Do Wired Headphones Sound Better? Complete Details
You are confused between buying wired and wireless headphones and want to know which one sounds better? Well, you are not alone. Anyone who wants to buy new headphones first searches about both wired and wireless audio devices. As audio quality is one of the biggest things to look for, people often wonder whether wired headphones sound better than others or not. Well, I’ve got you covered.
Wired headphones do sound better than wireless ones. It is because wired headphones have better bitrate support, no chances of fluctuations, and are overall more comfortable than others.
Want to know complete details? In this guide, I’m describing every factor that makes wired headphones a better choice if you prefer sound quality. Let’s start.
Why Wired Headphones Sound Better- Explaining The Reasons
There are lots of factors in favor of wired headphones that make them the first choice if you want to experience superior sound quality. Let’s have a look at them one by one:
Bitrate Support
One of the biggest reasons why experts say that wired headphones are better in terms of sound is the Bitrate support. A good quality wired audio gadget can support a maximum bitrate of 2304 kbps. This number is much lower in wireless or Bluetooth devices. Bluetooth/ wireless headphones can only support up to 768 kbps.
Thus, you experience better audio quality when you wear wired headphones.
They Are Directly Connected to the Device
For some people, headphones’ wires are a “Big No No.” However, these wires can actually lead to better sound quality.
How? Well, due to three reasons:
Reason 1: When you connect a headphone to any device via its wire, you are free from Bluetooth range issues. Every wireless headphone and earbud has a specific range in which you have to stay to keep using them. If you go out of it, the audio gadgets will disconnect automatically. For Example, Sony Headphones Bluetooth range is 30 feet, and they stop working if you even move one more foot further.
But that’s not the only problem. Even if you stay within 30 feet, you can still face issues. You should be as closer to your device as possible to experience better audio quality. If you start to move away, then the sound will start to distort.
These things do not happen with wired headphones as there are no Bluetooth range problems that can cause trouble.
Reason 2: Wired headphones are free from Wi-Fi interference, which is why they produce the best sound. Wireless audio devices rely on Bluetooth to make a connection with a device. This Bluetooth connection can be disrupted due to the Wi-Fi signals, as both have the same frequency- 2.45GHz. As a result, you will face sound problems sometimes. Since wired headphones do not use Bluetooth, there are no chances of Wi-Fi interference.
Reason 3: Sometimes, the wireless headphones do not connect with the device properly. It is because the Bluetooth of the device suddenly stops working. To fix this, you will have to keep disconnecting and reconnecting the Bluetooth until everything clears out, which is indeed frustrating.
These reasons directly impact the sound. Now, it’s time for three reasons that affect sound indirectly.
They Have Better Battery Life
Both rechargeable and non-rechargeable wired headphones are available in the market. You don’t have to charge non-rechargeable ones and can use them as much as you want.
Those that are rechargeable also have a better battery life than Bluetooth or wireless headphones. Battery timing is crucial because Wireless audio device performance goes bad when the charging gets low. Thankfully, that’s not the case with wired headphones.
In addition, long battery life also lets users enjoy the audio quality for more time.
Wired Headphones are More Comfortable
One more thing that affects the sound is the comfort level of the audio gadget. If the audio device has good audio quality but causes sheer discomfort or ear pain when you wear it, then both the sound quality and the user experience will be considered overall bad. This is fairly common when you use wireless headphones.
Let me explain more.
When we look at both wired and wireless headphones and read their reviews, it is clear that the ears start to ache when you use wireless ones the most.
It is because the wireless earbuds go into the ear canal, which causes pain. In comparison, wired headphones are worn around the ears, which does not cause any complications. As a result, the user experience gets better, and they enjoy the sound more efficiently.
In addition, Bluetooth has also been found to cause headaches, according to a Report.
So, if you want to experience better audio quality and an amazing user experience overall, it is better you go for wired headphones.
Some Offer Noise Cancellation Features too
Wired Headphones now also come with a noise-cancellation feature that has improved the sound quality to a great extent because it filters out the irritating noises around you and does not let them go in your ears. Thus, if you go for the noise-cancellation headphones, you will enjoy a much better sound quality than the non-noise-cancellation ones.
So, these are the top five reasons that directly and indirectly make the wired headphones better in sound quality. Let’s now see some additional good things about them.
Some Other Benefits of Wired Headphones
When you buy wired headphones, it is now clear that you will enjoy the best audio quality. In addition to this, there are lots of benefits that you can enjoy if you start wearing them.
These are:
- Wired Headphones don’t fall. They fit perfectly over the head & around the ears and you can also adjust them according to your liking.
- You won’t lose them (as people usually lose one earbud, and then they eventually have to buy new ones).
