If you’ve ever touched the end of a cable that was plugged into a speaker, you’ve likely heard a buzzing sound. Common examples include handling the auxiliary cable in the car when trying to plug your phone in or handling a patch cord when plugging it into an electric guitar while the amp is on….
Large subwoofers can really make us feel the bass frequencies of music and sound, but smaller speakers may surprise us with the amount of perceived bass they are capable of producing. How do small speakers produce bass frequencies? Small speakers are generally less capable of producing bass frequencies than larger speakers, though several techniques allow…
Magnetic material and magnetic fields surround us in our day-to-day lives, from the refrigerator magnets to the Earth’s magnetic field to the speakers in our homes, on the stage, in our cars, etc. Why and how do speakers use magnets? Speakers are transducers of energy that convert electrical energy (audio signals) into mechanical wave energy…
If you’ve been studying audio and sound, you’ve likely come across the magical term “transducer,” which refers to devices that convert one form of energy into another form of energy. Speakers and headphones are common transducers, and knowing how they work will help us better understand the world of audio. How do speakers and headphones…
Bluetooth connectivity is becoming more and more prevalent in headphones due, in large part, to the phasing out of the headphone jack in mobile audio devices. If you’re one of the many who have switched to a pair of Bluetooth headphones or will eventually get a pair, this article will help you understand how they…
If you were to choose and listen to a pair of headphones randomly, it’s almost guaranteed those headphones will have moving-coil dynamic drivers. The moving-coil dynamic headphone is by far the most common headphone type in existence. What is a moving-coil dynamic headphone? A moving-coil dynamic headphone is defined by its moving-coil driver. It acts…
The digital age has brought with it digital audio and an incredible variety of new audio devices. Headphones have become increasingly popular with the invention of the portable music player and are used in our daily lives to playback audio from our many digital audio devices. Are headphones analog or digital audio devices? Though headphones…
If you’ve ever seen a larger speaker producing loud sound, you’ve likely seen noticeable vibrations in the diaphragm. Speakers need to vibrate to produce sound waves, and these vibrations are often imperceptible to the human eye and only perceptible to the human ear. How fast do loudspeakers and headphones vibrate? To produce the entire range…
If you’ve ever seen what looks to be a pair of odd-looking headphones that do not go over or even in the listener’s ear, you’ve likely seen a pair of bone conduction headphones. These strange devices serve the same purpose as regular headphones but work on different principles. What are bone conduction headphones? Bone conduction…
If you’ve ever seen a big-time professional musical performance live or on video, you may have recognized one or more balanced armature in-ear monitors in the ears of the performers. In-ear monitors are often preferred over foldback monitors due to feedback considerations, and a great number of professional in-ear monitors utilize balanced armature designs. What…
Of all the headphone types in the world, electrostatic headphones are likely the least understood and the most exotic. These high-end headphones are enjoyed by many audiophiles who are willing to spend the money on a pair. What are electrostatic headphones? Electrostatic headphones are transducers that convert audio signals (electrical energy) into sound waves (mechanical…
If you’ve even gone on a deep search to find a perfect pair of high-end headphones, you’ve likely stumbled upon planar magnetic headphones (or at least the term). The planar magnetic headphone type works a bit differently than the typical moving-coil headphones that make up the majority of the market, providing advantages and disadvantages to…
