How to Pick The Best Bluetooth Headphone in 2019

 

The market is awash with various headphone brands with each claiming to be the best. While we cannot for sure show you the one best brand, we will show you how to pick the best Bluetooth headphone in 2019.

First things first, Bluetooth headphones offer you more convenience than the wired headphones. Some of the benefits include saying goodbye to the tangled wires, bulkiness and damaged wires! Who loves the wired headphones anyway?

But not so fast, Bluetooth headphones are surefire not the silver bullet to quality music and video entertainment. They have their own set of limitations too. But if you do your math well, you could find your way around the mystery of getting just the right headphone within your budget.

Speaking of budget; the unwritten rule of electronics states that the cheaper the device, the cheaper the build and performance, sometimes expensive doesn’t necessarily connote quality. Before you click the buy button, these are what to look for when buying a Bluetooth headphone.

Battery Life

While Bluetooth devices are all sleek and fun, there’s a catch: The battery. The Bluetooth headphone battery is one thing you should look out for more than any other thing! Well, not really ‘any other thing’, but it is right up there at the top.

With the wired headphones, this is a non-issue. However, Bluetooth devices not only drain your headphone battery but also that of your smartphone.

Now, if you want to be safe in 2019 (assuming you’ve been getting the short end of the stick with Bluetooth headphones) check the headphone battery life. One pro tip with this is to discount at least 15% off the stated time.

Additionally, you should check the customer reviews and see for yourself what they are saying about the battery life before making a purchase.

Battery life also includes the amount of time it takes to fully charge a Bluetooth headphone. Always prefer charging devices to USB cables as the former charges faster.

Go for the perfect fit (Comfort)

Because you are going to use your Bluetooth headphone regularly, you will need something that gives comfort even over long hours of entertainment. This brings us to the broad topic of types of Bluetooth headphones.

• Earbuds: Wireless earbuds are the most portable headphones in the market right now. They are basically one-size-fits-all. The best Bluetooth earbuds could be a great solution to the tangled wires synonymous with the in-ear headphones. However, they may lack the immersive and powerful musical output as compared to the bulky-build brands.
• On-ear headphones: The difference between on-the-ear &over-the-ear headphones is that while over-the-ear headphones cover the whole ear, on-ear headphones simply sit on the ear without covering the whole ear cup. This makes them less sweaty and less bulky. However, they are not so great for sound isolation.
• Over-the-ear headphones: These Bluetooth over-the-ear headphones are usually bulky and they cup the whole ear. This enables the headphones to isolate the audio and lock out any noise from the environment. While they could fatigue your head and ears over long periods of listening, high-end models have a velvet interior for added comfort.
• Open-back headphones: The ear cups in these headphones are open to let out some sound into the outside environment. This helps in getting a softer, balanced musical experience. It actually sounds like you are listening to a speaker in the house
• Closed-back headphones: These headphones are designed to block any peripheral noise from entering your ear. They give a more immersive sound quality due to this audio isolation feature.

Well, the topic of comfort is quite relative. What is obvious, however, is that a headphone that clamps tightly to your ear is simply uncomfortable to everyone. So, the tip is to check customer reviews about how comfortable the headphones are.

Similarly, earbuds that pop out every other time could be so annoying. So, when you are at a store, you should request to sample the headphones/earbuds before making a purchase. Chances are, you will find just the perfect fit for your ultimate audio entertainment.

Bluetooth Technology

It is quite important to understand how the Bluetooth headphone works. This also includes what you want to use the headphone for; music, movies, Bluetooth phone calls and the so on.

The type of technology embedded in a Bluetooth headphone determines its capacity to perform certain functions properly.

• A2DP & other Bluetooth profiles: Generally, all Bluetooth headphones support the Advance Audio Distribution Profile. This is the quality that allows one Bluetooth device to stream audio to the other.

Additional profiles are: Headset Profile (HSP) which will allows you to make calls using the headphones. Also, you should check for the Hands-free profile (HFP) if you want to listen to movie audio, listen to audio books or even perform call-waiting and number redialing features using your Bluetooth headphone.

• Check the Bluetooth Version! Of profound importance is to check your Bluetooth version. What’s more, ensure the Bluetooth version is 4.2. Come on, this is 2019 and the Internet of Things (IoT) is here to stay. This 4.2 Bluetooth version comes with additional security features to ensure extra protection even if people detect your Bluetooth is on.
• Noise cancellation feature: Some Bluetooth headphones come with this feature to ensure more clarity of sound. While most brands prefer the thick padded over-the-ear/ on-the-ear headphones, others develop quality microphones that filter noise from the environment. This lets you make clear calls with your headphone just like you do with your smartphone.

Sound Quality

The primary reason you are looking for a headphone is the sound. This is one aspect you can never sacrifice at the altar of a good design, price or comfort. This is partly because great Bluetooth headphones simply have the knack to enhance your gaming experience.

For the third time, if you check the reviews and they pretty much disagree with the quality of sound, take caution before you make a buy. This is something that you are going to use regularly. So, it better be quality sound.

The trick is to ensure that the Bluetooth version is current and the audio processing components of the Bluetooth headphone are also top notch.

Price of the Headphone

This is the last thing you have to consider in a Bluetooth headphone. Generally, you should expect the more visible brands like Sony, Bose or even the Sennheiser to be costlier. Due to the amount of work and quality of build that goes into them, they are worth the over $350 price.

It is not always the case that the pricier the Bluetooth headphone, the better quality it is. As a matter of fact, you could find some less known brands like Jabra or JBL having just the same features at quarter price!

Depending on what you need to do with the Bluetooth headphone, you should choose the headphone that gets the job done.

Conclusion

A great Bluetooth device will for sure add convenience and fun to your entertainment life. A pro tip to get the most out of your purchase is to research about what you want to buy well before you go out shopping.

This way, you become pretty much informed than the average shopper who would end up compromising on the more important features of the Bluetooth headphones. By checking the comfort, battery life, technology, sound quality and the price, you could just get the best Bluetooth headphone of your life!