IF you are reading this on a computer, chances are you are also wearing or have within arm’s reach a pair of headphones or earbuds. And if you are at the office, look beyond your cubicle and you’ll probably see a lot of your officemates “plugged-in” listening to their music, or secretly watching some video.
In an article I read some time ago, it said that “music with words scrambles our brains’ verbal processing skills,” but somehow a lot of my younger officemates are listening to music on their headphones while working. A lot of people I’ve asked say listening to music actually makes them happier, better at concentrating and more productive—so I guess it differs from one person to another.
I personally can’t write and have difficulty focusing whenever I’m listening to music, because I just end up “singing” to every song (sometimes even typing the lyrics). But I do like to wear headphones, especially when I’m working at a café or some public space, because they create a sort of oasis of privacy—and sends a subtle “leave me alone, I don’t want to talk” vibe.
There is, however, evidence that music relaxes our muscles, improves our mood, and can even moderately reduce blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety. So what music steals in concentration, it returns to us in the form of good vibes and some sort of privacy.
Sharing similar music preferences has become sort of a social glue, making concerts and music festivals such a big hit, but headphones allow music to be enjoyed “friendlessly”—as a way to savor our privacy. In today’s crowded world, where real estate is the ultimate scarce resource, our headphones (or earbuds) create a small invisible fence around our minds, giving us a bit of space, creating separation, helping us listen to ourselves.
It was in the summer of 1981, when Cliff Richard first made the headphones cool—strapping a Sony Walkman to his belt, he wore a pair of lightweight headphones on his head as he roller-skated alongside legwarmer-clad dancers for the video of the song “Wired for Sound.”
Portable music had arrived, and headphones were the medium. Yet, for the next three decades, headphones would remain as merely functional items.
In 2011 a GQ piece seemed to set the stage:
“The newest fashion accessory isn’t a fashion accessory at all. It’s head-swaddling, high-style headphones that make as much of a statement as anything else you’re wearing.”
Then in 2014 almost without warning, headphones became big business. Dr Dre’s company Beats was sold to Apple for $3 billion, by which time our whole attitude toward headphones had changed. Suddenly, people were critical of the material texture of earpads, the thickness of the cables, and their color styles had to match the user’s personality—and people were willing to pay a lot of money for premium these “cans.” Remember when I featured Sennheiser’s P3 million marble encased headphones a few weeks ago?
Now everyone needs headphones, and there are headphones for everyone. My collection is nearing almost a hundred I think—that is, if I can just find all the ones I took out from their boxes.
The headphone evolution could not have happened without the mobile revolution—from the CDs and discman, to digital music and portable MP3 players, the iPod, and now the ballooning smartphone market. As Apple and a few other smartphone manufacturers are ditching the 3.5 headphone jack, headphones are again changing with more wireless/Bluetooth models now becoming available.
FUTURE OF AUDIO
LAST month German audio specialist Sennheiser launched The Sennheiser Sound Forum, a series of sustained educational events that offer insights founded on the brand’s decades of expertise in audio. Five focus topics of consumer and prosumer audio are covered: 1) selecting the right headphones for your lifestyle, 2) gaming trends in the Philippines, 3) selecting mics for audio-for-video applications, 4) caring for headphones and microphones, as well as 5) a peek into 3D audio from the Sennheiser AMBEO program, in context of the growing demand for exceptional sound experiences.
The event also featured testimonies from the Sennheiser Sound Heroes, who were the first to experience many of these technologies in a related project. Martin Low, managing director of Sennheiser Asia, says the Sound Forum is the brands’ own initiative thats making the rounds in Indonesia and Thailand. The inaugural edition in Manila is a reflection and culmination of extensive product development and market research, staying true to Sennheiser’s vision of pioneering the future of audio.
The four-month Sennheiser Sound Heroes campaign in the Philippines, meanwhile, followed local creative personalities on their journey to discover new audio experiences with Sennheiser products, culminating with a trip to Sennheiser’s headquarters and flagship stores in Germany.
These 12 personalities included singers/actors Khalil Ramos and Jay Gonzaga; radio DJs Dannie Farmer and Jazmin Reyes; lifestyle purveyors Cha Ocampo, Rhea Bue, Issa Pressman, Deegee Razon and Ira Denise Oyco; vlogger Maqui Castelo; MC Marga Bermudez; and concert photographer Magic Liwanag.
So how do you choose the right headphones for you? All you need to do is follow these simple steps, according to Sennheiser:
- Determine the type of music you listen to. Different genres of music ó jazz, acoustic, rock, electronic ó have characteristics that focus on different sound frequencies (enhanced low, mid or high notes).
- Next is make a list of the times you usually use your headphones. Are you going to use it mostly at home, or do you listen more when you are on the move? Some headphones are made for stationary use, while others are optimized for increased portability. That explains why some have really long wires.
