What’s the Difference Between Open-Back and Closed-Back headphones

Each person has their preferences when it comes to listening to your favorite tunes. Some people like to keep abreast of what’s happening around them. Others, on the contrary, seek to completely distract from everything. Therefore, different types of accessories were created. The type of sound is just the main difference between closed and open type headphones.

Difference Between Open-Back and Closed-Back headphones

Open-Back headphones

For headphones without soundproofing, the rear wall of the cups is open and has openings. Thanks to this, the sound is more transparent and natural, the sound stage is wider, less distortion, because sound waves freely exit without being reflected from the back wall of the cups. But there are also disadvantages: you hear external noises, and those around you hear the sound from your headphones.

But open headphones have an excellent stereo base and stage depth if you listen to them at home and in silence. These headphones are also great for use in games, contributing to the effect of presence.

Open headphones are more suitable for listening to tunes at high and medium frequencies. Their design also helps to clean the playing sound from microscopic noises characteristic of soundproofed spaces. Open headphones are best suited for listening to classical music – especially when it comes to orchestral or instrumental compositions.

Difference Between Open-Back and Closed-Back headphones

Closed-back headphones

In headphones with noise isolation, the back wall is completely closed and has no holes, as a result, you do not hear ambient noise, and the sound from the speakers practically does not go out. This type of headphones is preferable to use in conditions of external noise, for example in public transport.

Often, headphones of this type experience a decline in the low-frequency region, caused by a lack of internal volume of the bowls for these frequencies. Therefore, designers are forced to go to various tri For a closed design, often not very wide stereo base and stage depth are characteristic. Both of these indicators are improved when properly damped. However, the values of the open structure are usually still not reached.

On the other hand, far from all styles of music need a large stereo base and depth. For example, for heavy music styles, for a denser and ‘swinging’ sound, in my opinion, it is a closed design that is better suited. But for atmospheric music, an open design is preferable.cks to raise the low-frequency range.

When choosing the type of headphones, it is first of all necessary to be guided by the conditions in which they will be used. If most of the time you use headphones in transport, then obviously the choice should be made in favor of closed headphones.

If you want to savor your favorite songs at home, without harm to relationships with your neighbors, then you should pay attention to open headphones.

For the street, it is probably preferable to half-closed. Yes, you won’t immerse yourself in music entirely, but the likelihood of not noticing an impending car is much less.

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