Main points
- Wired headphones offer better sound quality for the same price, and even the budget options sound excellent compared to similarly priced wireless models.
- Wired headphones are more versatile, offering different designs, more add-on devices, and higher levels of personalization and scalability.
- I also think wired headphones provide me with a more engaged listening experience than mindless listening with Bluetooth headphones.
The retro craze is all around us, and I’m all for it. With all the technology from the ’90s and 2000s making a comeback, so are all the different ways to experience technology and its products, proving that old can indeed be better.
Just as compact cameras, film photography, and film video are making a comeback (and I’m jumping on the bandwagon), so is wired audio. This might be a little counterintuitive, since the best Bluetooth headphones claim to sound just as good and have all the added conveniences of wireless connectivity.
I can clearly see that wires still have clear advantages, while Bluetooth’s advantages may be a bit overstated.
After two months of using wired headphones, I understand why old technology feels new again
Going back to wired headphones is more convenient and higher quality than I expected, but wireless ones still do a better job.
However, after using only wired headphones for over two months, I can clearly see that wired headphones still have clear advantages, while Bluetooth’s advantages may be a bit exaggerated. I’ll stick with wired headphones for the foreseeable future, and here’s why.
1 Get more sound for the same price
Focus on the driver
The first and most honest reason I choose wired headphones is their price. In order to make Bluetooth headphones sound great, especially over-ear designs, you usually have to spend some money. That’s not surprising, since these headphones have to be delivered as a total package, which includes the battery, microphone, DAC and AMP, and all the other hardware stuffed into a set of cans or earbuds.
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Wired headphones, on the other hand, simply take advantage of the internal drivers. So if you’re paying just $150 for the drivers, or the same amount for the drivers and everything surrounding them to make the headphones wireless, it’s clear that the stripped-down wired version is going to win easily.
This means you can get incredibly cheap wired headphones that often sound better than expensive wireless ones. High-end wired headphones, on the other hand, offer sound quality that wireless headphones can’t match, making them an obvious choice for any music lover.
2 Wired sound is fuller
Wire is not codec dependent
Generally associated with lower price is better sound quality for wired headphones. When you pay the same amount for a pair of wired and Bluetooth headphones, the wired version will sound significantly better because it offers a more stable connection without having to rely on additional codecs to take full advantage of high-resolution files.
3 Lossless Audio Advantages That Changed My Listening Habits
Not sure how to create lossless audio? As an audiophile, these aspects have not only trained my ears but also enhanced my hearing.
Plus, you’re not limited to a specific sound from your headphones, like with wireless audio. You can pair different headphones with different DACs and AMPs, change their sound profiles and tailor the sound to your personal preferences.
3 Wired headphones offer more features
You can even dabble in retro audio
Pairing headphones with DACs and AMPs for the perfect sound combo isn’t the only highlight of wired audio. When you look at the design of wired headphones, you can also see their versatility.
Generally speaking, today’s wireless headphones work with active noise cancellation (ANC) and other nifty software features. However, this wireless design requires a certain style: they are either over-ear or in-ear headphones, with a closed package and the best possible sound isolation. It’s a tried and true design choice that guarantees great sound, but may be a bit limiting if you want to explore other types of audio.
You also have greater choices when it comes to the sound of your headphones, as you can choose neutral-sounding studio monitoring headphones, or go for something more interesting, with prominent highs or lows – or both.
When you’re connected, the world is your oyster. You get an affordable open-back design that makes the sound more spacious, so you can position your instruments with near-perfect precision. You also have greater choices when it comes to the sound of your headphones, as you can choose neutral-sounding studio monitoring headphones, or go for something more interesting, with prominent highs or lows – or both.
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Finally, you can even start dabbling in vintage audio gear. This is pretty interesting because headphone jacks have been around for decades, so you can find odd-looking audio gear from years ago that still sounds great.
4 Cords offer ergonomic advantages
The pressure is not that great
Although wireless headphones are said to be more comfortable to use, they often have to sacrifice ergonomics. Wireless designs tend to be heavier and bulkier than wired headphones because the battery and other hardware inside are heavier and take up more space.
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Somewhat counterintuitively, wires, especially for in-ear headphones, help a lot with ergonomics. Many wired in-ear designs these days use molded wires as earhooks, which help stabilize the earphones themselves and reduce weight in the ear canal. This results in a better, more stable fit that’s comfortable to wear for hours on end.
5 They are more environmentally friendly
Simplicity brings durability
Wired headphones are also a greener option. Wired audio has held up well for decades. Not only does the sound itself not get worse as the headphones age, but they also don’t have any components that get worse with age. Generally speaking, add to that an easier-to-service design and fewer breakable parts, and you’ve got a recipe for a long-lasting device.
Wireless headphones, on the other hand, only have a lifespan of a few years at best.
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Wireless headphones, on the other hand, only have a lifespan of a few years at best. The batteries they come with are bound to break and stop working, and after the battery life is exhausted, they are essentially electronic waste. And because they have more different parts, wireless headphones are also more susceptible to damage, and repairing them can be less cost-effective than wired headphones.
6 You can expand your wired setup almost infinitely
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When you choose wired headphones, you have nearly endless possibilities to expand your setup to fit your needs and budget. You could pick up a great pair of cheap headphones and listen on your phone, maybe with a USB-C DAC, and still sound great. However, you can also go larger, with audiophile-grade, power-hungry headphones and matching amplifiers to really hear all the details and get that precious, precise sound.
The possibilities are endless and you can mix and match parts of the setup to create something that suits your needs. With Bluetooth headphones, you just get what the manufacturer provides – there’s no room for improvement or the ability to expand your setup after a certain point.
7 A more engaging experience
Listen carefully
Finally, there’s the final, clearest, and most personal reason why I continue to use wired headphones. In short, lately I’ve been looking to experience my hobbies and other things I enjoy more mindfully. Wired headphones, and the devices I use them on, give me a slower, more thoughtful experience.
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Essentially, I have a lot more fun listening to music now because you have to think about wires, plugging in headphones, and all the other details. Of course, part of it is that the sound is better and part of it is that I pay more attention, but the latter goes both ways. I pay more attention to my music because I pay attention to my gear. Bluetooth headphones, on the other hand, tend to aim to be as invisible and frictionless as possible, which inherently makes them extremely boring and mundane—at least to me, of course.