Earphone Types
Exploring the Different Types of Earphones: What's Right for You?
Have you ever been confused about the different earphones available on the market? With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to know which one is right for you. In this blog post, we will explore the different earphones, from dynamic drivers to planar magnetic drivers, and provide some tips on choosing the right earphones for your needs.
Introduction
If you're looking for the perfect pair of earphones, you're in the right place. With so many earphones available, it's overwhelming to figure out which ones are best for you. In this blog post, we will explore the different earphones and provide some tips on how to choose the right pair for your needs. Whether you're a music enthusiast or just want something to listen to on your daily commute, this guide has you covered.
Before we move further to explain the types of earphones, we must know about what the headphone drivers are:
The speakers inside of headphones are called "drivers," and they vibrate and 'drive' air into your ear canal. The sound you hear from your headphones results from the driven air.
Headphone drivers, sometimes referred to as transducers, transform electrical energy from the headphones into audible acoustic elements. Depending on the sort of headphones or speakers they power, drivers come in a variety of sizes.
However, headphone drivers primarily comprise these three crucial components:
1. Magnet
The magnetic field produced by the magnet in the driver affects A headphone's overall sound quality. The sound quality increases with the magnet strength (in relation to the driver's size).
Stronger magnets can provide greater air movement, which will improve the driver's frequency coverage. But that's, to put it mildly, oversimplifying, as other components' fine-tuning and caliber can also influence the sound quality.
Since they move the diaphragm back and forth, magnets make up the speakers' "driving force," causing air vibrations and sound waves to be produced.
2. Voice Coil
The physical force that contacts and pushes the diaphragm to produce the vibration on its surface is provided by the voice coils. Voice coils become electromagnetic and interact with the magnets when electricity flows through them. The coils vibrate as a result of this attractor/repulsor interaction, moving the diaphragm.
Voice coils can be formed of a wide range of materials, although copper makes up the majority of them. The assortment of materials includes PCOCC and HI-OFC (Oxygen-Free Copper) (Pure Copper by Ohno Continuous Casting).
Due to its low oxygen content (0.03%) and high purity (99.95%), oxygen-free copper is said to have greater conductivity, but it is frequently slightly more expensive to produce. The quality of pure copper coils is little lower (99.5%), but because it is easier to form, it is also significantly less expensive.
Overall, the sound quality won't be considerably impacted by the various voice coil materials.
3. Diaphragm
To move the air, the diaphragm vibrates, which creates audible sound waves. It typically has a thin membrane made of different materials with edges that are held to allow vibration. The thin membrane vibrates and pushes the air to create the sound you hear from each of your headphones' speakers as the electricity passes through the voice coils and moves the diaphragm.
Overview of Different Types of Earphones
In earphones, there are several types to choose from. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to know what to look for when deciding. The most common types of earphones are dynamic drivers, balanced armature drivers, planar magnetic drivers, electrostatic drivers, piezoelectric drivers, bone conduction drivers and hybrid drivers. We'll explore each type in detail below.
Dynamic Driver Earphones
Dynamic driver earphones are the most common type of earphones on the market. They use a diaphragm to convert electrical signals into sound waves, which are then sent to your ears. Dynamic driver earphones are typically cheaper than other types, and they provide good sound quality and bass response. They are also lightweight and comfortable to wear.
However, dynamic driver earphones are not as accurate or detailed as other types of earphones. They also distort at higher volumes.
Balanced Armature Earphones
Balanced armature earphones are a type of earphone that uses a tiny, balanced armature driver to produce sound. This type of earphone is more expensive than dynamic driver earphones, but they offer better accuracy and detail. They also have better noise-isolation and are more comfortable to wear.
However, balanced armature earphones can be hard to drive and require more power than other types of earphones. They also are less bassy than dynamic driver earphones.
Planar Magnetic Driver Earphones
Planar magnetic driver earphones are a type of earphone that uses a planar magnetic driver to produce sound. This type of earphone is typically more expensive than other types, but it offers excellent sound quality and accuracy. Planar magnetic driver earphones also have good noise isolation and are comfortable to wear.
