I like wireless, I just fucking loathe earbuds. Unfortunately, they have completely replaced the wrap around on-ear headphones that were the best for wearing while running errands or exercising.
I don’t want something big and bulky while I’m walking around, but I also don’t like having shit jammed into my ears. And critically, those on ear headphones are just the right size to have a convenient button layout so I can easily pause or go back a few seconds in my audiobook whenever I need to.
But Apple decreed that wireless earbuds were the future and the market for everything else fucking died.
Have you tried bone conduction earphones? Shokz are pretty sweet, I use my pair all the time.
Used to have a pair of these. Motorola S305. They were the perfect running headphones. Big chunky buttons for volume and track skipping, a plastic band that wrapped the back of your head and over your ears so it would never fall off but otherwise wireless. The only downside was really old Bluetooth tech so connection was sketchy at times. Also audio has improved a lot since then.
Modern buds don’t stay in my ears. I’m using the pixel buds pro right now. The right ear stays in pretty good but the left is completely unpredictable.
Having the pixel buds myself, I feel your pain. Do a little bit of physical activity and at least one side gets loose and slippery.
I found that I simply dont have symmetrical ear canals, I use the mid size plug on one and the smallest plug on the other ear. That way they seem to fit somewhat reliably.
I had some jaybird buds that have the wrap around wire with a clip to your shirt so you can pop one out without tugging the other, also they came with all sorts of ear mounts so they can stay in your ear, I have really found anything that work as good for use while working
Have neckband Bluetooth headphones of various kinds too (I’ll never ever use those tiny plugs, I’d be worried about losing them and chances are they won’t fit well). Got a regular sport model, and recently got a cheap air conduction headset too.
I’m using the pixel buds pro right now. The right ear stays in pretty good but the left is completely unpredictable.
I wonder if it’s their manufacturing or something, because I have the same issue with only the left bud.
Usually one bud is the primary one which connects to the phone and maintains the link. Then it pairs with the other and relays the Bluetooth session encryption key so the second bud can play it’s part of the audio
I think peak design was the on-ear, behind-the-neck style. They rested on the top of your ears, and your hair didn’t get all fucked up from the headband. I don’t know why they had such a short-lived popularity.
I’ve tried the wired Koss independent on-ears, but you lose clarity of lows without the pressure of a neckband or headband.
They still exist, although aren’t as common. Plenty of places have them if you order online
The form factor exists, but not in competitive terms. Good luck finding them with high quality drivers. I tried for years and gave up.
I felt this comment in my bones. It’s too bad my over ear buds are so old now the plastic has degraded. Regular earbuds just don’t stay in and I find them uncomfortable.
Now the real winner would be looped over your ear but using that spacial localized speaker thing Valve puts into their VR. That stuff works great, has surround sound, and you don’t feel a thing. A wonder if only exists on that headset and that headset alone.
Seems to be rather unique to them.
https://www.valvesoftware.com/en/index/deep-dive/ear-speakers
To be fair, I’d be like one of two people in this world who’d rock those in public. They’d catch an eye, haha
The parts are available, but I don’t know if there’s a way to send them regular stereo channel inputs without hardware hacking or writing custom software drivers from scratch.
This might be the right thing for you:
Wraparound on-ear headphones with USB-C plug. I can’t vouch for them personally though.
The problem with most USB c earphones (which are not super expensive) is that they sound like shit because they have a cheapo small DAC (digital to analog converter) in them. Our phones - most of the time - have decent enough DACs, at least had them when they had the 3.5 mm jacks
RIP that headphone jack
Those things are solid. It’ll be fine.
Rip that person’s ear holes you mean.
Not really. I’ve switched from wired to wireless because of the number of headphones I’ve destroyed getting the cable stuck so bad it yanks my body. My ears never hurt from it; just slightly disoriented and audio only working for one bud/side now. Eventually it was too annoying and I switched to full bluetooth wireless. I won’t argue against cables being better for audio, but for me they arent.
I used to dislike wireless earbuds until I tried them. They really are much more convenient, especially while riding a bike.
I switched to wireless during the covid pandemic. Otherwise it was really painful to put on and off the mask each time I entered public transport. And I agree, it’s super convenient in many other situations as well.
But such a tiny, energy-optimized DAC can’t sound really good, can it?
I have both wireless and wired. The wireless ones sound fine although if I switch from one to the other the wired are a noticeable improvement. The real issue I have with them is that there’s a noticeable delay that makes watching every video like a dubbed movie. Secondary to that I have never been able to get ones that fit perfectly so I’m constantly having to poke them back in especially if I’m eating or something and my jaw is moving around and there’s just a lot of general bluetooth issues that are annoying. I have a much easier time with the wired ones just working.
For the places I need portable headphones for,I really don’t care that much about sound quality. And it is by no means terrible.
It can’t match proper headphones. But I listen to podcasts and books, so the audio quality is not that important.
The sound is higher-quality than the files we’re getting from the streams, so it’s fine.
BTR5 on LDAC + wired headphones/IEMs have been doing wonders for me.
