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Headphones (also known as earphones, stereophones, headsets, or the slang term cans) are a pair of transducers that receive an electrical signal from a media player or receiver and use speakers placed in close proximity to the ears (hence the name earphone) to convert the signal into audible sound waves. Earphones(Ear Bud type Phones). ...
Earphones(Ear Bud type Phones). ...
A transducer is a device that converts one type of energy to another, or responds to a physical parameter. ...
Closeup of a loudspeaker driver A loudspeaker is a device which converts an electrical signal into sound. ...
A left human ear. ...
This article is about compression waves. ...
They are normally detachable, using a jack plug. Typical products to which they are attached include the walkman, mobile phone, CD player, digital audio player (MP3 player), and personal computer. Some headphone units are self-contained, incorporating a radio receiver. Other headphones are cordless, using radio (for example analogue FM, digital bluetooth, Wi-Fi) or infrared signals to communicate with a "base" unit. A jack plug is an extremely common audio connector. ...
SONY Recorder Walkman (TCM-S68V) MD Walkman The Sony Walkman personal stereo was a transistorized miniature portable cassette tape player invented by Akio Morita, Masaru Ibuka and Kozo Ohsone, and manufactured by Sony Corporation. ...
A compact disc player or CD player is an electronic device to play audio from compact discs. ...
Apple iPod Creative Zen Micro A digital audio player (DAP) is a device that stores, organizes and plays digital music files. ...
For the device which is a tuner (radio) and a amplifier and/or loudspeaker, see receiver (home stereo). ...
Wireless is an old-fashioned term for a radio receiver, referring to its use as a wireless telegraph. ...
For the Analog Science Fiction and Science Fact publication, see Astounding Magazine. ...
Frequency modulation (FM) is a form of modulation which represents information as variations in the instantaneous frequency of a carrier wave. ...
A digital system is one that uses discrete values rather than a continuous spectrum of values: compare analog. ...
This article is about the Bluetooth wireless specification. ...
Wi-Fi (or Wi-fi, WiFi, Wifi, wifi), short for Wireless Fidelity, is a set of product compatibility standards for wireless local area networks (WLAN) based on the IEEE 802. ...
Image of a small dog taken in mid-infrared (thermal) light (false color) Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength longer than visible light, but shorter than microwave radiation. ...
Headphones may be used to prevent other people from hearing the sound either for privacy or to protect others. They are also used to exclude external sounds, particularly in sound recording studios and in noisy environments. Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to stop information about themselves from becoming known to people other than those they choose to give the information to. ...
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording. ...
Headphones generally use a 3.5mm "mini pin" jack. A millimetre (American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is an SI unit of length that is equal to one thousandth of a metre. ...
In electronics, a jack is a socket. ...
Types of headphones
In descending order of size:
Circumaural These type of headphones have pads that go around the ears, usually very large and very comfortable. This is the type typically used in recording studios. Examples include: AKG K501, Audio Technica ATH-A900, Beyerdynamic DT880, Sennheiser HD650, and Sony MDR-SA5000. Alternatív Közgazdasági Gimnázium (Alternative Secondary School of Economics) is a six-year high school in Hungary (established in 1988). ...
Sennheiser is a German pro audio company founded in 1945 by Professor Dr. Fritz Sennheiser (b. ...
Sony Corporation (Japanese katakana: ソニー) (TYO: 6758), (NYSE: SNE) is a global consumer electronics corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. ...
Supra-aural These type of headphones have pads that go on top of the ears. They were commonly bundled with personal stereos during the 1980s. Examples include: Grado SR-60, Koss Sportapro, Sennheiser PX-200. Events and trends The 1980s marked an abrupt shift towards more conservative lifestyles after the momentous cultural revolutions which took place in the 1960s and 1970s and the definition of the AIDS virus in 1981. ...
Grado can refer to: a municipality in the province and autonomous community of Asturias, Spain. ...
Koss can refer to: Koss Corporation, a United States company that designs and manufactures headphones Johann Olav Koss, the Norwegian Olympic speed-skater and official Koss (album), an album by Paul Kossoff This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same...
Sennheiser is a German pro audio company founded in 1945 by Professor Dr. Fritz Sennheiser (b. ...
Earbuds Earbuds (Earphones in British English) are small headphones that are placed directly outside of the ear canal, but without fully enveloping it. Earbuds are generally inexpensive and are favored for their portability and convenience. However, due to their inability to provide isolation, they are not capable of delivering the precision and range of sound offered by many full-sized headphones and canalphones.
During the 1990s, they became the most common type bundled with personal stereos. For example, the distinctive white headphones included with the iPod are earbuds. Events and trends The 1990s are generally classified as having moved slightly away from the more conservative 1980s, but keeping the same mind-set. ...
A fourth-generation iPod with earphones. ...
Canalphones Canalphones (also known as "in-ear headphones") are placed inside the ear canal, positioning them closer to the eardrum than other types of headphones. They have excellent isolation quality (up to 24 dbs) because they act as earplugs. Isolation from canalphones is generally superior to that provided by active noise cancellation mechanisms. Canalphones are a relatively new type of headphone, based on the technology used in hearing aids. Examples include: Etymotic Research ER-4p, Sensaphonics 2X, Shure E2c, Sony MDR-EX70/71 and Ultimate Ears UE-10 Pro. The ear canal, part of the ear, is a tube running from the outer ear to the middle ear. ...
