcing headphones sound clearer and cleaner.

Conclusion: in-ear headphones can be dynamic. In-ear headphones can be dynamic and reinforcing. On-ear headphones are mainly represented by dynamic models. Over-ear headphones can be dynamic, electrostatic, iso- and orthodynamic.

Acoustic design

Depending on the design of the case in which the headphone speakers are enclosed, they are divided into two categories: closed and open.

Closed

They have a completely enclosed body without the characteristic perforated grill. Closed-back headphones are used to isolate the sound from extraneous noise.

At the same time, closed-type headphones completely direct the sound to the listener's auricle, and the sound from the outside is practically inaudible.

Open

Open-back headphones allow the speaker to be placed in a chamber equipped with slots, slots, or draperies. Thanks to this solution, open headphones have a "connection with the outside world."

From the point of view of listening to music in city mode, open-back headphones are safer. In addition to music, open headphones also allow ambient noise to pass through. The use of open earpieces avoids the air cushion effect, which complicates the operation of the membrane, creating additional acoustic distortion.

Conclusion:Regardless of the type of construction and the emitter used, all headphones can be either open or closed. You can determine their type by the appearance of the ear pads and the head in which the speaker is located. "Semi-open" or "half-closed" headphones in practice exist exclusively in the imagination of marketers.

By signal transmission method

Depending on how exactly the sound travels from the sound source to the headphone emitter, they fall into two categories: wired and wireless.

Wired

Wired headphones provide high quality sound reproduction. Despite the fact that the entire evolution of headphones is inseparably associated with a wire directly connected to the emitter, in parallel with the development of the headphones themselves, the acoustic cables used have also been improved.

All of the above types of designs with various types of emitters and acoustic design can belong to wired headphones.

Wireless

Having decided that the consumer was tired of the ever-confusing headphone wires, manufacturers decided to take another step towards comfortable listening to music by creating wireless headphones.

There are four types of wireless headphones: infrared, radio, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi... Presented on the market and "hybrid" models, using which the user can independently decide to connect him a wire or take advantage of all the advantages of its absence. Wireless headphones are practically not used when recording, since they have a slight delay of a few milliseconds.

Listening to music with headphones while taking a walk - this activity has become a favorite and habitual for many of us. A man walking down the street and shaking his head to the rhythm of the melodies heard only to him, has long ceased to cause surprise. Indeed, with your favorite music it is easier and more pleasant to while away the road, to the sounds of musical creations pleasant to the ear, you can immerse yourself in thoughts, escape from the bustle of the city. Music is listened to at home and at work, in transport, in the cinema, and in many places, because it is great for rest and relaxation.

At the same time, everyone loves to listen to music in their own way. Someone wants to distance themselves as much as possible from the noise of cars, conversations of passers-by and other external noises and completely focus on listening to their favorite tracks. For some, on the contrary, it is important not only to listen to music, but also to talk with friends on the go, respond to greetings, hear April drops ... whatever. There is no dispute about tastes, as they say, the main thing for us is to inform you about the opportunities available to you. In order to achieve the acoustics that you need, we advise you to pay attention, first of all, to the choice of headphones.

Openness / closedness: what is it?
First of all, it is worth deciding which headphones are more preferable for you: open or closed. Why is it so important? Yes, simply because without headphones / speakers that convert a digital signal into sound, it is impossible to listen to music, and the features of such a conversion are different for different types. Accordingly, the same song played in different audio devices will be heard differently.

How do you recognize at a glance which type of headphones you are picking up? First of all, let's pay attention to the outside of the headphones. Opened headphones have a case that is not one-piece, you can see holes or a mesh that covers the surface of the headphones.

Another difference is in weight. Open headphones are much lighter than their "closed" counterparts. Often, open headphones have a lightweight headband.

It can be deduced from these differences that open and closed headphones are better suited to different styles of music. If you prefer to listen to jazz, or even more so, classical music, open headphones are better for you, which will allow you to enjoy the purity of your favorite tunes. Closed-back headphones allow you to listen to rock music, metalwork and other similar compositions, creating the necessary dynamics and clearly reproducing the bass.

In what situations to use?
The advantages of different types of headphones allow you to use them more efficiently, choosing the type according to your listening environment. Imagine that you are on a busy street or on the subway with open headphones. What can this lead to? the sound of these headphones will be partially obscured by ambient noise. On the contrary, in closed headphones you will be able to hear exactly what you want, that is, musical compositions, but people around you will not be able to hear them (what is the difference between open headphones, which make the audibility of sound for people more noticeable when the volume of listening to music is increased).

On the other hand, imagine the following situation: you are sitting in an armchair in your office and, in order not to get bored, listen to music with closed headphones. Do not be surprised if at this moment a colleague comes up to you and hands over the telephone receiver with a note stating that you have not answered the phone for the third time. You should also think about safety: do you always hear the noise of the engine of an approaching car on the street in your headphones? If not, then this is a reason to think about changing the type of headphones.

