What are headphones and how do I use them?

The word "headphones" can give people a wide variety of visual images. Therefore, it is very important to know what headphones really are, how they work. It's also helpful to figure out how to use them to extend their lifespan and get real sound enjoyment.

If you look at the definition of headphones, it is easy to find that they are usually associated with "headsets". This is exactly the interpretation of such a term in most dictionaries and encyclopedias. But in practice, headphones look very diverse, and sometimes it's hard to even guess what the function of this item is. In general, it can be noted that these devices are capable of translating into sound form a signal that is spread by various electronic devices.

Such devices allow you to listen to music, radio broadcasts or other broadcast (recording) without inconvenience to people around you. Headphones also serve those who travel long distances. Traveling as a passenger in a train and long-distance bus, in a private car is very tiring and monotonous. The opportunity to relax and take time without disturbing anyone is also very valuable.

They also use headphones:

• while waiting in various public and state institutions;
• for sports training outdoors and indoors;
• for talking on the phone in headset mode;
• to control the quality of the audio recording in the process of its receipt;
• for video broadcasts;
• in a number of professional spheres (dispatchers, employees of call centers, hot lines, secretaries, translators, journalists).

The structure of the headphones differs little, even for wired and wireless models.... This is due to the fact that "inside" their basic principle of operation is always the same. An important part of wired headphones is their speaker, the main component of which is the body. There is a permanent magnet at the back of the speaker housing. The magnitude of the magnet is insignificant, but without it, the normal operation of the device is impossible.

The middle part of the speaker is occupied by a disc, which is usually made of plastic. The disc-shaped element is attached to a metal coil. The front unit, which directly distributes sound, contains openings for its free passage. Speakers in wired headphones are connected with a special wire. When an electric current enters the speaker, the coil is charged and reverses its polarity.

In this situation, the coil and magnet begin to interact. Their movement deforms the plastic disc. It is from this detail, or rather, from the features of its short-term deformation, that the emitted sound depends. The technology has been worked out quite well, and even the cheapest headphones can perfectly transmit a variety of acoustic signals. Yes, experienced music lovers may be against it, but the sound, in any case, turns out to be recognizable.

It is believed that they cannot produce the highest quality sound. Therefore, for studio purposes, only wired devices are used. In most cases, the signal is transmitted using the Bluetooth protocol, but they are also used:

• infrared range;
• Wi-Fi;
• normal radio band.

In this regard, there are two main types of headphones - for studios and for private use. The monitoring devices have very high technical characteristics. They can reproduce sound very cleanly and create a minimum of distortion. And in the opinion of a number of experts, they do not distort anything at all during transmission. Of course, such perfection comes with a serious price tag. Consumer-grade headphones are more commonly used in everyday life. Depending on the priority chosen by the designers, the following are best played out in them:

• lower;
• medium;
• high frequencies.

This is mainly about the already mentioned differences between wired and wireless devices. In the first case, the connection is made using a special shielded cable. The quality of this screen determines how high the level of distortion and interference will be. To remove sound from the device, a jack standard connector is used. Its size can be 2.5, 3.5 (most often) or 6.3 mm.

But wireless headphones, as already mentioned, are divided into different types. Infrared devices came before other options. This solution is inexpensive. An important advantage of it can also be considered absolute immunity to interference in the radio range. However, these advantages are pretty overshadowed by facts such as:

• signal disappearance even when a very weak obstacle appears;
• interference with direct sunlight and any heat sources;
• limited range (not exceeding 6 m even in ideal conditions).

Radio headphones operate in the 0.8 to 2.4 GHz range. In them you can safely move around almost any room... Even rather thick walls and entrance doors do not become a significant obstacle. However, the likelihood of encountering interference is very high, but it is quite difficult to weed them out.

When describing headphones, manufacturers necessarily focus on the number of channels, it is - sound scheme. The cheapest devices - mono - allow you to use exactly one channel. Even unassuming consumers prefer stereo two-channel devices. Version 2.1 differs only in the presence of an additional low-frequency channel. To complete home theaters, use 5.1 or 7.1 level headphones.