The tympanum or tympanic membrane, colloquially known as eardrum, is a thin membrane that separates the outer ear from the middle ear. ...
Although it is widely used as a measure of the loudness of sound, the decibel is more generally a measure of the ratio between two quantities, and can be used to express a wide variety of measurements in acoustics and electronics. ...
An earplug is a piece of protective clothing that is meant to be inserted in the ear canal to protect the wearers hearing from loud noises or the intrusion of water. ...
Active noise control (also known as noise cancellation or antinoise) is a method for preventing unwanted sound. ...
Behind the ear aid A hearing aid is a device used to help the hard-of-hearing hear sounds better. ...
Etymotic Research, based in Illinois, USA, was founded in 1983 by Mead Killion. ...
Shure Incorporated is a consumer electronics corporation. ...
Sony Corporation (Japanese katakana: ソニー) (TYO: 6758), (NYSE: SNE) is a global consumer electronics corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. ...
The closer the driver is to the eardrum, the more easily it can impair hearing. Hearing impairment refers to the difficulty that a person perceives due to a hearing loss. ...
Driver types
Dynamic Dynamic drivers use magnetic material attached to a diaphragm that oscillates back and forth. This is the most common type of driver used in headphones. Magnetic lines of force of a bar magnet shown by iron filings on paper A magnet is an object that has a magnetic field. ...
Electrostatic A thin mylar sheet is between two metal plates and a charge imbalance on the plates vibrates the mylar sheet, producing a diaphragm. Examples of electrostatic headphones are the Stax SR-007 Omega II, and the Sennheiser HE90 "Orpheus".
Balanced armature Usually used only in canalphones such as sensaphonics.
Backing type
Open Open headphones (sometimes marketed as "open air" headphones) have an open grille on the back of the driver, allowing the sound to vent freely. This usually makes open headphones sound better than closed ones of the same cost range. They also expose the user to more outside sound in cases where that is desirable.
Closed Closed headphones are just that, closed backing. Usually these are used where isolation is preferred over sound quality.
Apparatus used to secure the earpiece on the ear
Headband A headband goes over the head. It is usually used with circumaural and supra-aural headphones, but is sometimes used with earbuds or canalphones.
Behind the neck Behind the neck go behind the neck, and are usually used in portable supra-aural headphones. They do not disturb ones hair like an over-the-head headband does, and can be worn with hats, etc. This now-popular style was newly popularized recently by a particularly trendsetting pair by Sony. Sony Corporation (Japanese katakana: ソニー) (TYO: 6758), (NYSE: SNE) is a global consumer electronics corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. ...
Clip A clip secures the earpiece with a clip that goes behind the outer ear. Usually used with earbuds, but also sometimes used with supra-aural headphones or canalphones.
None Many earbuds and canalphones do not need or have anything to secure themselves inside the ear.
Dangers Using headphones at a sufficiently high volume level causes temporary or permanent hearing impairment or deafness. Other risks arise from the reduced awareness of external sounds — some jurisdictions regulate the use of headphones while driving vehicles. Also, most European countries have imposed high penalties since 2002 on drivers not using a headset while operating a mobile phone in a car, to ensure that drivers keep their hands on the vehicle's controls. Volume (also called capacity) is a quantification of how much space an object occupies. ...
Hearing impairment refers to the difficulty that a person perceives due to a hearing loss. ...
This article is about hearing impairment in the patholocial sense. ...
The term jurisdiction has more than one sense. ...
Driving is the controlled operation of a vehicle, which is usually a motor vehicle such as a truck, bus, motorcycle, or car. ...
This article is about the continent. ...
2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Prominent manufacturers of headphones AKG Acoustics (originally ) is an Austrian manufacturer of audio electronics and accessories for professional and consumer markets. ...
The Bose Corporation is an American company based in Framingham, Massachusetts that researches, develops and manufactures audio equipment, including speakers, amplifiers, and automotive sound systems. ...
Etymotic Research, based in Illinois, USA, was founded in 1983 by Mead Killion. ...
Grado Labs is a manufacturer of open-air headphones as well as record cartridges. ...
Koss Corporation is a United States company that designs and manufactures headphones. ...
Sennheiser is a German pro audio company founded in 1945 by Professor Dr. Fritz Sennheiser (b. ...
Shure Incorporated is a consumer electronics corporation. ...
Sony Corporation (Japanese katakana: ソニー) (TYO: 6758), (NYSE: SNE) is a global consumer electronics corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. ...
Stax Records was a Memphis, Tennessee based record label that existed from 1959 to 1976. ...
Plantronics is a hardware company that specialises in audio and sound equipment including headsets. ...
Aiwa is a Japanese electronics and radio company. ...
Panasonic is principal sponsor of the Toyota F1 team Panasonic is a brand used by Matsushita, a Japanese company, to market its products throughout the world. ...
See also Noise-cancelling headphones reduce unwanted ambient sounds (i. ...
Closeup of a loudspeaker driver A loudspeaker is a device which converts an electrical signal into sound. ...
Inside a condenser microphone. ...
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