Recommendations of The Best Bluetooth Headphone: Purchasing Guide (2023)
Bluetooth headphone has become one of the important accessories for smartphone users, in addition to traditional mobile phone manufacturers and audio manufacturers, some cutting-edge technology companies have also invested heavily in this industry. So there are so many Bluetooth headphones on the market, how can you select the one that suits you?
In fact, I think the most important thing to buy a Bluetooth headphone is to see what factors you care about the most! When selecting Bluetooth headphones, it is nothing more than comprehensive consideration from the aspects of sound quality, battery life, active noise reduction effect, durability, and cost performance. To borrow a phrase from Haruki Murakami: the so-called perfect article does not exist, just as the perfect despair does not exist. The same is true when shopping for headphones, there is no perfect pair of headphones. Either the sound quality is not good enough, or the battery life is too poor, or the active noise cancellation effect is very poor, or the price is too high.
When we select headphones, we must first figure out what the function we fancy the most, what are the minimum requirements for other aspects, and then select the Bluetooth headphone that suits us according to these requirements.
When selecting a Bluetooth headphone, what aspects should we pay attention to?
1.The mode of wearing
From the wearing form, there are usually earbuds, ear-hanging, semi-in-ear, in-ear, head-mounted, and open-ear. True wireless Bluetooth headphones are mainly semi-in-ear and in-ear. Semi-in-ear and in-ear types need to enter the ear canal, and if the volume is too loud after wearing, the ear will be more harmful, and it is easy to be painful and swollen after wearing it for a long time.
Open-ear type headphones, such as bone conduction headphones, basically have no drawbacks, and will not fatigue after wearing them for a long time. The part of it that makes sound is called the "vibration unit", which converts sound signals into vibrations and drives bone vibrations to transmit sound to the auditory nerve. It does not need to be plugged in your ears when you use it.You can hear the sound even if you don't have headphones in your ears. It is more comfortable to wear, making it ideal for people who are sensitive or prone to inflammation of the ear canal.
2. Bluetooth audio decoding format
The difference between different decoding formats is the speed of audio data transmission, usually better decoding formats transfer data faster, and the sound quality will be better. The mainstream audio decoding formats are: SBC, AAC, APTX, LDAC, LHDC. According to the sound quality, it can be ranked as follows: LHDC≈LDAC> APTX>AAC>SBC
However, the audio decoding format is not a key factor in determining the sound quality, the decoding format supported on the mobile phone also has an impact on the sound quality, if the highest format that can be used on the mobile phone is SBC, the transmitted sound quality will not be particularly high.
3. Noise reduction
The noise reduction of Bluetooth headphones is divided into two types: active noise reduction and passive noise cancellation. Passive noise reduction, also known as physical noise reduction, is to naturally block external noise by forming the closure through headphones, earplugs or earmuffs. Active noise reduction is the effective cancellation of ambient noise through noise reduction technology to produce opposite sounds. When the headphones have an active noise reduction function, the noise reduction depth is usually used to describe the strength of the noise reduction, and the higher the noise reduction depth, the better the noise reduction effect, but the actual noise reduction effect still needs the actual experience.
In addition, if you wear headphones outdoors, try to select headphones with "ambient mode" / "transparent mode" (so that you can hear the surrounding sounds) or open-ear design, because when you are outdoors there will be many people and cars, if you cannot hear the surrounding sounds then it may become dangerous.
4. Sound quality
Generally, we will roughly judge the sound quality level of the headphones through the headphone chip and encoding format, but in fact, the sound quality is not completely determined by these two points, the internal structure design of the headphones, the earphone cavity, the sound unit and the material of the headphones can also have an impact on the sound quality performance. Different people also have different preferences for sound, the same sound may have different feelings when transmitted to different ears, so the evaluation of sound quality will also have a bit of subjective awareness.
5. Latency
Compared with wired headphones, the transmission process of Bluetooth headphones is more complicated, which is caused by one more decoding in the process of Bluetooth transmission, if the audio data is too large in this process, the decoding time will be longer, and the sound is easy to produce delay. At present, most headphones pay more attention to the aspect of latency, latency basically have no impact on daily watching video and listening to music, but playing games may have higher requirements for latency, therefore some headphones will add a game mode to reduce latency by compressing audio. So people who like to play games can keep an eye out for Bluetooth headsets with game modes.
6. Other
In addition to the above points, the battery life, call clarity, Bluetooth connection stability, wearing comfort, APP use function, etc. of the Bluetooth headphone are also the aspects we need to know when choosing a Bluetooth headphone.
How to select Bluetooth headphone? Selecting according to the usage scenario!
1. If you usually need to wear headphones for a long time, then the Bluetooth headphone that does not oppress the ear canal is preferred, which is more comfortable to wear and suitable for long-term wear.
