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Broken TWS headphones are always a pain. Wired ones are much easier to replace and less stressful

Why TWS headphones can't replace our wired ones yet

Wireless headphones are one of the most popular and desirable accessories at the moment. Only Bluetooth speakers can match their popularity, provided you want your music to be heard by everyone. The choice of headphones is huge: you can choose something more modest, cheaper, or you can not deny yourself anything and buy an expensive headset, to enjoy listening to music and enjoy navigating through the playlist with the headphones. In general, you can't go anywhere without TWS headphones these days. But there is one problem: they still don't seem to be able to replace wired ones. There are many reasons for this – many people still prefer to listen to music on "wires," and you can understand such people. So what's the problem with wireless headphones?

Why will wireless headphones never replace wired headphones?

Wireless headphones with a good battery

Headphone manufacturers can pump up the battery life of their accessories all they want, but they will never be as immortal as wired headphones. Agree that no TWS headphones, even with the most powerful charging case, can survive long on the road, especially if you're a fan of podcasts or audiophiles.

And there are a lot of audiobooks out there, too. In any case, you will need to recharge them from the mains. And many users do not keep track of the charge level, and as a result they drive to work, enjoying the noise of the subway.

Advantages of TWS headphones

Users choose TWS-equipped models for several obvious advantages:

• Easy and convenient to use (TWS headphones pair quickly with devices)
• Freedom of movement without cable, allowing you to move around the city, jog or perform sports exercises;
• Good connection over short distances (Bluetooth works up to 9 meters) and if you decide to do household chores, you can safely move around the room with headphones.
• Ergonomic design.
• Excellent noise isolation, saving you from the noise of trains, neighbor's repairs or other external factors;
• Battery case provides several times longer working time of the headphones in comparison to traditional wireless devices

However, due to the nature of the technology, TWS headphones are more demanding than previous generations of Bluetooth accessories. For example, they can disconnect from each other and then one headphone will work and the other will simply turn off. In order to synchronize them, you need to reconnect the device.

Disadvantages of TWS headphones

As we wrote above, this headset is not for everyone. Make sure you understand the disadvantages of using TWS headphones versus using wired headphones before you purchase them.

Noise Reduction and Speech Recognition Capability

If having headphones designed to take work calls is paramount to you, we recommend buying separate headphones with good noise isolation. Despite the presence of this feature in TWS headphones, noise cancellation is not always active and helps avoid external noise. Many owners of the headset note that when talking in public places through the headphones, the interlocutors complain about low hearing.

Cost

As a newer and more advanced technology, most TWS headphones cost more than standard wired ones. For example, a pair of cheap wired headphones can cost you 500 rubles, while the price of the cheapest TWS headset ranges from 2500-3000 rubles.

In this situation, you get what you pay for: a pair of cheap wired headphones may be a good short-term investment, but a pair of TWS headphones has a long lifespan and all the benefits listed above. It's important to weigh your options when shopping.

TWS headphones: pros and cons

Audiophiles can safely skip this point.
Above, we defined the categories of people and their needs. Now we will talk about those who like dubious comfort and "whatever works".

What can modern bluetooth 5.2? "As much as" 2 mbps – this is one. What codecs does bluetooth support?

What do we see, gentlemen? That's right, for the year 2021 a complete lack of progress in the speed of information transfer through bluetooth.

The vast majority of TVShok support SBC Models with aptx support – less. AptxHD – already on the fingers, but with LDAC codec – "only" one model and that is a miserable beam in the form of Sony WI-1000XM2. Don't forget, we are talking about TWS headphones.

Now a moment of sarcasm for users of apple equipment, which is only friendly with AAC codec. Guys, no matter what you listen to over the air, you will not jump higher than 250kbps. Isn't it hilarious? Buying branded airpods for a lot of money… Yes, at the software level marketers will tell you that everything is super-duper there and compensated, but you are not small and understand that all these boosters, schmusters will not overtake the hardware. Yes, they will, but a narrow neck is a narrow neck.

So, now briefly about the pros and cons of wireless headphones.

• The sound quality often does not match the price/quality;
• loss or falling out of the headphones;
• need to charge (yes, yes, no matter how much they "hold" the charge, but at the most inopportune moment – bang and run out of power).

