Quote:
Originally Posted by iversonjack
Hey everyone!
I am searching through websites comparing earphones but I don't get some of the terminologies used. Below are some:
What does impedance mean? The more or the less better?
What does sensitivity mean? The more or the less better?
What does frequency response mean? The more or the less better?
What does driver unit mean? The more or the less better?
Also, different types of plugs and cord type? Which ones are good and which ones are bad?
Any help much appreciated!
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Impedance is measured in ohms. Not the same thing as resistance. A resistance becomes an impedance when you add an inductor to the circuit. And a speaker is an inductor that has a coil. It also means that the impedance varies with the frequency. It's not always for example 32ohm.
The impedance should match the source but in the case of an MP3 player that is not as important as with a home stereo equipment. But the higher impedance is, the lower sound volume will be.
The
sensitivity is how many dB (decibel) you'll get with 1 watt or milliwatt. The higher the more volume at the same volumesetting. It also brings at the bad sides from a noisy sound source. A 9-11dB change is what the ear believes as doubled in sound volume. And to get a 3dB change you need to put twice the effect to the speaker. 2-3dB is also the smallest change a normal ear can hear.
The
Frequency response (FR) is a measurement in how the speaker reacts on a certain input. Often measured in dB and Hz.
Driver unit is the "speaker" If you have two driver units then you can in a way compare it to a two way speaker system. One speaker for the bass and one for the mid and highs. If you have three in each plug then you'll have one unit for each band.
There are many different plugs on the market. What sounds good is up to you.
I recommend sites like
www.head-fi.org or
http://www.headphone.com if you are interrested in more info. Or if you ask me too of course
Cheers!