It’s easy to confuse the benefits of noise cancelling with sound isolating headphones. This is easily done as essentially they are both doing something similar but in very different ways. Because of this you want to make sure you choose the right headphones for your situation – this article will clear things up for you.
Noise Cancelling
Noise cancelling headphones can reduce the amount of low frequency hum or ambient sounds reaching your ear drums. This can make it possible to listen to your music without having to raise the volume excessively or even help you get some good sleep on a long journey – they don’t cancel out all noise. They are useful for people who travel a lot, especially by plane as the engine noise can become a nuisance. These headphones use active noise control to cancel out low frequency noise so they will need power; usually using batteries or USB power.
Depending on the model of headphone, if the power runs out one of three things will happen:
The noise cancelling function will stop running but you will still get sound from the headphones.
The sound will completely cut off, you will need to change batteries/recharge to use the headphones.
The noise cancelling will stop running and if the speakers have high impedance (require more power) then the sound you get will be faint.
A good example here is the Sennheiser PXC550, they are a Bluetooth wireless headphone that feature active noise cancelling, these do however stop playing when the battery runs out.
Sound Isolation
Sound isolation is a term used for headphones that block out external noise and reduce the amount of sound leaking for others to hear passively (without power), this is achieved by their build quality and materials used. Most closed back headphones or in-ear isolating earphones do this, but some will do it better than others. Lots of things can improve isolation such as leather ear pads, a good in-ear seal, heavy clamping force (tight fit on the head), acoustic treatment (dampening) in the ear cups and even the shape and material of the driver housing.
A prime example being the Bowers & Wilkins P7 Wireless, these have no noise cancelling but for everyday use they block out enough outside noise, and when the battery runs out you can plug the audio cable in and continue listening
Summary
Noise cancelling is great in theory, and for long journeys on planes it can be very effective, however it does have its drawbacks. In solving one problem, it creates another, and this is noise and lack of dynamic range in some senses. The other thing to note about noise cancelling is it is only effective against constant background noise, and does not help with sudden loud noises.
So it has its uses, but for most people, especially those wanting the best sound, noise isolating headphones are the only logical choice. The company will have put time into tuning the housing to reduce resonance, along with experimenting with different pad materials, to bring you the best sound and isolate unwanted noise.
Fit can be one of the biggest problems for several simple reasons. If your earphones don’t sit firmly in your ear canals, or do not seal, you may experience a significant drop in audio quality, particularly from the bass frequencies which can often make you think that your earphones are broken or are just poor quality. This is down to a lack of isolation which means the sound is leaking out rather than staying in your ears and unwanted noise is being let in.
Another common problem is that your earphones just keep falling out or do not stay in properly which means you’re constantly adjusting them or pushing them back in. However, this can usually be solved by something as simple as using a different sized ear tip. Every ear is different meaning you may not get the perfect fit with the ear tips that are on your earphones straight out of the box – this earphone fitting guide will explain a number of options available.
How to get the best fit
Typically, most earphones will come with silicone eartips in three sizes, small medium and large. Sometimes you will also get flange ear tips, and less commonly some earphones will come with comply foam tips, but we’ll talk about that later.
In order to get the best fit the key is to get a seal between the ear tip and your ear canal, this provides the isolation and creates a friction that keeps the earphones in your ears. Experiment with different size ear tips until you find a size that blocks out external noise and fits your ear firmly and comfortably. It’s also not uncommon to have a different size ear tip for each ear. You should be able to hear a clear difference if the ear tip is properly sealed. If the earphone is fully isolated you will hear a much richer sound, particularly in the bass with minimal external noise. You should also feel a slight suction of air in the ear canal where the ear tip is successfully sealed.
One other thing to consider is how the cable is worn. Most commonly cables are worn down from the ear but many models are now designed with an over ear fit and some can even be worn up and down – check your manufacturer instructions for further information on how your particular earphone should be worn. The best way to find the most comfortable fit for you is to experiment with using your earphones under and over the ear, also try having the cable hanging over your front or back, which can free up space and avoid tangles. Typically when the earphones are worn correctly the manufacturers logo should display the right way up.
Other options
There are many options available from different ear tip designs to full custom moulds but here are a few we would recommend for different budgets.
Comply
The first and most affordable ear tip solution is Comply. Comply is made from a heat activated memory foam that when heated in the ear conforms to the shape of your ear canal for a dynamic custom fit. Comply changes with the movement and temperature of your ear canal whilst using your earphones. This true fit seals in low frequency energy and provides optimal friction, so the tips stay put. Comply is also available with built in filters that give added protection against wax, debris and even sweat. As an affordable alternative to standard silicone tips Comply gives you a much more natural and comfortable fit as well as sustained isolation, even when active. Comply make ear tips for a huge number of earphone manufacturers, to find out if Comply make tips for your headphone head over to their website and use their easy pairing system to find what fit you need. The size of the standard silicone tips that you currently use with your earphones will be the same as the Comply size you will require.
