The LINDY Guide to Headphones
Headphones come in all shapes and sizes — on-ear, over-ear, wired, wireless, noise-cancelling, and more. Here's a quick guide to help you understand the differences and choose the right pair for how you actually listen.
Headphone types
Over-ear headphones (circumaural) use large ear cups that fully enclose the ear, favoured by audio professionals and dedicated listeners. They provide the most immersive sound, the best passive noise isolation, and the most comfort for long listening sessions — the trade-off is size and portability.
On-ear headphones (supra-aural) use smaller cups that rest directly on the ear rather than around it. They're lighter and more compact than over-ear designs, making them a good fit for commuting and exercise.
In-ear headphones (earphones) sit directly in the ear canal. When properly fitted, they create a comfortable seal that delivers strong audio performance and effective passive noise isolation, all in the most portable form factor of the three.
What are In-Ear headphones?
The smallest and most portable option are in-ear headphones or earphones as they are sometimes referred to. These headphones sit directly in the ear canal which, when fitted correctly creates a comfortable seal within the ear and provides great audio performance and effective, passive noise isolation. Their small design mean they can be easily carried around in your pocket or bag, making them an ultra-portable option for listeners on the move or working out.
Understanding noise cancelling
How does noise cancelling work?
Active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones use built-in microphones to monitor ambient sound, then generate an inverse "anti-phase" signal that cancels out incoming noise before it reaches your ears. Most ANC headphones reduce consistent ambient noise — like plane engine hum or traffic — by around 80–90%.
What is hybrid noise cancellation?
There are two traditional ANC designs:
- Feedforward places microphones outside the earpiece, cancelling noise before it reaches the listener. It's effective at mid-to-high frequencies but more sensitive to wind noise due to the external mic placement.
- Feedback places microphones inside the earcup, closer to what the listener actually hears. It handles low frequencies well but is less effective above 1–2 kHz.
Hybrid noise cancellation combines both systems, providing broader noise suppression across more frequencies regardless of sound direction — this is the approach used in LINDY's BNX-100XT and BNX-80.
Other useful features:
- Audio pass-through temporarily lowers playback volume via a button press, so you don't miss important announcements or conversations
-
Auto-pause uses a motion sensor to automatically pause audio when you remove the headphones, and resume when you put them back on
Wired and passive modes
Wired mode lets headphones connect via a 3.5mm cable to devices that don't support wireless audio, or when the battery is flat. Passive mode allows continued listening without noise cancelling active — useful for conserving battery or when the battery is exhausted.
Understanding Bluetooth versions
Bluetooth is the wireless standard behind most modern headphones, and it's worth knowing roughly where your device sits, since newer versions bring genuine improvements in audio quality, battery life, and connection stability:
| Version | Released | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth 5.0 | 2016 | Longer range, faster transfer speeds |
| Bluetooth 5.1 | 2019 | Precise direction-finding |
| Bluetooth 5.2 | 2020 | LE Audio introduced, LC3 codec |
| Bluetooth 5.3 | 2021 | Improved connection stability, better interference handling |
| Bluetooth 5.4 | 2023 | Refined LE Audio, multi-device broadcasting (Auracast) |
| Bluetooth 6.0 | 2024 | Centimetre-level distance ranging |
The standout development is LE Audio, introduced in Bluetooth 5.2, which brought the LC3 codec — delivering better audio quality at lower power consumption, plus support for simultaneous multi-device audio streaming.
If your headphones don't support Bluetooth natively, a Bluetooth transmitter or receiver is a simple way to add wireless audio to an otherwise wired device.
Caring for your headphones
Keeping them clean: Check the IP rating of your headphones, then clean weekly (or more often with heavy use) using a dry or lightly damp cloth, drying with a separate towel afterward. Replacing earpads or ear tips periodically also helps maintain comfort and hygiene over time.
Storing them properly: Store headphones away from dust and heat, ideally in a carry case with their accessories, so they're ready to go next time.
Handling the cable: When unplugging a wired connection, grip the plug itself rather than pulling the cable, to avoid damaging the connector. Avoid wrapping the cable tightly around the headphones for storage — coiling it loosely in a figure-eight shape before storing reduces strain on the cable over time.
Listening at a safe volume: Sustained volume above 85dB can cause lasting hearing damage. As a rough guide, keep volume around 60% of maximum, depending on your device. Good ANC performance can help here too — by blocking ambient noise, you can comfortably listen at a lower volume without losing clarity.
