In headphones, despite the external simplicity and even primitiveness, there are a lot of characteristics and settings. Just choosing loud headphones for listening to music is not worth it – you can overpay money, get a low-quality and unreliable product with limited features. To know which headphones to choose, you should understand all the Parameters For Selecting a Headphone that describe the operation of the system.
Resistance
A parameter that determines the volume and sound quality. All devices have an impedance indicator – the nominal input impedance in headphones. The best over-the-ear headphones designed for PCs are boosted at 32 ohms and above. For smartphones and tablets, this parameter is slightly higher. Headphones with good sound provide good resistance to incoming signals, acting as a kind of filter.
Resistance is at the heart of good sounding headphones, so you should not neglect this parameter. If you decide which headphones are better to buy, then evaluate them additionally in terms of impedance parameters. Headphones with really good sound will have a high level of this indicator.
Power
For many users, good headphones for music are determined by this indicator. In practice, everything is not so simple, because high power without appropriate settings does not provide high-quality sound, but sound is simply not measured by good bass. Power determines the ceiling of the sound of headphones. For high sound quality, it is necessary to ensure a qualitative match between the power and stationary amplifiers of the system.
Frequency response
The frequency response of headphones is rarely indicated on the boxes of devices. This parameter defines a detailed plot of the operating volume versus the generated frequency. The headphone frequency response graph for many is the determining factor when choosing a model. The fact is that with its help you can visually evaluate the quality of the sound created in the product.
In headphones of different types, the parameter can vary significantly, and the reasons for such jumps are not always clear to users. When choosing headphones for music, you should carefully evaluate the indicator – in some models of headphones, it is decisive.
When choosing, be guided by the following properties and points:
- To select models with the priority of the bass component, it is necessary to select an option with a frequency response that has a pronounced rise at midlevel and a drawn-out decline at the lower bass.
- Headphones for vocal art, the absence of drops and sharp jumps in the middle part on the graph is important.
- For high frequencies, it is preferable to use a model with a late roll-off and a generally flattened plot.
The frequency response for headphones for music is a clear display of the capabilities of the device. This indicator serves as an important tool for evaluating the sound quality of all types of products and equally effectively extends to inexpensive headphones.
Harmonic distortion level
An indicator that the coolest headphones often strive to “boast about”. Reducing distortion results in improved sound and higher reproduction performance. A decrease in the percentage of distortion indicates an increase in the purity of the sound. The best headphones have this parameter at 1%.
Frequency range
Another parameter that needs to be analyzed to select models with high-quality sound. Headphones with good sound have a frequency indicator of 18-2000 Hz. Professional models with high cost have a standard frequency level of 5-60 kHz. For in-ear headphones, the parameter is slightly reduced.
The frequency indicator provides little information about the quality of the device, because the deviation range is rarely indicated. The frequency range allows you to form a general impression of the capabilities of the device, and it is better to obtain detailed information that can be used for analysis from the frequency response. This applies to all types of devices, from professional studio models to simple in-ear headphones.
In the case of home use, there is no need for such unreasonable costs – it is quite enough to study the rating of black friday soundcore earbuds with good characteristics and close the question.
Sensitivity
The sensitivity parameter is a complex radio engineering phenomenon that manufacturers are trying to simplify as much as possible in order to provide consumers. Headphones with good sensitivity indicators are more likely to be chosen by people.
You can evaluate the sensitivity of the headphones using simple tests to change the power and volume of the sound – this will allow you to get a complete picture of the properties of a particular model. The best in-ear headphones are one of the most popular design models, provide a sufficiently high sensitivity and can be used equally effectively for both music and games.
