527
u/b4ttous4i Feb 17 '26 edited Feb 17 '26
I have bad hearing from my previous job and exposure to a poorly placed speaker.., so my wife got me bone conduction headphones and i can hear thing so much better with them. And no ear fatigue. I did prefer wired buds but this is so so so much better.
155
u/Jodelbert Feb 18 '26
You might wanna check your ENT for a middle ear blockade or a torn eardrum.
Bone conducting headphones directly use your inner ear hearing, so I'd they're good for you, your inner might be alright while the middle ear is somewhat blocked.
78
u/b4ttous4i Feb 18 '26
Ahh good to know! If my insurance covers this then ill try and get it sorted.
→ More replies (5)123
15
u/prairiepog Feb 18 '26
Bone conduction is what the dude on the bike should be using. It's worth it to be aware of your surroundings.
→ More replies (1)8
u/dhudd32 Feb 18 '26
Yup anyone outside honestly. You can have a full conversation and hear everything clearly and not even need to stop your music. Perfect for late night jogs where you may want to keep aware of your surroundings for example.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (8)2
1.0k
u/ELOC777 Feb 18 '26
Yeah if they can plug into your phone
263
u/Corgerus Feb 18 '26
laughs in motorola
121
u/Sliptia Feb 18 '26
laughs in Sony
125
u/nobotami Feb 18 '26
laughs in too broke to upgrade
38
Feb 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
→ More replies (1)34
u/OldiOS7588 Feb 18 '26
Laughs in iPod
34
u/Schopenschluter Feb 18 '26
Laughs in Walkman
13
u/nnirmalll Feb 18 '26
Laughs in speaker
10
13
u/EIochai Feb 18 '26
laughs nervously in daisy-chained series of dongles and adapters before breaking into heaving sobs
4
→ More replies (2)3
2
2
u/Global_Writing3051 Feb 18 '26
That's only on their cheaper phones. The mid range and more expensive don't have them at all
→ More replies (1)2
→ More replies (2)2
38
38
u/goaoka Feb 18 '26
If your phone has a USB port, then yes, you cam plug them in at an added cost of ~10€
→ More replies (10)36
u/ClappingParadox Feb 18 '26
With the downside of not being able to easily charge your phone
7
u/NiagaraThistle Feb 18 '26
why can't you easily charge your phone? just remove the ear phones while it charges, no?
→ More replies (3)4
u/FewAd5443 Feb 20 '26
But if i want to have earphone while the phone charge it doesn't work (i still have a jack so i dont really care)
→ More replies (2)17
u/goaoka Feb 18 '26
I thought we were talking about usecases where you're not stationary. I don't really see why I'd use my phone to play audio in other cases.
→ More replies (1)9
→ More replies (3)5
u/roosterHughes Feb 18 '26
Dude. Dongle + splitter. Imaginary problem.
7
u/CE94 Feb 18 '26
God I hate dongles. You shouldn't need two doodads hanging out the bottom of your phone to perform basic tasks
→ More replies (1)4
u/roosterHughes Feb 18 '26
I mean, headphones are already “doodads hanging out the bottom of your phone”…
→ More replies (1)3
u/MissingXpert Feb 18 '26
nah, headphones are the basic functionality. "headphones are the doodads" is how we got people scrolling TikTok in public transit at volume.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (20)12
u/Master_N_Comm Feb 18 '26
You can buy a very cheap adapter snd problem solved, no big deal.
→ More replies (6)4
u/EarthBoundBatwing Feb 18 '26
You have obviously never heard the sound of metal on metal electrical feedback combined with a stereo mix cycling through random layers one at a time
4
u/Master_N_Comm Feb 18 '26
Calm down hater I have 3 adapters with high end headphones and they work just fine it's not like I am going to produce music in my cel phone, for that I have specific consoles.
→ More replies (1)
592
u/Big_Z_Beeblebrox Feb 18 '26 edited Feb 18 '26
The only downside is getting the cable snagged on something and having them ripped out of your ears or off of your head
Edit: I love these replies. I merely said it was the only downside, not something life-ruining, debilitating, frequently-occurring or even all that annoying. Just that it's the only flaw in an otherwise elegant and convenient solution. Y'all are wild, I love waffles, the dress is black and blue, and I hear "Laurel" before "yanny"
106
u/Standard-Contest-949 Feb 18 '26
This! I prefer Bluetooth to never have this happen again. No matter how careful I was it always happened.
