Headphones don’t like my hair.
That’s an unlucky fact for somebody who has spent half of his life being a little obsessed with headphones.
Getting good sound high quality out of most headphones requires an excellent seal, however years of testing headphones have proven most easily don’t attempt to account for extra voluminous hairstyles just like the fro I’ve been rising over the pandemic. Individuals who put on glasses usually face comparable points, because the glasses can intervene with the seal to the same extent.
It’s an even bigger downside than you would possibly suppose – and we are able to measure it.
Good sound often requires an excellent seal
I first observed this downside again in 2018 whereas testing a pair of high-end noise-canceling headphones. I used to be nonetheless able to declare the headphones junk till I obtained my hair lower to a neat fade.
With that contemporary new ‘do, the headphones all of the sudden sounded nice — and it wasn’t simply from the dopamine hit of an excellent Dominican haircut.
I used to be already nicely conscious of the significance of an excellent seal as somebody who primarily listened to IEMs on the time, however I’d underestimated the dramatic affect it may have on full-size headphones too. I’m satisfied that when two folks expertise the identical pair of headphones otherwise, that distinction usually comes right down to the distinction within the seal high quality.
On IEMs, it’s often fairly apparent when you have got a nasty seal. With headphones, the distinction might be extra delicate. I thought I used to be already getting a terrific seal because the headphones have been offering first rate noise isolation. But the sub-bass appeared to be missing, and the headphones had an irregular quantity of distortion for one thing retailing for $400.
Furthermore, my impressions of the headphone simply didn’t line up with others I’d learn in any respect, and whereas there’s at all times some subjectivity to audio, it’s not really that subjective. One thing was amiss. These headphones, like so many others I’ve examined since, simply didn’t like my hair.
The information
It’s often simpler to note a nasty seal with closed-back headphones that don’t provide noise canceling. This tends to come back out as an apparent lack of bass, one thing we are able to see clearly by taking frequency response measurements with and with no full seal.
Take the JBL 710BT, a pair of headphones I purchased as a result of they’re remarkably neutral for the value. The issue is, although the information proves they’re able to impartial sound, I’ve hardly ever skilled this neutrality. On my ears, they often simply don’t have sufficient bass until I actively push the headphones in opposition to my ears.
(Observe: these frequency response measurements should not utilizing industry-standard gear and shouldn’t be used as an absolute reference of efficiency. However they’re adequate for these comparative functions).
In blue is the headphone’s efficiency with a correct seal. I used to be not capable of finding a wig that matched my coiffure in time for publication, so the crimson curve exhibits how the identical headphones carry out after inserting a pair of glasses on the take a look at rig for a free seal.
That’s a dramatic lack of bass. Though not all cases of bass loss will probably be this dramatic, the graph above displays my preliminary impression of the headphones: they’d nearly no bass.
A foul seal is sufficient to fully change the character of a pair of headphones. And even should you don’t take heed to bassy music, bass presence impacts your notion of the remainder of the frequency vary.
Granted, most instances of a nasty seal in all probability received’t be that dramatic, however after doing a whole bunch of those headphone measurements (I often reposition a headphone a number of occasions to take a mean match), it’s simple to see how small modifications in positioning can yield audible variations in sound high quality. Even a couple of decibels misplaced could make or break your notion of a pair of headphones.
I’m not simply selecting on the JBLs right here – I selected them as a result of they’re an instance of an excellent headphone turned bitter by a nasty seal. I’ve seen comparable outcomes numerous occasions over testing dozens of headphones in all worth ranges, though some are pickier than others about positioning.
What about noise-canceling headphones?
Noise-canceling headphones make issues a bit of extra fascinating. Lots of them, akin to the brand new Sony WH-1000XM5, really use their built-in microphones to detect a nasty seal and make up for it by boosting the bass. In case you try the information on a website like Rtings, you’ll see that the closed-back headphones with probably the most constant frequency response are usually noise-canceling fashions.
That is usually a terrific factor because it makes headphones a lot much less finicky about positioning. Our ears are most delicate to frequency response, so so long as all of the frequencies are correctly balanced, a pair of headphones will often sound good. Normally.
However growing the bass past the headphone’s default tuning comes at the price of distortion. That is very true for the drivers in noise-canceling headphones, that are already pulling double responsibility by canceling out the soundwaves of the surface world.
Now, the consequences of distortion are sometimes exaggerated within the audio world. In actuality, it takes quite a bit of distortion before most people notice it, particularly at bass frequencies. Furthermore, relying on the type, distortion doesn’t even at all times sound unhealthy (electrical guitars sound cool due to distortion, in any case). It’s a sophisticated subject that’s past the scope of this text.
However, pushing a driver past its limits doesn’t often yield nice outcomes. Sadly, a number of noise-canceling headphones I’ve examined have suffered from annoying distortion when listening at larger volumes – distortion that disappears as quickly as I repair the seal.