Used quite often in-channel models... They are inserted inside the ear canal itself. Despite the apparent simplicity and improved sound quality, such a performance is very unhealthy. The earbuds or in-ear headphones are located inside the auricle, but do not penetrate into the ear canal and may even be located away from it. As for the overhead option, everything is obvious - the device is located above the ear, and therefore the sound will go from top to bottom.

Many people prefer over-ear headphones... They are also actively used by professionals who need such a technique for full-fledged work. In closed-type modifications, sounds coming from outside do not pass at all. The open design allows, thanks to special holes, to control what is happening around. Of course, it is the second option that is preferable for moving around a modern city saturated with cars and motorcycles.

High-end headphones are usually equipped with a headband. A similar bow connects the cups themselves to each other. Ride height can be adjusted in almost every model. For some, the main connector is located at the back of the head. There are also clips, that is, attachment directly to the auricle, and devices without attachment (inserted into the ear or into the ear canal).

V double-sided version the wire that supplies sound is connected to each speaker separately. One-sided scheme implies that the sound is fed first into one of the cups. It is transferred to the driven cup with the help of another wire. The tap is most often hidden inside the bow.

But the difference may also apply to the design of the connector. Traditionally, headphones are trying to equip inference like minijack... A similar plug can be inserted into a cheap phone, and into an advanced smartphone, and into a computer, TV, or home theater speaker. But just a jack (6.3 mm) and microjack (2.5 mm) can only be used in conjunction with a special adapter (with rare exceptions).

Most modern models use electrodynamic method of obtaining sound... Structures, inaccessible to the owner without the use of special tools, contain a membrane. A coil connected to a wire is fed to it. When an alternating current is applied to the coil, the magnet generates a magnetic field. This is what affects the membrane.

Engineers often claim that the dynamic schema is outdated. However, recent improvements have significantly improved sound quality even in such devices. The high quality alternative turns out to be electrostatic, or otherwise electret, headphones... But it is impossible to buy such a device in an electronics supermarket, because it belongs to the Hi-End category. The minimum price for electret headphones starts at $ 2,500.

They work due to a very thin membrane located exactly between a pair of electrodes. When current is applied to them, the membrane moves. It is its movement that turns out to be the source of acoustic vibrations. The electrostatic circuit is considered optimal because it produces sound with little or no deviation from the live sound. But at the same time, a large amplifier must be used.

Since the mid-1970s, they have been producing isodynamic headphones based on the Hale emitter. Inside them is a rectangular membrane made of thin Teflon (actually a film) coated with aluminum. For greater practicality, Teflon is cut into rectangular strips. This sophisticated block is positioned between a pair of strong electromagnets. Under the action of the current, the plate begins to move, creating acoustic vibrations.

Isodynamic headphones are valued for high fidelity (realistic sound). Also, this solution allows you to achieve a solid power reserve, which is very important in loudspeakers. Hale emitters can be made according to the orthodynamic scheme. The only caveat is that the membrane will have a round shape.

Still deserve attention reinforcing headphones... They are used exclusively in an in-ear way. A feature of the reinforcing headphones is the presence of a magnetic circuit in the shape of the letter P. The magnetic field created by it acts on the armature connected to the voice coil. The diffuser is attached directly to the armature.

The electrical impedance level of the headphones directly affects the volume of the headphones. Usually, for simplicity, the impedance is assumed to be the same under all normal conditions, regardless of the sounding frequencies. The impedance of commercially available headphones ranges from 8 to 600 ohms. However, the most common "earbuds" have an impedance of no less than 16 and no more than 64 ohms. Most often, it is recommended to use headphones with 16-32 ohms to listen to sound from a smartphone, and for stationary audio equipment, you need to use devices with 100 ohms or more.

Many people prefer Beats headphones. Lovers of low-frequency sound especially appreciate them.It should be borne in mind that the company promotes its products through marketing and attracting celebrities from the world of music. It does not carry out engineering developments and does not have a separate production base. Therefore, it is up to consumers to decide whether to trust such products.

