Buying Guide: Choosing the Right Bluetooth Headphones

True Wireless headphones, neckband headphones, bone conduction headphones...The Bluetooth headphone market has never been larger. Depending on your uses, your listening preferences and your mobility, which types or models will suit you best? Follow the guide.

1.Bone conduction, True Wireless and Neckband headphones：

In the mobile Bluetooth headphone market, three technologies coexist, each with advantages related to its size and practicality.

Bone conduction headphones:

Bone conduction headphone is a kind of earphone that can make sound through the vibration of bones. The bones directly transmit the vibration of sound source to the inner ear, so as to hear the sound. Ordinary headphones transmit air vibration from the ear to the eardrum, and then recognize it as sound and be heard by the ear.

The characteristic of bone conduction earphone is that it can enjoy music without passing through the ear or eardrum. When it is used, it will not block the ears, so it is not easy to feel oppressive, so it can be listened comfortably for a long time. Bone conduction headphones have been sold for several years, and they are becoming more and more popular in the last two years. Many manufacturers have entered this field, so how to choose them has become a problem. You can make choices according to your own needs, such as focusing on functionality and fit.

Neckband headphones:

The neckband headphones have been designed to transmit the audio signal via Bluetooth technology.  They have a pair of headphones connected to each other by a wire, which is passed behind your neck to hold them more easily.  Many products in this category include a control, installed near one of the two headphones, in order to access the various features very quickly without having to touch your smartphone.

True Wireless headphones:

With the success of Apple's AirPods, many models of True Wireless Bluetooth headphones have appeared in recent years.  It is a pair of headphones that are recharged via a case connected to USB and that does not need any cable to work during its autonomy range. Light and discreet, these models have relegated to oblivion the hands-free kits traditionally sold with smartphones.

2.What criteria should be taken into account when choosing?

Battery Life

Within the same category, there are significant disparities between the models of Bluetooth headphones . For greater convenience, preference will therefore be given to products that can be recharged quickly and used as long as possible without going through the charging box.

Count about 4 to 5 hours of minimum battery life for good quality True Wireless headphones, 6 to 8 hours for neckbands and bone conduction headphones,whose size generally allows a very good score from this point of view.

In the case of True Wireless, it will be necessary to pay particular attention to the number of recharges offered by the box. For convenience, it will also be necessary to see if the latter is compatible with wireless charging.

Fast charging is a significant plus, which allows your headphones or headphones to quickly get back up and running when the battery has drained.

Sound insulation

Sound insulation is the ability of your headphones or headphones to isolate you from ambient noise, whether it's conversations in your workplace, traffic sounds, or the roar of engines in an airplane. When the insulation does not have an active system, it is called passive insulation. A circum-aural type helmet, which "wraps" the ear, will isolate better than a supra-aural helmet. Similarly, in-ear headphones, which block the ear canal, will let less noise pass through than button-type headphones.

When sound insulation is generated by a dedicated circuit, it is called Active Noise Cancelling (ANC). This technology suppresses background noise by sending a signal of opposite frequency, the two canceling each other. Now proven, this principle popularized by the Bose brand is increasingly implanted in wireless audio devices.

After Bluetooth headphones, neckband headphones and even more True Wireless now often accommodate this very practical technology, especially to use your device in open space or in transport.

But you also need to consider whether you can hear ambient sounds when using headphones outdoors to ensure safety.The bone-conduction Bluetooth headset with an open-ear design allows you to listen to music while paying attention to the surrounding sound to ensure your safety and avoid the embarrassment of not being able to hear others talking to you.

Connectivity

All Bluetooth headphones are not necessarily the same，but being able to have the latest standards will allow you to enjoy the best comfort of use. Multi-touch Bluetooth makes it possible to connect to two devices simultaneously, and to switch from one to the other easily. Convenient for example to answer a phone call on your smartphone and then return to your music broadcast by your computer, all without removing your headphones or headphones.

