Headphone Technology Me
Headphone Technology Me
COLLEGE
SEMINAR REPORT ON
SUBMITTED BY
VISHNU.M
REG NO: 17040631
FINAL YEAR ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
Under the guidance of
MR.RAJESH O K
HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT
GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC
COLLEGE
Certificate
VISHNU.M
Reg. no: 17040631
Vision
ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
Vision
To develop competent skilled professionals in
Electronics Engineering to face the challenge of
technological developments in society
Mission
1. To impart quality education in Electronics engineering to
face the challenges in Electronics Industry.
2. To blend theoretical knowledge with practical skills tune
the professional to an innovative mind set.
3. To provide right ethical values among the professionals
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Above all we thank to god who was always with us in all over
endeavours.
ABSTRACT
The headphone technology is that it cannot be removed by anyone. Because in the new
technology used headphones the consumers get attracted. To control most all media players
over Bluetooth you need a battery-draining adapter – and you have to keep charging your
Bluetooth headphones, too. And the control you get is only changing the volume, pausing or
skipping through the tracks in the current playlist.
The main attraction of the headphone is its wireless connection through the Bluetooth
connectivity. The main advantage of this technology is it does not require any wire. In this
paper I would like to share the technology behind the headphone system. Overall the
characteristics, history, and new modern headphone technology with noise cancellation are
described in this paper. The seminar is mainly focused on the advantages, disadvantages,
applications, and future scope of the headphone technology. Through this seminar the
students may able to repair their own damaged ear phones and the technology behind the
headphones.
CONTENTS
Sl CONTENTS PAGE NO
no
1 CHAPER1 09
INTRODUCTION
2 CHAPTER 2 10
HISTORY
3 CHAPTER 3 12
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
4 CHAPTER 4 14
TYPES
5 CHAPTER 5 19
TRANSDUCER TECHNOLOGY
6 CHAPTER 6 23
WORKING
7 CHAPTER 7 25
CONNECTIONS
8 CHAPTER 8 27
ADVANTAGES
9 CHAPTER 9 28
DISADVANTAGES
10 CHAPTER 10 29
APPLICATIONS
11 CHAPTER 11 30
FUTURE APPLICATIONS
12 CHAPTER 12 31
CONCLUSION
13 REFERENCE 32
LIST OF FIGURES
Sl FIGURES PAGE NO
no
1 FIG 2.1 NATHANIEL BALDWIN 11
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Headphones (or head-phones in the early days of telephony and radio) traditionally refer to a
pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are
electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound.
Headphones let a single user 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 ear speakers, earphones or, colloquially (communication) cans. Circumaural ('around the
ear') and supra-aural ('over the ear') headphones use a band over the top of the head to hold
the speakers in place. Another type, known as ear buds or earpieces consist of individual
units that plug into the user's ear canal. A third type are bone conduction headphones, which
typically wrap around the back of the head and rest in front of the ear canal, leaving the ear
canal open.
Headphones are made in a range of different audio reproduction quality capabilities. Headsets
designed for telephone use typically cannot reproduce sound with the high fidelity of
expensive units designed for music listening by audiophiles. Headphones that use cables
typically have either a 1/4 inch (6.35mm) or 1/8 inch (3.5mm) phone jack for plugging the
headphones into the audio source. Some stereo ear buds are wireless, using Bluetooth
connectivity to transmit the audio signal by radio waves from source devices like cell phones
and digital players.[4] Due to the spread of wireless devices in recent years headphones are
increasingly used by people in public places such as sidewalks, grocery stores, and public
transit. Headphones are also used by people in various professional contexts, such as audio
engineers mixing sound for live concerts or sound recordings and DJs, who use headphones
to cue up the next song without the audience hearing, aircraft pilots and call centre
employees. The latter two types of employees use headphones with an integrated
microphone.
CHAPTER 2
HISTORY
Headphones originated from the telephone receiver earpiece, and were the only way to listen
to electrical audio signals before amplifiers were developed. The first truly successful set was
developed in 1910 by Nathaniel Baldwin, who made them by hand in his kitchen and sold
them to the United States Navy.