Fitting comply
Firstly remove the current tips on your earphones and then add the Comply. To do this put a third of the earphone nozzle just inside the lip of the plastic Comply cylinder and then firmly push the rest of the earphone into the cylinder until the Comply sits firmly on the earphone nozzle. Sometimes this can be a very tight fit.
To fit Comply simply squeeze the eartips and then insert them comfortably into you ear. Once the memory foam expands and heats up the tip will conform to the shape of your ear to create a comfortable fit and completely seal your earphones.
Earcandi
Earcandi is for those that want a custom moulding system for their current earphones that won’t break the bank. Earcandi is made from a medical grade silicone polymer that produces a soft, flexible and durable custom moulded ear tip, which you can leave in your ears for hours without noticing. Noise isolation is greatly improved due to the exact fit you get with Earcandi, allowing you to play your music at lower volumes without being able to hear less, which reduces the chance of damaging your hearing by having to blast the volume. The process of fitting Earcandi is very easy and only takes about 10 minutes. The unique Earcandi moulding polymer comes in two parts. When the two parts are combined the silicone begins to set and will be fixed to its permanent shape in only 10 minutes.
Fitting Earcandi
Remove both portions of Earcandi material and knead together until you have an even colour. Split the material into 2 equal portions and roll into a cylinder approx. 5cm long. Loop around the stem of the earphone, bringing the Earcandi together on the outside and insert the earphone into your ear.
Mould the Earcandi over and around your earphones until you achieve a good seal and the desired finish. Wait 10-15 minutes for the Earcandi material to set and carefully remove from your ears. And that’s it.
Snugs
Snugs are fully custom moulded eartips that can be made for any earphone. Snugs use state of the art 3D scanning and manufacturing based on your exact ear, which means you get a perfect seal and a comfortable fit. No matter how active you get your Snugs will stay put, fit like a glove and will never fall out even when exercising. Unlike other custom mould manufacturers Snugs are made from soft silicone which means even after long periods of wear they are still comfortable. This great fit ensures external sound is kept out even in noisy places and your music doesn’t disturb others.
How it works
A Snugs scanologist will pay you a visit with a state of the art 3D ear scanner to quickly and painlessly scan your ears. Once you’ve chosen from a wide range of colours and optional unique twists like glitter, your Snugs impressions will be manufactured in a lab which usually takes a few weeks. Snugs come in both half and full shell options which can be made to fit any earphone.
It is tempting to think nowadays that smaller is better, cheaper and easier to carry around; but when it comes to headphones there are differences between large and small which are not all that obvious.
One of the relatively new developments in portable audio is the in-ear headphone, as opposed to the ‘earbud’ which goes back 25 years or so. The earbud sits in the ear’s concha and rests up against the ear canal (sort of), whereas the in-ear headphone sits in the ear canal itself and ideally creates a seal, for far better isolation and bass response when compared to the earbud.
In-ear (Intraaural)
This coupling method between speaker and ear gives a much more intimate presentation – indeed, more intimate than the producer or mastering engineer perhaps intended. This brings a danger of fatigue with certain recordings, and the soundstage is typically narrower making any spatial effects less pronounced.
One of the important parts of getting the most out of the in-ear headphone is the seal created when the right eartips are used. Everybody’s ears differ, and it is likely that some experimentation is necessary with the tips before the right effect is achieved.
Not everyone can comfortably wear in-ear headphones; some also prefer to keep the presentation as close to the intended ‘2 speakers in a room’ sound as possible. Full-size headphones replicate this better.
On-ear (Circumaural and Supraaural)
This is the style everyone surely thinks of when they hear the word ‘headphone’ – speakers sitting on or over the ears, connected by a headband.
The Circumaural style encloses the ear and is the most likely to give the ‘2 speakers in a room’ effect; the entire ear is subject to sound coming from the headphone driver, and this gives the outside ear or ‘pinna’ a chance to bounce the sound around a bit before it enters, much like natural environmental sounds.
Also, headphone designers have much better opportunity to treat the headphones, or make minor adjustments to ensure that they have the required frequency response. For example, holes or ‘ports’ can be created to reduce bass frequencies, and bumps in any frequency response graph can be dealt with by membranes which block certain frequencies and allow others to penetrate. There are fewer opportunities to tinker with in-ears before the design has to go back to the drawing board.
To a lesser extent, there’s a better chance of the left ear picking up sounds from the right speaker and vice-versa; mirroring what happens in real life. Sound passes through the head and is also filtered by it; the resulting sound is therefore attenuated and with a lot of high-mid frequency detail lost. Together with a slight delay (the time taken for sound to cross from one ear to another is around 3 thousandths of a second), the brain converts these subtle details into information on sound placement.
