On the street, on public transport or in the gym, we see them in everyone’s ears little by little making our good old wired headphones obsolete… A concept democratized by the Apple brand in 2016 with its famous hovercraft Wireless headphones they are the main trend in the audio market today. What are the advantages ? Its disadvantages? How to choose them? Let’s see this…
Wireless headphones, how do they work?
Each model of wireless headphones is different and the features they have may vary between manufacturers. However, all wireless headphones are based on the same system: Bluetooth . This technology allows you to remotely connect your headphones to your smartphone or computer. To do this, simply turn on Bluetooth mode on them and select the model name of the wireless earbuds from the list of detected devices. It will be possible to move more or less away from the emitting device, about ten meters most of the time. But the Bluetooth range may vary depending on the transmitting devices and the model of wireless headphones used.
Because they are interesting?
L Wireless headphones offer great listening freedom . This is undoubtedly its biggest advantage. They allow you to listen to music or take a call while you are on the move, especially during a sports activity, without being bothered by the cable that wanders in all directions… Bluetooth headphones also have the advantage of being light and compact, so you save money . of space and allow for easy storage . No more tangled cables to untangle… In addition, wireless headphones can be connected to several different devices (smartphone, tablet, computer, etc.) and now even with some of them (from Samsung and Xiaomi) it is possibletransmit the same music to two pairs of wireless headphones to have fun together but separately, ideal for watching a movie on the plane for example…
Do wireless headphones have any drawbacks?
Inevitably, we can’t have the butter, the money for the butter and…well! Wireless headphones also have their share of downsides. Here are some.
They are noticeably much more expensive than their wired cousins… For top quality wireless headphones you will need a minimum budget of 100 euros, which is not necessarily within the reach of all pockets. Remember that for a good twenty euros you can find a pair of very good quality wired headphones. Next, Bluetooth headsets tend to offer generally lower sound quality than wired headsets, resulting in particular latency issues (sound/image delay), except of course if you go all out on the price side… Finally, the last main drawback, the load. Wireless headphones are to be recharged regularly, approximately every 4 days (more or less depending on its use). So if you forget to charge them, for the music, all you have to do is sing along!
For what budgets?
The price of a pair of wireless headphones usually ranges between 20 and 350 euros. But as seen above, if you’re looking for high-quality wireless headphones, you’ll need at least $100.
How to choose your wireless headphones?
There is a huge selection of wireless headphone models on the market and they are not all the same. However, prices rise quickly and sometimes without this being really justified by quality… This is why for good When choosing wireless headphones, it is essential to study their quality/price ratio based on three main criteria …to get these revolutionary little items without breaking your wallet!
Design
Design is one of the main criteria for choosing a good Bluetooth headset, as it will determine how comfortable it is to wear. You can choose between three types of wireless headphones:
- Buttons, which slide slightly into the ear and are the most discreet.
- In-ears, which sink into the ears to stay in place.
- The supraauricular ones, the least invasive since they are placed, not in, but on the ear.
To each ear, its form of headphones. Therefore, you must be careful to choose the one that suits you best. Normally, once placed, you shouldn’t feel them anymore.
Sound quality
Here, it will depend on your requirements… And therefore also on your budget. Of course, wireless headphones at 20 euros will offer a much less interesting sound quality than a model at 150 euros… But even for a similar price, some headphones will not offer the same sound as others. To make the right choice, you will have to look, among other things, at the Achilles heel of wireless headphones: latency. Additionally, some models are equipped with active noise reduction which greatly improves sound quality.
We strongly recommend that you refer to the opinions of buyers, often unstoppable, to make a good study of the quality / price ratio.
The comfort of use
Even if all wireless headphones work on the same principle, they are used differently on a daily basis. Everything will depend on your expectations. For example, for some users it is essential to be able to adjust the sound without having to take out the phone. Not all Bluetooth headsets offer this option… Also be sure to consider the battery life of wireless headsets, which should be tailored to your usage routine (How many hours will you use per week? Per day?) and the weight of the headset ( no more than 50 grams without which they risk becoming painful to use).
Three models, three budgets…
We have made a small selection of the best wireless headphones for small, medium and large budgets:
- Airbuds Umidigi: €33.99
- The Jabra Elite 75t: €99.99
- Apple Airpods Pro: €199
And what do you think ? Skip the Bluetooth headset step or stick with your good old wired headset? Have you ever tried wireless headphones? Tell us everything in the comments!
