Comparison Philips SHB5250 vs Philips SHQ6500

The type of cable provided in the design or delivery of the headphones. Note that this parameter is relevant both for wired or combined models (see “Connection type”), and for some wireless models - in particular, earbuds and in-ear headphones without a mount, where a wire connects one earphone to another.

- Round. The classic round wire is straight, without braiding or other additional accessories. It is inexpensive and in most cases quite practical, which is why it is found in most modern headphones. The disadvantage is that if the thickness is small, the round wire is prone to tangling; therefore, this option is considered not very convenient for compact headphones, such as in-ear or in-ear (see “Design”), which often have to be carried in a pocket or bag.

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

— Round, braided. A round wire with an outer braid, usually fabric. See above for details on round wire. And the presence of a braid gives such a cable a number of advantages over the classic one with “bare” insula...tion. Thus, the wire turns out to be more durable, reliable and resistant to kinks and pressure, tangles less, has a solid appearance, and in some models the braiding also provides shielding from external interference. The downside of these advantages is the increased price.

— Spiral. A round cable, coiled into a spring. The main advantages of a spiral wire are that it practically does not tangle and can significantly stretch relative to its original length. The latter is very convenient if, as you use your ears, you have to change the distance to the signal source. The disadvantages of spiral cable are bulkiness and relatively high cost. Therefore, it is often used in mid-range and top-end headphones (including professional models).

- Round, braided. A cable in the form of two wires twisted into a spiral. This option should not be confused with a spiral wire - in this case we are not talking about a spring. This cable is notable primarily for its unusual appearance; For greater originality, the wiring can be made in different colors. It is also somewhat more tangle-resistant than the classic round one, although a lot depends on the thickness. At the same time, individual wires can be noticeably thinner than a solid round wire, which somewhat reduces reliability.

The range of sound frequencies that headphones can reproduce.

The wider this range, the more fully the headphones reproduce the spectrum of sound frequencies, the lower the likelihood that too low or too high frequencies will be inaccessible. However, there are some nuances to consider here. First of all, let us remind you that the perceptual range of the human ear is on average from 16 Hz to 22 kHz, and for the complete picture it is enough for headphones to cover this range. However, modern models can significantly exceed these boundaries: in many devices the lower threshold does not exceed 15 Hz, or even 10 Hz, and the upper limit can reach 25 kHz, 30 kHz and even more. Such wide ranges in themselves do not provide practical advantages, but they usually indicate a high class of headphones, and are sometimes given only for advertising purposes.

The second important point is that a wide frequency range in itself is not a guarantee of good sound: sound quality also depends on a number of parameters, primarily the amplitude-frequency response of the headphones.

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 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.

The total weight of the headphones; for true wireless models (see "Cable Type"), the weight of each individual earbud is listed.

This parameter is directly related to the design (see above) and some features of the functionality. Thus, the mentioned true wireless devices are very light, their weight does not exceed 25 g. More traditional in-ears and in-ears can be noticeably heavier, up to 50g for in-ears and up to 100g for most in-ears. Overhead models, for the most part, are quite massive: among them there are many models weighing 200 – 250 g, 250 – 300 g and even more than 300 g. It should be noted that a significant weight for false ears is often not a disadvantage, but an advantage: it allows them to stay on the head more securely, creates an impression of solidity and reliability, and most often does not create significant inconvenience.