Comparison OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 vs Sony WI-C310

The type of cable provided in the design or package of the headphones. Note that this parameter is relevant both for wired or combined models (see "Type of connection"), and for some wireless models - in particular, earbuds and in-ear headphones without attachment, where the wire connects one earphone to another.

- Round. Classic round wire - straight, without braid and other additional devices. It is inexpensive and in most cases quite practical, which is why it is found in most modern headphones. The disadvantage is that with a small thickness, the round wire tends to tangle; therefore, this option is considered not very convenient for compact headphones, such as in-ear or in-ear headphones (see "Design"), which often have to be carried in a pocket or bag.

- Flat. The main advantage of a flat cable is that it is not as tangled as a round one, and in which case it is much easier to unravel. This is especially important for earbuds and in-ear headphones, which are often rolled up for storage or portability. However, larger overhead models can also be equipped with a flat wire.

- Drawstring around the neck. A wire adapted in one way or another to be worn around the neck - for example, having the form of a loop from which two separate headphones depart. The main advantage of this design is the convenience for constant wear: if necessary, you...can remove the headphones and leave them hanging on a cord, and then quickly put them back on. It is worth noting here that this option is found mainly among liners and in-ear models, for which the mentioned advantage is especially relevant.

- Round, braided. Round wire, supplemented with an outer braid - usually fabric. See above for more details on round wire. And the presence of a braid gives such a cable a number of advantages over the classic, in "bare" insulation. So, the wire turns out to be more durable, reliable and resistant to kinks and pressures, less confused, has a solid appearance, and in some models the braid also provides shielding from external interference. The reverse side of these advantages is the increased price.

- Spiral. Round cable, coiled in the form of a spring. The main advantages of spiral wire are that it practically does not tangle and can be noticeably stretched relative to its original length. The latter is very convenient if in the course of using the "ears" you have to change the distance to the signal source. The disadvantages of a spiral cable are bulkiness and relatively high cost. Therefore, it is often used in headphones of medium and top levels (including professional models).

- Round, braided. Cable in the form of two wires twisted into a spiral. Do not confuse this option with a spiral wire - in this case we are not talking about a spring. Such a cable is notable primarily for its unusual appearance; for greater originality, the wiring can be made multi-colored. It is also slightly more tangle-resistant than the classic round, although much depends on the thickness here. At the same time, individual wires can be noticeably thinner than a solid round wire, which somewhat reduces reliability.

- Zipper. Reversible wire (see "Cable entry"), in which the individual wires are hidden inside the halves of the zipper. The fastener does not cover the entire length of the cable, but usually takes up half, or even more. The headphones themselves with a similar wire most often belong to miniature varieties - in-ear or in-ear. Such models are very convenient in “packing” and “unpacking” for storage and carrying: by zipping up, you can connect two wires into one, and when you need the headphones again, you can unzip them by separating them. At the same time, the fastened zipper is very resistant to tangling. Yes, and this accessory looks quite unusual.

- In the form of a lace. A wire that looks like a lace - like tech used in shoes or clothing. Do not confuse such a cable with a cord around your neck (see above) - in this case, we mean not the way the wire is worn, but a specific type of braid. Such a wire is comparable in width to a flat wire, due to which it resists tangling well. However, the main advantage of this option is still the original appearance: “laces” are often made in bright colors, can be painted in several colors, complemented by a pattern, etc.

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.

Rated headphone sensitivity. Technically, this is the volume at which they sound when a certain standard signal from the amplifier is connected to them. Thus, sensitivity is one of the parameters that determine the overall volume of the headphones: the higher it is, the louder the sound will be with the same input signal level and other things being equal. However, we must not forget that the volume level also depends on the resistance (impedance, see above); moreover, it is worth choosing “ears” for a specific device first by impedance, and only then by sensitivity. In this case, one parameter can be compensated for by another: for example, a model with high resistance and high sensitivity can work even on a relatively weak amplifier.

As for specific figures, headphones with indicators of 100 dB or less are designed mainly for use in a quiet environment (in some similar models, the sensitivity does not exceed 90 dB). For use on the street, in transport and other similar conditions, it is desirable to have more sensitive headphones — about 101 – 105 dB, or even 110 dB. And in some models, this figure can reach 116 – 120 dB. and even more.

It is also worth noting that this parameter is relevant only for a wired connection according to the analogue standard — for example, via a 3.5 mm mini-...jack. When using digital interfaces like USB and wireless channels like Bluetooth, the sound is processed in the built-in headphone converter, and if you plan to mainly use this kind of application, you can not pay much attention to sensitivity.

The diameter of the speaker installed in the headphones; models with multiple drivers (see "Number of drivers"), usually, the size of the largest speaker is taken into account, other dimensions can be specified in the notes.