This is why binaural recordings are so lifelike; given that the technique involves small microphones placed in the ears of a real human head or dummy, any recorded audio has the artefacts lent to it by the head on which it is recorded.
The circumaural style is considered to be the most comfortable generally; the intended use for circumaural headphones is that the wearer stays relatively still, perhaps seated, and so the headphones rest gently on the head and ears.
Supraaural headphones are a little smaller and are designed to sit on the ears, against the pinna. This often makes them more practical for the purpose of portability, but often at the expense of comfort when it comes to extended listening sessions. This design tends to press harder on the ears, both to increase the chances of a good seal and to prevent the headphones’ headband from slipping as the head moves. Supraaural headphones are generally designed for outdoors with more active uses in mind, and so tend to be closed-back to offer better isolation.
It is perhaps easy to choose between circumaural and supraaural headphones; do you wish to remain at home and listen, or go out, for instance? In-ear headphones are less clear-cut. They are being designed now for all scenarios it seems. Our habits may have yet to catch up, but in-ear headphones are now being designed for the armchair listener, so the choice from now on may be less clear, but it will have increased, which is no bad thing.
In an industry where any extra functionality usually translates into extra sales, it is hardly surprising that headphone manufacturers are falling over themselves to give the customers as many buttons and as much control as possible when it comes to skipping tracks, altering volume and answering calls. Of course, while this is fine when your handset is specifically listed as being compatible with the headset, there’s a lot of handsets out there now and a lot of headphones with some indeterminate functionality, but what works with what? We break down the different headphone smartphone compatibility types.
To get some kind of idea, we need to look closely at the connections and wiring, also the standards under which these wiring decisions have been made.
CTIA
The oldest standard belongs to the then-called ‘Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association’, now called ‘CTIA – The Wireless Association’. This organisation represents both service providers and manufacturers, providing a framework for discussion regarding standard ways of designing parts and services which makes everybody’s lives easier. Apple uses this standard, for instance.
OMTP
Another standard exists, called OMTP (Open Mobile Terminal Platform). It has been around only since 2004, and was set up by mobile operators to attempt standardisation between handset manufacturers. Sony and Nokia are members, but it looks as if this standard is quietly being dropped.
The difference between these standards lies in the way the individual contacts in the socket and plug are wired to the phone. Both standards include the tip and first ring dealing with ‘L’ and ‘R’ respectively. This way, a normal stereo 3.5mm plug will work in the same socket, whether it be CTIA or OMTP. The difference is in the ‘Mic’ and ‘Ground’ contacts. These are reversed between the two standards and explains the seemingly random functionality between headsets and headphones with mic/controls.
Phones on OMTP include
old Nokia
old Samsung
old Sony Ericsson (’10 & ’11 Xperias)
Phones on CTIA include
Apple
HTC
latest Nokia
latest Samsung
latest Sony (2012 on)
most Android phones
To further muddy the compatibility waters, Apple has built a different way of signalling (sending instructions to the phone) into their remotes and phones.
Where the more universal remotes use differing voltages depending on the button pressed, Apple’s incorporate a ‘dual mode modulator’ which results in a complex ‘chirp’ being sent to the phone. For instance a ‘power on signal’ (where the phone shakes hands with the remote) has the remote sending back a chirp consisting of two bursts of ultrasonic frequency, one immediately following the other. A couple of hundredths of a second at 280kHz, and maybe a few more at 244kHz.
The use of these ‘encoded’ signal can prevent the Apple remote’s functions from working with other manufacturer’s handsets, although from experience it looks as if some makers are widening the goalposts so the remote may have some functionality. My Huawei Ascend P1 LTE will answer a call using an Apple remote, but nothing else will work for example.
We get to try out more headphones than most, so this article is where we at Hifiheadphones share some of that experience with you. In a simple World you could buy a set of ‘known brand’ headphones at a certain price point and expect to receive a product that you can be happy with. In other words, you may think that spending a certain amount on headphones will guarantee that you get a product you will like. Unfortunately with headphones it can be a little more complex. In this headphone buying guide is a quick summary of some of the major factors when purchasing a pair of new headphones or earphones.
Audio Quality
The first question asked by many people when buying headphones and earphones is “Do they sound good?”. It’s also often the most difficult question to answer. We human beings are very subjective creatures. What is described by one person as “precise and detailed” will be “lacking in bass and clinical” by another. What one listener likes another will find irritating.
The best advice we can give is to do plenty of research and try to understand what you are purchasing. Search the Internet for reviews of the headphones you like the look of – we have plenty of product reviews in our Blog as well as on our Youtube Channel. Ask for advice on forums where people discuss headphones such as Head-Fi or the AVForums. You will likely find plenty of information and opinions, often from different points of view. If you make your headphone or earphone purchase with good knowledge of what to expect it’s less likely you will be disappointed.
