Wireless earbuds are now in the hype and transforming how people use their earplugs for communications or multimedia. You can now find various wireless earbud products from various brands and manufacturers in the market. Despite its global popularity, there are still many people(perhaps including you) who think is it worth it to buy wireless earbuds after all?
Is it worth it? Short answer: Yes, it’s certainly worth it. Wireless earbuds are innovative products that provide you with more convenience to enjoy the audio experience as well as to conduct efficient communication with your devices. With more products coming into the market, the prices have actually become more competitive. We’re leaving the perception that earbuds are the exclusive products like 2-3 years ago.
Earbuds have just simply become one of those lifestyle products that provide you with more options to enjoy audio entertainment and communication. However, whether wireless earbuds are worth your money, would depend on your purchase considerations. Yes, just like other electronic products, the worth of wireless earbuds is subject to purchase factors.
1. The Quality of The Sounds
When choosing headphones, sound quality is generally one of the major purchase considerations. As for the wireless earbuds, there are issues, or to be fair, challenges on the sound quality. Unlike the wired counterpart, wireless earbuds systems would compress the digital audio signal coming from the source(smartphone, tablet, or desktop PC) so they can transfer it through Bluetooth or infrared.
While it’s just the way the wireless device works, this mechanism actually has a downside. It’s no secret that the sound quality delivered by the wireless earbuds tends to drop due to the compression and wireless signaling transmission. The sound you listen through these earbuds is reverted from compressed digital signal to analog signal. Unfortunately, the process might not fully recover the original signal.
There are actually more factors that also affect the sound quality of wireless earbuds. These include the distance and obstacles between the earbuds and the source device. On the other hand, the source device and headphones may support particular Bluetooth Audio codecs that refers to how they compress and decompress digital audio signals through particular algorithms. Codecs from lowest to highest compression quality include SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC, and aptX HD. That’s why you should consider Bluetooth codecs that your earbuds and smartphone support.
2. Battery Capacity
The battery is the core of wireless earbuds that becomes another major factor to consider when buying ones. You can’t expect thousands of mAH batteries in your earbuds but manufacturers smartly bundle them with a charging box that works like a power bank. As for non-stop usage, wireless earbuds may last 2-3 hours before you have to dock and charge them in the box.
The actual power consumption technically depends on the volume, distance, hours, and other factors. Some manufacturers claim using more efficient technology that can give you more than 10 hours but you need to be cautious on the marketing campaign.
3. The Range of Connection
Most wireless earbuds available in the market come with Bluetooth connections that cover different distances from 33 feet to 328 feet, depending on the Bluetooth class. Bluetooth earbuds generally cover a distance of up to 10 m to meet with most phones and laptop’s Bluetooth support. However, some advanced yet expensive products offer more distance coverage for up to 30 m.
However, you don’t necessarily need a 100-feet Bluetooth coverage if what you really need is good sound quality. As previously mentioned, the speed and size of data transmission play a crucial part in delivering good sound quality. You won’t likely have good sound quality at 100 feet, right?
If you really need more distance coverage, you may consider wireless earbuds that support a Wi-Fi connection.
4. More Convenience and Compact Design
Wireless earbuds generally offer users more convenience and compact design that also help them gain worldwide popularity today.
You no longer deal with twisted or curly cables when using wireless earbuds.
That’s why comfort and design must become the purchase considerations when buying earbuds if you want to get the full experience.
While they eliminate the cord, wireless earbuds come with a charging box that makes it a little bit bulky for mobile or traveling.
As previously mentioned, the use of a charging box is necessary to boost the power of tiny batteries installed in the earbuds. When the battery is low, you can dock the earbuds in the charging box. However, you’d still need to charge this box as well.
Materials and design also affect the comfort of the earbuds you want to purchase. Since you’re seeking the full experience of wireless headsets, you may want to purchase the most comfortable one. Ensure it’s lightweight enough to prevent you from getting fatigued for longer usage. The earbuds should hold and fit in your ear canal comfortably even when you constantly move. It should have a compact design where buttons or controls are properly placed. Just avoid earbuds that discomfort you in any way.
Inclusions
As an electronic product, wireless earbuds must have proper inclusions that include a warranty. Even though there are some cheap products, you may consider more expensive earbuds that offer more comfort, better sound quality, and good build quality.
With a warranty and return policy from sellers or manufacturers, you can keep peace of mind even when ordering your headset online. Check if the earbuds purchase comes with other inclusions like extra pouches, accessories, insurance, etc.
Wireless Earbud Price
Last but not least, price is something you must consider as well when shopping for wireless earbuds. While there are products under $30, some wireless earbuds can cost you more than $300. Advanced engineered products may offer more power and high output in a still-compact design but it consequently raises the price up. Ask yourself whether the price is worth the advancements and advantages they offer to you.
In the end, whether wireless earbuds are worth buying or not would depend on what you actually need and expect from the product. You can buy cheap, workable products or premium ones that offer enhancements. If you get what you want, then yes, wireless earbuds are certainly worth it.