These early headphones used moving iron drivers with either single-ended or
balanced armatures. The common single-ended type used voice coils wound around the poles
of a permanent magnet, which were positioned close to a flexible steel diaphragm. The audio
current through the coils varied the magnetic field of the magnet, exerting a varying force on
the diaphragm, causing it to vibrate, creating sound waves. The requirement for high
sensitivity meant that no damping was used, so the frequency response of the diaphragm had
large peaks due to resonance, resulting in poor sound quality. These early models lacked
padding, and were often uncomfortable to wear for long periods. Their impedance varied;
headphones used in telegraph and telephone work had an impedance of 75 ohms. Those used
with early wireless radio had more turns of finer wire to increase sensitivity. Impedance of
1000 to 2000 ohms was common, which suited both crystal sets and triode receivers. Some
very sensitive headphones, such as those manufactured by Brands around 1919, were
commonly used for early radio work.
In early powered radios, the headphone was part of the vacuum tube's plate circuit and
carried dangerous voltages. It was normally connected directly to the positive high voltage
battery terminal, and the other battery terminal was securely grounded. The use of bare
electrical connections meant that users could be shocked if they touched the bare headphone
connections while adjusting an uncomfortable headset.
In 1958, John C. Koss, an audiophile and jazz musician from Milwaukee, produced
the first stereo headphones. Previously, headphones were used only by the US navy,
telephone and radio operators, and individuals in similar industries.
Smaller ear bud type earpieces, which plugged into the user's ear canal, were first
developed for hearing aids. They became widely used with transistor radios, which
commercially appeared in 1954 with the introduction of the Regency TR-1. The most popular
audio device in history, the transistor radio changed listening habits, allowing people to listen
to radio anywhere. The ear bud uses either a moving iron driver or a piezoelectric crystal to
produce sound. The 3.5 mm radio and phone connector, which is the most commonly used in
portable application today, has been used at least since the Sony EFM-117J transistor radio,
which was released in 1964. Its popularity was reinforced with its use on the Walkman
portable tape player in 1979.
In the year 2019 new models of ear phones that fit into the ear was discovered. The
new AI technology provides new functions and mods for the headphones. AKG IE51 is the
company which provides the latest technology. Not only that the redmi, Samsung, Sony, JBL
etc. are producing the headphones consequently.
CHAPTER 3
ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF
HEADPHONES
Impedance
Headphones are available with high or low impedance (typically measured at 1 kHz). Low-
impedance headphones are in the range 16 to 32 ohms and high-impedance headphones are
about 100-600 ohms. As the impedance of a pair of headphones increases, more voltage (at a
given current) is required to drive it, and the loudness of the headphones for a given voltage
decreases. In recent years, impedance of newer headphones has generally decreased to
accommodate lower voltages available on battery powered CMOS-based portable electronics.
This has resulted in headphones that can be more efficiently driven by battery-powered
electronics. Consequently, newer amplifiers are based on designs with relatively low output
impedance.
Historically, many headphones had relatively high impedance, often over 500 ohms so they
could operate well with high-impedance tube amplifiers. In contrast, modern transistor
amplifiers can have very low output impedance, enabling lower-impedance headphones.
Unfortunately, this means that older audio amplifiers or stereos often produce poor-quality
output on some modern, low-impedance headphones. In this case, an external headphone
amplifier may be beneficial.
Sensitivity
Alternatively, online calculators can be used.Once the sensitivity per volt is known, the
maximum volume for a pair of headphones can be easily calculated from the maximum
amplifier output voltage. For example, for a headphone with a sensitivity of 100 dB (SPL)/V,
an amplifier with an output of 1 root mean square (RMS) voltage produces a maximum
volume of 100 dB.
Pairing high sensitivity headphones with power amplifiers can produce dangerously high
volumes and damage headphones. The maximum sound pressure level is a matter of
preference, with some sources recommending no higher than 110 to 120 dB. In contrast, the
American Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends an average SPL of no
more than 85 dB(A) to avoid long-term hearing loss, while the European Union standard EN
50332-1:2013 recommends that volumes above 85 dB(A) include a warning, with an absolute
maximum volume (defined using 40–4000 Hz noise) of no more than 100 dB to avoid
accidental hearing damage. Using this standard, headphones with sensitivities of 90, 100 and
110 dB (SPL)/V should be driven by an amplifier capable of no more than 3.162, 1.0 and
0.3162 RMS volts at maximum volume setting, respectively to reduce the risk of hearing
damage.