- What kind of design are you looking for? Do you like an in-ear, on-ear or around ear design? I prefer those big ones that cover your entire ear as they are more comfortable to use for longer periods of time, but they can be quite bulky. Around ear headphones have better noise isolation and fit larger transducers which means more power and sound, and a good listening experience for most types of media. Not everyone are fans of earbuds, but they are actually the most suited for running/exercising as they are lightweight and very portable.
- Wired or wireless? Most people still prefer the wired ones because they can use it on all their devices and are less prone to interference or music drop outs. But as I mentioned above, Apple, Huawei and some other brands are abandoning the 3.5 mm jack (though both brands still provide the lighting or USB C to 3.5 mm adaptor). If you hate messy cables, going for wireless headphones may be better. You still have to charge them though.
- Probably the most important question of all is what playback device will you be using? Are you an Android or Apple user? Do you listen to music on your laptop or on a Hi-Fi device? Different devices have different impedance ratings and impedance matching is crucial to get the best performance out of your headphones. Most portable electronic devices bear an impedance of 16 to 32 ohms.
Now that you know how to choose which kind of headphones/earphones are best, make sure to try them out first. Getting premium headphones can be pricey, so you might as well give them a try first and get a feel of what you are purchasing.
Sennheiserís wired and wireless headphones are available at authorized Sennheiser Official Stores on Lazada, Powermac Center, Egghead Audiohub, The Listening Room, RC Goldline, The A Shop, Techwarez, SM Appliance, Gadgets in Style, Classic Hi-Fi Audio, Digistore, Soundroom, Ambassador Appliances, Western Marketing, PC Express, E-Phone, E-Tab, E-Phone Plus, Samsung Gateway, Samsung Bridgeway, Odyssey Next, The White Box and Gizmo Central.
WIRELESS EARBUDS FOR LESS
Whether we like it or not, it seems wireless is the way to go when it comes to headphones and earphones.
When I first got my iPhone 7 Plus, I hated it because it didn’t have the 3.5 mm jack. But after using several wireless earphones, I began to appreciate and came to accept that the headphone jack may really be on the way out—especially for the high-end phones. After all, if you can afford a pricey smartphone, you could probably buy a more expensive pair of earphones, as well.
If you are on the lookout for quality wireless earphones that aren’t too expensive, you might want to check out the Aukey EP-B40.
The bAukey EP-B40 quick specs:
- Technology: BT 4.1, A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP, aptX
- Microphone Noise Reduction: 6th generation dual-mic cVc
- Microphone Sensitivity: -42dB ±3dB
- Frequency Range: 20Hz-20KHz
- Input: DC 5V
- Charging Time: 1.5 hours
- Play Time: Up to 8 hours
- Battery Type: Li-Polymer (2 x 60mAh)
- Operating Range: Up to 10m / 33ft
- Weight: 13g / 0.46oz
First thing you need to know is that while Aukey is a fairly new brand in the Philippines, it’s already a popular and trusted brand of tech accessories/powerbanks in the US, Australia and several other countries. It’s a top-ranked global Amazon seller with distribution partners in over 20 countries throughout the Middle East, South East Asia, North and Eastern Europe, and Latin America. In the Philippines it is distributed by ISR Security Products Inc.
I first came across this brand after trying out their five-port USB Charging Station with Quick Charge, which I always bring with me whenever I travel. I’ve also tried their 30000mAH powerbank and discovered why they are No. 1 in fast charging. I’ll have a review in the next few weeks.
So, when they asked me to try their earphones, I was pretty confident that it was going to be a great product, as well. And after using it for the past month, I was right.
The Aukey EP-B40 is encased in a simple white box but with a flip window to give you a peek of the headphones. Inside the box is a charging cable, some spare ear pads, a manual and an earphone pouch, which is always a plus for me. I keep my other headphones in small tin cans but this pouch is easier to bring along.
The EP-B40 comes in black and while the design isn’t flashy, the black buds will easily blend in no matter what you wear.
So while it may have seemed just like any generic pair of earbuds, the surprise began after pairing it with my device. To pair it, all you have to do is press and hold the middle button until you hear an ascending tone and the led blinks blue.
It does sound really good both for music and when taking calls, compared to other wireless earbuds in its price range. You don’t even have to tinker with the EQ unless you just want to do some more fine tuning. The sound is clear with just enough beat to keep the you pumped during exercises, and it’s lightweight enough to use for long periods of time.
I’m not much of a runner so I just used the EP-B40 during my walks, and it fits comfortably enough and doesn’t fall off even when I turn or shake my head.
The battery is also outstanding and lasted the advertised eight hours of playtime. And when you’re not using them, the built-in magnets are quite strong to keep buds locked in place.
Technivore rating: 4 out of 5. If you are looking for good wireless Bluetooth earphones that are priced under P3,000, the Aukey EP-B40 is a noteworthy option. I just wish they’d name it better to easily remember the model, as I’m sure a lot of people are also bad with number letter combinations.
You can get the Aukey EP B40 for just P2,299 from their online store at www.aukey.com.ph.