It is rather fascinating to see how technology has evolved over the past few decades, with different inventions and solutions emerging all the time to make our lives easier. There was a time when the only way to listen to music through a gramophone or a record player, but all that changed with time. Headphones were then invented and people had a different way to listen to broadcasts and music, and not too long afterward, earphones emerged. Perhaps the pinnacle of sophistication was the creation of wireless earbuds. Gone are the days of tripping on cords and having them entangled in your pockets. The wireless option changed the game, and it is quite a cool invention. Still, if you want to buy one, there are some factors that you need to consider first.
Comfort
Perhaps the most important angle –– next to sound quality –– about wireless earbuds is just how comfortable they are. You need to understand that they are a relatively new invention, and changes are being made all the time to make them more convenient. People who go for wireless earbuds probably plan on wearing them for a couple of hours, at least, on a daily basis, and they really need to be comfortable or else it can be really painful to put one on for extended periods. So, always ask about the convenience and read reviews on what people have to say because it might just not work for you. And whenever possible, try them on and see if they work with your ears and if the design is comfortable enough for you.
Sound quality
This is definitely the most crucial angle of a pair of headphones in general, and wireless earbuds in particular –– especially for audiophiles. People don’t really want to listen to music or watch videos through a pair of earbuds that sound poor and have too strong or too weak of bass, for example. What makes sound quality a very important angle with wireless earbuds specifically is the fact that they rely on Bluetooth connections to transmit the audio, and Bluetooth was never designed with the intention to transmit high-quality audio. True, companies keep trying new things to improve the quality, but at the end of the day, the sound is still compressed which means a poorer level. So, the trick is in finding the right pair that offers the best sound quality possible, which would probably still not be as good as a pair of traditional wired earphones.
Price
Ever since wireless earbuds were released, companies have been competing to offer the best option to their customers. Right now, you will find dozens of different products in the market, each with their pros and cons. As shown in the reviews by The High Tech Society, you need to look for the cheapest options possible –– without jeopardizing quality –– because those small wireless earbuds can get quite pricey and you probably have a budget to stick to. So, look at your different options and see which costs less, and what the features of those cheaper earbuds are.
Control options
The controls that come with wireless earbuds make a huge difference in your overall experience and just how smooth using them is going to be. It is the small details like increasing and lowering the volume with a click or a gesture and moving to the next or previous track that really do make a difference. Those controls will differ from a pair of wireless earbuds to the other, depending on the company’s design and offered features. The more options you get and the better the controls are, the more convenient the earbuds will be. You don’t really want to be forced to take out your phone to move to the next song every time you want to skip one. There are even some wireless earbuds that come with a voice command option, which is pretty cool.
Pairing
You really should consider pairing options before purchasing a pair of wireless earbuds. While most out there use Bluetooth for pairing, there are a few that offer an NFC option –– and there are others that offer both, like the Bose QuietControl 30 Wireless Earbuds. The thing about NFC is the fact it offers better sound quality, but it’s pairing distance is much shorter than that of the Bluetooth. So, if that is something you are willing to sacrifice for better sound quality, you should definitely keep an eye out for earbuds that have an NFC connection as an option.
Latency
This is another crucial point to consider and it’s also related to the Bluetooth connection that most wireless earbuds use. Latency is basically a delay that happens between the time the audio signal is sent and the time you hear it. While that isn’t noticeable when listening to music, you will definitely feel it if you’re watching a video and there is a discrepancy between the sounds heard and the video itself, which can be really annoying. So, read up on the pair you have in mind and see if people had any latency problems.
Battery life
Battery life is one area all the major companies are competing to excel in. Each pair of wireless headphones comes with a certain battery life time depending on several factors, and if you plan on using yours for extended hours during the day without charging, then you should definitely consider earbuds that give you a minimum of 7 to 8 hours. The cool thing is companies are now offering charging case, so when you’re not using or plugging in your earphones to charge, they are being charged in your pocket.
There is no question about the fact that wireless earbuds and headphones are the future. There was a lot of resistance against that notion when they first came out, and companies started removing headphone jacks from their phones, but now, everybody’s doing it. Those wireless devices offer convenience, flexibility and portability, and very cool designs as well. They even sound quite good now compared to earlier models that used to sound terrible in comparison.