The sensitivity of headphones is usually between about 80 and 125 dB/mW and usually
measured at 1 Khz.
CHAPTER 4
TYPES
Headphones are classified as the following
CIRCUMAURAL
SUPRA AURAL
Supra-aural headphones or on-ear headphones have pads that press against the ears, rather
than around them. They were commonly bundled with personal stereos during the 1980s.
This type of headphone generally tends to be smaller and lighter than circumaural
headphones, resulting in less attenuation of outside noise. Supra-aural headphones can also
lead to discomfort due to the pressure on the ear as compared to circumaural headphones that
sit around the ear. Comfort may vary due to the ear cup material.
Both circumaural and supra-aural headphones can be further differentiated by the type of
earcups:
Open-back headphones have the back of the earcups open. This leaks more sound out of the
headphone and also lets more ambient sounds into the headphone, but gives a more natural or
speaker-like sound, due to including sounds from the environment.
Closed-back (or sealed) styles have the back of the earcups closed. They usually block some
of the ambient noise. Closed-back headphones usually can produce stronger low frequencies
than open-back headphones.
Semi-open headphones, have a design that can be considered as a compromise between open-
back headphones and closed-back headphones. Some believe the term "semi-open" is purely
there for marketing purposes. There is no exact definition for the term semi-open headphone.
Where the open-back approach has hardly any measure to block sound at the outer side of the
diaphragm and the closed-back approach really has a closed chamber at the outer side of the
diaphragm, a semi-open headphone can have a chamber to partially block sound while letting
some sound through via openings or vents.
EAR BUDS
Ear bud headphones, also known as in-ear monitors (IEMs) or canal phones, are small
headphones with similar portability to ear buds that are inserted in the ear canal itself. IEMs
are higher-quality in-ear headphones and are used by audio engineers and musicians as well
as audiophiles.
The outer shells of in-ear headphones are made up of a variety of materials, such as plastic,
aluminium, ceramic and other metal alloys. Because in-ear headphones engage the ear canal,
they can be prone to sliding out, and they block out much environmental noise. Lack of sound
from the environment can be a problem when sound is a necessary cue for safety or other
reasons, as when walking, driving, or riding near or in vehicular traffic.
Generic or custom-fitting ear canal plugs are made from silicone rubber, elastomer, or foam.
Custom in-ear headphones use castings of the ear canal to create custom-moulded plugs that
provide added comfort and noise isolation.
HEADSETS
with a standard 4P4C commonly called an RJ-9 connector. Headsets are also available with
2.5 mm jack sockets for many DECT phones and other applications. Cordless bluetooth
headsets are available, and often used with mobile telephones. Headsets are widely used for
telephone-intensive jobs, in particular by call centre workers. They are also used by anyone
wishing to hold telephone conversations with both hands free.
For older models of telephones, the headset microphone impedance is different from that of
the original handset, requiring a telephone amplifier for the telephone headset. A telephone
amplifier provides basic pin-alignment similar to a telephone headset adaptor, but it also
offers sound amplification for the microphone as well as the loudspeakers. Most models of
telephone amplifiers offer volume control for loudspeaker as well as microphone, mute
function and switching between headset and handset. Telephone amplifiers are powered by
batteries or AC adaptors.
COMMUNICATION HEADSETS
Communication headsets are used for two-way communication and typically consist of a
headphone and attached microphone. Such headsets are used in a variety of professions as
aviation, military, sports, music, and many service-oriented sectors. They come in all shapes
and sizes, depending on use, required noise attenuation, and fidelity of communication
needed.
Unwanted sound from the environment can be reduced by excluding sound from the ear by
passive noise isolation, or, often in conjunction with isolation, by active noise cancellation.