- Wired headphones are a better investment. They stay in good shape for a longer period and offer much better benefits. That is why Businesses/industries prefer wired headphones over wireless ones.
- They are cheaper than wireless ones. You can get good wired headphones within the 100$ range, while wireless ones can go up to even 5000$.
But these benefits do not mean that wireless headphones are completely useless. Although they have slightly lower sound quality than the wired ones, they are better in many things, which you should also know.
What Advantages Do Wireless Headphones Have Over The Wired Ones?
It is important you also know about the edge that wireless headphones have over wired ones so that you make a better decision at the end about which one you should buy.
The wireless headphones advantages are:
There Are No Wires
Wires are the biggest benefit of wired headphones, but it is also a source of trouble. The wires of these headphones are usually four feet long on average, and they start to tangle whenever you leave them somewhere. This can cause frustration as you will have to spend time untangling them so that you can again use them. Plus, these wires limit your movement as well.
These things won’t happen to you when you use wireless headphones. You can stand up and go anywhere and still listen to music (however, you have to be in Bluetooth range).
They are Better for Workout and Traveling
People now use wireless headphones to work out because they are much easier to handle. You can run on a treadmill, lift weights, or do any exercise, and there won’t be any wires causing irritation or interruption.
Wireless ones are perfect for traveling as well. They are easy to wear and carry. You don’t have to wrap the wires around them (package them) before taking them anywhere. You can either just wear wireless headphones around your neck or put them in a bag easily (as they take up very little space).
Wireless is the New Trend
Wireless headphones are now more in trend than wired ones. In fact, it now seems like wired audio devices are a product for the 20th century, and wireless ones are for this century.
The reason why people are now preferring wireless audio gadgets is that they look slightly cooler than wired devices. That is why more and more people are now buying more wireless headphones than the wired ones.
Now, it is time for you to know what more you can do for better sound quality in wired headphones.
Related: Difference Between Noise Canceling And Regular Headphones?
How Can You Make Wired Headphones Sound A Lot Better?
Although wired headphones already sound superior to others; however, you can still follow some tips that will let you enjoy a better listening experience.
Let’s have a look at them.
Keep Them Charged
If you own rechargeable wired headphones, you should always keep them charged. It is because those audio devices that are low on battery start taking some measures on their own to save some charging. In doing this, they compromise on the audio quality, and you can also notice the slight difference when the battery gets low.
So, it is critical you keep the wired headphones charged. They don’t take longer too.
Wired headphones have a better battery life, while the charging speed is also ultra-fast. Just 15 minutes of charging can allow you to use these headphones for hours.
Make Sure They Fit Properly
The wired headphones should fit properly if you want to experience the best audio quality. It is super important because even if you use a popular brand’s audio device and don’t adjust them according to your head size, then it will feel like the device is of poor quality (but in fact, it is your fault).
So, make sure the wired headphones fit perfectly for better sound.
Make Sure They Are Compatible With Your Device
Before you buy new headphones, you should make sure that they are compatible with the device you want them to connect. It is because some wired headphones might not work with your PC, Android, or iOS device smoothly. Therefore, the audio quality will be below average.
But how can you check compatibility? For this, I suggest you check the specifications of the headphones first before you buy them. You can visit the official website of the brand and then see with which software/devices the audio gadget is compatible.
In addition, you can also check the headphone specifications on Amazon or any other ecommerce platform.
Don’t Listen to More than 80 percent of the Volume
To hear the better sound, you should listen to them below 80 percent. It is because higher volume can cause slight distortion, which will impact the audio quality. Furthermore, volume above 80 percent can also damage the eardrums, which will eventually impact hearing.
So, you should never listen at full volume.
Buy Top Quality Ones
The last suggestion I have for you for better sound quality is to buy top-quality wired headphones. People save a few bucks and go for cheaper products, which eventually gives them trouble. In comparison, if you buy top-quality (and somewhat costly) headphones of top brands (like Sony, Philips, etc.), then you will enjoy a lot of benefits and audio quality is one of them.
Related: How Do I Know If My Headphones Have Good Sound Quality?
Concluding Thoughts
All in all, wired headphones do have better sound than wireless ones because of different reasons. The two main reasons are high Bitrate support and wired connections. Due to these things, the audio is produced with high quality, and no external disturbances (like Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi interference) can impact it.
In addition, extended battery life, comfort, and noise cancelation are some other points that make the sound quality of wired headphones better than others.
To increase the audio quality more, you can keep the wired headphones charged, ensure they fit properly, keep the volume down, and make sure you buy the right or compatible ones.
So, this was all about wired headphones sounding better!