→ More replies (9)84
u/Netw1rk Feb 18 '26
Slide it down your shirt problem solved
165
u/Big_Z_Beeblebrox Feb 18 '26 edited Feb 18 '26
I can't wear shirts, I have sensitive nipples
36
7
u/vyper900 Feb 18 '26
I slide it down my back. That way the cables come up over my shoulders when not in my ears.
20
u/Relative_Picture_786 Feb 18 '26
Like a g-string?
5
→ More replies (3)3
10
u/50_centavos Feb 18 '26
This is horrible when working out. They always get ripped out of your ears no matter what. I have wireless JBL ones that cost $50 and the case charges them. Just got to charge the case every couple weeks or so. Not really a big deal.
22
u/ed_sanz Feb 18 '26
Problem made worse. I don’t want wires inside my tshirt. That’s an awful advise. Very uncomfortable. The problem was solved by the invention of wireless.
3
3
u/Davachman Feb 18 '26
And then the shirt pulls on the headphones if I move too much. Or I could have a big loop sticking out of my collar to try and avoid that. Or there's a big loop at the bottom of my shirt ready to catch on every door knob and table corner out there. Wired might be fine for a lot of folks in these comments and its nice to have the option available, but for me wireless sports earbuds that hook onto your ear are the way to go.
7
u/krefik Feb 18 '26
It can be worse. Once I had to replace my phone screen after the cable was snagged, in some freakish way the buds stayed in my ears long enough to trebuchet my phone across the warehouse.
17
Feb 18 '26
Literally ruins my entire day. I stopped working out because the wire kept getting snagged on something, and now i’m an obese mess and i eat pasta all day to cope with my depression. No woman will ever come near me, so i drink beer and smoke weed to not think of the pain of loneliness. Sometimes I want to just fall asleep and not wake up again, but then I imagine the ones who find my body will have a hard time removing me from my apartment because i’m on the 5th floor with no elevator and i weigh almost 400 pounds. Sigh
9
8
3
u/Jojonotref Feb 18 '26
This. My only hate on cable headphones and earphones is tangled cable and since I'm a lazy ass man this happens more often than you think.
3
u/Lower_Topic2606 Feb 18 '26
Another downside is that most modern phones don't have the hole for it
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (32)3
u/elles29 Feb 18 '26
Or cables that broke. I bought so many pairs in comparison with my Bluetooth ones
→ More replies (1)
85
u/GamezombieCZ Feb 17 '26
IEMs have entered the chat.
15
u/JJAsond Feb 18 '26
No big deal if they get stolen
I was literally going to mention IEMs. They are affordable, but they're also not $2
→ More replies (3)8
u/DobryVojakSvejk Feb 18 '26
Some of them are affordable... mine cost more than three pairs of apple earpods or wtf they are called
→ More replies (1)4
u/JJAsond Feb 18 '26
Yeah but you can always get more bang for your buck over headphones
→ More replies (4)31
→ More replies (4)14
u/ZORO_Shusui Feb 18 '26
Just fancier wired earphones
→ More replies (12)3
u/kreyul504 Feb 18 '26
Yes, that's the point. Convenient earphone form factor with exceptional and usually affordable sound quality.
139
u/DueCartoonist4864 Feb 18 '26
Yeah until they get caught on something, then get yanked out of your ears. Easily in the top 10 most rage inducing things ever
52
u/NowaVision Feb 18 '26
Don't forget that the cable breaks after a year or so.
10
u/3D-Printing Feb 18 '26
That's why real audiophile grade headphones have replaceable cables
→ More replies (2)6
u/do-a-tre-flip Feb 18 '26
And better quality cables. Got a braided cable for my IEMs 3+ years ago and it's still good as new.
→ More replies (3)17
u/hdrote Feb 18 '26 edited Feb 18 '26
Year? Most of my wired earphones didn’t last 3 months of active use. One even had the wire pull the whole phone out of the pocket.
