Apple's Lightning EarPods, or Audiophiles, don't belong here. Why Lightning headphones are better than standard ones

Apple promised that new EarPods headphones with a Lightning connector will provide higher quality rich sound. Technically this is possible, but so far no miracle has happened - the sound remains at the same level. How does the new product differ from regular 3.5 mm EarPods?

On shelves late last month Russian stores new ones have appeared iPhone smartphones 7 from Apple. The start was very successful - in just a few days, sales exceeded 2 billion rubles. Experts explained the high interest of buyers in the new iPhone for several reasons. Firstly, we have come to terms with the increased prices, and secondly, the smartphone has received a number of quite interesting changes, including an improved processor, a more powerful battery, a display with a wider color gamut, updated cameras, etc.

As for the appearance of the device, one of the most significant changes was the absence of a standard 3.5 mm audio jack. This fact caused a lot of noise even before the launch of sales of the new product. The manufacturer suggested using new EarPods with a Lightning connector or wireless headphones. However, Apple still took care of those who are used to a regular 3.5 mm jack: the iPhone 7 comes with an adapter cable from Lightning to 3.5 mm.

Many eminent audiophile experts have already expressed their opinions regarding this solution, and for every laudatory review there is one negative one. Some users are not only hostile to Apple's decision to deprive the iPhone 7 of a standard 3.5 mm jack, but also believe that this is simply a marketing ploy and not an attempt to improve quality by using an “advanced” connector. Now we will try to figure out whether this is really so.

Sound

You can argue for a long time and make arguments in favor of both regular EarPods and the new EarPods Lightning, but if you base it on the opinion of the majority of those who have already tested the new product, the conclusion is simple - the sound has not changed. It’s worth saying here that Apple itself promised “deeper and richer sound.” Of course, sound is a subjective thing, so some may think that Apple’s updated headphones sound new, but if you believe experts, the new connector does not change anything in terms of sound. Of course, if you purposefully listen to the same track for a very long time, changing headphones, you can notice minimal differences. However, this approach to business is characteristic only of the most sophisticated audiophiles, and a common person, even if he is a music lover, will not engage in such tests.

Note the rubber gasket above where the DAC is located (photo by 9toMac)

For end user Lightning is just a connector. Although it is worth noting that there are DAC chips inside the headphone cable and the Lightning to 3.5 mm adapter.

It turns out that in terms of sound quality, EarPods Lightning occupy the same place as regular EarPods: they are quite good as part of a smartphone package, but not good enough to pay attention to them and buy them separately.

Build quality

There's nothing particularly outstanding here either. The quality of the new EarPods is no different from the old ones. The manufacturer used the same plastic, exactly the same remote control on the cable, and the earcups themselves are completely identical.

The main change has already been mentioned above - this is a new connector with a DAC. By the way, technically the EarPods Lightning have the opportunity to sound better - for this, Apple should use higher-quality digital-to-analog converters in the headphones and components in the iPhones themselves, but so far the company has not done this, since high-quality hardware is more expensive.

Tiny lightning to mini jack 3.5mm adapter

You can also note that the EarPods Lightning cable has become 7 cm longer, and the connector, unlike other cables with a Lightning connector, has a small rubber gasket at the point of attachment to the wire. Most likely, this gasket is needed for protective purposes.

Adapter

All iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus come with a small Lightning to 3.5mm adapter cable. Apple probably would have abandoned such a decision altogether, but the company most likely understood that the complete incompatibility of the new smartphone with conventional headphones would alienate many users who are accustomed to listening to music on mobile phones.

Adapter for 3.5 mm jack

An adapter is a questionable solution. If the company tried to save money by not making a 3.5 mm jack in the new iPhone, now it has to add an adapter to the package. If Apple wanted to make the iPhone 7 thinner and removed the classic headphone jack, then perhaps it was worth thinking about developing a new flat analog connector and jack? It would be interesting.

Compatibility with other devices

The new EarPods are fully compatible with any iOS gadget equipped with a Lightning connector. Standard entrance 3.5 mm will not be a hindrance for the new EarPods.

When two pairs of headphones are simultaneously connected to different jacks, the device will supply (redirect) the audio signal to the headphones that were connected last. You won't be able to listen to music through both connectors at the same time.

Two Earpods connected at the same time

It is worth paying attention to the fact that EarPods are not the only Lightning headphones on the market. Other companies also offer headphones with this type of connector. For example, the American Audeze and the Danish Libratone.

Bottom line

Despite numerous complaints and outrage, the new EarPods Lightning and the missing 3.5mm input on the iPhone 7 do not fundamentally change anything. They didn't make the sound particularly "deep" or "rich", but they didn't ruin it either. So if you are an avid audiophile, you should pass it by. By the way, the same applies to regular EarPods: these headphones have never been appreciated by meticulous lovers of the “correct” sound.

If you just can’t get used to the idea that your smartphone won’t have a jack for your favorite “ears,” then you’ll have to make a compromise - use an adapter. On the other hand, you can completely forget about wires and connectors and switch to modern wireless headphones. It makes sense for Apple lovers to pay attention to AirPods, which will soon go on sale in Russia. If AirPods are not interesting to you, you can easily choose any other wireless headphones.

The Lightning connector has become the standard for all modern technology Apple. Whether it's a phone or a tablet, they are equipped with this multifunctional connector. At the same time, Apple gadgets lost the 3.5 mm analog jack for connecting regular headphones, which, of course, could not but stir up fans of good mobile sound. It’s not so important that the iPhone never had a high-quality DAC, what’s important is that people used to have a very wide choice of which headphones to buy and connect to the phone, but with the departure of the analog jack, the choice rapidly decreased, literally, to just a few models of headphones that have a jack Lightning for connecting to a phone or tablet.