Design and Aesthetics
High up the list for many people is the looks and aesthetics of the headphones. After all you will have to be wearing the headphones you choose on your head for all to see! Unless you plan to use your new headphones alone at home then it’s likely you will be interested in how they look. Of course the quality of sound is also near the top of most lists, but with such a wide selection of good headphones to choose from it’s also likely that you will want your headphones to reflect your style.
Manufacturers such as SoundMAGIC have really gone to town with the styling of their headphones. While not to everyone’s taste SoundMAGIC have a unique look with a wide selection of vibrant colours.
If you are looking for headphones that look a little more sophisticated and refined then OPPO’s range of headphones are a good choice. While only relatively new to the consumer market in the UK, it’s not without reason that OPPO are quickly becoming market leaders. OPPO’s selection of headphones look stunning and perform equally well. The OPPO PM-3 headphones are a highly recommended set of stylish portable headphones with a rich, clear sound.
Ease of Portability
If you are going to be travelling or moving around with your headphones or earphones then the size, weight and ability to pack away (fold or collapse) may be important to you.
Many travellers and commuters like the in-ear earphone type as they can easily be wound up and put into a pouch or pocket. Sound isolating earphones have the added benefit that they can cut down outside noise by -20dB, which can be a godsend when travelling on a train, bus or underground. The Shure range of sound isolating earphones is a good place to start. Also worthy of mention Fidue, RHA and DUNU who all have a good range of the in ear sound isolating variety.
You will also find a good selection of headband headphones that collapse or fold for stowing away when needed. The Sennheiser PX200-II or SoundMAGIC P21 headphones are an example of good quality lightweight travelling headphones that fold away for transporting.
Sound Isolation
When listening to your headphones will you need to block out external noise, or do you need to prevent your music from annoying others around you. Ask yourself where, when and how you will be using your headphones.
If you will be listening to your headphones in an office or on public transport you will probably want to keep your music to yourself. In this case you will want to avoid open-back ear cup designs. Although open back headphones are often sonicly superior to closed back headphones the sound leaks out and people around you will be listening to a tinny version of what you are listening to – very annoying indeed.
If you travel on buses, trains or planes you might be thinking about noise cancelling headphones, but you may also want to consider in-ear sound isolating earphones instead as they are often able to reproduce a clearer more accurate sound. The extra electronics between your audio source and your ears means that noise cancelling headphones often colour the sound and reduce the clarity.
DJs and studio engineers also have a unique set of requirements when it comes to selecting headphones. A good set of DJ headphones should normally provide maximum isolation from outside sounds, so that you can concentrate on the mix you are putting together. Whereas a studio engineer may be more interested in being able to reproduce a good stereo sound image with sonic clarity and may not be so interested in sound isolation.
Summary
When it comes to purchasing headphones there are so many options and possibilities, but at the end of the day your choice will be down to a few key factors. Factors such as budget, design and whether or not you want sound isolation may be more significant than trying to find headphones with the best audio quality possible.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions on 01903 768 910 or you can email us on support@hifiheadphones.co.uk
One question we get asked a lot is ‘do I need a headphone amplifier?’ This article will inform you of the benefits of adding an amplifier to your existing setup, or buying an amplifier with your new headphones.
When you’re buying some new headphones it’s always good to think about what your source will be; whether it’s an iPhone, Laptop, DAP (Digital Audio Player), your home HiFi or a bit of everything, figure out which has the lowest output and if it can drive your chosen headphone. So if you use a mobile phone as your main source and you’ve decided on some Shure SE535 earphones which are hard to drive, you will need a headphone amp to add some extra power so you can get the most from your new purchase.
There are plenty of headphones designed to be used with mobile phones and other low powered portable devices; these headphones generally have low impedance (up to 32ohm) and high sensitivity (100db and over) so they are very easy to drive. This doesn’t mean that you won’t benefit from an amp; not only do amps add extra power but they can also change the sound by improving sound stage, separation and depending on the amp add warmth or brightness.
Another benefit of getting a headphone amp is that some of them have EQ settings on them, so you can adjust the amount of bass you want depending on what you’re listening to.
If you have decided to go for a headphone amp you now need to decide which one to go for, there are many to choose from and they go for anything between £20 and £1500. Amps can be split into two main groups, portable and desktop. If you are going for a portable amp then you could go for something like the FiiO E12 which is powerful enough to drive most portable headphones, it is a good size and has a bass boost setting. If you require more power then you could go for the OPPO HA-2 or the Cypher Labs Picollo. Both of these amps can drive most headphones and they will also improve the sound quality, with the HA-2 being slightly warmer than the Picollo. For the harder to drive headphones there is the Cypher Labs Duet. This amp has adjustable gain settings and provides a less distorted, more accurate sound with plenty of power.
If you only use your headphones at home then you should go for a desktop amplifier as they are generally more powerful. There is a much larger range of desktop amplifiers and you really should know what headphone you will be using before choosing the amp, for example if your headphones have a warm/bassy sound then it’s a good idea to go for a brighter/detailed amplifier. This also works the other way around; a warm sounding amp will compliment bright headphones and balance the sound out.
