Cable length
The length of the cable supplied with the headphones with the appropriate connectivity.
The optimal cable length depends on the planned format of the "ears". So, for pocket gadgets,
1 metre or less is often enough, for a computer it is already desirable to have a wire for
1 – 2 m, and preferably
2 – 3 m. And models with a longer cable length —
3 – 5 m or even
more — are mainly designed for specific tasks, such as connecting to a TV or using in recording studios.
Recall that in some models the cable is removable (see below) and can be replaced if necessary with a longer or shorter one. Also note that there are extension cables that allow you to increase the length of the main wire; such a cable may even be included in the delivery, this point (and the length of the additional cable) is usually specified in the notes.
Cable type
The type of cable provided in the design or delivery of the headphones. Note that this parameter is relevant both for wired or combined models (see “Connection type”), and for some wireless models - in particular, earbuds and in-ear headphones
without a mount, where a wire connects one earphone to another.
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Round. The classic round wire is straight, without braiding or other additional accessories. It is inexpensive and in most cases quite practical, which is why it is found in most modern headphones. The disadvantage is that if the thickness is small, the round wire is prone to tangling; therefore, this option is considered not very convenient for compact headphones, such as in-ear or in-ear (see “Design”), which often have to be carried in a pocket or bag.
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Flat. The main advantage of a flat cable is that it does not get tangled as much as a round cable, and if something happens it is much easier to untangle. This is especially important for earbuds and in-ear headphones, which are often rolled up for storage or transport. However, larger overhead models can also be equipped with a flat wire.
— Round,
braided. A round wire with an outer braid, usually fabric. See above for details on round wire. And the presence of a braid gives such a cable a number of advantages over the classic one with “bare” insula
...tion. Thus, the wire turns out to be more durable, reliable and resistant to kinks and pressure, tangles less, has a solid appearance, and in some models the braiding also provides shielding from external interference. The downside of these advantages is the increased price.
— Spiral. A round cable, coiled into a spring. The main advantages of a spiral wire are that it practically does not tangle and can significantly stretch relative to its original length. The latter is very convenient if, as you use your ears, you have to change the distance to the signal source. The disadvantages of spiral cable are bulkiness and relatively high cost. Therefore, it is often used in mid-range and top-end headphones (including professional models).
- Round, braided. A cable in the form of two wires twisted into a spiral. This option should not be confused with a spiral wire - in this case we are not talking about a spring. This cable is notable primarily for its unusual appearance; For greater originality, the wiring can be made in different colors. It is also somewhat more tangle-resistant than the classic round one, although a lot depends on the thickness. At the same time, individual wires can be noticeably thinner than a solid round wire, which somewhat reduces reliability.Impedance
Impedance refers to the headphone's nominal resistance to AC current, such as an audio signal.
Other things being equal, a higher impedance reduces distortion, but requires a more powerful amplifier — otherwise the headphones simply will not be able to produce sufficient volume. Thus, the choice of resistance depends primarily on which signal source you plan to connect the "ears". So, for a portable gadget (smartphone, pocket player), an indicator of
16 ohms or less is considered optimal,
17 – 32 ohms is not bad. Higher values —
33 – 64 ohms and
65 – 96 ohms — will require quite powerful amplifiers, like those used in computers and televisions. And models with a resistance of
96 – 250 ohms and
above are designed mainly for Hi-End audio equipment and professional use; for such cases, detailed recommendations for selection can be found in special sources.
Microphone
The location of the
microphone, which the headphones are equipped with (if available, of course).
— On the cable. A microphone installed on the headphone connection wire (or on the connection cable in non-TWS wireless headphones). Can be combined with
volume control. This option allows you to separate the microphone and headphones, reducing the weight and dimensions of the "ears" themselves; on the other hand, the microphone when worn is often quite far from the face, which can be inconvenient. Therefore, this design is mainly used among earbuds and in-ear
headphones, where the size of the "ears" is critical.
— Built into the body. A microphone located in the housing of one of the headphones. This arrangement is convenient because there are no extra protruding parts outside (as in
headphones without a microphone), while the microphone is close to the face, and in some models it is also able to perceive sound according to the principle of bone conduction. However installation in close proximity to the speaker gives additional interference and may degrade the quality of voice transmission. However, these shortcomings are not critical: interference can be compensated, and the built-in headphone microphones, in fact, do not need perfect sound transmission accuracy. Therefore, this option is quite popular nowadays, and it is fo
...und not only in miniature models, for which the absence of unnecessary details on the outside is important, but also in rather large overhead "ears".