It is for all these reasons that avid music lovers often prefer to acquire both closed and open headphones in order to vary them depending on the music, as well as on the situation in which this music is listened to.

Semi-open type: a reasonable compromise?
As you may have guessed, along with open and closed headphones, there are also headphones of the so-called half-open (half-closed) type. The cups of these headphones are closed, but not tightly, they have holes. Most often, these headphones are covered with a grill.

Semi-open headphones are widely used in the professional environment, because when using them, both sound isolation is achieved and the ears do not get tired. In fact, such headphones are closer to open ones in their acoustic properties, because they are not completely sealed and, for this reason, allow external noise to pass through.

Sound isolation = closed headphones?
And finally, I would like to debunk one of the popular misconceptions that the sound insulation achieved with the help of headphones depends not only on their type. This is not entirely true. Sound insulation also significantly depends on the material from which they are made (wood or leather transmits sounds more than plastic), as well as how tightly the headphones fit to the ears.

Therefore, if you want to achieve a balance between sound and audibility of the surrounding world, you can use solutions such as closed headphones covered with leather, loose-fitting headphones, etc. The choice is huge and varied, and it is always yours!

Why do my ears get more tired with closed headphones?
When using closed headphones, remember that they create pressure on the head, which can lead to hearing fatigue and headaches. This happens because the human ear is used to perceiving surrounding external noises, even the most subtle ones. Immersed in a vacuum environment, it begins to get tired of the absolute silence (at the moment when you don’t turn on the track, putting on the headphones). On the other hand, the sound, closed in closed headphones, is directed to the hearing organs, and does not even partially escape into the surrounding space, creating pressure on the head. Therefore, the time of listening to songs in closed headphones (and just the time spent in them) must be dosed.

Stereo closed-back headphones are devices that can unleash the potential of audio compositions laid down by composers or performers. They perfectly reproduce the sound frequencies of the lower, middle and upper registers. Closed-cup headphone models are used in recording studios to control the quality of the tracks being created. Their main distinguishing feature is the special design of the cups with soft ear cushions that tightly close the auricles, isolating external noise. Thanks to sound insulation, the reproducible sound vibrations are not distorted, which has a positive effect on the accuracy of analog or digital signal transmission. This type can be used even in noisy places: in the classroom, in the workplace, or while walking along busy streets.

The lineup

The range of full-size devices includes hobby and recording studio equipment. All closed on-ear headphones are subdivided into categories based on the level of the frequency sound range: amateur, semi-professional and professional.

Professional models accurately and accurately transmit signals at a frequency of 5 Hz to 120 KHz. The wider the sound range, the higher the price of such devices. But it must be remembered that the human ear can only perceive sounds in the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Therefore, it is worth buying a model of closed headphones that reproduce frequencies below 20 Hz or above 20 kHz only if you are a professional musician. Otherwise, such devices will not be able to reveal their potential.

The lower frequency threshold characterizes the quality of bass reproduction. For example, devices that are capable of transmitting a signal at 5 Hz reproduce bass with a very realistic tactile effect. And equipment with a lower threshold of 20 Hz ensures the reproduction of subtle bass. The upper sound threshold is characterized by ringing and melodic acoustic signals. But the human auditory system is capable of responding to sounds with a frequency of up to 20 kHz.

Another important characteristic when choosing is resistance. The higher it is, the less signal distortion. But high impedance also requires more signal power for full reproduction. For normal operation of such devices, you need an external amplifier.

They are divided into those that have an open acoustic design and a closed one. To understand which ones are better to choose, you first need to find out how they differ.
So what are open models? These soundproofing devices are named after the bowls open at the back. Because they are acoustically transparent, the bowls can partially transmit noise. It is this sound that music lovers call the most realistic.
Models of the closed type are characterized by a closed volume: the radiators enclosed in the cups are isolated, which provides excellent noise reduction. The sound in such headphones does not leak out and does not penetrate from the outside.

The difference between the open and closed type of accessories is also visible in the used ear pads (the part of the headphones adjacent to the ear). For open ones, mainly supra-aural and circum-aural ear pads are applicable, while closed ones can be anything you like.
Among the models of both types, there are worthy representatives. But each of the 2 types of headphones has attractive features and disadvantages. More on this below.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Open Headphones

To understand why open devices are better or worse, you need to disassemble their advantages, as well as flaws associated with design features.

The four main benefits of open-back headphones are:
1. Realistic sound. An open soundstage colors the sound to a minimum for natural and clear sound.
2. Do not put pressure on the ear: the music sounds like in.
3. Safe: if you walk along the street, you can hear an approaching car or bicycle.

Advice: if you want an open version, it will come in handy. Lightweight and comfortable, the headphones from the world famous brand will delight music lovers with clear and undistorted sound.