If you have any questions about choosing the right amplifier then give us a call at Hifi Headphones on 01903 768 910 or you can send an email to support@hifiheadphones.co.uk – we will be more than happy to help.
For a few years now, we have enjoyed the convenience of lossy music files as opposed to carting around a portable CD or cassette player. The drawback of course is that we can only use equipment which does not reveal the flaws within these music files. Try listening to a 128kbps music file with the headphones you received with the player and it’ll sound acceptable. Try again with some Shure 535s, and the appalling drivel you’ve been listening to is revealed in all its wishy washy glory.
These headphones are very kind to low quality audio. Any flaws are likely not noticed by the listener.
So what if you want to get rid of those compression artefacts? If you want to keep those nice headphones, you need to think about raising your game.
Perhaps the simplest solution is to raise the data rate of the music you’re buying or encoding to 320kbps – this will not require any new equipment, other than a larger memory card on your device perhaps. Your media player should not need to be changed.
Lossless formats do not include MP3. However high the settings are, a certain amount of the original information is still lost.
The first lossless format I came across was monkey’s audio (.ape) about 10 years ago. At the time it seemed to be an equivalent of .zip or .rar files; it would squash the music down to half the original size for storage, but my computer could not play it back in real time – it needed to decompress the files again before playing. Even so, after decompression the music files were identical to the original files, with no loss of information. Nowadays, my computer is up to the job and can play back Monkey’s Audio files in real time. I have some ‘Gorillaz’ playing just now.
Other lossless formats include Windows Media Audio Lossless (.wma, but not all .wma versions) and the open-source Apple format (.m4a) along with perhaps the most well-known, FLAC (.flac).
Not all portable music players can handle these filetypes, so do check before committing to a particular filetype, or player. Some are more versatile than others; for instance the Astell & Kern AK100 plays WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC and APE as well as some lossy formats, which is a large range of formats. However my humble Sony Walkman will not bother with anything but .mp3/.mp4/.wma – if I want lossless I have to carry around the full uncompressed .wav file, and with 8Gb memory this is not a great option.
The Astell&Kern AK120 is certainly no slouch when it comes to lossless quality.
Another great player is the Fiio X3, and with the forthcoming X5, Fiio is worth keeping your eye on as regards players. It supports .dsd, .ape, .flac, .alac, .wma and .wav. and can also be used as a DAC.
In my last article I wrote about the different ways you can set up wireless headphones with a TV. This time I will talk about the different types of headphones available and how to choose the correct one for you.
So you’ve determined which outputs your TV has and now it’s time to pick your headphone – here is a list of the best wireless TV headphones for each connection type.
This is our most popular wireless TV headphone. Amazing value for money – packaged with a charging dock as well as offering clarity and comfort. the Thomson WHP3311 is the best TV headphone we’ve come across for under £50.
The SET 840 TV is the ultimate assistive listening wireless headphone. Great sound quality and three selectable hearing settings on transmitter for optimised speech intelligibility. The volume control has left and right balance settings as well as tone control.
Sennheiser RS120-II (DISCONTINUED)
If you’re looking for a sub £100 wireless headphone then you can’t go wrong with the RS120-II. The transmitter can charge the headphones and uses RF (radio frequency) to transmit audio – this gives you a very long range but can be susceptible to interference. The headphones are open back so they will leak sound – but will provide a natural sound with good width.
TV Ears 2.3 (DISCONTINUED)
For the hard of hearing, the TV Ears 2.3 is very hard to fault at the very low price of £59.95. They use infra red to transmit audio so you get a clear sound, they are susceptible to interference though. The sound quality is what you’d expect for the price but as they are designed for the hard of hearing their main focus is on the upper frequencies – so for this purpose they work very well.
The RS175 transmits digitally using Sennheiser’s advanced technology, this provides a much clearer sound with no interference. The headphones are extremely comfortable and they are closed back so they isolate sound very well. The transmitter acts as a charging station for the headphones and also provides Dynamic Bass and Surround Sound listening modes and the built in DAC allows a digital connection via Optical cable.
The RS185 is almost identical to the RS175 except the headphones are open backed. This means that the headphones will leak sound, but you will get a wider and more natural sound from them. You can also adjust the balance for left and right channels separately.
If your TV only has digital outputs and you don’t want to go for the Sennheiser RS220, the FiiO D03K can solve your problem. Adding this to the chain between the TV (coaxial or optical output) and wireless headphone means that you can use any of the headphones I have mentioned in this article. A very handy piece of kit!
Sennheiser RS220 (DISCONTINUED)
The Swiss army knife of wireless headphones – The RS220 can connect itself to analogue (RCA) and digital (coaxial and optical) sources. The headphones themselves are open backed and provide an audiophile experience. The transmitter has a built in DAC (digital to analogue converter) so when used with a digital source, the sound is superb! The headphones feature balance control for left and right channels, a charging docking station and Sennheiser offer an extended 5 year warranty.
