A sharp leap in the development of wireless technologies has led manufacturers to massively abandon wires. An example is Apple, which made iPhone owners forget about the headphone jack. However, none of these "businessmen" have ever thought about the dangers of radiation when using Bluetooth technology. Does it affect the brain and the human body as a whole? Or is it just hysteria caused by "specialists" in the field of medicine? Are wireless headphones harmful? Let's try to figure this out. But first, some general information about Bluetooth technology and the relevance of its use for audio transmission.
Bluetooth technology and sound
We have learned to transmit sound stream using Bluetooth for a long time. Wireless headsets have become commonplace and most people no longer look at a person talking with the help of a "gill" as a nut. However, for such purposes it is not at all necessary to achieve high-quality sound. It turns out to make out the words - and it's normal. But with regard to music, such a philosophy is unacceptable. You need to correctly convey the scene, work out all the tools and show the depth. Even wired headphones are not always capable of this. And there’s nothing to talk about wireless. If the headphones themselves do not support the AptX HD data transfer protocol, then there’s nothing to think about high-quality sound. Moreover, the device with music itself must support this protocol. And such devices are still very few. For example, the praised Apple AirPods are not able to provide the right sound. And for what, one wonders, to give such money?
Another thing is expensive models that cost from 20,000 rubles and above. They can at least something to please lovers of quality sound. But you should not expect the same result from them as from wired analogs. If on board the gadget that plays music, there is AptX HD technology, then the situation can still be corrected. However, only a few are capable of this. Yes, and such devices are very expensive. The average user has to be content with a mediocre sound quality. Without any options. So the question arises about the practical value of acquiring wireless headphones. Experts unanimously argue that there is no sense in acquiring such gadgets yet. And they have to believe. However, they are being massively bought. Apple simply left no choice for users, while others buy them because of comfort.
How headphones work without wires
So is it worth buying wireless headphones at all? We will analyze the principle of operation (a description of the main characteristics of the signal). The fact is that when using the usual Bluetooth 4.2 data transfer protocol, the data stream arriving at the transmitter is compressed in the most merciless manner. This is done in order to increase the transmission speed. But with compression, data quality deteriorates very much. So, if you try to listen on a FLAC smartphone with 24 bits of depth and 196,000 Hertz frequency, then in headphones you will still hear some strange MP3 with a bitrate of 128 kilobits per second. And therefore, for the widespread use of wireless technology in the transfer of sound is still too early. There will still be no quality.
Apple AirPods
These are Apple Wireless Headphones. They are almost the only opportunity to listen to music from the iPhone. Nevertheless, Apple wireless headphones, the description of the technical characteristics of which are in the public domain, are unlikely to provide high-quality sound. They use the AptX protocol for data transfer. But without the prefix HD. And this means that the level of quality will be somewhere in the MP3 region of 192 kilobits per second. Whatever sound source is played on the smartphone. Thus, it can be said with accuracy that “wireless AirPods” cannot provide a high-quality audio path. So, giving such money for these “gags” makes no sense. However, Apple marketers will say differently and present their evidence. Whether or not to listen to them is up to the individual user.
HBQ TWS i7S
The i7s wireless headphones described on the company's official website from HBQ are a miserable parody of Apple products. They look exactly like the popular AirPods and even have almost the same features. But the speakers there are much worse. In addition, i7s are not even adapted for using AptX. Uses the usual Bluetooth protocol, which is not able to transmit high-quality sound. However, people buy them. This can be explained by the fact that they are much cheaper than the original product. And such headphones tend to get lost often. They are tiny and devoid of wires. Therefore, losing them is easy. Because of this, all kinds of replicas are quite large and steady in demand.
Reviews of owners of wireless headphones
Are wireless headphones harmful ? Let's ask those who actively use them. There are actually a lot of fans of "Bluetooth". And they have been using such gadgets for more than a year. Many owners of such devices note that they do not experience any discomfort after prolonged use of the gadget. Moreover, such headphones seem to them much more convenient than the usual wired options. Others note that after acquiring wireless headphones, they began to have headaches. There is also general fatigue. However, this is most likely a feature of the body, and not at all the result of using a wireless gadget. To get such results, you need not to remove the device from your ears day and night. But there are no such inadequate people. In general, reviews about wireless devices are positive. The vast majority of users did not notice any harmful effects of radiation even after several years of using the gadget. All of them are happy with their devices. But no one mentioned the sound quality. Or they just did not hear the real sound, or use such headphones exclusively for talking. Then of course. There is no difference.
The effect of wireless headphones on the brain
Are wireless headphones harmful to the brain? There is no concrete answer to this question. Now in the world there is a struggle between manufacturers and representatives of medicine. The first claim that the radiation from Bluetooth is negligible and cannot somehow affect this organ. Academics, with insane stubbornness, are trying to prove that wireless technology causes brain cancer and other bad diseases. They even measured the radiation from the Bluetooth transmitter and announced that this amount of harmful rays was quite enough for a detrimental effect on the brain. Who is right is still unclear. But one thing is certain: radiation from wireless headphones and smartphones is of the same nature as radiation from microwave ovens (microwaves). And it’s definitely harmful.
The harm from wireless headphones according to doctors
Are wireless headphones harmful? Some medical representatives say yes. In their opinion, the use of Bluetooth technology in the immediate vicinity of the brain is fraught with various diseases. The list contains such things as a headache, memory impairment, problems with the functioning of the brain (it is not specified which ones), neuroses of various kinds, general overstrain of the nervous system, the appearance of tumors in the area of ​​the auricles, and so on. Outspoken pessimists even suspect the possibility of developing brain cancer. But the latter has not yet been confirmed. But everything else is quite real. But for this you need to wear a wireless headset day and night. Without taking off. In general, there is some kind of influence on the nervous system of a person from wireless headphones, but it is too small to speak of any serious consequences.
Version of manufacturers and developers
If you ask manufacturers if Bluetooth wireless headphones are harmful , you can get a very specific answer. There is no harm from them. Manufacturers and developers say that they made special measurements in their laboratories and the level of radiation from wireless gadgets was several times lower than normal. These guys even provide links to related information. Say, all this is very easy to verify. However, one cannot particularly believe them. Their earnings depend on this. And they would have acted unreasonably if they had not hidden the facts confirming the harmfulness of radiation. That is why there is still a war between doctors and businessmen. And while there are no winners. Probably, manufacturers will think about when some client dies of brain cancer caused by the radiation of wireless gadgets. But then everyone will try to hush up.
Conclusion
So, we tried to understand whether wireless headphones are harmful to health. There is no concrete answer to this question yet. But if you focus on the feedback of the owners, then we can safely say that there is no harm from them. However, buying them to listen to music is not recommended. Even models for 20,000 rubles and above will not be able to provide high-quality sound. For this money, it is better to purchase good headphones with a wire. Then you can enjoy the sound to the fullest. But in terms of comfort, wireless headphones definitely benefit. And this is an indisputable fact. Even Apple AirPods are unable to compete with wired models. If you belong to the category of "audiophiles", then do not even think about buying wireless headphones. You will only be disappointed. If you don’t care what kind of sound is pouring into your ears, then this option of gadgets is just for you.