Bluetooth 5 – and its variations – is also known to be faster and less energy-consuming. And let's not forget the audiophile Bluetooth codecs that are aptX, aptX Adaptative, aptX HD or LDAC, supposed to provide better audio quality.

Quality of communication

If you have to regularly use your wireless headphones or headphones in "hands-free" mode, it is important to inquire about the good quality of the microphone, so that your voice remains audible. Its location, especially for neckbands, can be a clue to this aspect: often, the remote control acts as a microphone and will be in an ideal position for your call to be perfectly intelligible.

Ergonomics

There are several points to watch out for an optimal user experience. If touch keys are very convenient, physical keys can seem more reliable and durable. The presence of a volume adjustment on the headphones is an essential element of comfort and yet not always present, especially on True Wireless.

It will also be necessary to ensure, in the case of helmets, that the pads are removable and easily replaceable, and that the helmet can continue to work wired when the battery is empty (this is not systematic). A foldable helmet will be easier to carry and take up less space in a bag.

Weight, which we do not always think about, is an essential point, especially with helmets. We may think that a few hundred grams is a small weight, but the difference is felt when listening is prolonged. On the side of the headphones, it is rather their size that can make the difference, especially when it comes to an object that will have to hold long hours in the hollow of your ears.

Wearing method

Headphones or headphones can be very suitable for one person and unbearable for another person. We all have different morphologies and, therefore, different needs in terms of comfort. A supra-aural helmet will be less insulating but will be more suitable for those who cannot stand to see their ears totally enclosed. On the other hand, circum-aural headphones will provide better sound insulation and often a more present bass, but often at the cost of a warm-up when listening is prolonged.

Those who can't stand having their ear canal occupied will flee in-ear headphones in favor of AirPods-type button headphones, less intrusive. And for those who are not put off by the intras, it will be necessary to ensure the presence of a sufficient number of sizes of tips (3 minimum) to be sure to find the one that will fit best.

Don't like any of these wearing methods? Bone conduction models may be your salvation. Both have in common that they do not enter the ear or hide them. In the field of bone conduction headsets, we know the Wissonly brand.Wissonly is the fastest growing brand in the last half year and is headquartered in Hong Kong. Their team is a technical expert in the field of bone conduction headphones, as early as 10 years ago began to develop ear friendly bone conduction headphones, mainly producing high-performance bone conduction headphones, products with good sound quality, low leakage, high waterproof rating, high comfort, cost-effective and other characteristics, received the support of sports fans. With its excellent bone conduction vibration unit optimization program, it has been recommended by the majority of ear doctors.

Audio quality

Do you find it strange that audio quality comes last among the selection criteria, when it comes to a device to listen to sound? This is because audio quality is largely subjective. Some prefer headphones and earphones well "bass", others more neutral models, while others still swear by the sound called "W" with bass and treble raised and a hollow mid-range.

3. Bluetooth Headphone recommendation：

TOP3.Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 true wireless in-ear headphones

Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 wireless headset adopts 9.2mm dual hybrid driving unit, which is enhanced by a single amplifier and advanced DSP to generate incredible audio, making your music and phone sound brand-new.

It also uses Qualcomm aptX adaptive technology with 24 connections and improved antenna design to provide stable wireless connection up to 25 meters and provide high-resolution audio.Through active noise reduction, Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 adjusts the cancellation level according to the environment, and can cancel the level according to the environment at the touch of a button.

The Pi7 S2 is equipped with three microphones for enhancing call intelligibility, and adopts an intelligent and fast wireless charging case.

The touch area is normally sensitive and responds well to user commands. Playback management (pause, next/previous track), call management, invoking the smartphone's voice assistant or activating the ANC are the only built-in functions. It's a shame that it's not possible to adjust the listening volume or activate the transparency mode directly from the headphones, especially since the Bowers & Wilkins Music app does not allow you to reprogram touch zones.