In general, this parameter is relevant primarily for over-ear headphones (see "Design"). In them, emitters can have different sizes; the larger it is, the more saturated the sound is and the better the speaker reproduces the bass, however, large emitters have a corresponding effect on the dimensions, weight and price of the headphones. But in-ear "ears" and earbuds, by definition, have very small speakers, and rich bass in them is achieved due to other design features.

The capacity of the battery installed in the headphones of the corresponding design (see "Power").

Theoretically, a higher capacity allows to achieve greater battery life, but in fact, the operating time also depends on the power consumption of the headphones — and it can be very different, depending on the characteristics and design features. So this parameter is secondary, and when choosing it is worth paying attention not so much to the battery capacity, but to the directly claimed operating time (see below).

The time required to fully charge the battery in properly powered headphones (see above).

In this case, we mean the battery charging time from 0 to 100% when using a standard charger (or a third-party charger with identical characteristics). Accordingly, in fact, this indicator may differ from the claimed one, depending on the specifics of the situation. However, in general, it is quite possible to evaluate different models and compare them with each other: headphones with a shorter claimed charging time will in fact charge faster (ceteris paribus).

Also note that an increase in battery capacity (and headphone battery life) inevitably implies an increase in charging time. To compensate for this moment, special fast charging technologies can be used — however, they affect the cost and require the use of specialized charger.

The declared operating time of headphones with autonomous power supply (see above) when listening to music on a single battery charge or a set of batteries.

As a rule, the characteristics indicate a certain average operating time in music listening mode, for standard conditions; in practice, it will depend on the intensity of use, volume level and other operating parameters, and in models with replaceable batteries - also on the quality of specific batteries. However, based on the stated time, you can fairly reliably assess the autonomy of the selected headphones and compare them with other models. As for specific values, relatively “short-lived” devices have a battery life of up to 8 hours, a figure of 8 – 12 hours can be called quite good, 12 – 20 hours – very good, and in the most “long-lasting” headphones the operating time can exceed 20 hours.

The function reduces the charging time of the headphones compared to the duration of the standard procedure. For this, increased voltage and / or current strength is used, as well as a special "smart" process control. The capabilities and features of fast charging may vary depending on the specific implementation of the technology. Most often, accelerated charging implies the possibility of literally 5-10 minutes. extend the battery life of the headphones in the accompanying charging case by at least one hour of additional playback.

The headphones have special protection against moisture and dust; also, this clause may specify the level of such protection according to the IP standard.

Not all waterproof headphones allow complete immersion in water, but in this case this is usually not required — water protection is mainly intended for safe operation in the rain (or during sports activities when the user sweats a lot). But the specific degree of such protection in different models can vary markedly, and here it is most convenient to evaluate it by IP marking. This marking consists of the letters IP and two numbers; moisture resistance is described by the second, last digit, and in modern headphones you can find the following options:

— 2. Protection against vertical drops of water in the working position and when the device deviates up to 15 ° from this position. The minimum indicator that allows us to talk about resistance to rain (however, without strong winds).
— 3. Protection against splashes falling vertically or at an angle up to 60° from the vertical. Provides resistance to moderate rain and strong winds.
— 4. Splash proof from any direction. With such headphones, rain of medium intensity is not terrible, regardless of the strength of the wind.
— 5. Protected against water jets from any direction. Allows you to transfer already a combination of strong wind w...ith a downpour.
— 6. Protection against strong water jets. It is considered the minimum level that allows you to swim safely (with your head above the surface of the water) wearing headphones.
— 7. Possibility of short-term (less than half an hour) immersion under water to a shallow depth (less than 1 m); continuous operation in immersed mode is not expected. In such headphones, you can no longer only swim, but also dive under water to a shallow depth (plunge with your head), but they are not suitable for full-fledged diving.
— 8. The highest level of water protection actually found in modern headphones (although theoretically there is a higher level, level 9). Allows long-term (more than 30 minutes) immersion under water to a depth of 1 m or more, and even permanent work in a submerged position. And although the latter is not particularly relevant for headphones, however, this degree of protection makes it possible to swim and even dive safely. However, note that specific restrictions on use in such headphones may be different, they must be clarified according to the instructions.

As for protection against dust (it is indicated by the first digit in the IP marking), its level in modern “ears” is indicated mainly in cases where it corresponds to level 4 (protection against objects 1 mm thick or more), 5 (allowed a small amount of dust that does not affect the operation of the device) or 6 (complete protection against dust). Also note that this number can be replaced by the letter "X" — for example, IPX7; this means that no official dust certification has been carried out for this model. However, this resistance in many cases can be assessed by the degree of protection against moisture: for example, devices with a moisture resistance of 7 or 8, by definition, do not let water through — which means that they are also not afraid of dust.