Head mounted and in ear headphones are two types of headphones with significant differences in design and experience. The core differences are reflected in multiple dimensions such as wearing style, sound quality performance, applicable scenarios, and comfort. When choosing, it is necessary to match one's own needs. The following is a detailed comparative analysis:
1、 Core design and wearing logic: completely different 'fixing methods'
Head mounted headphones: fixed through a "headband+earmuffs", covering the outer side of the head as a whole - the earmuffs will wrap around (ear wrap) or press against (ear press) the outer ear, and the headband can adapt to different head circumferences through elastic adjustment. When worn, the weight is dispersed around the head and ears; No need to touch the inside of the ear canal, it belongs to the "external wearing" design.
In ear headphones: relying on the fitting and fixation of "earplugs+ear canal", silicone/sponge earplugs need to be inserted into the ear canal 1-2 centimeters, and fixed by the seal between the earplugs and the ear canal wall, with the ear stem (or body) hanging outside the ear; Directly touching the inside of the ear canal, it belongs to the "in ear" design, and some models will add ear wings/shark fins to further tighten the outer ear contour and prevent falling.
2、 Sound quality performance: differences in sound field, details, and sound insulation
The sound quality experience of the two is significantly different due to the difference in "acoustic structure", and there is no absolute "superiority or inferiority", only "style adaptation":
Headset:
The advantage lies in a wider sound field and more balanced three frequencies - the earmuffs can form independent "acoustic chambers", large-sized dynamic coil units (usually over 40mm, some high-end models up to 50mm) have more ample vibration space, low-frequency diving is deeper and more elastic, high-frequency transparency is not harsh, and mid frequency vocals naturally stick to the ear, suitable for listening to classical music, rock music, film and television soundtracks and other content that requires a "sense of space";
Partial head mounted designs support open design (without strict sealing), resulting in a more natural and non stuffy sound, but poor sound insulation; Closed design provides better sound insulation and is suitable for noisy environments.
In ear headphones:
The advantage lies in its strong analytical power and ultimate sound insulation - after sealing the ear canal, the earplugs can reduce external interference (passive sound insulation effect is generally better than ordinary head mounted), allowing users to capture music details more clearly (such as instrument overtones and vocal ventilation sounds); But the sound field is relatively narrow, and the three frequencies are easily affected by the size of the earplugs (mismatched sizes can cause low-frequency leakage and high-frequency harshness), making it more suitable for listening to "close range listening" content such as pop music, vocals, podcasts, etc;
Some high-end in ear models adopt a multi unit design (dynamic coil+dynamic iron combination), which can further optimize the separation of three frequencies, but the overall spatial sense is still difficult to match that of head mounted models.
3、 Applicable scenarios: Significant differences in scenario adaptation
Head mounted headphones: more suitable for "fixed/low mobility scenarios"
Home audio and video: With strong ear cushions and the advantage of large unit sound quality, it provides a stronger immersive experience when watching movies or playing games;
Desktop office: Most head mounted devices support both wired and wireless modes, with longer battery life (generally 15-30 hours per use), suitable for long-term computer connection;
Quiet environment for listening: Open style head mounted for use in study rooms and bedrooms, not stuffy and does not affect others, suitable for long-term music appreciation.
Disadvantages: Large size, poor portability, not suitable for sports (heavy weight, prone to sweating and stuffiness), commuting (occupying backpack space, easily knocked off when squeezing on the subway).
In ear headphones: more suitable for "mobile/high dynamic scenes"
Sports and fitness: small in size and light in weight (usually 3-8g per ear), paired with waterproof and sweat resistant (mostly IPX4 or above) and ear wing design, it is not easy to fall off during intense exercise, and sweat will not affect use;
Commuting/Travel: Extremely portable, can easily fit into a pocket, passive sound insulation+active noise reduction (some models) can isolate the noise of subways and buses, suitable for fragmented listening;
Daily outings: Not covering the hairstyle, easy to remove when communicating with people, suitable for use at any time.
Disadvantage: Wearing it for a long time can make the ear canal stuffy and not suitable for long-term home audio and video (insufficient sound field).
4、 Comfort: The difference between "compression position" and "endurance time"
The core difference in comfort lies in the "compression point" and "wearing duration tolerance", which vary from person to person (ear canal size and head circumference can both affect):
Headset:
The key to comfort lies in "headband pressure" and "earmuff material"——
Advantages: No contact with the ear canal, no ear canal swelling or pain, suitable for long-term wearing (1-3 hours); Ear wraps (made of protein skin and memory foam material) are more comfortable than compression earmuffs and can avoid skin pressure around the ears;
Disadvantage: People with small head circumference may feel that the headband is too tight (clamp), while people with large head circumference may feel that the earmuffs are not fully covered; The weight is generally heavy (150-300g), and there may be pressure marks on the top of the head after long-term wear.
In ear headphones:
The key to comfort lies in the size and material of the earplugs——
Advantages: Lightweight (usually less than 10g per ear), no head pressure, and almost no burden for short-term wear (within 1 hour);
Disadvantage: Earplugs need to be inserted into the ear canal, and an inappropriate size (too large/too small) can cause ear canal swelling, pain, and itching; The sealed design makes the ear canal stuffy, and wearing it for a long time (more than 1.5 hours) can easily breed bacteria and even cause ear canal inflammation; People with sensitive ear canals may find it difficult to adapt.
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