To sum up the TWS headphones, I can say the following: I listened to and expensive copies of $300-400 and cheaper. It's all pampering. You can buy two pairs of great wired intrachannels for the price of these, but expensive, TWSs.

So as not to be unsubstantiated, and to do something to help the army of TWAs, check this out Anker SoundCore Liberty Air 2. For their $100 price they offer decent sound. I wouldn't give more for TWS.

Wired In-Channel Headphones

I don't even know what to write here. Audiophiles returning from a smoke break already understand everything. This point is more of a contrasting comparison to the TWS.

• "microphone effect" in the cold (that's when the wire freezes and you hear clothes touching);
• frayed wire at the connections to the radiators and near the jack, but in headphones from 100 – $150 this happens very rarely;
• For those who are bothered by the wire – the wire.

From myself, I would recommend to pay attention to Queen of Audio Vesper Jade Green and the company 1More. Excellent options for fans of "dark" and balanced sound for the price up to 100$ Variants more expensive I can not advise, because there already need more detailed approach and listening to yourself.

Over the years I have listened to a lot of headphones, but now the Chinese are taking the market into their own hands. Shure, Etymotic are going into the shadows.

Is there a difference in sound?

If you compare simple wireless and TWS headphones, absolutely no difference. However, wired and wireless acoustics have a difference in sound, and in some cases a significant one. It is justified by the way wireless functions: the data is compressed before being transmitted from the source to the headphones, so some of the complex acoustic effects are lost. And how exactly the two headphones are interconnected with each other – with or without a wire – it doesn't matter anymore.

But here it should be noted that Bluetooth is improving every year. Even though wireless headphones still don't play as perfectly as wired ones, today only audiophiles and people with trained ears notice this difference.

What about battery life?

Built-in battery life is a very important consideration when choosing a truly wireless headset. Because the design doesn't include a wire with a remote control or a headband, the battery fits right into the body of the earplugs. And it just can't physically be very high capacity, although attempts are being made.

There are True Wireless models with ten hours of playback on a single charge. Many come with charging cases that feed the headphones during downtime, with an average case that can add about 25 hours of listening time.

The Lypertek PurePlay Z3 headphones have a record time of up to 80 hours of playback in total.

Bluetooth version

If your smartphone or other device supports Bluetooth 5, be sure to buy headphones with this version of the protocol. The current version of Bluetooth 5 uses less energy to transmit and receive sound, which means that both the headphones and your smartphone will run out of battery power more slowly when connected this way.

Sound quality is also directly related to the Bluetooth version – you'll minimize stuttering, desynchronization, and other lags due to the faster wireless connection. It's important that both devices use Bluetooth 5, otherwise the technology will be useless.

Codecs

Now let's make it a little more difficult. If you're buying headphones for more than just answering calls and listening to podcasts, pay attention to what codecs they support. For example, if your smartphone and headphones work with aptX or aptX HD – this often guarantees better sound quality. But keep in mind that different smartphone models support certain codecs – for example, HUAWEI does not have aptX, nor does the iPhone.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless with support for aptX, aptX Low Latency, AAC

By the way, as far as wireless headphones are concerned, you can't say for sure that the basic SBC codec is a bad thing. If the headset has a low-quality audio chip, the codec will not play any role. For example, a number of Chinese models with support for aptX and even aptX HD sound significantly worse than headphones with standard SBC. So if you want high quality sound, you will have to go into details – there is no way without it. Read more about codecs here.

Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro

Novelty Xiaomi looks spectacular: streamlined shape of the case and the headphones themselves, black or gold coloring. The manufacturer promises that inside the case – antibacterial coating.

The "stuffing" here is flagship. The headphones are equipped with 11mm dynamic drivers and triple microphones that provide noise-canceling performance. The bone conduction sensor helps to convey your voice clearly during calls. Noise cancellation has six levels of adjustment, and transparency mode has three.

Like many top models, it supports gesture control, auto-pause, spatial audio, auto-recognition of the conversation (the function of Smart Free Pick-up). The headphones support the new Bluetooth 5.3 protocol and can be connected to two devices at once.

The Buds 4 Pro's battery life is impressive: without ANC they will last up to 9 hours and the case will extend the battery life up to 38 hours.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3

The new generation of "melomanic" True Wireless comes in a cloth-covered case. The case is still a bit large, but the headphones themselves have become more ergonomic. Noise cancellation is now adaptive, and the case has support for wireless charging Qi.

