Headphones on the go, with no strings attached.

The attraction to wireless headphones is apparent. They offer a freedom of movement and activity that exceeds even the most portable corded headset. Wireless is especially effective for sending audio from large non-portable equipment such as a home theater system, TV or stereo. The ability to sit on the couch and listen to your audio system is easier without having a cord draped across the living room. With wireless headphones you can even walk around the house and never get the cords tangled.

Wireless headphones have a transmitter close to the audio source that will send signals to the headset which acts as a receiver. The transmitter/receiver communication can use a variety of standards and frequencies, although the range can vary. Generally speaking the higher the frequency used by the wireless headphones the less affected by interference they'll be, giving a cleaner static free sound. A decent quality set of wireless headphones shouldn't have static until you start to enter the transmitters range limit. Sometimes this can be as short as 30 feet or even less, while others like Sony's MDR-RF960RK 900 MHz RF Wireless Headphones have a transmission range of 150 feet.

When making the decision of what kind of range you'll need it helps to be a little skeptical of the printed range. These are usually rated in optimal environments not the real world of the average household where other wireless devices produce interference and environmental obstacles like walls, doors and floors are found. Other technologies are used in the transmission of headphones like Sony's MDR-IF630RK that use infrared to send the audio signal to the headset. These wireless headphones also offer noise reduction. Logitech's wireless headphones are lightweight and use Bluetooth 1.2 to produce a stronger signal with less interference than Bluetooth 1.1 wireless headphones offered by other manufacturers.

Most wireless headphones are battery operated so it's important to keep them well charged or the signal reception can be affected. The best choice for longevity is a set of headphones with removable batteries which are the standard except in the tiniest lightweight portable headsets. Some tiny headsets will use non-removable rechargeable batteries with no way to replace them. But despite the added mobility of wireless headphones the most important function they serve is to reproduce sound. No matter what range or technology the headset claims to offer, it's important to audition the headphones as you would any other non-wireless headphones. Comfortable fit, quality sound, ability to reproduce bass and clear detailed mids are the primary things to listen for when auditioning your wireless headphone.

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Wireless Headphones and Wireless Technology

For most people the biggest reason to use wireless headphones is that they eliminate all the wires between you and the audio source. Wireless headphones allow you to listen to your favorite audio source - whether you're listening to your stereo, a DVD player, your computer, radio or TV - without the nuisance of all those wires.Wireless headphones also give you privacy. You can turn up the volume of your ipod, radio, TV or other audio source as loud as you want and others around you will not even notice. This allows you to experience amazingly full theater-like sound without bothering anyone else.

Wireless Technologies

The two main technologies used in wireless headphones are Radio Frequency (RF) wireless and Infrared wireless (IR) wireless. They both use a transmitter/receiver system. You connect the transmitter to your audio source and the receiver is built into the wireless headphones. Each of these systems has its advantages, so it is best to know your specific requirements before purchasing one or the other.

Radio Frequency or RF technology uses radio frequencies within the 800-900 MHz band to send audio signals up to 150 feet from the transmitter. RF has the ability to penetrate through walls and obstacles which gives the added benefit of actually being able to receive wireless audio in several rooms of a house from a single source in one room. The range of RF signals is reduced when they pass through walls.

One drawback of RF wireless devices is that they are susceptible to interference and static. This may be caused by other RF wireless devices such as cordless phones, wireless computer networks or wireless video transmitters operating within range of your receiver. These audio sources may occasionally cause "static" in your headphones. With RF you may also get static from a weak or degraded transmission signal, normally caused by being too far away from the transmitter.

RF signals can also be blocked by water or metal objects standing between the transmitter and the headphones. That includes such things as metal firewalls, ductwork or shelving, or even people (who are mostly water). You can avoid many of these interference issues by keeping the transmitter above head level.

Infrared wireless technology transmits the audio signal in the form of a beam of light similar to a tv remote. This makes them a "line of sight" device, which means you must be able to visually see from the transmitter to the receiver to successfully receive your signal. Most infrared systems are limited to about a 30 foot range with clear open line of sight.

One advantage of Infrared wireless headphones is that you get true stereo (left and right channel) separation, and therefore better stereo quality. Infrared transmission is also less prone to interference because it is a line of sight technology. Other similar signals are less likely to cross the line of site of your device.

Bluetooth is an alternative wireless technology used to send digital data from a transmitter to your wireless headphones. In order for two bluetooth devices to talk to each other they must first make a connection, or 'pair up'. Once two devices are paired up, they are able to transmit data back and forth using special bluetooth digital transmission technology.

Bluetooth technology is ideal for headphones because you can transmit perfect quality digital audio seamlessly from a base unit to your bluetooth headset. Bluetooth devices require very little power to operate and have the advantage of being able to transmit other forms of data as well as audio, such as text, images or video.

The most widespread application of bluetooth technology is for transmission between cell phones and special bluetooth receivers. The cell phone acts as the transmitter and transmits the telephone signal to the earpiece. Bluetooth is ideal for this because you can restrict reception to only specific devices.

Mobile Wireless is becoming more and more popular and can use any of the three technologies mentioned above. You can add mobile wireless headphones to any car or truck or even to motorcycles. With wireless headphones in your vehicle you can enjoy a quiet drive while you children watch their favorite movie on the tv in back. Just turn on your wireless headphones, adjust the volume to suit, and enjoy your own audio program.

Featured Products

Mobile Wireless - The Unwired R1S2111 Infrared Wireless Headphone system has two headphones and includes a transmitter. The transmitter can be easily mounted on the ceiling with two screws or a bit of velcro. The wireless headphones have an adjustable headphone band for comfort and twin receivers on each set, along with personal volume controls.

Bluetooth - The Argard M10 is the world's smallest bluetooth headset. Unique in-ear design makes the ear hook a thing of the past. Weighing only 5 grams, you have to see it to believe how small it is. But don’t be fooled by its size. The ARGARD M10 uses energy saving and battery technology to squeeze out talk time for even your busiest day. Just one charge, lets you talk for over 3 hours. You get more than 100 hours on standby.

Wireless Office - PLANTRONICS CS55 Wireless Office Headset System. Employees can move around the office to wherever business takes them — without interrupting or missing a call. The Plantronics CS55 is the first headset in the United States to implement 1.9GHz UPCS voice-dedicated wireless technology. With the included Plantronics HL10 handset lifter, remotely taking or ending a call is as simple as pressing a button. Hands-free talk time up to 10 full hours. Roam hands-free up to 300 feet.

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