Passive noise isolation is essentially using the body of the earphone, either over or in the ear,
as a passive earplug that simply blocks out sound. The headphone types that provide most
attenuation are in-ear canal headphones and closed-back headphones, both circumaural and
supra aural. Open-back and earbud headphones provide some passive noise isolation, but
much less than the others. Typical closed-back headphones block 8 to 12 dB, and in-ears
anywhere from 10 to 15 dB. Some models have been specifically designed for drummers to
facilitate the drummer monitoring the recorded sound while reducing sound directly from the
drums as much as possible. Such headphones claim to reduce ambient noise by around 25 dB.
Active noise-cancelling headphones use a microphone, amplifier, and speaker to pick up,
amplify, and play ambient noise in phase-reversed form; this to some extent cancels out
unwanted noise from the environment without affecting the desired sound source, which is
not picked up and reversed by the microphone. They require a power source, usually a
battery, to drive their circuitry. Active noise cancelling headphones can attenuate ambient
noise by 20 dB or more, but the active circuitry is mainly effective on constant sounds and at
lower frequencies, rather than sharp sounds and voices.
CHAPTER 5
TRANSDUCER TECHNOLOGY IN
HEADPHONES
Moving-coil
The moving coil driver, more commonly referred to as a "dynamic" driver is the most
common type used in headphones. It consists of a stationary magnet element affixed to the
frame of the headphone, which sets up a static magnetic field. The magnet in headphones is
typically composed of ferrite or neodymium. A voice coil, a light coil of wire, is suspended in
the magnetic field of the magnet, attached to a diaphragm, typically fabricated from
lightweight, high-stiffness-to-mass-ratio cellulose, polymer, carbon material, paper or the
like. When the varying current of an audio signal is passed through the coil, it creates a
varying magnetic field that reacts against the static magnetic field, exerting a varying force
on the coil causing it and the attached diaphragm to vibrate. The vibrating diaphragm pushes
on the air to produce sound waves.
Electrostatic
Electrostatic drivers consist of a thin, electrically charged diaphragm, typically a coated PET
film membrane, suspended between two perforated metal plates (electrodes). The electrical
sound signal is applied to the electrodes creating an electrical field; depending on the polarity
of this field, the diaphragm is drawn towards one of the plates. Air is forced through the
perforations; combined with a continuously changing electrical signal driving the membrane,
a sound wave is generated. Electrostatic headphones are usually more expensive than
moving-coil ones, and are comparatively uncommon. In addition, a special amplifier is
required to amplify the signal to deflect the membrane, which often requires electrical
potentials in the range of 100 to 1000 volts.
Due to the extremely thin and light diaphragm membrane, often only a few micrometers
thick, and the complete absence of moving metalwork, the frequency response of electrostatic
headphones usually extends well above the audible limit of approximately 20 kHz. The high
frequency response means that the low midband distortion level is maintained to the top of
the audible frequency band, which is generally not the case with moving coil drivers. Also,
the frequency response peakness regularly seen in the high frequency region with moving
coil drivers is absent. Well-designed electrostatic headphones can produce significantly better
sound quality than other types.
Electrostatic headphones require a voltage source generating 100 V to over 1 kV, and are on
the user's head. Since the invention of insulators, there's no actual danger. They do not need
to deliver significant electric current, which further limits the electrical hazard to the wearer
in case of fault.
Electret
Planar Magnetic
A planar magnetic driver consists of a relatively large membrane that contains an embedded
wire pattern. This membrane is suspended between two sets of permanent, oppositely
aligned, magnets. A current passed through the wires embedded in the membrane produces a
magnetic field that reacts with the field of the permanent magnets to induce movement in the
membrane, which produces sound.
Balanced armature
Fig 5.3Balanced armature transducer with armature balanced and exerting no force on diaphragm
A balanced armature is a sound transducer design primarily intended to increase the electrical
efficiency of the element by eliminating the stress on the diaphragm characteristic of many
other magnetic transducer systems. As shown schematically in the first diagram, it consists of
a moving magnetic armature that is pivoted so it can move in the field of the permanent
magnet. When precisely centered in the magnetic field there is no net force on the armature,
hence the term 'balanced.' As illustrated in the second diagram, when there is electric current
through the coil, it magnetizes the armature one way or the other, causing it to rotate slightly
one way or the other about the pivot thus moving the diaphragm to make sound.
