WHY WIRELESS HEADPHONES ARE BETTER THAN WIRED ONES？ （Reprint from dextroaudio）

As I sit here typing this article I’m listening to music on one of my favorite pairs of headphones, but I’m starting to think it’s time to replace them – the reason being that they’re still attached to my computer using a cord. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a nice long cord, but it’s still a cord and it gets in the way. I find myself constantly having to make sure I don’t run over the cord with my chair because the wires have dropped on the floor. Now this may be an extreme example as most headphones don’t have cords the length of the one I’m talking about, but it is one example of why wireless technology is simply more versatile and convenient than wired technology.

I do own a pair of wireless earbuds, but I use these mostly for my workouts as they simply don’t have the quality of sound that my wired headphones do. I know there are now Bluetooth wireless headphones on the market that are as good, if not better, than the wired ones I like so much, and that’s why I began my investigation into replacing them. I’ve become convinced that wireless technology is now good enough to match wired technology and the time is right to start replacing my wired devices.

The Advantages of Wired Headphone Technology
Until recently there was no doubting the fact that wired headphones were simply better than their wireless cousins in a lot of ways. For one thing, the quality of sound produced from a wired headphone has traditionally been better because it doesn’t require reliance on an over-the-air technology that is prone to interference. The wire that you attach to your device ensures a continuous and seamless connection that’s capable of producing excellent quality sound every single time you use it. The other great thing about a wired pair of headphones, earbuds, or a headset is that you don’t have to worry about recharging them. These headphones receive all the juice they need from the wired connection with your smart phone or tablet.

The Disadvantages of Wired Headphone Technology
On the other hand, wired devices have limitations that become even more apparent once you’ve used wireless technology. For one thing, as I mentioned above, those cords can get in your way from time to time and can quickly get tangled in furniture or other objects. At the very least this is a minor inconvenience and sometimes it can become very frustrating. The other major disadvantage of wired technology is that you’re limited in how far you can stray from your device – normally no more than a foot or two. So if you’re listening to music in the backyard, every time you get up to go to the fridge you have to make sure that your smart phone is in your pocket and your headphones are on your head.

The Advantages of Wireless Headphone Technology
When you make the transition to wireless headphones, the first thing you’ll notice is how convenient they are. Bluetooth technology allows you to be up to 33 feet away from your device without the signal being significantly degraded – this means you have a lot more freedom to move around without picking up your devices every single time. There are also no cords to worry about so you don’t have to be concerned about getting tangled up with furniture or other obstacles. These wireless products really do give you a lot of freedom, and with the rapid advances in technology these days the sound quality available is beginning to rival wired technology.

The Disadvantages of Wireless Headphone Technology
As good as wireless technology is, it does have some drawbacks. The obvious one is that it relies on battery power – in most cases a built-in rechargeable battery. How long the charge will last depends upon the device and can vary greatly from about two or three hours up to a couple of days. You also have to be conscious of how you track battery power in your device; that may be just as annoying as fighting with cords if you have a device with limited battery power. If you’re willing to spend a little bit of extra money, though, there are a lot of devices with batteries that last for a long time, making the limitations placed on your device by having to recharge your battery of minimal importance.

The other problem you may run into when you switch to a wireless headphone, earbuds, or headset is that on occasion you may lose the connection to your device. Or the Bluetooth connection may become a little spotty, making your call or the song you’re listening to sound like it’s stuttering. If you look for a device with Bluetooth 4.0 or later there’s a better chance of avoiding this type of issue.

The Verdict
While there are still some advantages to owning a headphone with a cord, wireless devices are getting better every day. As long as you look for a device with a long battery life and one that uses Bluetooth 4.0 you’re probably going to be very happy with the switch from wired to wireless technology.