— On the bow. A microphone mounted on a small boom that is attached to one of the headphones. The microphone on the bow is the most popular among overhead headphones: a large cup can be supplemented with a boom without sacrificing convenience, and the microphone itself is located far from the headphones, which has a positive effect on the purity of the sound. The boom often has a swivel or detachable mount, which allows you to remove the microphone from the face until it is needed (by lifting the boom vertically along the headband).
— Retractable on the bow. Headband microphone (see above) with a retractable design: the headband can be pulled out of the cup when needed and can be tucked back inside when not in use. These headphones are more compact and have a neater appearance than models with a headband on a swivel mount: in a hidden position, the microphone takes up almost no space outside. The retractable microphone design is especially popular in gaming models (see “Intended Use”): in single-player games where you do not need to communicate with comrades, the microphone can be folded compactly.
— Removable on the shackle. Headband microphone (see above), which can be completely detached from the headphones if desired. Such a design can be useful, for example, if the “ears” are used both as gaming and as “marching and musical”: in a multiplayer game, the microphone is indispensable, and for listening to music outside the home, it can be removed so as not to carry extra equipment (which besides, you can lose).
— At the receiver. A variant used in wireless headphones with a separate receiver. In terms of design and use, it is similar to the microphone on the cable described above: on the one hand, the headphones themselves can be very light and tiny, on the other hand, the microphone may not be located close enough to the face, and when talking it will have to be brought closer.
— In the mount. In this case, most often means a microphone mounted on a neck mount (see below). This option is found mainly among wireless headphones, which have a signal receiver in the same mount. Such a microphone is located close to the neck, which allows you to achieve good speech intelligibility and at the same time cut off extraneous sounds even without any special additional tricks.
— On the cable and in the case. Headphones equipped with two microphones — one in the case, the other on the cable. The features of these variants are described in detail above. Here we note that their combination is extremely rare, mainly among high-quality "ears" with a combined connection (see "Type of connection"). In such models, when working via a wireless channel, a microphone in the case is used, and when connecting a wire, a microphone on a cable is used, which is less susceptible to interference.
— On cable and removable. Another kind of headphones with two microphones, also quite rare. One microphone in such models is mounted on a cable, the second — on a detachable bow. See above for more on each of these options, and combining them allows you to tailor the headphones to the specific situation. For example, the bow is very convenient for voice communication at home or office computers, but on the street and in transport it is better to remove it and use the microphone on the cable.
— In the case and removable. A rather rare and non-standard option is the combination of a microphone in the case and a microphone on a detachable bow. See above for more details on each of these varieties, and their combination is used quite rarely — in separate premium gaming models with a combined connection. The main point in this case is that it is more convenient to use a removable microphone in one place, with a wired connection, and in the “mobile” wireless mode it is better to remove it and get by with the built-in microphone. However, such features are fundamental mainly for the most demanding users, so this option has not gained distribution.Sensitivity
The sensitivity of the headphone's own microphone.
The more sensitive the microphone, the higher the signal level from it, at the same sound volume, and the better this model is suitable for picking up quiet sounds. Conversely, low sensitivity filters out background noise. At the same time, we note that these nuances are important mainly in professional work with sound. And for simple tasks like voice communication over the phone or via the Internet, sensitivity does not really matter: in headphones of this specialization, it is selected in such a way as to ensure that the microphone is guaranteed to work.
Noise cancellation
A system that reduces the influence of ambient noise on the audibility of sound through headphones. "Noise reduction" with the help of a separate microphone (or several micro) "listens" to external sounds and sends the same sounds to the headphones, but in antiphase. Due to this, the noise heard by the ears is attenuated almost to zero and the user can enjoy the sound of the headphones without interference even in a rather “loud” environment. For filtering in headphones, Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Environment Noise Cancellation (ENC) systems are used. The first suppresses all the noise around the listener, the second - reduces the noise level of the environment.
Active noise cancellation affects the purity of the sound, but the noise from the outside spoils the picture when listening to audio tracks even more.
Also in the headphones there is an adaptive active noise reduction system Adaptive ANC, aimed at automatically adjusting the sound of the headphones depending on the level of ambient noise. In a noisy environment (for example, when traveling on the subway), the Adaptive ANC system enhances the work of “noise reduction”, in the absence of loud sounds from outside, it weakens the noise reduction.