It is tempting to think nowadays that smaller is better, cheaper and easier to carry around; but when it comes to headphones there are differences between large and small which are not all that obvious.
One of the relatively new developments in portable audio is the in-ear headphone, as opposed to the ‘earbud’ which goes back 25 years or so. The earbud sits in the ear’s concha and rests up against the ear canal (sort of), whereas the in-ear headphone sits in the ear canal itself and ideally creates a seal, for far better isolation and bass response when compared to the earbud.
In-ear (Intraaural)
This coupling method between speaker and ear gives a much more intimate presentation – indeed, more intimate than the producer or mastering engineer perhaps intended. This brings a danger of fatigue with certain recordings, and the soundstage is typically narrower making any spatial effects less pronounced.
One of the important parts of getting the most out of the in-ear headphone is the seal created when the right eartips are used. Everybody’s ears differ, and it is likely that some experimentation is necessary with the tips before the right effect is achieved.
Not everyone can comfortably wear in-ear headphones; some also prefer to keep the presentation as close to the intended ‘2 speakers in a room’ sound as possible. Full-size headphones replicate this better.
On-ear (Circumaural and Supraaural)
This is the style everyone surely thinks of when they hear the word ‘headphone’ – speakers sitting on or over the ears, connected by a headband.
The Circum-aural style encloses the ear and is the most likely to give the ‘2 speakers in a room’ effect; the entire ear is subject to sound coming from the headphone driver, and this gives the outside ear or ‘pinna’ a chance to bounce the sound around a bit before it enters, much like natural environmental sounds.
Also, headphone designers have much better opportunity to treat the headphones, or make minor adjustments to ensure that they have the required frequency response. For example, holes or ‘ports’ can be created to reduce bass frequencies, and bumps in any frequency response graph can be dealt with by membranes which block certain frequencies and allow others to penetrate. There are fewer opportunities to tinker with in-ears before the design has to go back to the drawing board.
To a lesser extent, there’s a better chance of the left ear picking up sounds from the right speaker and vice-versa; mirroring what happens in real life. Sound passes through the head and is also filtered by it; the resulting sound is therefore attenuated and with a lot of high-mid frequency detail lost. Together with a slight delay (the time taken for sound to cross from one ear to another is around 3 thousandths of a second), the brain converts these subtle details into information on sound placement.
This is why binaural recordings are so lifelike; given that the technique involves small microphones placed in the ears of a real human head or dummy, any recorded audio has the artefacts lent to it by the head on which it is recorded.
The circumaural style is considered to be the most comfortable generally; the intended use for circumaural headphones is that the wearer stays relatively still, perhaps seated, and so the headphones rest gently on the head and ears.
Supraaural headphones are a little smaller and are designed to sit on the ears, against the pinna. This often makes them more practical for the purpose of portability, but often at the expense of comfort when it comes to extended listening sessions. This design tends to press harder on the ears, both to increase the chances of a good seal and to prevent the headphones’ headband from slipping as the head moves. Supraaural headphones are generally designed for outdoors with more active uses in mind, and so tend to be closed-back to offer better isolation.
It is perhaps easy to choose between circumaural and supraaural headphones; do you wish to remain at home and listen, or go out, for instance? In-ear headphones are less clear-cut. They are being designed now for all scenarios it seems. Our habits may have yet to catch up, but in-ear headphones such as the sumptuous Final Audio Piano Forte range are now being designed for the armchair listener, so the choice from now on may be less clear, but it will have increased, which is no bad thing.
Not sure whether to buy a headphone amplifier? This article will inform you of the benefits of adding an amplifier to your existing setup, or buying an amplifier with your new headphones.
When you’re buying some new headphones it’s always good to think about what your source will be; whether it’s an iPhone, Laptop, DAP (Digital Audio Player), your home HiFi or a bit of everything, figure out which has the lowest output and if it can drive your chosen headphone. So if you use a mobile phone as your main source and you’ve decided on some Earsonics SM64 earphones which are very hard to drive, you will need a headphone amp to add some extra power so you can get the most from your new purchase.
There are plenty of headphones designed to be used with mobile phones and other low powered portable devices; these headphones generally have low impedance (up to 32ohm) and high sensitivity (95db and over) so they are very easy to drive. This doesn’t mean that you won’t benefit from an amp; not only do amps add extra power but they can also change the sound by improving sound stage, separation and depending on the amp add warmth or brightness.
Another benefit of getting a headphone amp is that some of them have EQ settings on them, so you can adjust the amount of bass you want depending on what you’re listening to.
