Are you sick of wire tangling issues with your wired headphones and looking to buy a new pair of wireless headphones? Well, then you first need to know how wireless headphones work.
With freedom of movement and respite from handling wires, wireless headphones also come with advanced technology and different components.
In this post, we will discuss how wireless headphones work. We’ll also cover other aspects of wireless headphones, such as their pros and cons, different wireless connectivity options, and performance of wireless headphones in terms of battery life, sound, etc.
How Does Wireless Technology Work With Headphones?
Wireless technology uses infrared (IR) or radio frequencies (RFs) to transmit digital audio signals from the source of audio to your headphones.
When a device, such as a laptop or smartphone, is paired with wireless headphones, it sends the digital audio signal to the headphones using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RF, IR, etc.
The digital audio signals are then converted back into analog audio and played through the headphones’ speakers.
What Are the Types of Wireless Connectivity Options in Headphones?
There are five types of technologies you’ll find in wireless headphones:
Let’s discuss each connectivity option in detail.
| Bluetooth Headphones | Wi-Fi Headphones | NFMI Headphones | RF Headphones | IR Headphones | |
| Battery Life | About 4-8 hours | About 4-6 hours | About 4-8 hours | About 6-8 hours | About 6-8 hours |
| Range | Typically 10 meters or 33 feet | Typically about 150 feet or 45 meters indoors, and up to 300 feet or 90 meters outdoors | Typically 3 feet or 1 meter | Typically 30 to 50 feet or 9 to 15 meters | Typically 9 meters or about 30 feet |
| Latency | About 40 to 150 milliseconds depending on the consistency of the wireless connection and codec being used | About 20 to 30 milliseconds depending on the consistency of the wireless connection and codec being used | About 20 milliseconds | About 50 to 70 milliseconds depending on the consistency of the wireless connection and codec being used | About 20 milliseconds |
| Application | Suitable for everyday use (listening to music, watching podcasts), gymming, running | Suitable for watching TV and enjoying home theater experience | Suitable for gaming and watching videos | Suitable for use with TV and conferences; often available as TV listening systems and conference systems | Suitable for use with home theater systems |
What Is Bluetooth Technology and How Does It Work in Headphones?
Bluetooth technology uses short radio waves to connect devices such as headphones, laptops, and smartphones with one another.
It transmits data over 2.4 GHz frequency and uses the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) protocol to transmit audio between different devices (for example, a pair of headphones and a smartphone).
Bluetooth connectivity uses codecs to compress audio before it is delivered to the headphones. Some codecs used by Bluetooth are SBC, aptX, AAC and so on.
Bluetooth typically has a 30-feet range. However, the range can be impacted by walls or other physical barriers.
How to Pair Bluetooth Headphones?
The process of connecting a pair of Bluetooth headphones with another Bluetooth-enabled device is known as pairing.
Follow these steps to pair Bluetooth headphones with your device:
- Switch on your headphones’ Bluetooth.
- Ensure you’ve also enabled Bluetooth on the device you’re looking to pair your headphones to.
- Search for available Bluetooth devices near your headphones.
- Select a device; once a device is selected, your headphones will request to connect with the selected device.
- Confirm the connection and you’re ready to go!
Check out our detailed guide on how to connect Bluetooth headphones to Mac.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Bluetooth Headphones?
Pros
- Convenient and easy to use
- Allow more room to move
- Are compatible with multiple devices, such as laptops, TV, smartphones, and so on
- Come with good battery life; Bluetooth is a low-power technology
- Use A2DP for transmitting high-quality audio
Cons
- 33-feet range can be affected by physical barriers, such as walls
- May have latency issues
- Need to be charged regularly
What Is Wi-Fi Technology and How Does It Work in Headphones?
Wi-Fi technology uses radio waves to connect headphones to the internet or local area network (LAN).
Wi-Fi headphones come with a built-in Wi-Fi chip that allows them to connect to the available Wi-Fi network. Once your headphones are connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can seamlessly play music from other audio devices on the same network.
How to Use Wi-Fi Headphones?
Here’s how you can use Wi-Fi headphones:
- Establish a connection between your headphones and Wi-Fi network.
- Enable the pairing mode in your Wi-Fi headphones.
- Connect the headphones to an available Wi-Fi network.
- Play music or videos from audio devices connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Wi-Fi Headphones?