A striking example of quality products - acoustics Shure... True, this brand is mainly associated with microphones. But all the headphones of her production are of excellent quality. Most often they are in the middle and high price range. The sound in Shure speakers always stands out with an even "natural" timbre, which is typical even for relatively budget versions.

However, if you decide to purchase a budget model, then you should take a closer look at the products Panasonic... They all go out under the brand Technics... Such devices cannot boast of a special proprietary sound. But they definitely give out plentiful bass. The technique from the Japanese giant is recommended for connoisseurs of rhythmic music of modern genres.

They managed to gain an equally good reputation in Xiaomi... Their headphones can output sound stably for a long time. At the same time, they still remain in a purely budgetary niche. The company is in no hurry to inflate prices, although it introduces some innovations.

Lovers of truly elite products should pay attention to Sennheiser headphones. The German company traditionally operates "at the highest level". Even its budget models compare favorably with competitors in the same price range. They invariably contain the latest technological developments. Because Sennheiser draws on many world-class engineers to keep going forward.

Most experts and connoisseurs, however, believe that it is much better to choose products for the mass consumer. by Sony... This company invariably cares about the introduction of technological innovations. Of course, she constantly monitors the quality and durability of each development. Sony's traditional sound is focused on high frequencies. However, this is a typical feature of any Japanese design; but you can buy full-size, and overhead, and reinforcing, and all other types of headphones.

Among the rarely mentioned brands, it is worth mentioning Koss. These American headphones will definitely not surprise you with their sophisticated design. But they are very durable, and therefore can be considered a good investment. Designers constantly pay attention to their mechanical strength and convenience. Music lovers with experience note the particularly accurate sound transmission.

But the products of Russian companies are increasingly included in the number of excellent high-level headphones. A striking example of this is Fischer Audio... For a long time she was engaged in the production of only inexpensive products, which, however, allowed her to win an audience and expand her authority among consumers. Now the company can boast of a unique sound of each advanced model and a special corporate philosophy. It is worth noting that even first-rate experts from foreign countries give positive assessments to Fischer Audio products, and a significant part of the products is exported.

In the Hi-Fi segment, it is worth noting products MyST... This relatively small company produces isodynamic headphones IzoEm... Outwardly, they are more similar to early Sony models and have a barrel-shaped body. Like previous models from the same manufacturer, this development has a hard-braided cable.

When evaluating the main technical characteristics of headphones, you need to pay attention to what their performance is. Closed type will allow you to listen to music or radio without disturbing the people around you. Open devices create inconveniences for them, but if this is not too important in some situation, it will be possible to appreciate a more transparent sound.Such products are intended primarily for single listening.

Overhead execution will inevitably put pressure on the auricle. However, for an athlete or DJ, this is almost ideal. Frequency response (frequency response) shows the ratio of the amplitude and frequency of the sound. This parameter is strictly individual, depending on physiological, psychological nuances and on specific situations. Therefore, it is possible to be guided by the reviews and descriptions of specialists in order to weed out a deliberately low-quality product. The final choice will have to be made by listening to the headphone game on your own and giving it your own assessment.

But even if the acoustic device is chosen properly, it will need to be used as carefully as possible. Both wired and wireless devices will need to be protected from water and systematically cleaned. Bluetooth headphones are usually have a special switch (key) to start it... Device actuation is indicated by a color indicator. Only when ready to receive it makes sense to turn on the transmission of an impulse from a smartphone or other device.

Next, select from the general list those connections that are needed. In many cases password is required. If the usual option (4 units or 4 zeros) does not work, you will have to get acquainted with the technical documentation in more detail. In some cases, one-button automatic pairing is possible, but it also sometimes needs to be configured. When using an external or built-in module, you can also transfer sound from a PC or laptop.

Before using the buttons it is advisable to look in the instructions, what do they mean. This will avoid many unpleasant situations. It is not recommended to leave your wireless headphones on charging for too long. Wired devices will work fine as long as the cable does not tangle or bend.

For information on how to choose headphones, see the next video.