How headphones work

Headphones are, on the one hand, a very simple technological device, but on the other, very complex. Schematic diagram The headphones work is simple - there is a membrane rigidly connected to the cores, which is in a constant magnetic field. An electrical signal arrives at the conductor, which causes the magnetic field to change, causing the core and membrane to move. As soon as the vibration of the membrane reaches a value from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, we hear it as sound. The principle is simple and clear, but how to make sure that we not only hear some sound, but that we hear it in a superlative degree is difficult. It’s not for nothing that there are so many companies and models of headphones; each model is an attempt to make the sound better, or to emphasize it for a particular task. For example, there are specialized , or and . For each task, their own types of headphones are created, although, in general, they are simply suitable for any task.

How it works

Any headphones, or rather any headphone driver, is an analog device, i.e. it reproduces sound using an analog electrical signal. But as we know, everything digital devices store music in digital form. In order to translate digital music into analog view special chips are used - DACs (digital-to-analog converter). Their task is simple, to translate information about what sound should be played at the moment into this sound itself. Of course, like any other device, DACs differ quite greatly from each other both in the quality of work and in the methods by which they do this (algorithms). DACs also differ in their fundamental technological capabilities, for example, some DACs can convert a digital signal into multi-channel sound, while other DACs operate only in mono mode.

It turns out that sound quality primarily depends on the DAC. How it converts audio information into sound depends on what material the amplifier will work with next.

What is an amplifier and what is it for?

An amplifier is a device that converts a weak analog signal generated by a DAC into a final signal that is sent to a sound-reproducing device. This could be headphones, speakers, or downstream equipment for further processing. In our case, the signal from the amplifier will go directly to the headphones.

Of course, amplifiers also come in a variety of varieties, both in functionality and quality of work. Mobile phones have amplifiers of average quality, because... according to statistics mobile phones very rarely they connect high-quality headphones that can show negative impact to the signal of a mediocre amplifier. Why should the manufacturer pay? more money, increase the price of your product and lose your advantage over your competitor if the result in the form of better sound can be appreciated by no more than 3% of potential customers? Therefore, phones and ordinary mp3 players have amplifiers that have an average output signal quality, but they are quite economical and consume a minimum of electricity, thus extending the battery life of the device.

And what does this give?

What do we get as a result? For the analog jack to connect regular headphones to work, your phone must have a DAC and a signal amplifier. Moreover, these two devices must be well coordinated with each other. those. they should work well together. There is no point in installing an expensive DAC if the result of its operation simply cannot be competently amplified by a mediocre amplifier and sent to headphones.

The opposite is also true; there is no point in having a high-quality amplifier if a mediocre converted signal from the DAC is supplied to its input. At the same time, if an average-quality DAC and amplifier are well matched, the result of their work will be quite acceptable, and the quality will be sufficient to completely cover the capabilities of playing compressed music formats such as MP3 and AAC. I am sure that 99% of people listen to music on their phones in these formats.

Benefits of headphones with an Apple Lightning port

Now we are gradually approaching why Apple decided to get rid of the 3.5 mm analog jack and forcefully transfer all music lovers to headphones with a Lightning connector.

Lightning is digital interface, i.e. All data is transmitted digitally without prior conversion.

This applies to both data transmission and music transmission, which in this case is a special case of data transmission. All Lightning headphones are converted digital signal in analog they are now doing it on their own. This is convenient for Apple, because now they don’t have to worry about selecting the components necessary for this, introducing them into general scheme

devices, writing drivers and more. Now the Apple gadget just needs to transfer digital data to the headphones, and then it’s no longer his concern what they do with the music.

As a result, all headphones with a Lightning connector now have DAC chips and their own signal amplifier inside them. By the way, the same thing happens in any device, because the Bluetooth signal also arrives to them in digital form. On the one hand, this provides some advantage for those companies that produce headphones, because they can independently select and match the DAC and amplifier so that they not only perfectly match each other, but also with the headphone driver. In fact, this gives full control manufacturer over end result

sound.

However, for the end user this transition may be uncomfortable, because... if he previously had one pair of headphones, which he connected to both the phone and the computer, TV, player and any other devices, now he needs to buy separate headphones with a Lightning connector only for the gadget from Apple. On the other hand, he receives stable and high quality on an ongoing basis.

Like any other technology, switching to Lightning headphones has both pros and cons.

Sound quality in headphones with a Lightning connector

Theoretically, headphones with a Lightning connector should sound better than a similar model with a traditional analog jack. But in practice this does not always happen; it all depends on how concerned the headphone manufacturer is with this. How well he coordinated the operation of the DAC, amplifier and driver capabilities. If this task was approached professionally, then such headphones will indeed sound great, but if this task was left to an intermediary in the form of an OEM manufacturer, then the result can be very mediocre. no longer affect the quality of music playback.

But, as I wrote above, now the quality entirely depends on the headphones themselves, so choosing a good model began to require more attention and more careful selection.

Why are Lightning headphones more expensive than regular ones?