4. The ear cushions do not press: the user's ears do not sweat, the head does not hurt after wearing such headphones for a long time.

Note: if you need a version with a decent sound and that suits well portable devices, then this is what you need.

The main cons:

• Poor noise isolation: you won't be able to completely immerse yourself in listening. In addition, you can interfere with others, because they will hear what the speakers are emitting.
• Bass is heard worse than in closed versions, even if the model is full size.

Are closed-back headphones better or worse?

Full-size closed-back headphones are the best solution for those who want to immerse themselves in the sound atmosphere. Thanks to the closed design that this type of headphone possesses, it provides excellent noise isolation. This means that nothing will interfere with the user or his environment. More details about the pros and cons of closed models are in the table below.

Advice: lovers of tight bass and maximum detail may like it. The closed version is highly sensitive and loses frequencies in a wide range. Nice bonuses to comfort are the adjustable wire length and low weight.

For those who do not like to be distracted:

Semi-closed headphones

Knowing how different types of headphones differ from each other, what are their features, it is easier to decide which option is best to buy. Anyone who loves deep, powerful bass and those who don't want to be distracted can be advised to stick with closed models. For those who appreciate the realism of sound and like to wear headphones for a long time, the open type is more suitable. Well, for those undecided, you can try a compromise - half-open option.

There are a lot of headphones today. Moreover, each of the types of headphones can have two design options - closed and open. There is also an intermediate option - half-closed or, which is the same, half-open headphones. Let's consider in order all three options and their features.

By themselves, the concept of closed / open refers to the structure of the back wall of the earphone. The back wall is understood as the wall located behind the speaker, i.e. ear cup.

Closed-back headphones

If the headphone structure is closed, then the headphone cup hermetically seals the speaker from the back. In this case, the volume of air inside the bowl acts as a load for the speaker.

Often, this type of headphone has a drop in the low-frequency region, caused by the lack of internal volume of the cups for these frequencies. Therefore, designers are forced to go to various methods to raise the low frequency range. For example, in the Sennheiser HD380 Pro headphones, a kind of bass reflex is implemented for these purposes, due to which the lower reproducible frequency is only 8Hz.

Also, to increase the internal volume, damping is often resorted to. At the same time, for some reason, manufacturers themselves usually do not bother with damping and simply do not do it.

For a closed construction, often a not very wide stereo base and depth of the scene are characteristic. Both of these indicators are improved with the correct damping. However, they usually do not reach the values ​​of an open structure.

On the other hand, not all styles of music require a large stereo base and depth. For example, for heavy styles of music, for a denser and 'rocking' sound, in my opinion, a closed design is better suited. But for atmospheric music, an open design is preferable.

Open headphones:

In this design, the back wall of the bowl has openings that are comparable in area or large to the dimensions of the speaker. Those. the backside speaker plays directly on the street.

As you can see, the speaker of Sennheiser HD600 headphones is freely visible from the outside through the mesh.

Due to this design, the headphones are unsuitable for use in transport and unsuitable for use outdoors. since in addition to the fact that others will listen to the same as you, so also all external sounds will be mixed into your music.

But open headphones have an excellent stereo base and depth of the stage if you listen to them at home and in silence. These headphones are also great for playing games, giving you an immersive experience.

It's not just over-ear headphones that open up. Beloved by many, the Koss Porta Pro on-ear headphones are also often positioned as open headphones. To be convinced of this, you should take a closer look at the many holes in the blue plastic. Although, in principle, they can be recognized as semi-closed.

As for the plugs, then there are also representatives of the open type. For example, open headphones are a fairly young, but actively developing company KZ, model Edr2. If you look closely at them, you can see a fine mesh on the back of the earpiece.

Semi-closed and half-open headphones

As the name implies, this type includes intermediate-type headphones. There are holes in them, but they are not large. A well-known representative of this type is the Yamaha RH-5MA monitor headphones. Each earphone has three slots going in a semicircle.

Semi-closed headphones are designed to take on the best qualities of both types. However, not everything is so smooth. Yes, the stage is somewhat wider and deeper than the closed ones, but noise insulation suffers because of the slots.

Both open and half-open headphones, even those that are monitor and designed to work with sound, cannot be used by musicians when recording musical instruments or vocals. the sound coming from them will be picked up by the microphone and heard on the recording. For this, only closed headphones with good sound insulation are suitable.

Conclusion

When choosing headphones, first of all, you should be guided by the conditions in which they will be used. If you use headphones most of the time in transport, then obviously the choice should be made in favor of closed headphones.

If you want to savor your favorite songs at home, without harming relationships with neighbors, then you should pay attention to open headphones.

For the street, half-closed are probably preferable. Yes, you will not completely immerse yourself in the music, but the likelihood of not noticing an approaching car is much less.

Good sound everyone!