Putting on a pair of headphones and listening to music is good enough for most people. But, if you’re an audiophile, you crave more than just basic sounds and lyrics. Listening to your Favorite Album With the right set of headphones you and the music become one. Surrounding yourself in some of your favorite tunes or beats can be euphoric. But what if your headphones are less than stellar? When it comes to headphones, there are several small tweaks you can make to get pure sounds from your headphones.
Keep reading for 6 options to upgrade your listening experience..
1. Know Your Headphones
There are two main types of headphones: closed-back and open-back. Closed-back models tend to sound closed in and boxy, but the sound stays confined to just your ears. Closed-back models are also less expensive than open-closed. On the other hand, open-back models provide a unique depth and airiness that you won’t get with any other headphones. Knowing which sound you prefer should drive which headphones are most suitable for you.
2. Buy a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC)
If you’ve listened to music in your car or on your laptop, phone, or tablet, you’ve unknowingly used a DAC. Before music finds its way into your ears, it’s in a digital format. A DAC takes the digital ones and zeros and translates them into actual music. The problem with most DACs that are installed on phones and laptops is that they’re poor quality. To get pure sounds from your headphones, you’ll want to bypass the original DAC with one of your own.
These days most DACs are small and connect via USB. The market is full of them, some costing thousands of dollars. For your needs, you can probably find a quality DAC for $100 or less. With the right DAC, your music will go from good to amazing.
3. Listen to Higher Quality Music
While your headphones play a role in how nice your music sounds, the format of the music you’re listening to have an even larger role. It’s well known that the best sounds come from CDs and vinyls, but digital music runs the world today. One of the first things you can do is to import your music without compressing the files into a low-quality format. Of course, this takes time and effort on your part. The easiest thing you can do is to sign up for a quality streaming service like Tidal or Spotify. The paid versions of these apps offer top notch streaming quality, so you can get pure sounds from your headphones.
4. Get New Cables
Over time, headphone cables can start to crack and tear. The connections can also become loose. As these cables start to age, they can impact the sounds that come out of your headphones. Take a look at your cables. If they look as if they’ve seen better days, now’s a good time for headphone upgrade cable. With new cables, you don’t have to worry about static or patchy sounds. Head over to your electronic retailer to find replacement cables to help you get pure sounds from your headphones. The best part? You can get much improved sound for less than $20!
5. Use a Headphone Amp
When you think of an amp, chances are you visualize a large box. But, these days there are compact and portable amps designed specifically for headphones. Combining a DAC and an amp will give you the sounds you’ve always wanted. Amps boost the overall volume of your songs. In turn, you get top notch quality, even at lower volumes. Amps are also beneficial in that they deepen and color sounds, feeding your audiophile needs even more!
Headphone amps can be purchased in a tube or solid state. Tube amps give off very warm sounds and tend to be more expensive than solid state amps. But, they can be temperamental. Solid amps also create amazing sound and tend to be a little less expensive.
6. Keep Them Clean
No matter if you wash behind your ears like mom always said, your ears will always produce wax and oil. Over time, your headphones are likely to have a buildup of wax and oil. This can in turn negatively impact the sound that’s produced. To keep your headphones clean, be sure to wipe them down at least once a month. Water and gentle soap will do the trick and keep your headphones free of build-up. Use a toothbrush and water to keep the metal portion of your headphones clean.
Conclusion
For audiophiles, listening to music is more than just a hobby. It’s a way of life and a unique experience that changes with each song. If your headphones aren’t producing the pure sounds that you crave, consider these 6 tips above. How do you get the most out of your headphone listening experience? Leave us a comment with your tips in the section below.