What are open back headphones and how good is their sound quality?

Listening to music is a significant part of most people’s existence. There’s a song out there for every mood and every person and we enjoy music in a variety of scenarios: when we commute, when we are sad, when we are happy and want to celebrate, when we are on a romantic date, when we are at a party and so on. But the whole experience becomes even more intense and intimate when we are listening to music through headphones. They isolate us from any outside disturbances and it’s just us and our favorite tune.  

The headphone industry is a generous one and you can get lost in all the headphone types available, in all the brands, models and sizes out there.  

Main types of headphones 

The first decision you have to make when you buy a new pair of headphones is whether to go with normal headphones or in-ear (earbuds). If you choose the latter, there are more choices to be made. 

Based on how they sit on your head, headphones can be on-ear and over-ear. On-ear headphones are also called supra-aural and over-ear headphones are also called circumaural.  

The first ones sit on your ears but they don’t fully cover them, as it is the case with over-ear headphones.  

Over-ear headphones usually isolate the background noise better, but in the end, it is a matter of preference to see which ones feel more comfortable to you.  

Another classification for headphones would be based on their connection. There are wired headphones and wireless headphones.  

The benefits of wireless headphones are pretty obvious: you don’t have a wire, which means they are more comfortable and you don’t have to move around with a tangling cable around you. Wireless headphones give you more freedom of movement. Active people who exercise a lot and listen to music while jogging and so on, are the ones who prefer them the most. They also come with the option to add a wire if the battery runs out.  

Wired headphones on the other hand don’t require you to constantly charge the headphones and they are also more affordable than wireless headphones. They will always be the first choice of audiophiles too, because their sound is more high quality, stronger and more pristine. Bluetooth headphones have evolved tremendously in sound quality since they first appeared, so for most people, that difference in sound will be barely noticeable or even indistinguishable, but when it comes to sound quality, wired headphones will always be rated a bit higher.  

Open back headphones vs closed back headphones? Which one is better?  

Another way to classify headphones is based on how their back is. The main two types here are closed back headphones and open back headphones.  

Closed back headphones 

Closed back headphones have their back completely sealed, which means their drivers are not at all exposed to the exterior. That means that the sound doesn’t leak at all outside, because they trap the air. Closed back headphones are really good for isolating the sound and keeping it all to yourself, so that no one else can hear what you are listening to. It works both ways and they’ll also isolate you better from the noisy outside environment.  

Closed-back headphones are usually preferred by people who commute, who wear them in offices or other quiet places. They are good for travelling because they keep the outside noise out and they are good for quiet environments as well, because they don’t have sound leakage so you won’t bother others around you when you are listening to music.  

There are some drawbacks to these headphones though and one of them is sound quality, which seems to be inferior to that in open back headphones. They can sound a bit muffled, especially on low frequencies, because there’s not enough space for the sound waves to move around from the drivers to your ears and the soundstage effect is not as present.  

Another disadvantage of these headphones is the fact that they can get uncomfortable to wear after a while, because they make your ears sweat from the lack of ventilation and they are also heavier than open back headphones.  

Open back headphones 

Open back headphones are not sealed in the back and they let the air pass through, having their drivers exposed to the outside. They are pretty much the opposite of closed back headphones, both in terms of sound and noise isolation.  

These headphones will have sound leakage due to their design, which means others can hear what you are listening to. This makes them unfit for use in quiet places, such as libraries, offices, planes, etc., because you risk disturbing other near-by people. They don’t isolate you too well from outside noises either, so you might not want to wear them when you commute or when you are in very noisy environments, because every noise will get through.  

However, when it comes to sound quality, these are the better option. They sound significantly better, they have a bigger soundstage, there won’t be any pressure building up to muffle frequencies and each frequency will be distinctive and clear. Open back headphones are also more comfortable to wear for longer listening sessions, because your ears will get more air and won’t become sweaty and these headphones are also lighter than closed-back headphones.