I get it. Wires are annoying. But plug-in headphones have so much going for them. Let me count the ways:
- Headphones that you stick into a jack or charging port of your phone, computer and other devices typically cost less than comparable wireless models.
- Unlike wireless headphones, plug-in models don’t have batteries that are destined to die. And they don’t leave you stranded if you forget to charge them.
- You don’t have to puzzle over why the Bluetooth won’t flipping connect. You won’t lose half of a pair and become the sad person wearing a solo earbud for eternity.
My mission is to make wired headphones great again. It starts with pushing us plug-in headphone fans out of the closet. And I’m asking electronics manufacturers to make more great wired options. You deserve real choices.
Apple’s recent embrace of the phone-charging technology called USB-C could help my wish come true. More on that in a minute.
My love for wired headphones shows our yearning for what’s great about older technology. Consider that one of the buzziest technology gadgets is a $139 phone case that gives your iPhone a Blackberry-style keyboard and that some teens (and adults) love flip phones.
‘Simple and satisfying’
When I hopped on a video call with Jason Luthman, director of product management for the headphone company Skullcandy, I noticed immediately that he was using plug-in headphones. (They were the Skullcandy Set headphones.)
Luthman works for a headphone company, so he uses many models. But he always has a pair of wired headphones with him. He’s often on hours of back-to-back video calls, and wireless headphones can’t last that long without a recharge.
“There’s still a simple and satisfying use for wired,” Luthman said.
While Skullcandy’s wired headphone sales are declining, Luthman said the company still sells a “few million” wired earphones each year.
Most of those are $10 ear buds that people grab at big box stores like Walmart or at airport stores. Skullcandy’s basic wireless headphones have a starting price that’s about double or triple the cost of those wired ear buds.
He said wired headphones also remain the choice for many parents buying them for kids, persnickety audiophiles and video game die-hards who can’t stomach the short lag for wirelessly beamed audio.
And Luthman said that Skullcandy pays attention to Gen Z adoration for throwback technology, including wired headphones. An Instagram account, Wired It Girls, features cool celebrities wearing plug-in headphones.
(Keep reading below for recommended wired headphone models and some of their downsides.)
How wireless headphones won
I had assumed this was Apple’s fault.
When the company ditched the headphone jack in iPhones beginning in 2016, other smartphone manufacturers followed. No jack makes it less convenient to use standard plug-in headphones with your phone. (You need an adapter, a.k.a. a “dongle.” Apple will sell you one for $9.)
But by the time of Apple’s jack murder, wireless headphones had already overtaken plug-in headphones in dollar value of sales, said Ben Arnold, consumer electronics analyst for industry research firm Circana.
And last year, Circana says Americans bought 39 million pairs of wired headphones, compared with 81 million wireless headphones.
Our personal preference for no wires isn’t the full story. Companies also prefer to sell you wireless.
Manufacturers typically make a hefty profit on wireless headphones, Arnold said. And companies like Apple and Samsung now link their wireless headphone designs tightly to their smartphones — encouraging you to stick with their family of products.
I had also believed that wired headphones sound better, including for audio and video calls because the microphone is closer to your mouth than it is with wireless headphones.
Ville Ukonaho with technology analysis firm TechInsights said the sound of music can be richer over wired headphones compared with wireless. But for picking up your voice, high-quality wireless headphones are on par with wired models, Ukonaho said.
Could a wired renaissance be upon us?
My favorite variety of wired headphones plug into the USB-C charging port of my Android phone. But a lot of companies don’t sell this type. (Skullcandy does. So does Apple.)
I haven’t found USB-C headphones that I love, so I’m using a years-old pair of Apple’s white wired headphones with a dongle to plug into my phone’s charging port. Dongles make me sad.
My heart raced with joy when Luthman said he believes more companies might start making USB-C wired headphones.
That’s because for the first time, USB-C is now the standard on every new iPhone model. Most Android phones already have it. That makes for a big potential market for companies that sell USB-C headphones.
I admit, I haven’t presented hard evidence that wired headphones are superior. This might be mostly my resentment at feeling forced to use wireless headphones.
I’ll just ask: If you love wireless headphones but also have a backup pair that plug in, doesn’t that mean wireless headphones aren’t as convenient as you think?
Convinced that wired headphones are awesome? Here are some pairs recommended by Consumer Reports or Wirecutter. (You may need a subscription to read details of these reviews.)
The Washington Post doesn’t make money if you buy these.
These pairs all have a conventional headphone jack, which means you’ll need an adapter to plug it into your smartphone’s Lightning or USB-C charging port.
That’s not fun. But remember that wireless headphones may not work, or work well, with every device either. You might have trouble pairing AirPods with a Windows PC, for example, or some audio features might not work.
If you have your eye on a high-end pair of wired (or wireless) headphones, it’s worth checking for previously owned models at a trusted shop like Back Market, which vets the reliability of used electronics.
Headphones experts suggest you avoid buying cheap wired ear buds available in places like drugstores or gas stations. They’re often poorly made and don’t last.
If you have plug-in headphones that you want to ditch, please don’t throw them in the trash. Headphones have materials that are an environmental hazard in a landfill.
Leo Raudys, CEO of the electronics recycling organization Call2Recycle, suggested taking unwanted headphones to a Best Buy or Staples store for responsible recycling.
(Please don’t throw wireless headphones in the trash, either! The batteries are an environmental and fire risk. Call2Recycle lists drop-off locations for products with rechargeable batteries.)
