Types of Headphones

An earphone is a set of lightweight loudspeakers worn behind or on the head by a user. They are usually electrostatic transducers, that convert an electric signal into a corresponding sound. These types of devices are found in electronic and telephone gadgets such as portable radio transmitters, compact disc players, tape decks, and headphones. The term “earphone” (as in otoscope) came from the Greek word “ear”, which meant ear. Earphones can also be called earphones, although in general the former is used to refer to the type of device that sits in the ear and the latter to refer to any type of similar device that rests on the head.

Most earphones today come with an earphone amplifier designed to increase the volume of the sound produced and improve its quality. However, there are some earphones that are designed without amplifiers at all, and in this case, the lack of amplification is used to achieve the best sounds. In addition to the lack of amplification, earphone models that do not have built-in amplifiers also tend to have much smaller drivers and more efficient noise isolation. These models are also more expensive and, although they do not require amplifiers, they are rather large and heavy, and are usually used in sets of two or three.

One of the most common types of earphones is the ear bud. These small, typically plastic or rubber earphones sit in the ear canal and perform only one function, which is to provide the listener with aural feedback. Some headphones are also referred to as open-back headphones or open-headphones, because they completely seal off the outer ear canal. Earphones that are used in conjunction with speakers tend to use larger, efficient headphones with a diaphragm designed to keep the sound from escaping while allowing some outside noise to be amplified. Earphones that are used with headphones are known as circumaural headphones, because they cover the entire head, just like a pair of earrings would.