Need HELP choosing Headphones

[Brenda]

I need help trying to purchase the correct headphones for listening to the convention.  Do I just tune in to the radio frequency and have headphones on?  I seem to be missing the process.  I looked on Amazon and see some nice units...and I try to read all the specifications...but it becomes Greek to me real quick.  My late husband would have spent hours checking everything out and make a good decision...I don't seem to be able to do that. LOL 

 

Does anyone have something they use and like?  What exactly do I need?  How do I get the radio station?  I hate to sound dense...but I've had 4 mini-strokes...and I know I'm lacking.  I love technology and used to understand things...but not much anymore.

 

Also, since my hearing is bad...I would like to wear headphones at home when I listen to JWB from my Laptop.  I would like to be able to move around my apartment while in kitchen or doing laundry...and listening without a cord.  I have to sit right in from on my laptop...can't move even a couple feet.  My laptop is not very loud and my hearing is about 35 percent in one ear...none in the other.  

 

If you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it.  My convention starts June 28th so I would love to have something that works by then.  My hearing is bad and had to ask my Group Overseer last year to get the replay copy because I missed several spots where the voices weren't clear for me.  And the video presentations where there were ones from different countries seemed mufflied so I missed some.

 

Thanks a lot for any help you can provide.  I would really appreciate it.

 

 

Edited June 15, 2019 by Brenda

[Jarred]

Something like this should work fine and is affordable: Horologe Portable Pocket Handy AM/FM Radio-Battery Operated, Sleep Timer, Preset, Earphone Jack, Powered by 2 AAA Batteries ... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D522RKW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aNgbDb21TGSNS

[Beggar for the Spirit]

Hi Brenda,

 

I can try to help you, I have various headphones. 

So there are certain headphones that are better for walking around, doing chores, etc, and then there are certain headphones that are much better for listening to the spoken word or music. Maybe you will want to buy 2 if you can afford it. For example, you could buy some good earbuds for daily activities, easier to carry around, and then you could get good headphones which give you better sound quality.  So here are some suggestions for you:

 

TaoTronics TT-BH052 - Wireless Earbuds($46) - Good for daily activities

These are 1 of the better wireless earbuds that are affordable, as most good ones are over $100. 1 big benefit, there is no wire hanging around your neck or getting caught on something and breaking. They sound pretty good, fit comfortably, are water resistant, and have all the controls you need, including track forward/back and volume controls. They have a shorter battery life (around 3 hours), but these are still great for someone who wants to try true wireless technology but doesn’t want to spend more than $100. Another benefit is that these are relatively low-profile in your ear, and with 4 pairs of eartips included, they fit most ear shapes comfortably and securely. These should stay put while out walking or doing chores. Plus they’re water-resistant (rated IPX7), so unlikely to be ruined due to sweat, rain, etc. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H2JNFYZ?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=AwEAAAAAAAAAAU17

JBL Live 100 - The best wired earbuds under ($50)

a great pair of earbuds and has great sound quality, design and a compact storage case. It delivered a more realistic, balanced sound than the other earbuds we were tested in this price range.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CS3ZK1T?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=AwEAAAAAAAAAAUnm

 

Koss FitClips KSC32i - An affordable wired earbuds for daily activites ($15)

 Light and flexible, these headphones stay put when you working or exercising.  Because they’re wired, you don’t have to worry about charging them, and the cable includes a universal single-button remote/mic.  These were tested by a panel who felt this are 1 of the best affordable earbuds and that music and voices sounded clear.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WUT2IGS?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=AwEAAAAAAAAAAV2X

 

Sony MDR-7506 - The (under $200) best headphones ($80) 

The Sony MDR-7506, a longtime favorite of audio professionals and the universal choice among our listening panel, offers more reliability, more comfort, and better sound than many headphones twice its price! These have great reviews. CNET and Head-Fi readers love it, and so do Amazon customers with well over 3,000 reviews. Every audio professional interviewed spoke highly of the MDR-7506. Also, nearly every recording studio and radio station has a pair attached to the mixing board or in the recording booth.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AJIF4E?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=edtestzzpid301

 

Edited June 15, 2019 by Beggar for the Spirit

[Old]

Another option are headphones with a buit in FM radio. Advantage is they are one unit, no cords, some can accept a sds card and come with Blue tooth that can be syc to your   

tablet or PC without cords. 

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Headphones-ELEGIANT-Foldable-Compatible/dp/B01N5XIA0L/ref=pd_cp_23_3?pd_rd_w=KWgL2&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=EXK3C3CYXEX32SQVTXZ3&pd_rd_r=3bafaff9-8f86-11e9-a051-873e6f0a290b&pd_rd_wg=UXSg2&pd_rd_i=B01N5XIA0L&psc=1&refRID=EXK3C3CYXEX32SQVTXZ3

 

[Benjamine]

Regarding buying from Amazon.