At the moment, Lightning headphones are actually more expensive than their analog counterparts. There are several reasons for this:

• The need to pack a DAC and amplifier into headphones. Now we have to insert additional, sometimes very expensive, elements into the headphones themselves and complicate the internal wiring and design, which increases costs and production costs for the manufacturer.
• Necessity of development costs. Lightning headphones require some time and money to be introduced into production, to conclude new contracts with manufacturers of the necessary elements, and to develop new products. Let's not forget that since headphones now contain electronic elements, you need to write your own software for them, which also requires a considerable investment of time and money, and, possibly, hiring new employees and even creating new departments that will deal only with Lightning development for the company’s current and future headphone models.
• The cost of support will increase. For the manufacturer, the cost of supporting a new type of product will increase. It is necessary to purchase new equipment for service centers, train employees, engineers and voice hotline service. This is also taken into account when generating the price for a new type of headphones.

That’s why new and seemingly exactly the same as traditional headphones are more expensive - it’s all about the introduction of new technologies, which entail quite a long tail additional expenses that companies need to cover.

What if not EarPods?

Apple includes Lightning EarPods headphones with the new iPhones and, it would seem, why buy others? The fact is that although Apple products are considered innovative, incredibly cool and unique, they, like any other product, have competitors. Today, Apple manages to keep prices for its gadgets quite high, compared to analogues from competitors, but this cannot last forever. In addition, the laws of the market work constantly, which means that the product is needed by everyone possible ways make cheaper Yes, the iPhone has many fans who will buy it even despite the high price, but in order for the company to be successful in the long term, the sales market must be constantly expanded. And one of the very effective methods is to reduce the price of goods.

The included Lightning EarPods are great for reducing the cost of your phone. The thinking is quite simple: you need to put headphones on the phone, especially since there is no traditional analog jack, and people quite often need to be able to watch a video, listen to music and make voice call, simple but beautiful EarPods are suitable for all this. Yes, you won’t hear all the beauties of music in them, but you can pass the time while traveling on the bus or while waiting in line.

And those people who want to listen to music seriously and truly enjoy it will buy separate high-quality headphones. That's right, because according to statistics, most people are satisfied with the sound quality of EarPods. Personally, for me, their sound seems extremely simple, bland and unexpressive, but for a simple occasional listening to another podcast or talking on the phone, their capabilities are enough.

Which Lightning headphones to choose?

Every month the selection of Lightning headphones is expanding, more and more companies are releasing similar models. If a year ago the choice was small and came down only to the question of price and headphone form factor, today you already have to read reviews and watch videos to make a choice.

Ultimately, choosing Lightning headphones is no different. You need to decide what tasks you want to use them for: sports, listening to music in the office or while traveling. And based on your tasks, choose the model that will suit you in terms of price, comfort, design and sound quality.

In this selection I will present only those models that I consider good and worthy of your attention, but tomorrow a new one may appear Lightning model headphones, which will be better than those listed here, so this article should not be considered as the ultimate truth. I am only giving you advice, a recommendation, and you must understand for yourself whether to follow it or not.

List of the best Lightning headphones presented in this rating

Model	Headphone type	Peculiarity
	Closed	Invoices. Isodynamic driver
	Closed	On-ear, great sound and ergonomics
	Closed	In-ear headphones with powerful bass sound
	Closed	In-ear, balanced, detailed sound
	Closed	] In-ear, balanced sound and active noise cancellation
	Closed	In-channel, active noise reduction and its adjustment to external factors
	Closed	In-ear, inexpensive with good sound
	Closed	In-ear, with active noise reduction, very light
	Semi-closed	In-channel, magnetoplanar driver
	Closed	Intrachannel, unique technology"Ambeo" allows you to record real binaural sound with using iPhone

They are expensive. Really expensive. But! They truly stand out from the rest of the range of headphones, and have a whole list of features. you can buy standard model Audeze SINE with 3.5mm jack. But if you pay a little extra, you'll get both a 3.5mm connector and a Lightning connector with all its benefits in one package.

The DAC, built-in amplifier and microphone allow you not only to use the headphones at any time to listen to music and make calls, but also enhances the sound quality many times over.

The headphones themselves are comfortable, stylish and very pleasant to use. They sit comfortably on the ears, soft and weightless. The headband is easily adjustable and has a nice leather finish. The arms can be folded compactly, and you can easily carry the headphones in a bag or backpack.

But the main thing in Audeze SINE is the sound, of course. These are the first “magnetic” headphones made using a special technology that is used by only a few manufacturers. Let's leave technological difficulties aside and let's just say that the quality is amazing. It's really clear, crystal clear sound, which brings incredible pleasure to your ears. In music, every little detail, every nuance and the smallest shades can be heard and clearly distinguished. And powerful and rich bass and low frequencies will not leave anyone indifferent. Yes, SINE are expensive, which means they are not for everyone. These stylish headphones will make you stand out from the crowd and feel special. They truly pave the way for the next generation high resolution audio.

Pros:

• Excellent sound quality
• Good ergonomics
• Stylish appearance
• Peak technology

Minuses:

• High price

Philips Fidelio M2L

Philips was one of the first companies to produce Lightning headphones, a year ago. And Philips Fidelio M2L is the only one so far affordable option for those who decided to choose Lightning.

These are “over-ear” headphones with an adjustable headband and soft “ears” that fit tightly and provide comfort while listening. All controls are built into the right earpiece. It features a small remote for controlling volume and one convenient button for pausing or skipping forward and backward through recordings. This is not very convenient at first, but once you get used to it, it becomes impossible to control music any other way. The headphones do not have a microphone, but they are also affordable.

The headphones reproduce sound in impeccable quality. They have a built-in DAC and amplifier, so any composition - from classical to hard rock - will sound great.

