Headphones have become a staple piece of tech equipment. Almost every person uses some sort of headphones at least occasionally.
They are widely available at stores like Walmart and Target, as well as online sites like Amazon and eBay. There are a huge variety of types of headphones, including earbuds, noise-canceling, studio monitors, and earphone variants.
All of these different types have one thing in common: they are all electromagnets. Yes, that is right! Even though you can’t see them, all headphones are tiny electromagnets. This is not a fact that is discussed often, but it is true!
How are they electromagnets, you ask? Well, let’s dig into the specifics so you can understand this fact better. This article will discuss all the details about how headphones are electromagnets.
How do they work?
Headphones work by using a electromagnet. Inside most headphones is a metal core, usually aluminum. This is where the speaker is located.
Around the core is a wound wire. When an electric current is run through the wire, it creates a magnetic field. This magnetic field is controlled by the strength of the electric current running through it.
The stronger the current, the stronger the magnetic field. This allows for different levels of sound to be created. When plastic or leather covers are placed over the wires, they act as amplifiers for the sound.
The shape of the plastic or leather helps direct the sound towards your ear, allowing you to hear what you are listening to more clearly. How cool is that?
You can also have headphones without this feature, but they will not provide better sound quality than normal earbuds.
Do all headphones use electromagnets?
No, actually headphones come in a few different forms. The most common type of headphones is over-ear or ear-covering headphones.
These have an internal housing for the speakers and an external cover that covers your ear. The wire that connects the two is usually coiled for storage.
In-ear headphones are just what they say- they insert into your ear canal! These are very common among athletes because they block out more noise than over-ears do.
Finally, there are Bluetooth headphones which do not have any wires at all. These sync with your device via wireless signal and therefore do not need any internal wiring either.
What are the advantages of using electromagnets?
Aside from being able to be turned on and off, electromagnets can also be adjusted in strength. This is very important when designing headphones.
If the magnet is too strong, it will pull the earpiece away from the phone or computer, breaking the connection. If it is too weak, it will not adequately produce sound.
The strength of the magnet can also be adjusted so that when you transition from listening to music to a phone call, the connection is not lost. In addition, stronger magnets help to preserve battery life due to less energy required to maintain their state.
Other uses for electromagnets in headphones include wireless charging capabilities and adjustable noise cancelling. Wireless charging is easily integrated into most headphones by placing a magnetic field generator under the cushion of the headphone frame.
What are the disadvantages of using electromagnets?
While headphones are a great way to isolate yourself from the world and enjoy your favorite music, listening to music too loudly can be very dangerous.
According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, more than 1 in 8 people aged 12 to 22 say they listen to music at least half of the time at a level that would be unsafe for their hearing.
This is because people get used to the sound of music and do not adjust the volume higher or lower depending on what changes.
When listening to music through headphones, you are actually only hearing one side of the sound. The other side is being blocked by the headphone speaker itself.
This makes it easier to listen at higher volumes without realizing how loud it really is. As we said before, this can lead to permanent hearing loss due to exposure to high levels of sound.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you turn down the volume on your devices by at least 50% or use earbuds instead of headphones to reduce your risk of hearing loss.
What materials are used in making headphones with electromagnets?
When looking for headphones, you will find many different types. The main two features that are sought after are sound quality and style. A third feature that is being looked for is magnet strength.
Sound quality is determined by how well the headphones reproduce sound. This is dependent on the specifications of the materials used to make the headphones.
Style is obviously depending on what design and color the headphones are. They must also match your personality!
The magnet strength refers to how strong the electromagnet in the headphone is. The higher the strength, the better quality music you will get out of them.
When buying cheap headphones, it is hard to tell if they are made with high quality materials or not.
Are there any disadvantages to using headphones with electromagnets?
Yes, unfortunately, there are some disadvantages to using headphones with electromagnets. First of all, listening to music or podcasts at a higher volume can lead to hearing loss.
In addition, since you are listening to music on your phone, tablet or computer, you are also exposed to EMFs. These EMFs come from the device and affect your cell signal.
By using headphones, you are blocking out this radiation and consequently, your brain is not being conditioned by the signals.
Studies have found a correlation between long-term cell phone use and brain tumors as well as other neurological disorders. Because of this, it is best to limit your cell phone use and switch to wireless headphones.
Another disadvantage is that people may listen to music at a lower volume when using wireless headphones but still for a long time which can lead to habituation.
What about wireless headphones?
Along with the ever-increasing demand for wireless everything, there has also been a growing market for truly wireless headphones. These are earbuds that do not have any connecting wires between them.
How are these made? While most companies do not discuss their manufacturing processes, some reveal some details.
Most use similar methods: each earpiece has its own mic and small processor, and they connect to a shared wireless chip that connects to your phone. Some use Bluetooth connection, others use Wi-Fi connection. Some even have both!
The biggest difference seems to be how much battery life you want. Companies try to balance the length of the battery life with the weight of the headphones- the lighter they are, the smaller the batteries can be. Some even use special materials to preserve battery life.
How much power do they have?
Although the average person will only consider two main factors when buying headphones, there are actually quite a few. The two main ones being sound quality and noise cancellation.
Sound quality is pretty self-explanatory. You want to buy headphones that have good, crisp sound. That happen to be tailored to your listening taste!
Noise cancellation is how effectively the headphones block out external noise. This is a pretty important feature if you are looking to spend money on headphones. How do they do this?
They are electromagnetic shields that actively cancel out external noise. How much power does the headphone require? It depends on the type of noise cancellation you choose.
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Hi, I’m Dominique. I love movies and want everyone to have the best home cinema experience possible. That’s why I started 1home Theatre Projector. We help people build their home cinema system using the latest technology and news on laser tv and all-around home entertainment.
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