A custom in-ear monitor which uses 8 balanced armatures in a triple crossover configuration
(4 low/2 mid/2 high). Headphone designs often use multiple balanced armatures to provide a
higher fidelity sound.
The design is not mechanically stable; a slight imbalance makes the armature stick to one
pole of the magnet. A fairly stiff restoring force is required to hold the armature in the
'balance' position. Although this reduces its efficiency, this design can still produce more
sound from less power than any other. Popularized in the 1920s as Baldwin Mica Diaphragm
radio headphones, balanced armature transducers were refined during World War II for use in
military sound powered telephones. Some of these achieved astonishing electro-acoustic
conversion efficiencies, in the range of 20% to 40%, for narrow bandwidth voice signals.
Today they are typically used only in in-ear headphones and hearing aids, where their high
efficiency and diminutive size is a major advantage. They generally are limited at the
extremes of the hearing spectrum (e.g. below 20 Hz and above 16 kHz) and require a better
seal than other types of drivers to deliver their full potential. Higher-end models may employ
multiple armature drivers, dividing the frequency ranges between them using a passive
crossover network. A few combine an armature driver with a small moving-coil driver for
increased bass output.
The earliest loudspeakers for radio receivers used balanced armature drivers for their cones.
The thermo acoustic effect generates sound from the audio frequency Joule heating of the
conductor, an effect that is not magnetic and does not vibrate the speaker. In 2013 a carbon
nanotube thin-yarn earphone based on the thermo acoustic mechanism was demonstrated by a
research group in Tsinghua University. The as-produced CNT thin yarn earphone has a
working element called CNT thin yarn thermo acoustic chip. Such a chip is composed of a
layer of CNT thin yarn array supported by the silicon wafer, and periodic grooves with
certain depth are made on the wafer by micro-fabrication methods to suppress the heat
leakage from the CNT yarn to the substrate.
Transducer technologies employed much less commonly for headphones include the Heil Air
Motion Transformer (AMT); Piezoelectric film; Ribbon planar magnetic; Magnetostriction
and Plasma-ionisation. The first Heil AMT headphone was marketed by ESS Laboratories
and was essentially an ESS AMT tweeter from one of the company's speakers being driven at
full range. Since the turn of the century, only preside of Switzerland have manufactured an
AMT headphone. Piezoelectric film headphones were first developed by Pioneer, their two
models used a flat sheet of film that limited the maximum volume of air movement.
Currently, Take produces a piezoelectric film headphone shaped similarly to an AMT
transducer but, which like the Precede driver, has a variation in the size of transducer folds
over the diaphragm. It additionally incorporates a two way design by its inclusion of a
dedicated tweeter/super tweeter panel. The folded shape of a diaphragm allows a transducer
with a larger surface area to fit within smaller space constraints. This increases the total
volume of air that can be moved on each excursion of the transducer given that radiating area.
Magnetostriction headphones, sometimes sold under the label Bone phones, work by
vibrating against the side of head, transmitting sound via bone conduction. This is
particularly helpful in situations where the ears must be unobstructed, or for people who are
deaf for reasons that don't affect the nervous apparatus of hearing. Magnetostriction
headphones though, are limited in their fidelity compared to conventional headphones that
rely on the normal workings of the ear. Additionally, in the early 1990s, a French company
called Plasma Sonics tried to market a plasma-ionisation headphone. There are no known
functioning examples left.
CHAPTER 6
WORKING
Headphones are simply small versions of speakers, which use an electromagnet and a cone
made of paper or other material to vibrate the air and create sound waves.
Loudspeakers and their smaller sibling’s headphones both work on the same general
principle, by converting electrical signals to sound waves. The music source sends the signal,
in the form of an alternating electrical current, through a cable to the drivers -- miniature
speakers -- in the headphones. The signal is sent through the voice coil in the driver, which
generates a magnetic field. The voice coil is surrounded by a fixed magnet, and the
alternating current in the voice coil attracts and repels it from the magnet. The voice coil is
attached via a suspension material to the driver's cone, which moves back and forth between
20 to 20,000 times per second, changing the air pressure in front of it and creating sound
waves you can hear.