Philips Fidelio M2L headphones work exclusively via the Lightning connector, so you cannot use them with non-Apple devices. But Philips produces a similar model, M2BT is bluetooth headphones, which can be used with a wider range of devices. Yes, they are much cheaper than the Fidelio M2L. But if you are looking for relatively inexpensive but high-quality Lightning headphones for your iPhone or IPAD, then the Philips Fidelio M2L is what you need.

Pros:

• Excellent sound quality
• Good ergonomics
• Excellent materials and build quality
• Stylish appearance

Minuses:

Beats urBeats3

In the recent past, Apple acquired Beats, which means that although the brand remains, in fact, Apple now completely controls this area of ​​​​the music business. And, of course, new headphones with a Lightning connector could not help but come out under the Beats brand.

From a technological and design point of view, these are the same urBeats3, but with a new connector and slightly improved sound. Now, in addition to deep and powerful bass, the headphones have a distinct midrange. Of course, it is still far from audiophile models in terms of detail and natural sound, but this is not why Beats fans buy headphones. They need drive, power and courage, which urBeats3 does very well.

The design and appearance of the headphones are also good, especially in white and black. They fit perfectly with the iPhone and buying them in tandem with it would be a very good decision. The eye rejoices when you see this couple together.

Pros:

• Powerful driving sound
• Stylish appearance
• Good build quality

Minuses:

• Not for those looking for balanced natural sound

The Californian company 1MORE is still fairly unknown in our country, however, more and more people are discovering its headphones for themselves and are surprised at how such inexpensive models can sound so impressive.

It would not be superfluous to add that all headphones are under Xiaomi brand It is 1MORE that designs and produces.

Traditional 1MORE Triple Driver headphones have been on sale for quite some time, and now exactly the same ones have appeared, but with a Lightning connector. True, they have become a little more expensive, but not by chance, because a separate DAC and amplifier had to be placed inside to ensure high-quality sound.

The main feature of the headphones is hybrid system drivers, inside the case there are 2 reinforcement drivers and one dynamic. Armature drivers reproduce mid and high frequencies, and dynamic drivers are responsible for the low frequency range. Thanks to this synergy, the headphones are able to very accurately and in detail reproduce the entire audible sound spectrum of frequencies, which has an extremely positive impact on the quality of music playback.

The headphones can reproduce audio frequencies from 20 Hz to 40 kHz and meet the requirements for Hi-Res Audio certification. This means that they are suitable for listening to the highest quality audio recordings of our time. Unfortunately, to appreciate this, the music offered by iTunes or Apple Music will not be enough for you, because all the music there is presented in the AAC format, which, although quite advanced, is a compressed audio storage format and cannot be heard with full sound using it.

The body of the headphones is made of titanium and they seem relatively heavy in the hand, but as soon as you put them on, the weight disappears thanks to excellent ergonomics and a rich set of ear pads.

Pros:

• Great sound quality
• Multi-driver playback system
• Good ergonomics
• Hi-Res Audio Certification
• Case made of titanium

Minuses:

Another headphones from 1MORE. Don’t be surprised, it’s normal that one selection contains several models from the same manufacturer, because I want to recommend you the best that is on the market today, and if it so happens that two models are bestsellers at once, then this is only a plus for us.

The 1MORE Dual Driver Lightning ANC model differs from the previous one in a slightly different shape and appearance, but this is not for everybody, so I won’t describe the style of the headphones now.

As before, several drivers are responsible for the sound, but now there are 2 instead of 3 in each case: 1 dynamic and 1 reinforcement. The character of the sound has also changed; these headphones sound softer and warmer than the previous ones. Good detail was preserved, as were deep, fast and capacious low frequencies, so the reduction in the number of drivers did not greatly affect the quality of playback. In terms of sound, these are very decent headphones.

But it was added new feature— active noise reduction. This feature can drown out the noise around you, making listening to music or talking on the phone more enjoyable and relaxing. About how it works. I will just note that in this model it works with average efficiency, but considering the price this is already an excellent indicator. For example, the hum in a subway car is noticeably reduced, although it does not disappear completely. This is already enough to continue listening to music without having to significantly increase the volume, which can lead to rapid hearing fatigue.

If you are looking for in-ear Lightning headphones with an affordable price, excellent sound and an active noise reduction system, I recommend paying attention to the 1MORE Dual Driver Lightning ANC model.

Pros:

• Good sound quality
• Good build quality
• Active Noise Cancellation System
• Rich equipment

Minuses:

• Active noise cancellation is not as effective as more expensive competitors

One of the unique features Lightning headphones RayZ Plus is the ability to simultaneously listen to music and iPhone charging or iPad. This is quite convenient, because if you connect any other Lightning headphones to your phone, you will not be able to charge it.

However, this is not all that can surprise Pioneer RayZ Plus; the second feature is the active noise reduction system. But such a system itself is not a technical miracle; many companies build it into their headphones; a special feature is HearThru technology, which allows you not to turn off all noise reduction entirely, but only significantly improve the audibility of the human voice. This is convenient if you need to quickly say something to someone, but you don’t want to take off your headphones or there’s no such option.

The headphones can also adjust the noise reduction efficiency based on air humidity and atmospheric pressure. I would not say that efficiency is changing dramatically, but this possibility itself is already interesting function, which is nice to play around with from time to time.

RayZ Plus is as smart as wireless AirPods Apple's headphones can detect when they've been removed from your ears and automatically pause music playback. As soon as you insert the headphones back into your ear, music playback will automatically continue.

But the most important thing is the sound. RayZ Plus produces excellent quality The sound is pleasant, soft, with a perfect balance of low and high frequencies, which can be adjusted using the special RayZ application for iOS, if necessary.

