Headphones
Headphones are a pair of small loudspeaker devices worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound in the user's ear. Headphones are designed to allow a single user to listen to an audio source privately, in contrast to a loudspeaker, which emits sound into the open air, for anyone nearby to hear. Headphones are also known as earspeakers, earphones or, colloquially, cans.
History[edit | edit source]
The first headphones were developed in the late 19th century for use by telephone operators, to keep their hands free. Initially, the audio quality was mediocre and a step forward was the invention of high fidelity headphones.
Types of Headphones[edit | edit source]
Headphones may be designed to be worn on or around the head of a user, depending on the model. They can be broadly classified into the following categories:
- Over-ear headphones: These headphones have cushioned cups that cover the ears completely. They are known for their excellent sound quality and noise isolation.
- On-ear headphones: These headphones sit directly on the ears and offer a good balance between sound quality and portability.
- In-ear headphones: These headphones are inserted into the ear canal, and are popular for their portability and convenience.
- Wireless headphones: These headphones use Bluetooth technology to connect to the audio source, eliminating the need for a physical connection.
Health Implications[edit | edit source]
Prolonged use of headphones at a high volume can cause hearing loss. The World Health Organization recommends that young people limit the use of personal audio players to one hour a day in an effort to limit exposure to noise.
See Also[edit | edit source]
| Headphones Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
```
This template is designed for marking articles as stubs related to audio topics. It includes a placeholder for an audio icon and categorizes the article in "Audio stubs" for easy navigation and organization. The template also encourages users to contribute by expanding the stub article.
 | This technology-related article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
 | This medical article is a stub. You can help WikiMD by expanding it. |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
