If you are still new to the world of home audio, you may look to compare headphones vs speakers. Some of the best headphones can rival the sound quality of the best speakers, but what are the actual differences between the two audio tools? Keep reading to find out.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Headphones are essentially speakers, the speakers contained are just much smaller than dedicated units.
- Headphones are much smaller and more portable than dedicated speakers, however, making them great for creating a stereo image for personal use.
- Quality speaker setups can reproduce better sound quality than a pair of headphones, but that demands some pricy accessories like preamps.
Differences Between Headphones and Speakers
The primary difference is, of course, that headphones are for personal use and speakers are for sending audio to a public space where multiple people can hear it. It is important to remember that, for all of their differences, headphones are actually speakers, even if you are comparing gaming headphones vs studio headphones. It’s just these speakers are much smaller and tend to be pointed inside of the ear canal, even if you are comparing low impedance headphones vs high impedance headphones.
Insider Tip
Bookshelf speakers are a nice middle ground between headphones and dedicated loudspeakers.
Here are some differences between the two types of audio devices.
Size and Wearability
Obviously, headphones are much, much smaller than speakers except the perhaps the tiniest of desktop speakers. This means that headphones are portable enough to wear around your head, as intended, to create a personal audio experience. Try that with speakers and, well, you are likely to get a massive headache from the noise and a massive backache from the weight. Some headphones are also smaller than others, such as earbuds and in-ear headphones. Most fine TV headphones for seniors are perfect for them due to these reasons alone.
Volume
Speakers are built to deliver a massive amount of volume, making them great for parties, group listening sessions, and personal listening sessions where you really want to feel the audio. Headphones, on the other hand, simply can’t keep up, as they are designed to produce enough volume to satisfy one person at a time, which is why the leading headphones for TV are great for a private experience.
Sound Quality
Both speakers and headphones can create fantastic sound quality, but speakers typically have the edge, with some caveats. Speakers right out of the box likely won’t beat the best studio headphones around, but if you outfit the speakers with a high-grade preamp and other sound-enhancing accessories, they will outshine just about any pair.
Price
Headphones tend to be much cheaper than speakers, as they are smaller and require fewer components. However, you get what you pay for. The cheapest headphones around will likely not deliver adequate sound quality and will develop maintenance issues before too long. Speakers, while more expensive, tend to last longer, as you aren’t wearing them at the gym and such.
F.A.Q.S
What’s more accurate: Speakers or headphones?
Both are accurate, depending on the make and model, and both allow for surround sound and a loud sound. Decent speakers outpace some headphones and vice versa.
Headphones vs loudspeakers: What are the differences?
The overall listening experience is different, especially the setting and the physical feeling of the sound waves. However, as for direct sound comparisons, they both feature a similar range of frequency.
Headphones vs speakers for gaming?
If you have the right headphone setup and some quality headphones, your gaming experience will be fantastic. However, the same is said with quality speaker systems when going through headphones vs speakers for gaming.
STAT: Speakers push sound waves around the room, which is different than the way headphones direct sound right into your ears. (source)
REFERENCES:
- https://www.psaudio.com/pauls-posts/headphones-vs-speakers/
- https://www.head-fi.org/threads/headphones-vs-speakers-an-inconvenient-truth.832211/
- https://www.sonarworks.com/soundid-reference/blog/learn/mixing-on-headphones-vs-speakers/r
- https://www.klipsch.com/blog/headphones-vs-loudspeakers-what-are-the-differences
- https://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/1022057/volumes/v44/NA-44
