Introduction:
Remember those days when you bought a new mobile phone, a set of earphones would accompany it. With the advancements in the audio industry, the market for audio devices was created. Earphones & headphones paved a market for themselves that became comparable to the market share of speakers within a few years.
In the present year, the market is full of new options. New & innovative brands of earphones headphones have established themselves in the market. These brands along with the newer ones that have arrived are promising amazing sound quality & experience that is tried & tested by audiophiles.
A buyer has to choose from reputed brands like Bose, Mivi, Sennheiser, Apple, boAt, Philips, Noise, Mi Audio, One plus, Realme, Honor, and many more. Some of these brand’s headphones & earphones are of premium quality while a few primarily focus on an affordable range of audio devices. As a buyer, you need to consider these brands & select smartly according to your need & budget.
Before we move towards the features, you need to decide the price range. This helps you to shortlist the features and also the range of earphones you can plan to buy. Usually, you can break down price ranges for earphones (or any other gadget) into three categories, namely, Affordable, Mid-range, and Premium. So, choose between these price ranges, considering your budget.
If you are fed up with how to buy a set of headphones and earphones according to one’s requirements, then this guide will help you to choose the best earphones and headphones.
What to keep in mind while buying headphones and earphones?
Firstly, make sure which type of earphones or headphones you want. There are three types included: in-ear earphones, on-ear headphones, and over-ear headphones that come with wired and wireless types. The top features that you should consider are:
- Sound Quality
- Portability
- Comfort
- Noise cancellation
- Battery Life (If wireless)
Below is the comparison over one another types. You can easily find which type would be the best for you.
| Features | In-ear earphones | On-ear headphones | Over-ear headphones |
| Sound quality | Average | Average | High |
| Portability | High | Average | Average |
| Comfort | Average | Average | High |
| Noise cancellation | High | Low | Average |
| Battery life | High | Average | Average |
Wired and Wireless:
Many top smartphone manufacturers are opting to add a headphone port, with users demanding Bluetooth features. Many wired headphones and earphones come with USB – C. But wired earphones are problematic with their cables and some of them can break and tangle soon. The demand for wireless headphones & earphones has grown rapidly over the past few years. That’s why let’s take a quick look at wireless headphones and earphones. Also, we will find out: Are they worth the price?
What Features one should Look for in a set of Wireless Earphones?
Whenever you go to buy wireless headphones or earphones, first think about their comfort and fit, portability, and durability. Let’s discuss in detail,
Comfort and fit:
It is an essential consideration in wireless. Usually, large ear cups mean more comfort for over-ear headphones and smaller ear cups would be more comfortable for headphones that rest on your ear. You can use fabric padding or leather; they help headphones to soften the pressure.
Portability
It is an important concern when picking headphones. These days lightweight and wireless models are on the top in the market. Whether you do professional studio work or audio engineering High-quality headphones would be more portable for your work.
Durability
Everyone wants their headphones to last long, lightweight earphones, and headphones are generally more likely to cause physical damage. So, that’s why you should always store your earphones in a protective case. And more importantly, check in on the warranty coverage provided with the headphones.
Noise cancellation
It prevents unwanted noise while listening to music. There are two types of noise cancellation: active type and passive type. Active type prevents incoming disturbance while passive type prevents outside noise.
Foldable ear cups
This feature can make the headphones much easier to store and transport.
In controls
This feature helps users answer phone calls, access voice assistants, and control music.
Battery life
The active noise cancellation feature provides good battery life to headphones and earphones.
The latest headphones and truly wireless earphones offer amazing battery life, for headphones, It is up to 30 hours, while wireless earphones have to charge cases that provide all-day battery vitality.
Water-Resistant
To prevent damage by sweat or water most headphones and earphones are designed with water resistance features. They come with an IP rating which indicates the degree of water resistance.
Wireless earbuds
Wireless earbuds are the latest innovation in the earphone category. It offers all the features that Bluetooth earphones offer.
While buying wireless earbuds, make sure it is convincing (more comfortable for you than wired earbuds), Accessible ( Allows you to control your phone when you are far from it, can answer your calls, change your music tracks, and use voice assistants.), and Wireless technology (can easily pair with your Bluetooth).
Compatibility
Make sure your headphone and earphone are compatible with your smartphone OS, Android, or iOS. Sometimes, some features may be OS or brand-specific. So be clear to check it before you buy.
Battery life
Higher mAh or A longer battery life means more consecutive usage for your earbuds. It comes with an additional small charging case that enables you to charge on the go.
Voice assistant
This feature allows you to control different voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google on your voice. Also provides access to your calendar, alarm, and more.
Microphone
While buying, Make sure to check the quality of the microphone. Many microphones provide good sound quality on calls and voice assistants.
Durability
Most truly wireless designed and equipped with water and weather resistance. Their IP rating is quite good in Durability.
So, before going to buy headphones and earphones, just take a look through this article and consider all these features in your mind, surely you can buy affordable and best headphones and earphones.