Right here’s some extra information for you. The graph under exhibits how the Sony headphones carry out at excessive volumes with (crimson) and with out (blue) glasses once more.
The frequency response modifications, however the distinction is way much less dramatic than with the JBLs. Once more, that is usually an excellent factor. However at excessive volumes, I’ve discovered noise-canceling headphones like these will persistently distort with heavy bass until I take additional care to make sure a correct seal.
Right here’s the distortion with the great seal.
And right here’s the distortion with a nasty seal:
For our functions, you simply have to know one factor concerning the above graphs: the distortion within the bass is way larger with a nasty seal. And the distortion rises even considerably larger as I strategy the headphone’s most quantity.
All that being stated, I need to be clear that the above graphs alone aren’t conclusive on their very own. The audibility of distortion is an oft-debated subject, and proving audibility would require extra refined exams than I’m in a position to present. Some experiments present persons are unable to detect a lot larger distortion ranges than those offered above. So these graphs are actually simply meant to indicate that there’s a noticeable distortion improve with the unhealthy seal.
However coupled with the truth that I can really, , hear the distortion on a number of such ANC headphones – it’s removed from delicate – it’s clear there might be penalties to attempting to overcompensate for a nasty seal.
What can I do about it?
Sadly, the physics of sound means it’s at all times going to be harder to get nice sound with a nasty headphone seal. However armed with the above information, you may make some educated selections and modifications to enhance your listening expertise.
Examine your match
It may appear apparent, however earlier than you trash your headphones, it’s best to merely attempt messing round with their match. Generally slight changes to the headscarf — whether or not to extend stress or regulate positioning — could make a marked distinction within the seal you’ll be able to obtain. Transfer the cups round to regulate their match in your noggin till you’re feeling you’re getting the most effective seal you’ll be able to obtain. Transfer tufts of hair out of the best way, or attempt repositioning your glasses a bit.
You would possibly discover that’s simply sufficient to make the sound high quality acceptable once more, even when it’s not splendid to consistently be checking for a correct match.
Get thicker pads
Whereas most producers could also be unwilling to supply alternate options, corporations like Dekoni Audio make aftermarket earpads for all kinds of headphones.
It’s value noting that earpads are an integral a part of a headphone’s sound — particularly closed-back headphones. Altering them will alter the sound, particularly as this usually means altering the froth filter in entrance of the driving force as nicely. However contemplating you aren’t getting the supposed sound with a nasty seal anyway, likelihood is totally different pads can solely enhance sound high quality.
Increase the bass (in case your headphones can deal with it)
If in case you have a method to apply EQ to your headphones, it’s best to attempt merely elevating the bass to your liking.
Sure, I do know: we’ve already established that some headphones merely can’t deal with a considerable bass increase.
However headphones range considerably of their distortion profiles, and non-ANC headphones ought to have a bit of extra respiration room as to how a lot you’ll be able to elevate the bass earlier than distortion turns into problematic. Excessive-end headphones can usually deal with a considerable bass increase with out it changing into clearly audible.
All that issues is that the headphones really sound good. In case you can’t hear the distortion, it would as nicely not be there.
Open-back headphones
Thus far, we’ve been speaking completely about closed-back headphones that are designed with an excellent seal in thoughts. However open-back headphones are designed to be exactly the alternative — they’re meant to sound their finest whereas letting sounds from the surface out and in.
That is primarily to provide headphones a extra spacious sound, however the open-back design has the secondary advantage of being a lot much less finicky about getting a correct seal.
The issue is there are only a few open-back headphones that assist Bluetooth, though you might at all times purchase a Bluetooth receiver to make any wired pair of headphones wi-fi. However noise-canceling headphones with an open design are virtually unprecedented.
Nonetheless, in case your principal objective is sound high quality, you would possibly discover you’re higher off getting a pair of open-back headphones than losing time on sealed headphones that merely received’t ever sound good to you.
Producers can do higher
Look, I’m not saying headphone makers hate curly-haired folks with glasses. It’s simply that too many headphones appear to be designed with out a lot consideration for teams of people that may need hassle getting a correct seal. I shouldn’t should get a haircut for optimum sound high quality, however right here we’re.
The best approach for a producer to get round this downside is perhaps to easily present thicker, extra pliable earpads — or not less than an possibility for individuals who want it. Too many headphones ship with earpads that merely aren’t in a position to present an enough seal with my hair kind, or for folks with glasses.
Many wi-fi earbuds, together with Apple’s AirPods Professional, now examine for a correct seal through the setup course of. Whereas a poor seal tends to be much less audible on full-size headphones, the same in-app instrument may nonetheless be helpful so you’ll be able to examine whether or not you’re getting the most effective sound high quality out of your cans.
However finally the most effective technique is to easily make the headphones higher — adequate that they will keep bass with a poor seal or summon additional bass with out distorting. That’s one thing that can take money and time.
Within the meantime, should you care about sound high quality, you would possibly simply should accept a haircut.