If you have decided to go for a headphone amp you now need to decide which one to go for, there are many to choose from and they go for anything between £20 and £1500. Amps can be split into two main groups, portable and desktop. If you are going for a portable amp then you could go for something like the FiiO E11 which is powerful enough to drive most portable headphones, it is a good size and has two EQ settings. If you require more power then you could go for the FiiO E12 or the Just Audio UHA-120. Both of these amps can drive most headphones and they will also improve the sound quality, with the Just Audio being slightly warmer than the E12. For the harder to drive headphones there is the Just Audio AHA-120. This amp has adjustable gain settings and is class A, this provides a less distorted, more accurate sound.
If you only use your headphones at home then you should go for a desktop amplifier as they are generally more powerful. There is a much larger range of desktop amplifiers and you really should know what headphone you will be using before choosing the amp, for example if your headphones have a warm/bassy sound then it’s a good idea to go for a brighter/detailed amplifier. This also works the other way around; a warm sounding amp will compliment bright headphones and balance the sound out.
If you have any questions about choosing the right amplifier then give us a call at Hifi Headphones on 01903 768 910 or you can send an email to support@hifiheadphones.co.uk – we will be more than happy to help.
Orthodynamic, AKA Planar Magnetic or Isodynamic Transducers
If you think Orthodynamic headphones are for people recovering from ear operations, you might not be alone as the various names for this driver technology are not that well known. Perhaps due to the relative cost of this type of driver, it has not had the exposure of the ubiquitous dynamic version, for instance.
Orthodynamic: Technical term advanced / popularized by Yamaha Headphones in 1976 to describe their line of headphones at the time using a driver type known generically as isodynamic, planar-magnetic, or magnetostatic incorporating characteristics of both dynamic and electrostatic driver design.
Of all transducer methods, perhaps the most sumptuous-sounding is the electrostatic method, where a large thin membrane is suspended within a magnetic field which is affected by an electric impulse passing through it. The advantages of this is a very fast attack since the membrane can be thin and light with little to no inertia. On the down side, the technology is horrendously expensive and difficult to drive; a portable rig will likely require a backpack to power it!
A decent halfway house however is the planar-magnetic (AKA orthodynamic or Isodynamic) transducer type. Rather than the membrane being suspended between two electromagnets as in the electroststic method, it is suspended between two sets of permanent magnets; the audio information is fed through a thin wire on the membrane (the voice coil) which makes it react with the magnetic field it is suspended in. While this extra weight makes the membrane less reactive, this is a much cheaper and more efficient way to get near the electrostatic sound.
Some advantages of orthodynamic headphones over their dynamic counterparts include the flat driver with the voice coil controlling its entire surface. Since the membrane reacts across the whole surface at once, it does not need to be rigid which cuts down on weight and inertia. The result is a very fast driver which is particularly good at replicating a wide soundstage with great separation.
Balanced armatures are fantastic for detail, but find it hard work to replicate the very low, and very high frequencies. Also their relative lack of power keeps them mainly in the in-ear realm, where a good seal is required for decent bass perception.
My favourite? Just now I’m loving my full size orthodynamic HiFiMAN HE-400s but recent experiences with both dynamic and balanced armature-driven in-ears (such as the Sennheiser IE800 and Westone UM3X for example) tell me that it’s anybody’s game. There is no ‘best’, only what suits the listener at that particular point in time.
So you’ve spent time looking for your your new headphones or you already have a pair that you are very happy with, now it’s time to further improve your audio experience.So,To DAC or not to DAC. The obvious route to go could be to buy or upgrade your headphone amplifier. Whether you are listening through a CD player, mobile phone, portable music player or a computer adding a good headphone amplifier to the chain can do wonders. Something that a lot of people overlook though is using a DAC. With the amount of great quality amplifier/DAC combos out there, most of the time it’s worth going this route.
What a DAC does is to take the digital data, whether it’s an MP3 or movie audio and convert that into an analogue signal so your headphones can pick it up and you can hear the files. The better the DAC, the better the conversion and therefore better sound quality. So if you have a great pair of headphones but a weak DAC, the headphones will only play audio as good as the DAC is putting out – an important part of the chain.
The most common use of a DAC is if you use a computer, all computers have built in DACs (soundcard) but unless you know that you have a particularly good one the quality won’t be great. Even using a cheaper DAC such as the FiiO E17 will greatly improve the sound quality coming from your computer. The reason you would go for a better DAC is if you play high quality audio files (WAV, AIFF, Lossless etc.) and you have a top of the range pair of headphones, this is where the quality of the DAC really shows.
You can either get a stand alone DAC or an amp/DAC combo, which one you get will be based on your intended setup. If you want to use your headphones with a computer and you don’t already have an amplifier then an amp/DAC combo would be ideal, and if you use a laptop then one of the portable sized units are great as you can even use them on the move. If you mainly use your iPhone/iPod then you could get a dedicated amp/DAC combo for iDevices such as the Fostex HP-P1 or the Cypher Labs Theorem 720 this will bypass the devices internal DAC and amplifier so all of the processing will be done by the Fostex. There is a stand alone alternative with the Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo -dB and -r, but you would also need to have a headphone amplifier for this to work.