Pros:

• Great sound quality
• Active Noise Cancellation System
• HearThru technology
• Sensors that determine whether you are currently wearing headphones or not
• Good build quality
• Opportunity simultaneous connection headphones and iPhone charger

Minuses:

Most Lightning headphones are quite expensive, but surely there should be relatively inexpensive models with good sound? And there are such ones - these are Scosche LightningBuds.

There is nothing special about them, these are classic in-ear headphones without additional functions, you can listen to music and talk on the phone with them.

But our selections don’t include just any headphones. Scosche LightningBuds made it into our rating due to their excellent price/quality ratio; for very reasonable money you will get stylish and durable headphones with good sound. If you don't want to bother and control your headphones through a separate app, Scosche LightningBuds are a great choice.

This model also boasts higher volume than almost any other Lightning headphones in our ranking. If volume is a deciding factor for you, then don't miss this model.

Pros:

• High quality build
• Very loud
• Good sound quality
• Nice design

Minuses:

• There are no additional features

The Libratone Q Adapt Lightning headphones boast active noise cancellation and good sound quality. This is all. But what else do you need when headphones have such a modest price and excellent appearance?

Unlike any wireless headphones with active noise canceling, the Libratone Q Adapt Lightning is distinguished from them by its very light weight - only 20 grams. Such an outstanding result was made possible due to the fact that the Lightning connector allows not only to transfer data with music to headphones, but also to power the active noise reduction system, thus eliminating the need to build a separate battery inside the headphones.

Don't worry, active noise canceling uses fairly little power, so its operation shouldn't have any noticeable impact on your iPhone's battery life.

And, of course, our rating does not include headphones with poor sound. Libratone Q Adapt have good sound quality and quite high detail in the mid frequencies, while the bass is raised, as a result you will hear a deep, powerful and accurate sound. For their cost, the headphones can compete in terms of price/quality ratio only with the model.

Pros:

• Active Noise Cancellation System
• Nice appearance
• Enhanced bass, good overall quality sound
• Good price/quality ratio
• Very light - 20 grams

Minuses:

One of latest models from Audeze are iSine 10. This is a special modification of headphones for use with iPhone. The look is reminiscent of Tie Fighters from Star Wars, funny.

The first distinguishing feature of the Audeze iSine 10 headphones is their versatility, they can work with either a Lightning connector on any Apple gadget, and connect to a standard 3.5 mm audio jack. This is a huge plus of headphones, because... they are universal. This is very nice, because they cost quite a lot of money; not many people would agree to spend it just for headphones paired with their iPhone.

The second and main difference lies in the driver technology, this model uses the world's first planar magnetic driver for in-ear headphones. It is for this reason that they have an unusual and provocative appearance. The entire area of ​​the housing is occupied by the driver.

The driver's capabilities are amazing; it is capable of reproducing sound from 10 Hz to 50 kHz, which means it fits perfectly into the Hi-Res Audio standard.

The only thing that might keep some people from buying (other than the price) is that the iSine 10 has a "semi-open" design, which is usually found in traditional headphones for home use. This design of the body structure allows you to get higher quality sound, more capacious, wider and more natural, however, at the same time, the headphones lose noise insulation. Therefore, at home it is more pleasant to listen to such headphones, but on the street it will be difficult for you, because the sound will actively drown out all the noise of the streets and traffic around you.

Pros:

• Amazing sound quality
• Unusual and stylish appearance
• Versatility: the ability to use both a Lightning connector and a traditional 3.5 mm connector

Minuses:

• High price
• Semi-open body design (this disadvantage is only valid for listening to headphones outdoors)

At the moment, Sennheiser Ambeo Smart is a new product, they have just gone on sale.

The main feature of the headphones is the unique Ambeo technology developed by Sennheiser. Its essence lies in the ability to record real binaural sound using an iPhone or iPad.

It works as follows: inside each earphone there is a microphone, and not just any microphone, but a very high-quality one. The headphone cable has a separate sound card from Apogee. Each microphone captures sound from its own side, and the sound card mixes them so that later, when you listen to the recording, you hear real three-dimensional surround sound. The immersion effect is enormous, as is the difference in what sound your phone records. Microphones are located right in your ears, which is what makes sound recording so amazingly wonderful, i.e. Each ear has its own track recorded. Words cannot describe this effect, just watch this video. But remember, watch it with headphones.

Well, how impressive?

Of course, the sound in the Sennheiser Ambeo Smart headphones is also excellent, with a signature signature. Balanced, non-humming bass, clear mids, tidy and neat highs. The overall impression of the sound is that everything is smooth, without blockages or peaks.

If you often shoot videos using your phone, I highly recommend it Sennheiser headphones Ambeo Smart, with them your videos will gain volume, depth and instant recognition, as well as a huge advantage over competitors.

Pros:

• Excellent sound quality
• Unique binaural sound recording feature for both video and audio clips
• Good ergonomics
• Easy control of high technology

Minuses:

• High price

Apple is ditching the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack.

The company had a number of reasons for this change, but the main one is that without this connector, Apple had the opportunity to make the iPhone 7 much slimmer.

So, there is no connector, and now you have several options for the outcome of events. The first is that you use your old headphones with the Lightning adapter that comes with the kit. But it is worth noting that the design is quite cumbersome, and, most likely, it will soon begin to irritate you.

Option number two is to purchase wireless headphones. I have previously reviewed this category of headphones, so you can take a look.