The sound quality of this model is traditionally high, and aptX and AAC codecs are used for its transmission. All settings are made in the Smart Control application: there is a three-band equalizer, sound test function, transparency mode adjustment, adjustment of controls and an interesting feature – sound zones. Thanks to the geo-location binding, you can set the sound and noise reduction settings in the places you often visit. For example, at home you can turn off ANC and make music quieter, and when you go out on a busy street include noise modulation.

The model is available in gray, black, and white. And the headphones themselves and the case is protected from water by IPX4, that is suitable for active training.

Sensors

Advanced TWS models are equipped with special sensors: accelerometer, hall sensor and proximity sensors. They can be useful for the following purposes:

• The accelerometer improves active noise cancellation performance.
• The Hall sensor detects whether the case is securely closed, so the headphones won't fall out or get lost.
• The proximity sensors are responsible for auto-pause: they respond if you take the earphone out of your ear and stop playback. These sensors are also responsible for auto-sync: the headphones will automatically connect to your smartphone as soon as you take them out of the case.
• Bone conduction sensors detect when you start talking. Then the music is automatically muted and transparency mode is activated.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live with Hall sensor, accelerometer and bone conduction sensor

Mobile app

The proprietary app allows you to customize the device to your liking: set actions in response to taps, adjust the intensity of noise cancellation, monitor the battery level, update the firmware, and sometimes even find lost headphones. In some applications there is an equalizer – it is useful for those who want to adjust the sound frequencies.

Please note that the headset program must work with your smartphone model and allow you to configure the headphones. For example, the AI Life app from Huawei can be installed on the iPhone, but you can't add actual headphones through it – they simply aren't in the list of available ones.

Pros and cons of wireless headphones

As with any technology, wireless headphones have both advantages and disadvantages. The pros include:

• No wires, which often get tangled, twisted and quickly fail;
• freedom of action – you do not have to be afraid to catch something with the wire;
• Stylish design – wireless headphones look more aesthetic than wired ones;
• Independence from smartphones – the signal range allows you to use the headphones while the phone is charging in another room, besides it does not need to be constantly carried around, as in the case of wired headphones;
• the presence in some models of their own memory, battery and player allows you to not use the resources of your smartphone at all.

Before you choose wireless headphones for your smartphone, you need to decide on the type of gadget you need. All headphones can be divided into two large groups:

In-canal .

Such headphones are also called earplugs or earmuffs. How do they differ?

1. The presence or absence of ear cushions and their type, if any. Wireless in-ear headphones without ear cushions are characterized by minimal sound insulation. They are comfortable and safe outdoors or while jogging, but they are almost useless in the subway and other noisy places, for example. Models with foam ear cushions are called vacuum ear cushions and are similar in principle to earplugs – they completely protect against external noise. The most common variant is the models with silicone ear cushions, which have an average level of sound insulation. Expensive wireless headphones initially come with different kinds of ear cushions, and for other models you can buy a replacement set separately.

2. Method of fixation. The headset can be simply plugged into the ear, or it can be fitted with external elements for a secure hold on the ear. There are models of wireless headphones with a wing, wishbone or body in the form of an arc, which houses the battery and controls.

There is a separate type of in-ear headphones – TWS . It stands for True Wireless Stereo, which means completely wireless stereo. These models consist of completely separate elements that sync via Bluetooth not only with your smartphone, but also with each other.

OnePlus Buds Z

OnePlus Buds Z will please you with AAC codec, 5 hours on a single charge, 10 mm. dynamic radiator and IP55 water protection. First of all the cream from them will be taken by owners of smartphones of this company. They have a very tight integration there with EQ and game mode.

In terms of pitch, it's such a juicy, expressive sound with a good slant to emotionality and just a gorgeous weight to each of the instruments. Minus one, at very fast tempos these headphones can not, as the sound in this case begins to blur. But at low medium speeds they do just wonders and can compete even with some even serious models.

KZ Z1 Pro

KZ Z1 Pro is an improved version of the old Z1. In terms of codecs it is only AAC of the normal, 10 mm. dynamic radiator, gaming mode and water protection IPX6.

In terms of sound they give out such a musical, bassy and analog warm delivery. Without any rubbery, dirty and sibilant sound. Very natural harmonious sound with a good level of timbres in depth.

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