What is a headset?
A headset or a hearing aid is a peripheral output device that allows you to listen to audio from an electronic device through its loudspeaker, which we place near your ear. Generally, one is used in each ear, being denominated headsets, hearing aids or helmets, in plural.
The operation of the headsets is similar to that of the speakers. First, the amplifier receives the electrical signal, which activates a diaphragm in the loudspeaker. Next, the diaphragm vibrates the air and it finally resonates in our ears.
Types of Headsets
Here we tell you the different types of headset that are available in terms of shape and design. The use that we will give them will be a determining factor when making the right choice.
Headset Connectors
Then we tell you what connectors usually present the headset, which is another fact to take into account when buying headset. So, in wired headset we usually find a USB or a jack at the end of their cable, while in wireless headset we will only find a micro USB in them to, mainly, recharge your battery.
Features to keep in mind to know which headset to buy
Regardless of the type of headset, when choosing ones, it is important to look at the following characteristics, which should be indicated by the manufacturers.
Power and size of the speakers or transducers
The driver or transducer determines the size of the speaker that each headset has. This converts the audio signal into sound. In principle, the larger the size of the headset, the better its power and sound. With this idea, circumneutral headset, as well as those intended for DJs and professionals of electronic games, usually incorporate a larger transducer and therefore, are better in terms of power.
In general, the size of the speakers of good helmets is 40mm, although today many manufacturers are betting on speakers of 50mm (or even more) in their hearing aids.
Normally, they are neodymium speakers, referring to the metal that constitutes their magnets, which makes them light and very powerful; although older conventional speakers used to carry iron ferrite or hematite magnets.
Uses of Headset
When buying headset, it is important to keep in mind the purpose for which we want them, since depending on the use we are going to give them, we will be better off one or the other. Below we summarize which are the best headset for each type of use.
Headset for Gaming
For gamers it is essential that the headsets are comfortable, have a microphone and offer good sound.
In terms of immersion and comfort, in principle, the best gaming headset under 50 would be closed circumneutral. However, these could cause some problems of lack of perspiration or too much pressure on the ears after being used for long hours, so it is advisable that they are semi-open, that is, they present some grooves but without being open. In addition, we also recommend that you have a padded headband, with breathable and adjustable fabric, that ensures the best support and comfort.
And as for its specifications, the driver must be large, 40-50mm, the standard frequency response, impedance of up to 80 ohms and a standard sensitivity. The noise cancellation can be active or not, because if you have good padded pads, passive noise cancellation is performed.
Many manufacturers of gaming products have released their own headset, which we will see later in more detail. If you want to see examples of gaming headset, you have our reviews of Razer and Turtle Beach headset.
Headset for sports and travel
Nowadays, many people look for headset to play sports or to use hands-free with the smartphone, in which comfort and mobility prevail, together with a good grip.
For sports we recommend Bluetooth headsets, such as the Dacom Athlete, while if we want them only to listen to music and make calls when we travel, these can be wired, such as dodo cool gaming in-ear DA131. Also, in this last case, it would also be interesting that the headset had active noise cancellation.
Headset for listening to music
In this case, we will give much more importance to sound quality and immersion, compared to other aspects.
As for the design of the headset, both circumneutral and supra-aural are valid, since in both you obtain a good sound quality, but it is better that in this case they are open, so that the sounds are more natural.
The technical specifications should be similar to those of gaming headset, with the active cancellation of noise being optional here. In addition, in this case, it is not necessary that the helmets have a microphone.
It should be noted that it will also depend on the type of music we are going to listen to, since headset for rock, electronic music or classical music will not be the same.