How to choose headphones by characteristics

When choosing headphones, special attention is paid to their characteristics. They are responsible not only for sound quality, but also for other important parameters. You must familiarize yourself with all the specifications in order to understand which device should be selected in certain cases.

Headphone selection by characteristics

There are basic technical characteristics due to which you can determine the quality of the headphones:

1. Frequency range (spectrum).
2. Sensitivity.
3. Resistance.
4. Power.
5. The presence of distortion.

Attention! It makes no sense to choose a device according to all these requirements, since everything depends on the operating conditions. But you need to familiarize yourself with the parameters in order to have an idea about them.

Sensitivity

Sensitivity is responsible for the sound volume. The standard volume of most devices is 100 dB. Sensitivity values ​​depend on the magnetic core. The plugs and inserts have a small membrane diameter, and the magnet power is low, so the sensitivity indicators are quite low. But people have enough volume, because the membrane is in direct contact with the ear.

Power

Headphones have certain limitations regarding the power of sound signals. If it exceeds this allowable rate, the speakers may fail. Most often, the allowable range varies from 1 mW to 5000 mW.

Frequency range

The characteristic displays the frequency of the sound signals. The wider the range, the higher the sound quality. Most often, the relationship is as follows: the larger the membrane of the device, the wider the frequency. But the spectrum may vary, depending on the perception of the person’s ear. Standard average frequencies are from 15 to 20 thousand Hz. In rare cases, it may be higher or lower, but this is an individual characteristic of the perception of the ears.

Resistance

The parameter is taken into account, referring to the technique to which the device will be connected. For small handheld devices and equipment, the resistance is from 16 to 50 ohms. The meaning of resistance is that the higher the indicator, the more powerful the signal is needed to swing the membrane. Therefore, for accessories with high resistance indicators, you need a device that could transmit powerful sounds.

So, when you connect studio headphones with a resistance of more than 200 ohms to a standard player or phone, the sound will be very quiet and the power low. And for studio speakers with impedance exceeding 500 ohms, you need to connect additional sound power amplifiers.

There is another pattern - the sound becomes cleaner with high resistance. Therefore, headphones with high impedance do not always sound loud, and if it is low, the sound signals may be distorted.

Reference! It follows that the computer will have enough resistance from 30 to 90 ohms. But for studio devices you will need headphones whose performance exceeds 200 Ohms.

Which headphones do you prefer?

The above characteristics will be key when choosing a device. Headphones should be chosen, breaking away from the following rules:

1. If the frequency range exceeds the audible area, this is more a virtue than a disadvantage. These speakers can work not only in a narrow boundary mode, but also they have an additional potential that allows you to transmit sounds more accurately and without distortion.
2. Headphone power is one of the most important features for any type of device. The higher the power, the clearer and better sound. It becomes bright and accurate.
3. Sensitivity is selected individually, depending on the characteristics of the user's ear. A good indicator is 100 dB.
4. Resistance. Here the choice is completely dependent on the operation. For a phone or player, you can select a device with a resistance of about 30 ohms. For a computer, the average is 50 ohms. Studio ones require at least 200 ohms. Please note that the higher the resistance indicator, the clearer the sound becomes. It does not allow defects to appear during signal transmission.
5. Also check for extraneous noise and distortion. If any, give preference to another device.

Preferences also depend on the type of device. There are 4:

1. Vacuum headphones. The headphones have an elongated shape that looks a bit like a bullet. Headphones are inserted into the ears, which prevents the sound from spreading, and this avoids distortion.
2. Inserts. The most common variety, suitable for players and mobile phones.
3. Overhead. Overhead worn on the head. They have a bow that allows you to fix the speakers among themselves. Standard headphones for the computer. Perfectly transmit sounds of low and medium frequencies.
4. Monitor. They are similar in form to consignment notes, but the dimensions of the device are slightly larger. They are considered the best headphones for listening to audio files, according to technical parameters. Completely cover the ear, which allows you to expand the sound space. And thanks to soft materials, the bulkiness of the design does not affect usability.

And the last tip when choosing a device - you should give preference to brands that have managed to establish themselves in the market and are very famous.