Every time I move on the busy streets of any major metropolitan city, I can’t help but notice the number of people wearing headphones/headphones. They may be updating the latest songs on Spotify or enjoying their favorite podcast. Either way, not too many people seem to be wearing the right gear. Or they tend to complain by saying things like, “But this isn’t powerful enough for my iPhone!”
If you’ve been one of those people, then this post is for you.
Educate yourself on specs vs performance ratio
Knowing the specs is crucial when choosing any new hardware. It couldn’t be more true in the case of audio equipment, where people often confuse what the specs actually indicate. So try and understand them, one by one.
Feedback often
Don’t fall for false advertising with this spec in particular. The human ear can only hear in the frequency range from 20Hz to 20,000Hz (or 20KHz). We couldn’t hear anything higher or lower than these values, so don’t be impressed with any headphones with values as low as 5Hz or as high as 25KHz.
The simple wide frequency response represents the value, however, does not guarantee excellent sonic driver. Standard headphones with a 20Hz-20KHz frequency range have a full range of sound, however, you don’t hear any actual bass response or tweeter.
Think of a 1-way speaker without a tweeter or sub-woofer versus a 3-way speaker with a tweeter, mid-woofer, and sub-woofer. The lows and highs are now filled in, you get good bass response and crisp tweeter-like response in the air.
impedance
This particular specification has been the cause of much debate and confusion. Impedance is resistance and like water flowing through a pipe, this is power flowing through a conductor. The lower impedance driver simply draws more power from the audio devices. All audio devices have a limit on how low or high you can go with impedance, MP3 player headphones are in the 64-16ohms range with a few exceptions.
Differences in ohms can make a big difference in power. For example, if 64ohm headphones consume 30mW, 32ohm headphones will consume about 50mW and 16ohm headphones will consume about 80mW. Anything below 100 dB is hard to get loud, and the highest you’ll see on most headphones is 120dB. The difference between 110dB headphones and 120dB headphones is quite large, so be aware of this.
Sensitivity (dB)
Sensitivity equates to the efficiency of the power used by the headphone driver. The 95 to 102 dB (decibel) driver effectively uses only about 4-10% of the energy received, the rest of the energy is lost in heat generation. Although sensitivity is rated in decibels (dB), the sensitivity rating has nothing to do with the maximum volume or sound quality of the device. Most of us think of sound level graphs when we think of decibels, but to judge sensitivity it’s just an efficiency test.
Helpful tips: Check out this helpful cheat sheet for voltage requirements for different types of headphones.
Know your own device
If you have understood our explanation of impedance above, then you will understand that it is similar to power handling. Here it is equally important to know the output power of the audio device. Most MP3 players (including iPods) have a headphone output of about 40mW-55mW when connected to 32ohm headphones. The same equation will change dramatically when connected to laptops and other computing devices. For home and car audio, amplifiers work differently – for example, by switching from an 8ohm driver to a 4ohm driver will double the amplifier’s output power, or at least increase the capacitor capacity of the amplifier.
However, the MP3 player is actually a flat source like most headphone jacks and has no built-in amplifier. This makes our volume control more like impedance control and we simply extend the peak volume. Therefore, be aware of your own device that you want to enjoy when plugging in a new headset/headphone.
Buy 3rd party foam earplugs
This is not a necessary step. But if you have that extra cash and you want to use your existing equipment instead of upgrading to newer (more expensive) headphones, this is a great option. I recently tried Comply’s foam earplugs and they’re pretty neat. All you have to do is replace your current headphone tips with these and start using them. They fit all types of ears and their advantage is that they create a comfortable fit that ensures no sound leakage.
The company also claims that these can keep music and speech clear without muffled sound while also isolating outside noise from affecting your listening experience. I find these claims to be true, and while it’s not 100% effective at isolating outside noise, it certainly gets pretty close. The comfort is exceptionally good and the memory foam material used will self-adjust in your ears once you put them on during your listening sessions.
They can range from $8-$25, and if you want to see something cheaper (or different) you can also try high-end silicone earplugs, such as those from Westone Audio.
Invest in DACs or Amps
Again, something that only serious enthusiasts should get into. But if you are one, keep reading.
What is DAC/Amp?
When you play any sound from your computer, phone, or MP3 player, they are pure digital signals in the form of 0s and 1s. For the headphones to be able to hear them, they are need a device to convert that signal to analog signal. This is a Digital-to-Analog Converter or DAC. However, a DAC by itself will not output a strong enough signal. This is where the amplifier comes in. It amplifies the analog signal from the DAC to a level that can be heard through headphones.
For example, all sound cards typically combine the DAC, amp, and recording components into a single unit. DAC stand-alone devices have a DAC, but an amplifier is required if they are to be used with headphones. Amplifier stand-alone devices will simply take the signal from the DAC or the output from another amplifier and amplify it.
Headphone amplifier with display controller
Should I buy a standalone amplifier?
Aftermarket amplifiers are usually needed in one of three situations:
- I have a standalone DAC that needs an amplifier to work
- My headphones are not loud enough
- The output of my sound card/stereo receiver/MP3 player has a very high output impedance which causes my headphones to sound different from the original tuned sound.
If you fall into any of these three categories, you should consider buying an amplifier for your headphones.
Typical mobile devices will have an output of about 0.6V. Computers typically have an output of about 1V, but this varies widely. The budget portable amplifier has an output of about 1.2 – 1.9V. Amplifier at the level of $99 Schiit Magni [6.2V into 32 ohms] or $150 O2 [7.3V into 600 ohms] will power anything that lacks extremely power-hungry headphones (Hifiman HE-6 or AKG K1000) at a volume reasonable for most people.
FiiO Portable Amplifier | Flickr
Helpful tips: Learn how to boost sound in Windows above max.
High fidelity is expensive
Like photography enthusiasts, becoming a serious audiophile is an expensive hobby. Dig into it to know what you’re getting into. This is just a guide to help you get started or dispel any misconceptions you may have. If anything, we want everyone to understand that better specs don’t always mean a better listening experience. But knowing what these specs mean, you can take a more informed approach to investing in any audio device. Let us know if you have any other helpful tips that we might include in a future post.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
