Open back headphones offer a different listening experience to closed back headphones. More detail, better stereo separation and more. But what are they and how do they do it?
If you are looking for new headphones, our guide will help you see why wireless open back headphones are the perfect choice for your listening needs, whether podcasts, music or gaming.
What does open back mean?
Open back headphones are exactly what the name implies, the ear cups are not sealed, so they are open behind the speaker. This is opposed to the closed back style of headphones, where the ear cup is completely enclosed and forms a seal to the head when worn. The closed back style isolates the wearer from the environment, so they cannot hear noise around them, and are especially useful in noise canceling style headphones.
This may seem ideal, so why would you choose open backed headphones, that let outside noise in, instead? The key is in sound quality. Open back headphones have space for the drivers to breathe, and this results in a more accurate sound reproduction, especially detail and the position of the soundscape.
The result is an easy listening experience, you can pinpoint the position of each sound, useful for music, gaming, podcasts and so much more, and with lots of detail and great balance, they are an ideal choice for anyone who can listen in a quiet environment.
Why choose wireless headphones?
In some situations, wireless is the only option. Today, we tend to listen to audio of all kinds on the go more than ever before, and with modern mobile phones having fewer ways to connect, if you don’t have wireless, you can’t listen.
But that is not the only reason to choose wireless open back headphones. Wireless can be useful even with computers, sound systems and other devices that can use wired connections. The freedom to move around without worrying about cable length or getting tangled up can be extremely useful, there is nothing more frustrating than having to stop your audio just so you can reach that pen, or a sandwich.
What makes good wireless open back headphones?
There are so many great products on the market today, it is difficult to pick out a specific brand, but in general, the best headphones offer a mix of comfort and sound quality. Look for headphones with supple, soft ear cups and padded headbands. Memory foam is the best option, but cheaper models can still provide great comfort with things like PU leather and ordinary foam.
Sound quality is what matters most of course, check out headphone reviews to see which impresses people the most. This is really important if you can’t get to try any out before buying. You can check the tech specs for frequency responses and so on but be aware that the numbers don’t always tell the full story.
Headphones with a wider frequency response should be able to produce a more accurate sound, but this is not always the case, so check out what people think of a product before making your decision.
How will you use your headphones?
Wireless open back headphones use battery power to operate, so think about how you plan on using yours. In the early days of technology, headphones used to have battery life measured in a few hours, so if you were planning on a day out, you would be in trouble pretty quickly unless you had a way of charging the headphones.
However, the latest headphones are a little different, and the best wireless open back headphones have battery life measured in days. So, for most situations, a better life won’t be an issue, but if you are going on longer trips where charging may be an issue, then it is possible to get headphones that can last three or four days between charges.
Conclusion
With so many options for headphones out there, knowing what type to buy can seem overwhelming. Wireless open back headphones provide the convenience of cable free use, easy connection to your favorite mobile device and high-quality sound reproduction.
They do struggle in noisy environments, because they allow external sounds in, and for some, battery life may be an issue, but in general wireless open back headphones are the perfect choice for listening to music, podcasts, playing games and everything else.
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