Pros
- Deliver better sound quality than Bluetooth
- Easy to connect and use
- Good battery life; lower than Bluetooth headphones because Wi-Fi headphones require more power to transmit audio signals
Cons
- Typically more expensive than Bluetooth headphones
- Require a stable network connection
- May have latency issues
- Need to be charged regularly
What Is Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI) Technology and How Does It Work in Headphones?
Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI) is a short-range wireless technology that uses magnetic fields to transmit audio from one device to another.
In the case of NFMI-enabled headphones, a magnetic field is created around the headphones. This magnetic field is then modulated to carry audio signals. Other audio devices comprising a receiver detect this magnetic field and decode audio signals.
How to Pair NFMI Headphones?
The process of pairing NFMI headphones is somewhat similar to Bluetooth headphones.
Here’s how you can pair NFMI headphones:
- Enable the pairing mode in your headphones.
- Enable the Near Field Communication (NFC) or Magnetic Induction feature of the audio device you’re pairing your headphones to.
- Bring the headphones close to the device to ensure the device can detect the headphones’ magnetic field.
- Confirm the connection on the audio device.
What Are the Pros and Cons of NFMI Headphones?
Pros
- Lower power consumption than Bluetooth and Wi-Fi headphones
- Magnetic field is not affected by physical barriers
- Easy to set up and use
- Better battery life than Bluetooth and Wi-Fi headphones
Cons
- Lower adoption when compared to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi headphones
- Compatibility and audio quality is not as good as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth headphones as they do not support aptX and LDAC
What Is RF Technology and How Does It Work in Headphones?
As already mentioned above, RF technology uses radio waves to enable audio transmission between two devices.
RF headphones detect and decode audio signals using their built-in RF receiver. The device connecting to the RF headphones also comprises an RF transmitter for sending an audio signal to the RF headphones.
How to Pair RF Headphones?
Here’s how you can pair and use RF headphones:
- Enable the pairing mode in your RF headphones.
- Switch on the RF transmitter of the device you’re pairing your headphones to.
- Bring the headphones close to the device to ensure the device can detect the headphones’ magnetic field.
- Confirm the connection on the audio device.
What Are the Pros and Cons of RF Headphones?
Pros
- Longer range compared to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi headphones
- Not affected by physical barriers
- Not susceptible to interference from other wireless devices, such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Cons
- Only compatible with RF-enabled devices
- Limited adoption
- Require more power than Bluetooth and Wi-Fi headphones
- Typically more expensive than all other types of wireless headphones
What Is IR Technology and How Does It Work in Headphones?
IR technology uses infrared light to enable audio transmission between devices.
IR headphones come with a built-in receiver that can detect and decode audio signals sent by IR transmitters of the device you’re connecting your headphones to.
How to Pair and Use IR Headphones?
Follow these steps to pair and use your IR headphones:
- Enable the pairing mode in your IR headphones.
- Turn on the device you’re connecting your headphones to.
- Ensure your headphones and the source device’s IR transmitter are in one another’s line of sight, and there are no physical barriers between them.
- Enable the source device’s IR transmitter.
- Confirm the connection.
What Are the Pros and Cons of IR Headphones?
Pros
- Audio quality is as good as audio quality of wired headphones
- Consistent and reliable audio connection
Cons
- Range is typically 10 meters
- Can get affected by physical barriers
- Limited availability
How to Troubleshoot Connectivity Issues With Different Wireless Headphones?
Troubleshooting methods for connectivity issues can vary across wireless headphones and the technologies they use. However, the following methods are generally used to troubleshoot wireless headphones’ connectivity problems:
- Ensure your wireless headphones are fully charged.
- Ensure there’s no physical obstruction between your wireless headphones and the audio source.
- Restart your headphones and the source audio device.
- Disconnect and pair your wireless headphones with the audio device again.
- Ensure your wireless headphones’ firmware is updated.
- Check for interference from other wireless devices, such as Wi-Fi routers.
- Reset your wireless headphones to their default setting and repair with the source audio device.
If none of the troubleshooting methods listed above work, consider checking with the headphones’ manufacturer. There may be a hardware issue in your headphones.
How Do Wireless Earbuds Work?
Wireless earbuds work just like wireless headphones. They use wireless technologies such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to connect to audio devices and play audio.
Other Frequently Asked Questions About Wireless Headphones
Final Words
In conclusion, wireless headphones are becoming increasingly popular. They use different wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFMI, RF, and IR to connect to audio devices (TVs, laptops, smartphones, etc.) and play audio.
However, different types of wireless headphones come with their set of advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, we recommend you carefully weigh them against your requirements to make an informed purchase.
