Operating time (music)
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.
Operating time (no noise canceling)
How long does the active noise canceling headphones (see above) last on a single battery charge (or a set of batteries) when noise canceling is not used.
This function is quite “gluttonous” in terms of battery consumption, up to half of the total energy consumed by the headphones can go to its work. Thus, models with noise reduction can indicate both overall battery life (see "Operating time"), and battery life with the noise reduction turned off.
Ear cushion material
For full-size headphones, ear pads are often made of
genuine leather,
leatherette,
textile, velor, leatherette, memory foam, as well as their combined variations. In the caste of in-ear headphones, completely different materials are used - the most common are silicone pads, which gently adapt to the individual structure of the auricle, and as an alternative to them, foam ear pads with a porous structure (so-called “sponges”) are offered. Here are some features of commonly used ear pad materials:
- Textiles. Fabric ear pads are usually found in budget headphone models, but sometimes they are also used in the premium segment. The tactile textile ear pads are pleasant to the touch, and they also allow air to pass through well. In terms of acoustic properties, these are completely neutral materials. Note that such ear pads can be made from various types of fabrics (for example, microfiber).
- Leatherette. Artificial leather substitutes are used in headphones of all price categories. In fact, the properties of this material depend on the specific type of leatherette: ear pads made of conventional eco-leather can have excellent “breathing” qualities, while low-grade leatherette often provokes increased sweating of the ears (especially in the hot season).
- Genuine Leather. Genuine leather is a premium product used in corresponding flagship-level
...headphone models. Thick leather provides proper sound insulation and deep bass response. At the same time, your ears may sweat when using leather ear pads. To avoid increased sweating, the leather is often made perforated.
— Velor. The most delicate material to the touch with excellent sound-absorbing abilities. Velor ear pads provide good noise insulation, and headphones with them do not cause fatigue even after a long stay on the head. However, the material also has disadvantages: it gets dirty easily, attracts dust and pet hair, and wears out quickly.
- Alcantara. Ear pads made of artificial suede, which are as close as possible in properties and tactile sensations to velor products. However, Alcantara is easier to clean from dirt and lasts much longer. Alcantara ear pads are found in top-level headphones.
- Foam rubber. Foam ear pads are the prerogative of budget over-ear headphones. The fact is that this is a short-lived material that often requires replacement due to its low strength. Partially, special impregnations solve the problem, but foam rubber still retains its structure for a relatively short time.
- Fur. Quite a rare type of material for making ear pads. Headphones with characteristic fur ear pads perform a practical function - they warm the listener’s ears during the cold season.In box
Among the equipment, it is worth highlighting
silicone and
polyurethane tips, relevant for in-ear headphones,
additional fixation nozzles and behind-the-
ear arms for better attachment in the ear,
interchangeable ear pads,
additional cable,
dongle,
aircraft adapter,
case / case and
docking station. There are also other accessories. More details about them:
- Silicone tips. Replaceable silicone tips used in in-ear headphones. Usually, several nozzles of different sizes are supplied in the kit, which allows you to adjust the headphones to a specific user. The practical advantages of silicone are softness, durability, general convenience and at the same time low cost.
- Polyurethane nozzles. Replacement tips for in-ear headphones made of foamed polyurethane. This material is somewhat more expensive than silicone, it requires regular cleaning and has a shorter service life - including due to deformation as it wears. On the other hand, polyurethane is ideal in terms of acoustics; it is these tips that are considered the best choice for lovers of in-ear “ears” with high-quality sound.
- Ear hooks. Removable devic
...es designed to additionally secure each earpiece to the ear. Note that such devices should not be confused with behind-the-ear mounts (see above). The main difference is that the arms are used exclusively in some models of in-ear headphones and earbuds as an additional option. In other words, you can wear such headphones without a bow, while the behind-the-ear mount is usually made non-removable and, in principle, you can’t do without it.
— Nozzles of additional fixation. Auxiliary caps for a tighter fit of the in-ear headphones. They are used to provide better fixation of headphones during sports or provide additional volume to users with a large auricle.
- Replaceable ear pads. Comes with interchangeable ear tips. In general, the ear pads are the part with which the headphones come into contact with the listener's ears. In full-size and on-ear headphones, they are soft pads on the inside of the cups.
— Case (case) / cover. Covers are usually called soft rag bags, they protect the "ears" mainly from pollution and take up a minimum of space. Cases are made of hard materials, they are a little more bulky, but they protect well from shock, pressure and contact with sharp objects. In any case, the complete case or case is optimally suited for the headphones and is more convenient than an impromptu protective casing.
- Charging case. Case - a case made of hard material - simultaneously playing the role of a charger. This feature is very popular on true wireless models (see "Cable Type"). The charging case usually has its own battery and the headphones are already charged from this battery; this design provides additional convenience in several moments at once. Firstly, the case, in fact, also performs the function of a power bank - an autonomous power source; the capacity of such a “power bank” may be different, but it is usually enough for several full charges of the “ears” (for more details, see “Capacity of the case”). Secondly, the ability to charge the headphones directly in the case reduces the risk of losing them. Thirdly, the charging procedure itself is quite convenient - just connect the cable to the case.
- Dock station. Stationary stand with the possibility of placing headphones and contacts for charging them. Also, docking stations are often used to transfer the sound track to headphones - they are connected directly to the sound source via a wire, and the sound is transmitted to the ears wirelessly within a certain radius of action.
— Clip for carrying. A clip designed to fasten the wire to a pocket, collar, lapel of clothing, etc. It provides additional convenience: thanks to the clip, the wire does not hang out, the likelihood of touching it with careless movement or catching on the surrounding object is reduced.
- Additional cable. An additional cable provided in addition to the main one may have different features and specializations. So, complete cables can vary in length, connector type, wire type, additional equipment (microphone, volume control), etc. These details should be specified separately in each case. Here, we note that almost all headphones with this configuration have a detachable cable (it makes sense to supplement a non-detachable wire with an extension cable, and it is considered a separate accessory - see below).
- Extension. A type of additional cable designed solely to increase the overall length of the wire. Due to the extension cord, you can adjust the headphones to the specifics of the situation: for example, “build up” the cable if you need to switch from a laptop to a TV or a stationary audio system.
— Airplane adapter. Dedicated headphone adapter for use with modern airliner entertainment systems. In such systems, a special way of connecting headphones is used - through two 3.5 mm jacks (and we are talking about classic "ears", without a microphone). Models with a traditional single 3.5 mm plug can only be connected to this output through an adapter; such adapters may initially be included in the delivery.
- Windproof microphone. Devices in the form of a foam rubber or "shaggy" lining on the headphone microphone capsule. Cut off unnecessary ambient noise and minimize the effect of direct exposure to air currents on the microphone, which can cause interference in speech transmission.
— Dongle. The dongle is used to simplify the organization of connecting wireless headphones to other devices. In fact, this is a radio transmitter (less often a Bluetooth transmitter) that non-contactly broadcasts sound to headphones from a connected device.
This list is not exhaustive and may include other optional items.