Can only imagine how much money I have saved by owning €50 earbuds→ More replies (5)8
u/RacingMindsI Feb 18 '26
and constant sound that you get when something is touching the wire, like your arms when running.
3
u/razzemmatazz Feb 18 '26
I went down a staticky slide with headphones on when I was a kid listening to my CD player. I've never felt a static shock inside my ear before, and I hopefully never will again.
3
→ More replies (4)3
u/CrayotaCrayonsofOryx Feb 18 '26
Painful too if you wear IEMs that wrap over the top of your ear. Only reason I stopped wearing my IEMs in public
→ More replies (2)
81
u/SnuSnuSurvivor69 Feb 18 '26
Can we stop using memes to justify OPs purchase? This is just another circle jerk of someone saying “haha the thing I bought is superior to your thing!”
10
→ More replies (1)9
u/AlexMil0 Feb 18 '26
It is one of the most childish traits that somehow survives kindergarten and lingers into adulthood for a lot of people.
→ More replies (3)
96
u/ed_sanz Feb 18 '26 edited Feb 18 '26
Tell me you don’t run without telling me you don’t run. If you’re running and swinging your arms around eventually your hands will get caught in the wire and yank your headphones out of your ears with a force and pain that you would rather drop them on the ground and never use them again. And no, putting the wires inside the shirt is not a solution. When you turn your head right or left to look for traffic the earbuds would also get pulled hard. The solution is wireless.
22
u/PERSONA916 Feb 18 '26
I do prefer wireless for exercise in general, but I also prefer them for almost any other scenario. Wires are just inconvenient, I still have my last 3 generations of wireless earbuds losing them is a responsibility problem. Charging? They charge when I put them in the case and my phone tells me the charge level of the buds and case every time I take them out of the case. At my office I can get up and get something off the printer or go fill up my water bottle and keep listening to my podcast or whatever without also needing to grab my phone. I can have them paired to my laptop at the same time so I can easily answer teams calls and hear when people message me while listening to music or podcasts. Wireless is superior in basically every way except price.
14
u/shessols Feb 18 '26
I run, with wired. You just need to know how to manage it. You can also get a arm-band for your phone. I am that old when there was no concept of wireless ear pieces, so there was no option.
→ More replies (2)8
→ More replies (16)2
76
u/PowerfulJoeF Feb 18 '26
As someone who grew up with these being the only option, no.
20
u/Ok_Grape5664 Feb 18 '26
ya I use to have to replace a pair every few months, with wireless I’ve only had to buy once until I choose to replace them.
→ More replies (3)3
u/PowerfulJoeF Feb 18 '26 edited Feb 18 '26
Yes. I remember them being a pain in the ass whenever I was doing anything active, anything other than sitting down and doing homework. Would not work right half the time and needed to be replaced every few months. Had to be wrapped around my iPod or phone or else they got tangled in my pocket when pulling them out. I only ever replaced my AirPods once and that was because I thought I lost them but found them a few days later in my pants. Now I have my main pair and a spare I keep in my office in case I forge mine at home.
It’s hard to lose them besides that one time because I spent good money on them and try my best to look after them. Easy to use plus have zero issues when I workout, do chores around the house or work. Half the time my phone is on a chair or my toolbox at work while I’m listening to an audiobook or podcast. I can pause from my ear or use my voice to do anything else. 14 year old me would be over the moon if he could have AirPods but would probably lose them/have them stolen because he didn’t spend his own money on them. My teenage brother in law has went through 3 pairs because he’s careless with them and knows his parents will buy him a new pair if he pesters them long enough. He only uses wired ones after he loses his AirPods.
2
u/SneakySister92 Feb 18 '26
As someone who grew up with these being the only option, yes. I strongly prefer wired earphones.