Essentially any digital audio device can benefit from upgrading the DAC, now depending on the device you use you will need the right sort of DAC – but there will be something out there for you. If you have any questions about this subject then please feel free to call us, we will be more than happy to help.
Looking for a new pair of headphones can be very confusing, there are so many to choose from – how do you know you are getting the best for your money?
There are lots of things you can look at when deciding, but the main place to start is whether you will benefit from Open or Closed Back. It’s easy for some people to say that one is better then the other, but this isn’t the case – it really depends on how you will use them. If you are looking for a pair of headphones to commute to work with then an open back design won’t be ideal, unless you want the whole carriage to listen to your guilty pleasures. So here is a quick run down on the differences between Open and Closed back headphones.
Closed Back
The main benefit you get from a closed back headphone is sound isolation, this reduces the amount of sound that leaks out for others to hear and it also helps block outside noises so they won’t interfere with your listening. This is something that is very important when using headphones in public e.g. commute to work, travelling or even at home with other people in the room. Generally closed back headphones have a narrower soundstage (compared to open back) but you get a punchier sound with heavier bass. One downside of closed back headphones is that your ears can get warm very easily, especially compared to open backed headphones – Using velour earpads instead of leather can reduce this but this will reduce the amount of sound that is isolated.
Open Back
These headphones certainly don’t isolate sound, being open back the sounds comes out from them like mini speakers – some more than others. They will also allow you to hear what’s going on around you, so this won’t be ideal for noisy environments. The benefit from this is that you get a very natural sound, your ears will keep cool due to the air flow and they give a wide soundstage – this is particularly good for live recordings as you really feel like you’re right there. Being open backed you will notice a loss of bass compared to a closed back alternative, the bass has a more natural feel to it because the driver housing is vented so the sound can breathe.
How To Choose
The best question to ask yourself first is ‘how will I use these headphones?’ and from there you will know whether to go for open or closed back. So if you’re using them at home and there won’t be anyone else around then open back will be a good place to look, but if there is a chance that you will also want to use them on the odd commute to work then overall closed back will be the most suitable.
In an industry where any extra functionality usually translates into extra sales, it is hardly surprising that headphone manufacturers are falling over themselves to give the customers as many buttoms and as much control as possible when it comes to skipping tracks, altering volume and answering calls. Of course, while this is fine when your handset is specifically listed as being compatible with the headset, there’s a lot of handsets out there now and a lot of headphones with some indeterminate functionality, but what works with what?
To get some kind of idea, we need to look closely at the connections and wiring, also the standards under which these wiring decisions have been made.
CTIA
The oldest standard belongs to the then-called ‘Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association’, now called ‘CTIA – The Wireless Association’. This organisation represents both service providers and manufacturers, providing a framework for discussion regarding standard ways of designing parts and services which makes everybody’s lives easier. Apple uses this standard, for instance.
OMTP
Another standard exists, called OMTP (Open Mobile Terminal Platform). It has been around only since 2004, and was set up by mobile operators to attempt standardisation between handset manufacturers. Sony and Nokia are members, but it looks as if this standard is quietly being dropped.
The difference between these standards lies in the way the individual contacts in the socket and plug are wired to the phone. Both standards include the tip and first ring dealing with ‘L’ and ‘R’ respectively. This way, a normal stereo 3.5mm plug will work in the same socket, whether it be CTIA or OMTP. The difference is in the ‘Mic’ and ‘Ground’ contacts. These are reversed between the two standards and explains the seemingly random functionality between headsets and headphones with mic/controls.
Phones on OMTP include
old Nokia
old Samsung
old Sony Ericsson (’10 & ’11 Xperias)
Phones on CTIA include
Apple
HTC
latest Nokia
latest Samsung
latest Sony (2012 on)
most Android phones
To further muddy the compatibility waters, Apple has built a different way of signalling (sending instructions to the phone) into their remotes and phones.
Where the more universal remotes use differing voltages depending on the button pressed, Apple’s incorporate a ‘dual mode modulator’ which results in a complex ‘chirp’ being sent to the phone. For instance a ‘power on signal’ (where the phone shakes hands with the remote) has the remote sending back a chirp consisting of two bursts of ultrasonic frequency, one immediately following the other. A couple of hundredths of a second at 280kHz, and maybe a few more at 244kHz.
The use of these ‘encoded’ signal can prevent the Apple remote’s functions from working with other manufacturer’s handsets, although from experience it looks as if some makers are widening the goalposts so the remote may have some functionality. My Huawei Ascend P1 LTE will answer a call using an Apple remote, but nothing else will work for example.
Stay tuned, as over the coming weeks we will be collating information as to which remote headphones work with which handsets, and what functionality there is.
