Wireless audio technology has come a long way in the past decade or so, yet some rudimentary problems tend to arise with the newest iterations of in-ear, on-ear and over-the-ear models made by even the most trusted brands. Does the Life section have any horror stories or are they generally fans of wireless headphones?
Ben Lassy, Life Editor (he/him/his):
Although this debate is a bit old now, I’ve been seeing more and more people wearing wired headphones — maybe they’ve lost an AirPod? Well, I stand firmly with wireless headphones, but I wasn’t always that way.
My first pair of wireless headphones were the Samsung Galaxy Buds, released back when my phone had a headphone jack. This era was great, as I could still use wired headphones if my Galaxy Buds died, not to mention the convenient and tangle-proof wireless headphones were great (though with horrible sound quality).
Now, I still yearn for the headphone jack; that 3.5-millimeter connector was a godsend on many long car rides, though wireless headphones now sound just as good as their over-the-ear wired counterparts. Just charge them at night and you’re good to go. I think this debate can finally be put to rest.
Noa Climor, Social Media Outreach Coordinator (she/her/hers):
While I love my wireless headphones and the ease they bring me — no need to remain too close to my phone when listening to music, freedom to move around and just the general comfort of not being attached to anything—there are some pros to wired headphones that I cannot ignore.
First of all, they’re fun! It used to come with your phone, if we are talking about the classic Apple headphones. Another thing about them is that they can’t run out of battery. Have you ever tried listening to music and realized your headphones were dead? Yeah, me too. Also, listening to music with Bluetooth headphones is impossible when it’s windy outside. One more thing: Why is the sound quality so unfortunate? Maybe I just listen to my music too loudly, but I can’t deny that the sound quality on wireless headphones isn’t always the best.
I will, of course, continue using my wireless headphones, but my heart will always have a special place for the wired Apple earbuds, which are perfect and beautiful and should never change.
Ayyan Tamjeed, Campus Correspondent (he/him/his):
I’ll preface this by saying I’m firmly in the wired headphones/earbuds camp, mostly because they’re cost effective, and I don’t have to worry about charging another thing on top of my laptop and phone. That being said, I was recently gifted some wireless earbuds, and I see what all the fuss is about.
It’s best for using with my iPhone since I have a recent model that doesn’t have a headphone jack (I hate it), and I don’t have to worry about creating an entangled mess while I keep earbuds in my bag or while I’m walking (I love it).
To me, the noise cancelling effect is much stronger than what wired earbuds have, which makes it a great way to block out sound and get on with work. On the flip side, this does make me unable to hear when others are talking. Kind of a nitpicky reason to not use them more, but I’ll digress. The sound quality is great though, albeit a little too quiet for my taste at the volume I usually listen to. I also have problems with the earbuds sometimes sliding off my ears because of their shape, which mostly restricts me to using them at home. The motion controls are great though, and it’s probably the closest thing I’ll get to feeling like a spy, which I can’t denigrate.
While I prefer a wired connection for my laptop, I can’t knock down the versatility wireless earbuds offer while on the go.
We don’t have to rate this out of booms, right?
James Fitzpatrick, Associate Life Editor (he/him/his):
My wireless journey began with a pair of over-the-ear Sony headphones, with noise cancellation that distorted when in contact with wind and a battery that stopped charging a year after purchasing them. Wanting to still use over-the-ear cans, I replaced those with refurbished Bose wireless headphones, and the sound quality was absolutely abysmal. I assume it was something I did wrong because I’ve been proudly rocking the Bose QuietComfort line of wireless earbuds after unintentionally running over my Sennheiser buds with my car.
Neither my Sennheiser nor Bose earbuds had tracking capabilities — hence the car incident — so that was the only desirable feature of my first-generation Apple AirPods. I know it’s an unfair critique in hindsight, but the sound on those was so tiny that I tended to use 75% volume to hear anything at all.
I was also an early adopter of the Ozlo Sleepbuds, which are meant for side-sleepers, and have been instrumental in maintaining a solid sleep schedule in these dorm rooms. The sound quality is not great, and I still don’t enjoy side-sleeping while using them, despite their flat form factor, so I would stick with a pair of name-brand wireless buds if you’re considering the purchase.
They may not be a perfect fit, but my wired Apple earbuds with the 3.5-millimeter headphone jack still work like a charm without any maintenance. My wired Sennheiser HD 599SE over-the-ear headphones had virtually no issues until the headband snapped, which was my fault. Finally, after much deliberation, I’m about to buy a pair of wired FiiO FT1s, which look — and apparently sound — very good at a reasonable price point. Regardless, if they weren’t so jank sometimes, I would go with wireless earbuds all the time for their versatility and small size.