When you’re looking for new headphones, you’ll probably notice that many manufacturers list that they have ” personalized audio “, but what does that mean? How do you make this adjustment and how do you know what’s best for you? In this article, we detail we will tell you everything so that you never make a mistake when choosing new headphones.

Personalized sound in headphones, what does it mean? When a manufacturer tells us this, it means that they have been optimized for a certain type of use, such as gaming or sports. And the thing is, depending on the type of use you’re going for, one or the other type of setup might be better, but we’re going to get into the heart of the matter and see what those setups are that they do with the headphones. and that makes them better for one thing or another.

Factors affecting the sound in headphones

In total, six factors can affect the sound of headphones, which, obviously, is also related to the sound quality that they are able to transmit to users.

Diaphragm Type

While most manufacturers use neodymium magnet drivers for their headphones, there are only six types in use today: dynamic, planar magnetic, anchor diaphragm, electrostatic, bone conduction, and hybrid. Each of these diaphragm types has different properties and generates sound differently. The most common are dynamic, you guessed it.

Headphone size and material

Oddly enough, this has a big impact on the sound, for example, the thicker the headphones, the greater the distance between the ears and the diaphragm. Similarly, the better the headphones fit your head and ears, the more they isolate you from outside ambient noise, completely changing the sound.

The appearance of the headphones: the design greatly affects the sound quality, and, logically, the manufacturer can customize it for themselves. Round headphones will not sound the same as on-ear headphones, just as none of them will sound the same as in-ear headphones.

Connector Type

In addition to the well-known USB (digital audio) we have many different types of connectors, although it is true that jack/minijack is the most common, in these cases the sound is analog. The most common is 3.5 mm. TRRS connector, but this type of connector cannot reproduce truly balanced stereo sound because you will need at least 5 connectors for that (in this case it would be TRRRS).

Type of codec used (wireless headphones)

A subtype of the above is found in true wireless earbuds, especially those using Bluetooth technology. There are many different Bluetooth codecs that can be used, such as aptX, LDAC, AAC, DBC or LHDC, and each of them works with different frequencies, delay, depth, etc. in different ways.

Factory Equalization

The aspect that can most affect the sound setup in headphones is equalization. Many manufacturers include software to be able to customize it to the user’s taste, but many others do not, and instead include a custom factory equalization that logically changes the sound quality of the headphones a lot.

How do you decide which type of setup is best for you?

To decide which type of personalized sound is best for you, you first need to be sure what type of use you intend to use the headphones for, as logically the set of headphones you intend to use while exercising is not the same. like the one you use to play PC games or listen to music quietly.

• Flat or Neutral (Flat): All frequencies are set to the same value, resulting in very accurate sound reproduction (the sound is reproduced as intended by the person who designed the music or what we listen to).
• Balanced: Their operation is like flats, but they have been balanced to offer slightly higher lows and highs to give the sound more depth. It is ideal for all kinds of use.
• V equalization: This type of equalization generates much higher bass and higher frequencies, but at the expense of detail and sound quality. This is the type of setup that is used in gaming headsets.
• Bright: This is a type of tuning that offers very high treble, which makes the sound clearer, although the bass loses some power. They are also used in many gaming and music-oriented products.
• Dark or Low (Bass): Bass sounds are boosted at the expense of high frequencies, unlike the previous option. It is used for music, movies, and even games in some cases.
• Warm sound (warm): Like the previous one, but much less intense, providing good balance with slightly elevated bass without overpowering the mids and highs. It is ideal for music and movies.
• Analytical or Clinical: Finally, this setting is like a bright but less intense setting, where the treble is slightly raised for more clarity, but without excessive bass suppression. This is the type of tuning that audiophiles generally enjoy.