2. If you are a student and need to use it in online classes, it is recommended to buy noise-canceling headphones to reduce environmental interference, and immerse yourself in the ocean of knowledge in dormitories and libraries.
3. Office workers/business people, then choose good portable noise-canceling headphones, which are quieter and more relaxed when using them in daily work, commuting or business trips. In addition, the call quality must be very good.
4. If you are a person who loves to play games, then pay attention to the delay of the headphones. It is recommended to buy headphones with low latency and better sound quality, so that you can have a better gaming experience.
5. If you exercise regularly, then choose open headphones. For example, bone conduction Bluetooth headphone is recommended, it is more comfortable and clean without blocking the ears, moreover, it is also safer. It is recommended to choose a bone conduction Bluetooth headphone with high waterproof performance and wearing comfort.
Bluetooth headphone recommendation:
1. Best Bluetooth headphone for long-term use: Bose QuietComfort earbuds
No matter where you are, they can use intelligent personalized noise cancellation technology anytime, anywhere, so you can have an immersive listening experience. This is a comfortable earbud with three pairs of earplugs and three pairs of custom stability bands to ensure comfort and safety throughout the day. Therefore, you can find the most suitable earbuds for your ears, and meet your long-term use needs with sound quality and fit.
It is an easy-to-operate wireless earbud that controls everything by using a simple touch interface on the headphone. This convenient interface frees your hands so you can focus on doing everything. Play or pause music and smart noise cancellation with simple swipes and taps without touching your phone.
Bose QuietComfort boasts a long battery life, allowing your favorite music to play for up to 6 hours. Store your Bose QuietComfort Earbuds in a portable charging case when not in use – it's small enough to fit directly into your pocket. If the battery is low, you will be let know via voice prompts. What if the power goes out and there is not enough time to fully charge? Don't worry, the fast charging option provides up to 20 hours of battery life after 2 minutes of charging.
To ensure that your earbuds remain connected to your device, Bose QuietComfort earbuds offer advanced Bluetooth 5.3 function. As long as you're within 30 feet (about 9.1 meters) of your paired device, this latest generation of Bluetooth technology will provide a strong, stable connection.
The earbuds pair with up to seven devices and can easily switch between your connected devices next time without reconnecting.
Its overall price is not cheap, and the price also depends on the color ($249 for midnight blue and gray, and $239.49 for white and black), and if you have an adequate budget, then you can definitely consider this earbud.
The best Bluetooth headphone for students: Anker Soundcore Life P2
Anker LifeP2 headphones are very popular among students because they offer amazing sound insulation effect and sound quality. The headphone is equipped with a special isolation technology that isolates any external noise that may interfere with students' attention.
Another advantage of these headphones for students is the high quality of the audio they produce. There is very little background noise when using it, which means you can listen to your favorite music without any problems. And it's compatible with Bluetooth 5, which allows you to avoid sound lag when using headphones and ensures connection stability.
The headphones last up to 7 hours when fully charged, and up to 40 hours when used with the attached charging case. In addition, you can get 1 hour of use for each charge of 10 minutes.
Its disadvantage is its in-ear design, which may make your ears tired or even painful after wearing it for a long time.
Overall, the headphone is IPX-7 rated and waterproof with excellent battery life, which is durable, lightweight and affordable, and costs only $31.98, making it ideal for students to purchase.
2. The most suitable Bluetooth headphone for office workers/business people: Jabra Elite 85t
The design of the Jabra Elite 85t headphones is simple and fashionable, in line with the appearance of previous Elite 65t and Elite 75t models. The Jabra logo on the headphones is a physical button that allows you to easily perform various functions, such as playing and stopping songs, switching between noise cancellation and external sound capture modes.
The Jabra Elite 85t has a number of built-in microphones, including a feedforward microphone for noise cancellation to reduce noise outside the ear, and a feedback microphone located inside the headphone to reduce noise inside the ear. Six kinds of microphones and wind protection technologies are adopted, you can use it to make calls anywhere and in any environment, which is easy to operate and has clear sound.
The Jabra Elite 85t is a lightweight Bluetooth headset that weighs only 6.9 grams, so you can wear it for a long time to enjoy music without feeling uncomfortable. Some tubular earphones give ear pressure, but the Jabra Elite 85t has a semi-open design, and their vents adjust the air pressure in the ears for a snug fit and open feel.
Elite 85t has better sound quality, mainly because it has a larger driver. The Elite 85t features a 12mm drive that is twice the size of previous models. If you want to enjoy music with better sound, it is recommended to choose the Elite 85t. In addition, you can adjust the equalizer and set "Audio" by installing the Jabra Sound+ app to make it easier to listen to audio.
4. The best Bluetooth headphone to use when playing games: Edifier HECATE GX07 wireless gaming earbuds
The headphones have a unique and stylish punk-looking design that will make people unforgettable. It has an RGB lighting effect, and when you open the charging case, the RGB light will automatically turn on, making this headphone extremely recognizable. The matte surface is pleasant to the touch and dustproof, leaving no fingerprints. If you are looking for a wireless headphone with a novel design, this is ideal for you.
