Player in the “ears”: a miracle of technology or “the last century”?

To obtain maximum profit, modern equipment manufacturers are forced to come up with various products that can combine spectacular design, high-quality sound, unique characteristics. One of the similar know-how of the electronic device market a few years ago was wireless headphones with a built-in mp3 player. What is this invention? What are the pros and cons of functionality that are important to consider when choosing an accessory to buy? What basic characteristics should become decisive in deciding whether to purchase a device with mp3 inside? After reading the article below, none of the questions mentioned in the head of an advanced gadget user will remain unanswered.

Device description

This development of engineering electronics developers is a wireless accessory with a built-in SD card slot, working through digital channels. When using headphones with a kind of flash drive, the user has the opportunity to record favorite tracks in the ears and listen to them later, while at work, in transport or during sports, without additional equipment. The unique features of some models of the device in question include the built-in FM radio. With the help of only headphones, the owner of the “ears” can tune to the desired frequency and enjoy listening to your favorite FM station.

The main characteristics of headphones with a built-in player or radio are considered:

• sensitivity (an indicator illustrating, together with the impedance, the actual maximum possible volume of the accessory. Traditionally, the most optimal sensitivity level of the device in question is considered to be the range from 95 dB to 120 dB);
• power (the characteristic that is most important in determining the quality of the reproduced audio signal. However, do not follow the seemingly logical conclusion about the direct dependence of the “ideal” sound and the high power indicator declared by the manufacturer. In devices of the latest developments, there is an integrated amplifier responsible for “purity” and balanced sound with minimal battery consumption. An average of 50-100 mW);
• impedance (or impedance - a determining factor in the volume of the reproduced audio stream, its quality, amplifier operation, etc. Headphones with a built-in player or radio should have the same resistance index for most types of “ears”: 16-60 Ohms);
• the range of reproduced frequencies (or the amplitude-frequency characteristic, is designed to identify the "purity and volume" of the sound in the process of choosing the most suitable accessory. In this case, there is a direct correlation: the wider the range, the better the reproduced sound. However, it is worth bearing in mind that often the indicator in question is deliberately exaggerated by the manufacturer of the product in order to attract the attention of a naive buyer. . Pazon from 20 Hz to 20 kHz is important to consider this figure, along with the frequency response, since usually the manufacturer does not mention the conditions under which occurred directly estimate the value shown in the data sheet products: area of ​​the room, the presence of ambient noise, and so on).

Choose a player in the "ears"

In addition to paying due attention to the analysis of basic indicators, it is important to consider special points related directly to wireless headphones with a player:

• memory;
• working hours;
• reproducible formats;
• the weight.

Memory in choosing an accessory of this type should be a decisive indicator.The number of music tracks directly depends on its volume, which can “fit” on the built-in flash card, as well as the “speed” of the device. When buying headphones with an extremely limited memory supply, the user should be prepared to regularly update the playlist or to listen to the “looped” audio stream for long periods. Manufacturers offer products with a built-in flash drive up to 32 GB, respectively, the choice in favor of the largest figure will be in this case the most correct.

The battery life of the device is no less important characteristic, which has a direct impact on the completeness of receiving positive emotions from the use of "ears" with a built-in player. An accessory with the requirement of “recharging” once every 12 hours would be ideal. Analogues with a battery capacity of 6-8 hours lose in comparison with the given option, due to the high probability of unforeseen situations with absolute depression of the battery at the wrong time.

Top-end “ears” with a player and radio inside reproduce a huge number of formats that are rarely found in practice. When choosing an accessory, a potential buyer must make sure that it is possible to play tracks of the most popular type - MP3, WMA, Apple Lossless. In all other cases, the desired track can be easily formatted to the desired form by using special programs that are freely available.

The weight of the design of the headphones with the mp3 player is interdependent with the convenience of their use, especially during sports or many hours of travel. A heavy accessory will cause significant discomfort to the user, over time, starting to “stretch” his ears or put pressure on his temples, and in some cases even cause pain in the head and cervical region. In order to avoid such situations, a potential buyer is recommended to make their choice in favor of a device weighing no more than 30-40 g.

Having settled on one or several specific models, the user should analyze the ratio of the frequently encountered positive and negative aspects of using the goods of the segment in question.

Advantages of using wireless headphones with a player:

• ease of use due to lack of wires;
• ergonomics of most models;
• fast charge;
• the ability to "calibrate" the sound;
• property of protection against moisture and dust in the vast majority of "representatives" of the segment in question.

Cons of using wireless headphones with a player:

• loss of sound quality compared to wired or wireless "competitors";
• limited amount of memory;
• the heavy weight of some models of accessories, causing discomfort.

Top earphones with built-in player

Sony Walkman NWZ-W273

• Type: Closed
• Frequency range: 4 Hz - 24 kHz
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Sensitivity: 104 dB
• Playable Formats: MP3, WMA, AAC, WAV, PCM
• Battery Life: 8 hours
• The amount of internal memory: 4 GB
• Weight: 29g

Ideal for use in the pool, due to water resistance and dense "placement" in the ears, not limiting the swimmer in the elements performed.

Perfeo VI-M014

• Type: Closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 32 ohms
• Sensitivity: 103 dB
• Playable Formats: MP3, WMA
• Battery Life: 4 hours
• The amount of internal memory: 32 GB
• Weight: 32g

A good budget accessory with a pleasant sound transmission and high-quality ergonomics in long-term operation.

ALCOM WP-800

• Type: Closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Sensitivity: 85 dB
• Playable Formats: MP3, WMA
• Battery Life: 10 hours
• The amount of internal memory: 8 GB
• Weight: 20g

Excellent accompaniment for sports, satisfying the basic needs of "athletes".

Perfeo VI-M015

• Type: Closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 16 ohms
• Sensitivity: 85 dB
• Playable Formats: MP3, WMA
• Battery Life: 4 hours
• The amount of internal memory: 8 GB
• Weight: 27g

Ideal for listening to music for a short time, for example, on the way to work. An excellent combination of cost and basic characteristics of headphones in this price category.

Enzatec FP111

• Type: Closed
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Resistance: 26 Ohm
• Sensitivity: 105 dB
• Playable Formats: MP3
• Battery Life: 6 hours
• Weight: 30g

With the active development of the segment of wireless accessories, at present, headphones with built-in players and radio are becoming secondary. However, if the user does not want to overpay for the brand and relevance of the new generation of Bluetooth or radio headphones offered by the manufacturer, he should pay attention to the devices discussed in the above article. Given the listed technical indicators and their unique features, a potential buyer can easily choose an accessory that fully meets the stated needs.

Title	Sony Walkman NWZ-W273	Perfeo VI-M014	ALCOM WP-800	Perfeo VI-M015	Enzatec FP111
Frequency Response Range	4 - 24000 Hz	20 - 24000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz	20 - 20,000 Hz
Sensitivity	104 dB	103 dB	85 dB	85 dB	105 dB
Impedance	16 ohm	32 ohm	16 ohm	16 ohm	26 ohm
The weight	29 g	32 g	20 g	27 g	30 g
Built-in memory	4 GB	32 GB	8 GB	8 GB	-
Price	from 4500 rub.	from 750 rub.	from 3800 rub.	from 1050 rub.	from 1050 rub.