Over-the-ear headphones are broken down into two different types, those with open backs
behind the drivers and those with closed backs. Open-back headphones allow for some
ambient noise to mix with the music and tend to create a natural sound akin to listening to
speakers. The open design does allow for sound to escape so others around you may hear
what you're listening to, and loud outside noises are audible. Closed-back headphones shut
out ambient noise as well as prevent others around you from hearing your music, but tend to
have more bass sound and a less natural overall sound reproduction than open back
headphones. As headphones are miniaturized loudspeakers you can wear, earbuds are
miniaturized headphones you insert into your ear. They function exactly the same way
headphones do, just on a much smaller scale. Most earbuds have a sealed plastic back that
makes them act like closed back headphones, though some do have vent holes to give them a
bit of open back sound. Their small size is convenient for portability but often causes them to
suffer from poor bass reproduction due to the small driver size.
The protecting hood protects the inner magnet and coils from damage and
water. The PCB board inside the headphone speaker cap filter the signal to provide adequate
base and treble. The silicon cap fits the headphones in ear perfectly.
CHAPTER 7
CONNECTIONS OF HEADPHONES
The headphones vibrates the air and produces sound. This is done by proper impedance
matching and noise cancellation through the circuit inside the headphones.
The headphones consists mainly the jack, mic, switch, and two speakers, Bluetooth
control circuit. The mic and switch are used to control the signal by switching off and on the
signal through a single switch. The microphone used to record the sounds or for
communication. The jack is the main part of the headphones. In the present time 3.5 mm
jacks are used.
Mainly the headphones consists of 4 types of wire if it is stereo. The red, green, blue,
and gold. Red for mic, green for left speaker, blue for right speaker, gold for ground.
CHAPTER 8
ADVANTAGES
Headphone can prevent other people from hearing the sound.
They provide a level of sound fidelity greater than loudspeaker.
Headphones can accurately reproduce bass and sub-bass frequencies with speaker drivers.
CHAPTER 9
DISADVANTAGES
Using headphones at a sufficient high volume level may cause hearing damage.
Low living life
Low quality headphones may produce high noise causing permanent health issues.
Headset or over ear headphone is not portable as compared to in ear headphones.
CHAPTER 10
APPLICATIONS
It used for hearing the sounds clear and loud.
Used for communication.
Used in the telephone industry.
Used for hearing the music and videos.
Headphones permits our privacy to safe.
CHAPTER 11
FUTURE APPLICATIONS
Advanced Bluetooth technology headphones.
Touch screen on the headphones.
Smaller size.
Wi-Fi connected headsets.
3D headphones.
Phone in headphones.
CHAPTER 12
CONCLUSION
The headphone technology is that it cannot be removed by anyone. Because in the new
technology used headphones the consumers get attracted. To control most all media players
over Bluetooth you need a battery-draining adapter – and you have to keep charging your
Bluetooth headphones, too. And the control you get is only changing the volume, pausing or
skipping through the tracks in the current playlist.
You can’t pick a particular track or browse through the library – but as you need to
see the screen on your player to do that it’s no particular hardship to use the player controls.
There’s usually a delay when you skip tracks too, and sometimes the controls are just too
fiddly; the Nokia BH-501s don’t offer remote control for a media player at all. But even if
you end up controlling the tracks from your media player rather than the buttons on the
headphones, getting rid of the wires is very liberating.
The use of headphones for church audio is a really handy tool for sharpening the
overall sound of a mix. It isn’t a good idea, however, to be dependent on headphones all the
time. This will slow the progression of learning how to hear sounds and to get the ‘ear’ for
mixing. Try to only use headphones only when needed and only during microphone tests and
sound checks.
REFERENCE
http://www.learnchurchsound.com/articles/The-Importance-Of-Using-
Headphones.php
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-
d&q=headphones+jack+connections
Wikipedia-headphones