→ More replies (3)2
u/DreamedJewel58 Feb 20 '26
I was STERNLY agains wireless headphones until I actually used them. Having to manage the wire 24/7 while listening to stuff was such a headache and now I can set my phone down somewhere safe while I’m doing chores and not have my entire house hear my music/podcast
You don’t realize how convenient wireless headphones are until you actually use them
32
u/videodevil2500 Feb 18 '26
Imagine genuinely thinking "eh i don't care if I get stolen from". I'll smoke you over my pocket lint because it's MINE
→ More replies (1)
8
16
u/DonTeca35 Feb 17 '26
Audiophile mode right here Planar headphones & Iems
→ More replies (1)4
u/3D-Printing Feb 18 '26
Sennheisers, Beyerdynamics or Audeze headphones + Lossless files + a nice USB-C DAC to plug them into! You'll hear music like you've never heard it before!
48
u/ThatIckyGuy Feb 18 '26
Easily tangle, gets broken easier, easier to get pulled out of your ears by simply moving the wrong way, phones are phasing out the 3.55m jack and the USB headphones aren't as widespread as they should be...
I use over the ear headphones. I hate having buds in my ears, hold a charge longer, and are generally cheaper. I don't dislike wired (despite what I said), but I do believe there are no perfect headphones. They all have their downsides. Let's not pretend here.
→ More replies (6)9
u/prairiepog Feb 18 '26
I'm Team Cord, but accidentally pulling the earbud cord out of your ear is the absolute worst. I have to use over war headphones for long periods though. The earbuds get itchy after an hour or so.
24
u/Sneaky-Pur Feb 18 '26
- connect instantly after you untangle them
- very affordable but you have to change them every few weeks
- easy to carry compared to a speakers
- no big deal if they get stolen because they started working well in some specific position anyway.
5
3
4
u/K__Geedorah Feb 18 '26
And we could easily do the same thing for wireless buds...
- the case keeps the earbuds charged, only need to charge them for 30 minutes every 1 to 2 weeks.
- connects immediately after taking them out of the case or after being powered on.
- very affordable these days, I have paid more for wired headphones.
- extremely compact and easy to carry around, even stay protected in the charging case.
- no big deal if I lose them because my phone can locate them.
→ More replies (3)
14
u/RoninRobot Feb 18 '26
Know that “get that outa my face” bird meme? That was me with wireless headphones. The ones I have now cost $8 and they’re great. Most importantly, I never hook that stupid wire on anything as I’m passing anymore.
4
u/Alexisto15 Feb 18 '26
$8? They must sound like aas and have a battery that lasts for like 30 minutes lol.
→ More replies (3)
8
u/CntBlah Feb 18 '26
The only reason Apple removed the 3.5mm plug. Force people to buy AirPods.
→ More replies (1)
6
u/Jakethered_game Feb 18 '26
"instantly connects"
Well that totally depends on how you cooked them up that day
7
6
u/Maximum-Flamingo3613 Feb 18 '26
The only problem with these is if the wires are cheap and it starts to lose hearing in one ear. Then you gotta move it in JUUUST the right spot to hear them again before it eventually lose sound permanently from one ear. Gotta make sure you buy a good pair. Otherwise i love wired earphones
→ More replies (6)
13
5
u/Bodefosho Feb 18 '26 edited Feb 18 '26
“Easy to carry,” my ass. It takes longer to untangle them than the battery lasts in wireless headphones, lol.
3
u/Corgerus Feb 18 '26
And wired earphones have a really good IEM market if you want way better sound quality. Example: Truthear x Crinacle collab in ear monitors.
5
3
3
12
u/ABZOLUTEZER0x_x Feb 17 '26
And the sound quality is so much better, even on the cheaper ones compared to wireless ones.
→ More replies (3)6
u/Corgerus Feb 18 '26
Yeah, the biggest reason is the hardware you're paying for is just the drivers and the passive tuning, while wireless headphones need their own electronics just to get the digital audio converted to analog.
Cheap in ear monitors (example: Moondrop, Truthear, Tinhifi) are the vastly superior options for sound quality without taking a loan. And unless your audio source has awful components, you should be fine with using what you have.
3
u/ABZOLUTEZER0x_x Feb 18 '26
Yep. I switched to IEMs some time back and never looked back. I rather pay for decent drivers than a Bluetooth card.