 

Its better to select, sold and fulfilled by Amazon as first priority. And check the product rating.

 

Then second priority as fulfilled by Amazon, but check the seller and product rating.

 

I am sorry, I am not great at selecting headphones. But can help on buying from Amazon queries.

Edited June 15, 2019 by Benjamine

[Loopy]

1 hour ago, Old said:

Another option are headphones with a buit in FM radio. Advantage is they are one unit, no cords, some can accept a sds card and come with Blue tooth that can be syc to your   

tablet or PC without cords. 

https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Headphones-ELEGIANT-Foldable-Compatible/dp/B01N5XIA0L/ref=pd_cp_23_3?pd_rd_w=KWgL2&pf_rd_p=ef4dc990-a9ca-4945-ae0b-f8d549198ed6&pf_rd_r=EXK3C3CYXEX32SQVTXZ3&pd_rd_r=3bafaff9-8f86-11e9-a051-873e6f0a290b&pd_rd_wg=UXSg2&pd_rd_i=B01N5XIA0L&psc=1&refRID=EXK3C3CYXEX32SQVTXZ3

 

Hmmm, for our Circuit Assemblies, the mic volume is way too high for me. 😁 Too be able to set this at a more comfy level would be great. Hmmm, might work for our KH as well. 

[Old]

55 minutes ago, Loopy said:

Hmmm, for our Circuit Assemblies, the mic volume is way too high for me. 😁 Too be able to set this at a more comfy level would be great. Hmmm, might work for our KH as well. 

How do you know the volume is too high?

There is quite a variety of FM headphones, I just selected the above at random. 

[Loopy]

4 minutes ago, Old said:

How do you know the volume is too high?

There is quite a variety of FM headphones, I just selected the above at random. 

Because I always have to wear earplugs. 

 

O i’ve Been checking out other ones on Amazon now. 😁

[Old]

I have a pair similar to the set shown and the volume can be can be lowered all the way to silence. I bought them ten years ago when they were offered at a sell out price. I never even tried them out until this AM when this topic got me curious. I was surprised they even turned on since they came with batteries which were now old.

[New World Explorer]

I've always had mixed feelings about wireless technology, and how it effects our brain

Therefore I only use wired options, currently using Sennheiser HD598 very comfy as the have plush, fabric finish - so they feel very soft and welcoming.

Sound is excellent as well.

 

Any thoughts  on wireless technology and effect on our brain?

(or perhaps we should start another topic?)

 

[Beggar for the Spirit]

40 minutes ago, New World Explorer said:

I've always had mixed feelings about wireless technology, and how it effects our brain

Therefore I only use wired options, currently using Sennheiser HD598 very comfy as the have plush, fabric finish - so they feel very soft and welcoming.

Sound is excellent as well.

Any thoughts  on wireless technology and effect on our brain?

(or perhaps we should start another topic?)

Those Sennheisers are excellent headphones. 

I wasn't sure what Brenda's budget was so I tried to give her some affordable options, but if she would like to invest in over $100 headphones, there are some outstanding ones, like your Sennheisers  I also gave her some wireless options because her "tags" for this topic say, "wireless", "bluetooth". I am not sure about wireless tech and the effect on our brain. But it would be a good idea to start another topic. However, I do know of 1 problem with "bluetooth" tech.

 

Spoiler

 

Edited June 15, 2019 by Beggar for the Spirit

[Qapla]

You did not say what radio you are planning to use for receiving the FM at the Convention.

 

Something you have to keep in mind ... Most small, portable, Walkman style radios do not have a built in antenna to receive the signal. They use the cord of the headset/earbuds as the antenna. Most cell phones and/or tablets that include an FM receiver also do NOT have built in antenna and also need a corded headset/earbuds.

 

While having the convenience of the freedom Blue Tooth offers, it usually does not help/work with the FM - since you do not have a cord for the antenna when you are using a wireless solution.

 

I use cheap earbuds from WalMart when using the FM at the Convention - they have worked OK for me.

 

For times when I do not need the FM but am listening to the streaming one of my devices, I have a BT headset and a set of BT earbuds.