The final option is to buy headphones that plug directly into the Lightning port on your iPhone. But! It is not the best, since such headphones can only be used with Apple products. However, the Lightning port still offers a number of key advantages over a regular phone jack.

If you do decide to buy Lightning headphones, take a look at my list. Each of these models offers various possibilities Lightning connector, so you can choose what's right for you.

JBL's Reflect Aware in-ear headphones are a very interesting noise-canceling offering. Noise-cancelling headphones are not a new product, but you should understand that such a characteristic requires the presence of a battery, and the form factor of the earbuds simply excludes this possibility.

The situation is completely different with on-ear headphones, which offer ample space for installing a battery.

But I did find noise canceling earbuds with a built-in battery. The developers of the Bose QuietComfort 20 and Bose QuietControl 30 still found a creative solution to where to put that much-needed battery - they placed it outside the headphones.

But let's get back to JBL. What is their feature and where do they get the energy to suppress noise? The secret is that they can draw power directly from the Lightning port, so they don't require a bulky battery to function.

These headphones have good performance and offer very high quality sound. The bass is powerful, which is exactly what you need while running.

The noise canceling feature can't compete with the noise canceling of traditional headphones, but it's still good enough to block out background noise, and the elastic bands that fit tightly to the ear only enhance this effect.

They won't replace headphones for everyday use, but they are nonetheless ideal for travel use.

JBL Reflect Aware can already be purchased right now at a price of 12,990 rubles.

If JBL earbuds seem expensive to you, check out the offering from Brightech.

At $40, the Brightech headset is the most affordable headphone on this list (with the exception of Apple's EarPods).

Yes, they're a bit more expensive than Apple's signature EarPods, but this model offers silicone earbuds that provide a tighter fit and therefore passive noise isolation.

These headphones don't have a built-in microphone, but they do offer a panel of control buttons, giving them an edge over Apple's official offering.

The Audeze Sine headphones are a model that I hope other Lightning headphone manufacturers will emulate in the future.

The kit includes not only a Lightning adapter cable that connects to the headphones and provides all the functions we are used to using, but also a standard 3.5 mm connector, so you can freely use the headphones not only with Apple products, but also with any other device.

Lightning allows you to control the sound of your headphones via the proprietary Audeze app, and also provides much more best sound than through the 3.5 mm jack.

Yes, they cost a lot - as much as $499, but if you want premium headphones with Lightning support, then the Audeze Sine model will be the one for you best buy.

Like the Audeze Sine, the Philips Fidelio M2L headphones are a more traditional pair of on-ear headphones.

However, they are not as fully functional as our previous model. These headphones have a non-detachable cable (which means they can't be used with other devices) and don't have a built-in microphone (which the Sine has).

Despite this, the headphones make up for these shortcomings with excellent sound and superb build quality. They are also much cheaper, costing only 14,699 rubles.

If you are one of those people who live by the motto “Cheap and Cheap” and are ready to use the headphones that come with your new iPhone, then this product from Apple is just for you.

I haven't had a chance to test these headphones in person, but if they're anything like the existing EarPods, they'll likely offer bright, clear audio that can sometimes lack bass.

If you want to buy them, these headphones will be sold at a price of 1,788 rubles.

Everyone knows that the standard 3.5 mm audio jack is no longer available in iPhones and some Android smartphones. And if you don't use wireless headphones, you'll have to buy ones that have a Lightning plug. In this article we will tell you what is special about this technology and which headphones with this connector you can buy on Aliexpress.

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Briefly about Lightning technology

From the physics course we know that sound is mechanical vibrations in a solid, liquid or gaseous medium. If you listen to music through a smartphone, it receives such vibrations through the speakers. But, on your device, music is a collection of ones and zeros. In order to convert such a “digit” into speaker vibrations you need DAC (digital-to-analog converter). It installs on various devices: players, smartphones, tablets, etc. On some it is quite simple, while on others it is complex and expensive.

If your smartphone has an expensive DAC, then such a smartphone is considered a “music lover” and costs more than a regular cheap smartphone. All other characteristics being equal, two smartphones with an expensive and a cheap digital-to-analog converter will differ in price quite significantly.

Today, many manufacturers have paid attention to the music smartphone segment. Company Meizu released a smartphone Pro 6 With DAC Cirrus Logic CS43L36. Smartphones are very popular Alcatel IDOL 4 with an audiophile chipset Asahi Kasei Microdevices AKM4375 And ZTE Axon 7 with even more advanced Asahi Kasei Microdevices AK4961.

But, we digress. Thanks to technology Lightning Expensive digital-to-analog converters are no longer needed in smartphones. No, they are used to convert numbers into sound for speakers. But who listens to music through speakers. It’s much more comfortable to put on headphones and turn on your favorite songs.

But if DAC does not convert music recorded on the smartphone's memory or received through streaming services, the way it is played ? Everything is very simple, the converter is installed in the headphones themselves.

This opens up the opportunity for headphone manufacturers to create such DAC which is ideally suited to the characteristics of headphone models, and not a smartphone. In theory, such headphones can be used in any smartphone with Lightning connector and the sound quality will not suffer from this. On the contrary, it will be at its best.

On the other hand, smartphone manufacturers do not need to install expensive “digital” music converters into them. analog sound. This is now left to headphone manufacturers. Furthermore, with good and quality headphones You can use mediocre phones. They now simply play the role of information storage. In our case, music files.

Is the sound quality better in Lightning headphones?

Based on theory, of course it’s better quality. But in reality this does not always happen. Design Lightning headphones quite a difficult task. In fact, assembling such a speaker system is even more difficult than making it quality smartphone. The thing is that this technology is still too young. If you take a standard and time-tested solution and “screw” it there DAC it won't work. You need to start from scratch and design the headphones around the transducer.

