Have you ever wanted to know how many types of headphones are there and how they are different?

I am pretty sure that most of the people don’t know.

Do you want to know, what is the best headphone available in the market?

or

Do you want to know how to buy a headphone or what should you know about headphone?

And…

Are you finding an article where you will get your answer?

If so, in this article I will be talking about different types of headphone. I will explain each of them. Also, if you need a buyer guide, then do check out the headphone buyer guide.

Different Types of Headphone:

Earbuds:

These headphones were once brought revolution in the industry. Earbuds sit just outside the ear canal, but it does not enter it. Many smartphones and MP3 players are accompanied by them. Their small size makes them extremely portable. You can take them anywhere with you. Sound quality is also quite good in them. However, people who love quality audio does not like them.

On the downside, earbuds don’t have noise isolation or noise cancellation abilities. Therefore, outside noises always enter your ear. Also, they often tend to fit poorly and fall out from the ear as a result. So, I would suggest you find one with a snug fit. Also, prolonged usage of them can cause hurt to your ear.

In-ear Headphones:

In-ear headphones seal the ear canal fully. When it comes to price to performance ratio, it is quite hard to beat. They weight almost like a feather, increasing their portability. Also, they also offer a moderate noise isolation as well. Most noises such as birds, cars, and anyone walking would not affect your listening experience. However, it can not block sounds such as train whistles, car horns, and other shrill noises. They have ear tips attached to them. These ear tips are made of either memory foam and silicon. Memory foam ear tips are better when it comes to noise isolation and comfort.

It has its disadvantages as well. Using them for more than four hours for a day can seriously harm your ear. It is advisable to use them for just an hour each day. Also, using in-ear headphones at full volume for long hours can cause permanent ear damage.

On-ear Headphones:

On-ear headphones are also called supra-aural headphones. These headphones sit over your outer part of your ear. Due to this design, on-ear headphones causes lesser strain than over-ear ones. They are also lighter as well. Also, their sound quality is also quite good. However, the bass in these headphones is not up to the mark when you use it in outdoor. Although these are quite useful for traveling.

Like every product, on-ear headphones also has its own set of cons. the same design that feels comfortable causes poor noise isolation performance. Even, the foam on the ear cup can get real sweaty and cause problems due to perspiration. Besides, the ear can get quite warm and can irritate if you use them for long hours.

Over-ear Headphones:

Over-ear headphones are the best when it comes to noise isolation. They completely cover your ear, barring all the sound from the outside world. These are also known as circum-aural headphones. The sound quality is second to none on these headphones. You can also use them for long hours at a go without damaging your ear.

On the downside, these are extremely bulky. However, they are not portable and not good for travel. They also consume so much power. You would need an amplifier to get the most out of them. Also, the models with higher features are on the expensive side of the price spectrum.

Over-ear headphones come in two types, open back and closed back.

Open Back Over-ear Headphones:

Open back over-ear headphones have an open back as you can guess from the name. They have a gilded mesh design on the back as well. The sound quality that you get from these headphones is simply superb. Air can pass between them.  You will get natural music, and bass will be better.

However, due to this same reason, these headphones are not as good as closed back ones when it comes to noise isolation. But if you use them in a quieter place, these are the very best to have.

Closed back Over-ear Headphones:

Closed back over-ear headphones have their backs completely closed. As a result, noise isolation in these headphones is exceptional. Sound quality is also very nice as well. However, open back headphones beat them in this aspect.

As they do not let air pass through, close back over-ear headphones can get damp if you use them for long hours, especially in summer season.

In-ear Canalphones:

In-ear canal phones are somewhat an odd choice if you ask me. They sit way too deeper in your ear. However, for this reason, their noise isolation ability is superb. Also, they provide amazing bass as well. Also, you would not find any issues regarding fit.

On the downside, they sit way too deeper, as mentioned earlier. Due to this reason, they can be quite uncomfortable for many users. Also, sweating also occurs at a higher rate on these headphones. In-ear canal phones are not at all meant for extended use. In fact, you should use them as sparingly as possible.

Wireless Headphones:

Wireless headphones come in three different types, Infrared Headphones, Radio Frequency Headphones, and Bluetooth Headphones. You can use these headphones both indoors and outdoors. The absence of wire makes them a great choice for travel. There is also no issues of tangling the wire at all.

However, wireless headphones run on batteries. As a result, you can not use them if the battery is dead. Also, the sound quality is also not up to the mark when you compare it with other headphones types described in this list.

These are all you need to know about the different types of headphones. I hope the article was enjoyable as well as being thoroughly helpful. If you think I have missed something, then please let me know in the comments section below. Thank you so much for your time and attention! See you next time.