 

My headset is a Hesh-2 made by Skullcandy and my earbuds are JLab JBuds Air - I bought both at WalMart

[dove]

On 6/15/2019 at 1:06 AM, Beggar for the Spirit said:

 

 

 

 

Sony MDR-7506 - The (under $200) best headphones ($80) 

The Sony MDR-7506, a longtime favorite of audio professionals and the universal choice among our listening panel, offers more reliability, more comfort, and better sound than many headphones twice its price! These have great reviews. CNET and Head-Fi readers love it, and so do Amazon customers with well over 3,000 reviews. Every audio professional interviewed spoke highly of the MDR-7506. Also, nearly every recording studio and radio station has a pair attached to the mixing board or in the recording booth.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AJIF4E?tag=thewire06-20&linkCode=xm2&ascsubtag=edtestzzpid301

 

Br Neil, I just ordered these from Amazon after reading your recommendation, and want to thank you for saving me more time in research because I don't understand some of the technical terms. I've gone through many headphones that didn't last long and think these will be more durable.

 

I just have one question; I would also like to connect these to my Sony Smart TV but it doesn't have a jack at the back for headphones. Is there some kind of adapter that would work for this? I can't watch anything without closed captioning and I'm thinking if I could connect these to the TV I could hear it better without always having to rely on the captions, or for some programs that don't offer the captions.

Thank you again.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Dove

[Beggar for the Spirit]

4 hours ago, Dove said:

I just have one question; I would also like to connect these to my Sony Smart TV but it doesn't have a jack at the back for headphones. Is there some kind of adapter that would work for this? I can't watch anything without closed captioning and I'm thinking if I could connect these to the TV I could hear it better without always having to rely on the captions, or for some programs that don't offer the captions.

Thank you again.

Hi Sandra, 

I think you made a good buy with those Sony headphones.  Sometimes while seeing an interview from a music studio, guess what headphones I see being used by the audio professionals? The headphones you bought! 👍 

 

So it sounds like your TV does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack for your wired headphones, I guess most modern TVs no longer have this. But if your TV has RCA stereo outputs, then you can just order an RCA-to-3.5mm adapter and plug your wired headphones into the TV this way. Your headphones may need a long wire to listen if you are at a further distance away from your TV, but I think those Sony headphones do have a long wire right?

 

The only other issue is that with this method you are kind of physically “attached” to your TV because of the wired headphones and you have to be careful not to pull the cable or trip over it. But if this will not really be an issue, then this might be the best choice for you and cheapest. Now I have a stereo receiver connected to my TV, so I just plug my wired headphones into the stereo using a long wire, so that is another idea you can consider.

 

Now if your TV transmits Bluetooth, then you could try buying a Bluetooth receiver or a Bluetooth transmitter that can also has “receiver mode” so that you can use your “wired” headphones wirelessly with your TV.  The problem I hear often with these is that there is often lag or latency issues where the sound does not quite keep up with the voices of the actors and for some people this becomes annoying or frustrating to watch a show where it looks like the actors are speaking a foreign language. But some people don’t mind this too much or they buy a high priced receiver that has very “low latency” and then they enjoy their TV shows just fine as the audio more closely matches the voices on screen.  With the Bluetooth /transmitter you just put this into “receiver mode”, then plug your headphones into this transmitter and now you are listening to the TV wirelessly. 

 

So neither option is perfect, each has its advantages and disadvantages, just depends on your preferences.  Maybe some others here on our forum can add to these ideas or maybe they have experience with a certain bluetooth transmitter and can share with you some thoughts/suggestions. 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by Beggar for the Spirit

[Qapla]

I use a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver for my headset on my TV. My headset is BT so I only need one.  However, since your headset is wired, you would need two such devices - one for the TV and one for the headset.

 

The BT device I use has a rechargeable battery that uses a USB charger. You can charge the unit(s) while in use, if needed. I find that mine holds a charge for a long time and I haven't needed it to charge it while using it.

 

The one I use is quite small and round, I refer to it as a hockey puck. 

 

BTW - mine is several years old and does not have "low latency" so, sometimes, I do notice the out-of-sync mouth/words. However, most of the newer ones are low latency and the out-of-sync is not as noticeable.

 

Mine is similar to this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Friencity-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Receiver-Wireless/dp/B0793ZT129/ref=sr_1_25?crid=N0GMDVUHDDRE&keywords=bluetooth%2Btransmitter%2Breceiver%2Bfor%2Bhome%2Bstereo&qid=1662085503&sprefix=bluetooth%2Btransmitter%2Breceiver%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-25&th=1

 

 

 

It was easy to set up and, once paired, it will auto connect when next turned on.

 

 

[dove]

14 hours ago, Beggar for the Spirit said:

Hi Sandra, 

I think you made a good buy with those Sony headphones.  Sometimes while seeing an interview from a music studio, guess what headphones I see being used by the audio professionals? The headphones you bought! 👍 

 

So it sounds like your TV does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack for your wired headphones, I guess most modern TVs no longer have this. But if your TV has RCA stereo outputs, then you can just order an RCA-to-3.5mm adapter and plug your wired headphones into the TV this way. Your headphones may need a long wire to listen if you are at a further distance away from your TV, but I think those Sony headphones do have a long wire right?