Its semi-in-ear structure design can bring a good wearing experience. Noise reduction by two microphones can meet daily needs, but expectations should not be too high in noisy and complex environments.
It is not only attractive in appearance, but also excellent in performance. This wireless headphone features ultra-low latency, excellent noise cancellation, and gaming modes for a flawless gaming experience. You will be the first to hear enemy footsteps, guns, explosions, etc.
Equipped with the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology, it greatly improves the stability, connection speed and range of the connection. Low power consumption makes the connection more stable. The connection will not be interrupted even in congested places, which lets you enjoy high-quality music and games anytime, anywhere.
The buttons are highly sensitive, and the basic headphone functions include forward/backward, play/stop music, answer/end/reject calls, power on/off, volume control, etc., which can be controlled with just one touch. It is easy to use and can be operated without taking out your phone.
Thanks to the small size and light weight of this gaming headphone, you can wear it all day without feeling uncomfortable. It also comes with three different sizes of earplugs to fit different people's ears, so there's no need to worry about dropping.
If you usually like to play games and like punk style, then this headset is the perfect choice for you.
4. The most suitable Bluetooth headphone for exercise: Wissonly Hi Runner bone conduction Bluetooth headphone
If you want to pursue a comfortable experience in a day of exercise, and you have high requirements for the sound quality and performance of headphones, we recommend using Wissonly's flagship model "Wissonly Hi Runner". Its waterproof is very good, it has reached the IPX8 rating, it can easily cope with sweat, rain, and can also be used when swimming, and even you can wear it to dive, it can be used normally at 15 meters underwater, and if you accidentally dirty it, you can also wash it directly. In order to adapt to the use needs of underwater scenes such as swimming, Hi Runner also has a built-in memory of 32G, because when playing underwater, the Bluetooth connection may be unstable, there is built-in storage, you can use the headphones as an MP3 player, and you can enjoy high-quality music underwater.
Due to the particularity of the technical principle, bone conduction headphones are more difficult to improve sound quality. To this end, Wissonly Hi Runner subverts the traditional sound quality improvement scheme, it uses a breakthrough large-size bone conduction vibrator, and through structural optimization, the effective vibration area of the vibrator is increased by 35%, thereby improving the sound efficiency of the vibrator and making the sound more powerful. Moreover, it also optimizes the direction of sound transmission, reducing sound loss during sound transmission, which makes the sound more concentrated. During the music playback, everything from rich bass to delicate treble is rich, and the resolution of each sound is particularly amazing. The soft rubbing sound of stringed instruments, or even the whispers of singers, can be vividly reproduced.
The Wissonly Hi Runner uses the latest Bluetooth 5.0 chip, which makes the Bluetooth connection more stable and less prone to choppy sound. Its battery life is also very good, and it can play continuously for 8-10 hours at normal volume, which is really good for people who like outdoor sports, even if they go out to climb all day, they don't have to worry about the battery running out. It also supports magnetic fast charging, and it only takes 2 hours to fully charge.
Sports Bluetooth headphones certainly have to pay attention to comfort and stability. The Wissonly Hi Runner's open-ear shape allows it to hang directly over your temples without plugging the headphones into your ears, which means that you can use it for a long time without getting tired or sore in your ears. In addition, thanks to its open-ear design, it allows you to listen to music and other sounds while listening to the sounds around you. Hi Runner Bluetooth headphone is especially suitable for people who like outdoor sports or even commuting by walking, because it allows you to keep an eye on the situation around you to ensure your safety.
Its frame is made of titanium, which can self-adjust the fit position, and can be applied to different sizes of head circumference, improving the stability of the wear. It weighs very lightly, only less than 30g, it doesn't feel any weight when you wear it, and you don't even feel like you're carrying it. Its surface material is soft and skin-friendly silicone material, which feels as smooth as baby skin, and it will not be uncomfortable to wear for a long time, it is very suitable whether it is in sports or daily use.
Summary:
1. The best Bluetooth headphone for long-term use is Bose QuietComfort earbuds
The best Bluetooth headphone for students is the Anker Soundcore Life P2
3. The best Bluetooth headphone for office workers/business people is the Jabra Elite 85t
4. The best Bluetooth headphone for gaming is the Edifier HECATE GX07 wireless gaming earbuds
5. The most suitable Bluetooth headphone for exercise: Wissonly Hi Runner bone conduction Bluetooth headphone
As I said earlier, no headphone is perfect. Only if you choose according to your own needs and use scenarios can you choose the perfect headphone that is most suitable for you. If you are looking for value for money and want to use it in your daily life and sports, then the practical and powerful Wissonly Hi Runner bone conduction Bluetooth headphone is a great choice.