Research in laboratories, selection of materials and testing are needed. In this case, you need to install everything in miniature case headphones and make them beautiful. All this requires funds. Therefore, buying from an unknown brand, you most likely will not be able to get guaranteed high-quality sound. No, of course there are chances, but they are far from even 50%. Why go far, even "apple" EarPods Not only are they far from ideal, but frankly speaking, they cannot be considered “musical” headphones.

What kind of music is considered high quality?

Is it worth buying expensive Lightning music headphones if you listen to music in MP3 format? Of course not. The thing is that on our smartphone or any other electronic gadget digital copies of musical compositions are stored. If you want to enjoy the original, then go to the concert.

When making digital copies, various codecs compress the music composition. When producing an MP3 file, it is used mathematical And psychoacoustic compression. At the same time, the program itself “decides” which parts of the range we will listen to and which not.

If you want to get a high-quality “copy”, then use audio file formats that convert sound to “digital” without compression (for example, WAV etc.), or those that compressed audio losslessly (for example, FLAC, A.P.E., M4A, WMA and so on.). Exactly Lossless formats, that is, those that compress music without loss, today allow you to listen to high-quality music.

Yes they have big sizes than Mp3 files and a lot of music on your smartphone in this format you cannot record. But there's nothing you can do about it.

Which headphones should you choose?

We already figured out why better than 3.5mm. But which headphones should you choose to really feel this difference?

iPhone 7 comes with EarPods. But these “ears” are not of high quality. Do they have a replacement? Let's pick up some headphones that can be purchased on Aliexpress.

A little offtopic. If you have not purchased goods on Aliexpress yet, then be sure to read about your first purchase on this site. And also take advantage of this service’s reminder for new customers.

Headphones M6 PRO suitable for those who want to hear “pure”, unembellished sound. These headphones can be distinguished due to their cost, convenient mounting behind the ears, replaceable tips, convenient carrying case, good isolation and, of course, sound.

These headphones have a detachable wire. The set comes with two of them. One twisted, the other with reinforced insulation and a microphone. The headphones are equipped with 7 pairs of tips made of foam material COMPLY. Inserted into the ears, these tips perfectly follow the shape of the ear canal and provide high noise insulation.

Separately, I need to say a few words about the convenient case for these headphones. It not only protects them when worn, but is also able to place headphones and an additional cable in one place.

If sound is of paramount importance to you, and you have an “extra” 9,000 rubles lying around in your wallet, then pay attention to headphones E1001L from company 1MORE Design. The famous sound engineer, Grammy Award winner, took part in their development. Luca Bignardi. He has built the music scene so that these headphones have a balanced yet deep sound.

In design E1001L Patented solutions are used: double symmetrical reinforcement and three dynamic drivers. This allows you to significantly enhance the bass sound, expand the mid-frequency range and increase the fullness of the sound. One of the drivers is designed exclusively for low frequencies, so it does not distort high frequencies. This creates a striking contrast and presence. The full frequency range reaches 40 kHz.

These headphones are not deprived of a pleasant design. Their body is made of light aluminum alloy. The surface of the material is processed using sandblasting technology. Thanks to this, the headphones have a pleasant texture that does not leave marks from fingers.

The E1001L headphones set includes 8 pairs of additional tips made of material that remembers the shape of the ear canal.

Headphones with chip on wire Hoco L1

The headphones have an excellent price-quality ratio and have a comfortable fit on the ears. The digital-to-sound converter is located on the control panel of these “plugs”. Thanks to this arrangement, the manufacturer managed to achieve high-quality sound with miniature headphone sizes. These headphones have soft silicone seals that do not put pressure on the ear canal, but are securely located in it.

Sports headphones Hoco L2

Holo also has sports lighting headphones in its arsenal. Model L2 has comfortable arches that securely hold the headphone speakers even during intense sports movements. The DAC here is also located on the wire, which has all the advantages described above. The sound of Holo L2 is characterized by a slight tilt towards the bass. But, specifically for sports, such a mixing of the spectrum can even be considered a positive thing.

A well-known Dutch manufacturer of consumer goods delegated full-format products to Aliexpress Fidelio headphones. Not only do they have a built-in digital-to-analog converter, but they also support several revolutionary technologies that allow you to listen musical compositions in the best sound. It is also worth noting the proprietary vibration suppressor, which will “clean” the sound from extraneous vibrations.

Universal headphones Sony MDR-1A

If you need full-format headphones for several types of devices, then pay attention to. They not only have their own audio chip, but also a battery that will provide them autonomous operation for 8 hours. These headphones are suitable for any media with a lighting connector.

Video. Apple proprietary connectors: Lightning and Thunderbolt

These are the headphones of the future, the first of their kind. Wired, but “smart”. We'll be selling it soon, which means it's time to do a review.

Direct connection

So that you immediately understand what the point is: there is no minijack cable here. Instead, the headphones connect to iPhone, iPad and iPod touch via a Lightning cable.

The presentation of M2L took place back in . This is the world's first model equipped with a Lightning cable and is therefore compatible exclusively with modern smartphones And Apple tablets. A test of the pen, followed by many other manufacturers who only recently showed “answers” ​​to Philips’ breakthrough.

It’s a pity, but supplies of Fidelio M2L were very limited until January 2015: the headphones were issued almost individually to major media outlets, but they regularly appeared at exhibitions, where they received a positive response from visitors and a decent amount of curiosity. Of course, okay, docking stations with Lightning, but for headphones – this has never happened.