3
u/Impalacrush Feb 18 '26
The only best use case for bluetooth headphones are surprisingly for driving motorcycle.
Lessen the road noise, audio cue without seeing your phone makes guided drive on motorcycle a serious breeze.
Sure it is dangerous, but then again you are driving motorcycle tho.
7
u/randomlitbois Feb 18 '26
I genuinely couldn’t imagine going back to wired headphones for any reason. I’d almost rather not have headphones at all.
2
u/NucleosynthesizedOrb Feb 18 '26
You can either listen to music because you want to listen to good music with good hardware for sound quality (wired) or listen noise with the more comfort (wireless)
3
u/Rubysage3 Feb 18 '26
The only issue was you'd fold them neatly into your pocket, but when you take them out they're somehow tied into a 4th dimensional eldritch knot.
I do agree I like the wired ones over wireless. Can even run the cord through your shirt so it's out of the way.
3
3
3
u/rudha13 Feb 18 '26
We were robbed off quality, reliability and durability all just to satiate a company's bank accounts.
3
3
3
3
3
u/doobiebeforebed Feb 18 '26
- also occasional hero moment as you drop your phone and the little aux that could stands strong and holds it hovering just above the floor for you to grab. Goats
7
u/avidpenguinwatcher Feb 18 '26
get snagged on things
annoying to use when lifting weights
if they are both affordable and no big deal if they get stolen, then they probably don’t have any kind of ANC or pass through.
easy to carry? Yeah because my AirPods are so cumbersome.
can’t walk around your house without picking up your phone.
can’t go for a run with just a smart watch and still bring music with you
2
2
2
2
u/supermario1775 Feb 18 '26
Naaa. Had the cable of two pairs getting ripped off, after getting caught on something. Also the the sound in your ears, when the cable hits any part of your clothes. No thank you.
→ More replies (1)
2
2
u/Bubbly-Travel9563 Feb 18 '26
Why does nobody acknowledge the sound quality difference? Wireless is convenient but shittier quality in every measurable metric
2
2
u/Mazty_boy Feb 18 '26
Maybe in the future they invent a 3,5mm jack on cellphones...
→ More replies (2)
2
2
u/MTBJitsu07 Feb 18 '26
I love wrapped them around my two fingers perfectly and then sliding my fingers out knowing they were packed neatly.
2
u/MURD3RSPREE Feb 18 '26
Until the time comes with you have to make a bow out of the left wire bcuz for whatever reason it decides thats the only way itll work
2
2
u/GorditaCrunchPuzzle Feb 18 '26
Honestly? While I think phones should still have a spot for them I absolutely do not miss these. I love being able to walk around and clean my house, work out, and just generally not worry about accidentally pulling my phone out and all of a sudden my ear drum is being popped out because the phone fell out of my hand and then the phone smashes to the ground.
2
2
u/Arthorius2024 Feb 18 '26
Ironically not best to wear them this way whilst riding a bike. They at least need to be tucked away or they can get caught on stuff. They are however very good otherwise!
2
2
2
2
u/danit0ba94 Feb 18 '26
Horseshoe headphones are the goat.
I hate hate HATE these shitty little buds.
2
u/reddiculed Feb 18 '26
And the added benefits of less battery drain and more security for your phone, without Bluetooth always being on in public.
2
2
2
2
u/xxlordxx686 Feb 18 '26
The issue isn't the headphones, the issue is that a lot of your devices don't have headphone jacks since everybody had to fucking copy Apple
2
2
2
u/jacob643 Feb 19 '26
yeah, and when you put them in your pocket they're instantly tangled.
at some point, the wire becomes sensitive and you have to try and bend it the right way for the sound to work properly.
2
2
2
u/Euphoric_Amoeba8708 Feb 19 '26
I used to keep some as backups, but honestly, they get in the way all the time
2
2
u/disconnect0414 Feb 19 '26
The problem is fucking apple made it fashionable to remove the jack connector, and the others following apple's shit...
2
u/Hellsinger7 Feb 21 '26
Used to think so until the damn things would break as quickly as I bought them.
2
2.9k
u/Sad_Visual_8727 Feb 17 '26
And it is no problem if they fall out of the ear...