However, planar magnetic driver earphones are heavier than other types of earphones, and they require a lot of power to drive. However, with the technological advancement, the weight of planar magnetic drivers has brought down. They also are less bassy than dynamic driver earphones.
Electrostatic Driver Earphones
Electrostatic driver earphones are a type of earphone that uses an electrostatic driver to produce sound. This type of earphone is typically the most expensive and offers the excellent sound quality, detail, and accuracy. Electrostatic driver earphones also have excellent noise-isolation and are very comfortable to wear.
However, electrostatic driver earphones require special amplifiers to drive and be heavier than other types of earphones. They also are less bassy than dynamic driver earphones.
Piezoelectric Driver Earphone
To move the diaphragm, piezoelectric drivers use a voltage applied to a piezoelectric material (such as ceramics or crystals). Piezoelectric materials can change physically under the influence of electricity, producing the 'movement' that causes the diaphragm to vibrate.
This driver is extremely sensitive to variations in sound frequency and volume because of the atomic-level operations of piezoelectric materials. In other words, they can produce sound from even the smallest audio signal.
However, producers can only make so much fine-tuning since piezoelectric materials are relatively difficult to mould. Due to this constraint, piezoelectric drivers produce sound that is generally of inferior quality and consume a lot of power to operate.
Bone Conduction Driver
Although bone-conduction headphones are still relatively new, both enthusiasts and everyday shoppers are embracing them.
Bone conduction headphones are helpful for people with hearing loss brought on by injured eardrums because they don't use their eardrums to transmit sound waves. However, there has been much discussion over the safety of bone-conduction headphones because sometimes using them for an extended period led to discomfort, skin irritation, and headaches.
Since bone-conduction headphones don't obstruct the ear canals, you can still hear what's going on around you while wearing them. Because of this, bone-conduction headphones are excellent for use outside.
In contrast to other drivers, bone conduction drivers are distinctive in that they don't generate sound waves. These drivers cause the jawbones and temporal bones to vibrate, sending the sound straight to the inner ear.
Although there is a lot of room for implementation, bone conduction drivers currently don't sound as good as other drivers. Bone conduction headphones frequently have poor sound isolation and sound leaking because they don't fit in your ear canals.
Hybrid Driver Earphones
Hybrid driver earphones are a type of earphone that uses a combination of dynamic drivers and balanced armature drivers or any of the above drivers combination to produce sound. This type of earphone is typically more expensive than other types, but it offers a good balance between sound quality, detail, and accuracy. Hybrid driver earphones were introduced to overcome the limit of a particular single driver, as dynamic drivers can produce authoritative bass but may not produce mids and treble at the same level of detail which Balanced Armature drivers do. Similarly, Balanced Armature driver alone cannot produce authoritative bass unless we equip 2-3 balanced drivers to produce the bass, so it is used with the combination of dynamic driver to overcome this limit and cost effectiveness.
Tips on Choosing the Right Earphones
Now that you have a better understanding of the different earphones, here are some tips to help you choose the right earphones for your needs:
- Know your budget and preference towards the sound signature: Before you shop, it's important to know your budget and the sound signature you are looking for. Decide how much you're willing to spend on a pair of earphones and stick to them. We have seen so many people spend money on an earphone and become disappointed as the sound signature is not to their liking.
- Consider your listening habits: Think about how you'll be using your earphones. Will you be using them for listening to music or podcasts? Will you be using them for gaming or watching movies? Knowing your listening habits will help you narrow down your options.
- Try before you buy: If possible, try a pair of earphones before you buy them. You can usually find a store that offers a demo so you can test out the sound quality and comfort level of the earphones.
- Read reviews: In today’s world, it is nearly impossible to audition the earphones before buying. Do your research and read reviews of the earphones you're considering. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from the earphones and help you make an informed decision.
Conclusion
Choosing the right earphones can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. By understanding the different earphones and following the tips above, you'll be able to find the perfect pair for your needs. So, don't be afraid to explore the different earphones and find the ones that are right for you.
If you're looking for the perfect pair of earphones, start your search here—discover the different earphone types and find the ones that are right for you!
