There are several kinds of headphones that are available in the market. Among them is the open-back model. In today’s post, we will be reading about the open-back headphone. It is a model that lets air pass through the earcups from the rear of the speaker driver.
This means that the resonance and the low frequency that builds up produced by the rear do not have to worry you. You might be surprised to know that several top-end headphones come with an open-back design that lets more sound inside them.
Moreover, this helps in offering you with the opulent sound quality for you. However, you will want to also know that the headphone comes with a certain amount of noise leakage that may not be ideal for all.
What is open-back headphone?
The open-back headphone comes with an open-back design that allows the sound or the audio from the headphone to transfer outside. This lets the outside sound blend in with the noise or sound that you are listening to on the model.
That is because they can’t block the outside noise and you can hear everything that is happening around you. Some users tend to use this unit inside their homes, offices, or even in the washroom.
They may not have a similar experience on the bus, train, or in aircraft. But some users might like the hear the open natural sound more than the isolated noise of the closed-back model. It is a personal choice.
Why are they called open-back headphones?
They are called open-back headphones because of their ability to allow noise leakage from the earcups. It helps the model to offer you with a clear, nice, and sublime sound performance producing sweet music to your ears.
Moreover, you are provided with good ventilation that enables you to wear them for several hours without issues. They can also be termed as helpful when you are concerned about the happenings around you.
What is the benefit of having it?
There are several benefits of using open-back headphones. The first is that it comes with a 30dB increase in sound leakage compared to a closed-back unit. They allow you to also pass the air through the earcups for improving your listening experience and have a wide soundstage.
The open-back model can be placed on your ears for a lengthy period of time without much hassle. They provide you with a more immersive listening experience. It comes as no surprise that several top-end models come with better soundstage and audio imaging.
To test it, you can remove the model from your ears, and then place them in front of you on a flat surface. When you can hear things clearly, then you might want to know that the model is quite loud.
You may want to decrease the volume and then try to do it again. You can continue this process until you are able to find the right kind of volume from the headphone. We might suggest that you do this till you find the best model for yourself.
Who should buy them?
If you are somebody who prefers listening to music alone at home. Perhaps, you are somebody who is working at home or likes to listen to something during the weekends, then this model is ideal for you.
When you are someone who idealizes critical listening. For those of you who like to listen to opulent music, then this model should be ideal for you. You could be an audiophile, gamer, or regular user.
If you are somebody who produces high-quality content or you are a content creator. Perhaps, you are a vlogger or somebody who creates videos for a living, then you must seriously think of using these headphones.
Finally, when you are a sound engineer or somebody who works in the music sector, then you might require a top-notch model that can help you listen to the music produced better. Moreover, you may need to master and mix the music to your liking.
What are the factors to consider before buying them?
There are several factors that you would want to consider before buying open-back headphones.
Comfort
The headphone is comfortable to wear for lengthy periods of time because of the open-back design. Unlike the closed-back where there is hardly any kind of movement of air in there, this unit has plenty of ventilation for you. Besides, the earcups are sufficiently designed to have the largest of ears in them.
Build quality
The build quality of the open-back headphone is the second factor that you would want to check out for. Headphones are usually produced from materials like plastic, metal, and so on. Since they are on the top-end side, they are produced from high-end materials.
Audio performance
The open-back model’s audio performance is the next thing that you would want to know about. Like we already said at the beginning itself, the sound quality is top-notch. Hence, audiophiles, gamers, and regular users prefer using this model.
Sound isolation
The model offers little in terms of isolation. When you work in an office or travel often by bus or train, then you may want to reconsider using them. Because it can be a cause of disturbance to them. This means that you won’t be able to use them either in the office or during your commute.
The price
The price of the open-back model is the final factor that you would want to consider when choosing them. They can be priced slightly above the other models because of the materials, sound quality, and other features.
Pros and cons
We have discussed some of the pros & cons below briefly.
PROS
- Allow air through earcups: These models provide you with ample ventilation so that you do not have to worry about airflow. The resonances and the low-frequency build-up that may be caused in the rear do not have to become a concern.
- Have better sound quality: It also comes with better audio quality. When you want to have the best audio performance from the model, then these are the headphones that you should be looking at.
- Better ventilation: If you like to listen to music for a lengthy period of time, then you would want to ensure that you use this model. That is because it can help with the right kind of ventilation. Typically, the open-back models are nicely vented.
- Nicely built: The materials used to produce them are phenomenal and you can rest assured that they are elegantly built. That means the model is durable and goes on for many years.
CONS
- Can’t block ambient noise: They can’t block out any ambient noise, which means that others seated around you can hear everything that you are listening to. So, it may not be a good option when traveling.
- They are fragile: The open-back headphone is fragile when compared to the other models as there is nothing to get in the way of moisture and other debris. When you are using them outside, then you have to treat them with some care and handle them gently.
Final thoughts on open-back headphones
This is it. We have come to the end of our discussion on the guide for open-back headphones. We hope that you have enjoyed reading this post. As you can see, this model is extremely popular among users of all ages, audiophiles, and especially gamers.
If you belong to that category, then you might consider owning one of these for yourselves. Besides, they can provide you with immense audio quality. The comfort and fitting are there, and they are quite affordable.
However, there is a significant amount of sound leakage. When you are somebody who is concerned about that aspect of things, then you might want to make sure that you look elsewhere.
Did we miss out on something? Then please let us know. Do you have any doubts about the open-back headphone, then do write to us in the comment section. We will get back to you as soon as we can.
James Smith has always been intrigued by electronic products since his childhood. After his post graduation in electronics from a popular university, he decided to pursue a career in the electronics sector. But his calling for writing about these marvellous pieces of work got the better of him. That is how UBG was started. With a writing career spanning more than 12 years, James has worked on several hundred product reviews. During his free time, he like to spend time with his pet dog and relax in the swimming pool.