Philips was well aware that the Lightning port gave them capabilities that previously could not be found in wired headphones. What are we talking about?

Why is this done?

A traditional 3.5 mm audio cable is often popularly referred to as a “minijack”. This is how your wired headphones connect to your iPhone, laptop, and any other device. This analog standard. It is not available in Fidelio M2L.

The Lightning cable in headphones serves several purposes:

• signal transmission without distortion
• transferring electricity from the source to the headphones
• ability to exchange digital data between headphones and source
• ability to add electronics that require power to the headphones

Being digital cable, Lightning no way does not distort the sound from the source. Your music is transferred from your iPhone in pristine file quality. Theoretically, all the headphones in the world will sound “more accurate” and “more correct” if they are connected via Lightning rather than via an analog audio cable. Let's call this the ultimate objectivity of sound;) You can change your iPhone to a new model, but the sound in the headphones will remain mathematically the same for the same track.

It is worth understanding that the headphones themselves reproduce the received signal subjectively - the way the manufacturer designed them. Therefore, the advantage in this case is more “paper”. But the fact remains: headphones are easy more data arrives than with an analog cable, which means more rich and small details of your favorite music will reach the speakers and your ears.

Lightning also allows for implementation in headphones additional functions, requiring electricity. The standard passes enough power to support any imaginable “tricks” in the headphones. In fact, it turns the device into a full-fledged “gadget”, a kind of 21st century headphones capable of not only playing, but also “thinking” with the electronics on board. Including sharing additional data with iPhone and iOS.

In short, Lightning in headphones is really cool. There is one “but”: you cannot connect these to any other devices except mobile devices from Apple. A disadvantage that you will have to come to terms with. But for many who listen to music on headphones only from an iPhone or iPad, this will not be a problem.

Fidelio M2L design

“The first model of its kind” simply must be black and as strict as possible - the unwritten laws of the market. At the same time, Philips did not hesitate to equip the headphones with signature elements of the Fidelio line - a subtle, noticeable reference to the luxury materials and industrial design for which we love Apple so much.

Accordingly, the materials here are leather, metal and some plastic.

The speaker housing is framed by a perforated metal rotating ring and a large locking bolt, which is part of the model’s strict design. On the outside there is a plastic panel with a pattern of squares, radially shimmering in the light.

The right speaker has an additional rocker ring that serves as a volume control. And the entire plastic cover on this side is a button that controls track playback. One click – pause/start playback, two clicks – go to the next song, three – rewind.

I liked the control format, it’s very convenient on the go: I put my hand to my “ear” and called until desired effect that's all. No need to look for the remote control on the wire.

The metal headband flows smoothly from a powerful base into a soft lining in the center. The headband does not put pressure on the head at all, partly because the headphones turned out to be very light. There is thick leather around it, seemingly natural.

The same leather is on the ear pads. The inside is filled with memory foam, making the pads moderately soft and not pressing on the ears. The speakers themselves are hidden under a thick layer of acoustic fabric, they are not visible even in the light. The fabric is marked with left-right polarity.

In terms of comfort, there are no complaints about the Fidelio M2L: they are motionless even when walking and running quickly, and do not jump off when tilted due to their low weight. By adjusting the height, you simultaneously change the degree of pressure of the ear pads on the ears and select best option for your head shape. I can’t call this model a sports model because of the leather ear pads, although they are moderately breathable - but they hold up better than a good half of truly sports headphones!

Sound. Lightning and DAC let you know

We've dealt with the theory - it's time for practice.

The Philips Fidelio M2L features 40mm neodymium drivers with a closed-back design. The frequency range is standard: 7 – 25000 Hz, the resistance is, for obvious reasons, “mobile”, 16 Ohms. The characteristics do not demonstrate anything out of the ordinary, but it would not have been required otherwise...

The sound we hear is an analog quantity. And the signal in Lightning is digital. That's why Fidelio M2L has proprietary 24-bit DAC to convert "digital" to "analog". The existence of DACs in wired headphones would be impossible without additional food, which the headphones pick up from the connected device - be it an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch.

It seems to me that the DAC in this case also modifies the sound, highlighting best sides M2L speakers. Or maybe Lightning and the digital nature of the signal are to blame for this. But the bottom line is this: these headphones sound expressive and at the same time unusually detailed. Roughly speaking, there is powerful bass, but there are also clear highs and mids. Mutually exclusive concepts in wired headphones without any “bonuses”.

Moreover, the Lightning connection clearly demonstrates the difference in the recording quality of a particular track: if the original material sounded bad in the studio, you will notice it very quickly. In Fidelio M2L, you listen to the maximum of what is recorded in the file, and not what the iPhone converted for you through its audio chip and transmitted via an analog cable.

After listening to my favorite tracks multiple times, I can say that I am sincerely pleased with the sound quality: slightly bassy, ​​but very detailed. Exactly what I expect from headphones in which I would go outside or listen to them at home while doing household chores. There is a drive.

And the Lightning connection also has an interesting advantage: using third-party applications, like Can Opener, you can “deliver” uncompressed, highest quality audio files to your headphones without any data loss – be it Flac, AAC or anything else. Lossless tracks are transmitted in original quality directly to the headphone DAC, which is practically ideal conditions to save best qualities uncompressed records.

Start

At Philips happened. It’s not for nothing that the release of headphones with Lightning took place two years after the presentation of the standard itself: the very first product, Fidelio M2L, demonstrates first-hand the key advantages of the format.