It's on the pricey side, costing $393.99

TOP2.Sony WF-1000XM4

According to Sony, the case is 40% smaller than that of the WF-1000XM3. On the top of the case, we will find a discreet annotation with the Sony logo in gold.The rest of the case, like the headphones themselves, is also made of matte plastic with two colors to choose from: black or sand gray. On the back of the case, Sony has nestled a USB-C socket for charging and, on the front, just under the cover, an LED strip that will indicate the remaining electric quantity  or the status of the case -charging or not -depending on the color.

Sony WF-1000XM4 provides polyurethane foam tips, and not silicone. A material that has the advantage of being more insulating and more comfortable in the long run, even if the first uses can be annoying because of their greater firmness. Fortunately, once the headphones are in place-by positioning the metal circle between the tragus and the antitragus -they do not interfere with listening and remain rather comfortable. However, there may be a slight discomfort after two to three hours of listening, especially at the conch and the entrance to the ear canal.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is also IPX4 certified, ensuring protection against splashes from rain and sweat.

For control keys, Sony has by default allocated a control type to each earpiece. The left earbud will be used to manage noise reductionand the right earbud will be used to control the songs with one press for pause, two for the next title, three for the previous one and a long press for the voice assistant.However, these controls can be configured in part in the application, Sony Headphones.Without going as far as the precise control of each gesture, you can change the type of control associated with each earpiece: playback control, ambient sound control, volume control.Unfortunately, it is impossible to take advantage of the volume control, noise reduction control and playback control at the same time.

Its price is 278 dollars, which is a little cheaper than the previous recommended Bluetooth headphone, but it is still an expensive price.

TOP1.Wissonly Hi Runner Bone Conduction Headphone

Wissonly Hi Runner Bluetooth bone conduction headphones are open-ear design, worn directly on the temple, so your ear canal is completely open, which makes it easy for you to hear the sound of cars and traffic lights in outdoor scenes such as running and walking, which makes you safer when using. Because it is not plug in your ear, you can wear it for a long time without worrying about fatigue or pain in your ear.

In terms of comfort, the overall frame of Wissonly Hi Runner is made of adjustable aviation-grade titanium steel, which can adapt to different sizes of head circumference and ensure the stability of wearing, so that it will not fall during exercise. The surface of its earphones is made of high-tech low-sensitivity silicone material, which does not contain chemical ingredients to avoid allergies. The overall touch of the earphones is as silky as a baby's skin, avoiding discomfort when worn for a long time. And its weight is very light, less than 30g, so it will not feel heavy when worn. As the flagship outdoor sports model of the Wissonly brand, it is the most comfortable and cost-effective model among all the current bone conduction models.

Wissonly Hi Runner uses the latest Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which makes the Bluetooth connection more stable. Its battery life is also very good, the normal volume can be played continuously for 8-10 hours, which is really good for people who like outdoor sports, even if they go out to climb the mountain all day, do not worry about the battery. It also supports magnetic fast charging, which takes only 2 hours to fully charge.

Wissonly Hi Runner is very waterproof, up to IPX8 rating, can easily cope with sweat, rain, swimming can also be used, and even you can wear it scuba diving, it can be used up to 15 meters underwater, if you accidentally dirty it, you can also wash it directly. For underwater scenarios like swimming, the Hi Runner also has 32GB of built-in memory, because the Bluetooth connection can be unstable when moving underwater. With built-in storage, you can use the headset as an MP3 player and enjoy high-quality music underwater.

In terms of sound quality, this bone conduction headphone uses the latest research results of the wissonly laboratory, which increases the vibration area of the vibrator by 35%.  At the same time, it also optimizes the sound transmission direction to make the sound more concentrated and the music more spatial.  And it has a good performance in treble and bass.

In terms of price, it only costs $99.99, which is the most cost-effective of the three recommended Bluetooth headphones.

4.Summary

1.The most suitable noise-reducing Bluetooth headset for daily use:Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2

2. The most suitable Bluetooth headset for working people to talk clearly:Sony WF-1000XM4

3. Practical Bluetooth headset that is most suitable for daily outdoor and sports use：Wissonly Hi Runner