 

The only other issue is that with this method you are kind of physically “attached” to your TV because of the wired headphones and you have to be careful not to pull the cable or trip over it. But if this will not really be an issue, then this might be the best choice for you and cheapest. Now I have a stereo receiver connected to my TV, so I just plug my wired headphones into the stereo using a long wire, so that is another idea you can consider.

 

Now if your TV transmits Bluetooth, then you could try buying a Bluetooth receiver or a Bluetooth transmitter that can also has “receiver mode” so that you can use your “wired” headphones wirelessly with your TV.  The problem I hear often with these is that there is often lag or latency issues where the sound does not quite keep up with the voices of the actors and for some people this becomes annoying or frustrating to watch a show where it looks like the actors are speaking a foreign language. But some people don’t mind this too much or they buy a high priced receiver that has very “low latency” and then they enjoy their TV shows just fine as the audio more closely matches the voices on screen.  With the Bluetooth /transmitter you just put this into “receiver mode”, then plug your headphones into this transmitter and now you are listening to the TV wirelessly. 

 

So neither option is perfect, each has its advantages and disadvantages, just depends on your preferences.  Maybe some others here on our forum can add to these ideas or maybe they have experience with a certain bluetooth transmitter and can share with you some thoughts/suggestions. 

 

 

Hi Neil, the headphones arrived and work very well with my iphone and ipad.

I just can't figure out how to make them work with the TV. I've spent so much time trying to see if my Sony TV has the RCA Output that you mentioned I need to buy the adapter for. It does have a 3.5mm Audio Out; also an Optical Out and an IR Out but the specs say nothing about RCA. I guess the 3.5 mm is the right one?

But when I searched Amazon for the adapters, it's confusing because the choices are male to male, male to female and versus, etc. I don't know what it should look like or what the description should say. Would it be possible to select one for me that I should get from the Amazon site and I will just order it?    Thank you.

[Beggar for the Spirit]

Hi Sandra, 

I want to help you, but I feel bad as I am not really very familiar with RCA knobs/jacks(not sure what exactly they are called) and adapters. My understanding is that some of the RCA knobs/jacks on TVs may only be inputs, not outputs. If this is the case with your TV, then even if you had an adapter, no sound would come out into your headphones. But I dont know how to tell if your RCA knobs/jacks on your TV are for input or output or both? Maybe your manual will tell you? Or maybe we can ask good techies like “Qapla” and others here if they can help with this audio issue, please help us someone. 😃 

 

I liked John’s suggestion with the Bluetooth transmitter/receiver he already has, maybe you could try that one or something similar for now and see if that works for you? If so, then your problem is solved. I take interest in music, audio, headphones, etc, but when it comes to the technical aspects of the hardware I am big dummy, so Sandra I am sorry that I am unable to help you more 😞 

Edited September 2, 2022 by Beggar for the Spirit

[Qapla]

If your set has a 3.5mm audio out that should be the same as the small plug on the headset ... try it and see if it works - it won't hurt anything if it does not work.

 

The only thing you may find, if that 3.5mm audio out is for "headphone jack" it may turn your TV speakers off when you have the headset plugged in. The audio out on my Visio TV allows the TV speakers to stay on while I am connected

 

If you do need to use the RCA jacks - this is the type adapter you will need

 

https://www.amazon.com/3-5mm-Stereo-Audio-Cable-Adapter/dp/B01JEBLEIC/ref=asc_df_B01JEBLEIC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216526779832&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13856388685723928304&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9011717&hvtargid=pla-348800593133&psc=1

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by Qapla

[dove]

Thank you. This is a photo I took from the Manual showing what connections are on the back of the TV.

The TV is a Sony Bravia XBR A1E 65 Oled if that helps to know.

[dove]

@QaplaI tried what you said about plugging the end of the headphones directly in the Audio Out and was excited that they worked by doing that! Thank you!

But then I noticed that while I was wearing them, I couldn't adjust the Volume either up or down, nor Mute the sound. I went to Settings and tried various things but nothing made any difference. The sound was just set at what it was on the headphones and there was no way that I could find to change it, using either the TV Remote or the one I always use, the Fire remote. I don't see any options on them anywhere to make volume adjustments.

 

BUT then the weirdest thing happened. When I took the headphones off, everything changed back to the way it was before I plugged them in, without changing any settings, or unplugging them from the TV.

 

How is it possible that the headphones can change the Sound Settings by just not being worn?

And is there a fix to being able to adjust the Volume and Mute Settings while wearing them?

[Qapla]

 

I have no idea