If you are planning on investing in a new pair of headphones, durability is an essential factor.
There’s no point paying for headphones that break within weeks.
Before you invest in some headphones, you must know which headphones last longer, wired or wireless?
In general, wired headphones last longer than wireless options. High-end wired headphones can last for decades, especially if they come with detachable wires, as this is the most likely component to break. Wireless headphones contain more pieces that may fail.
In this article, I’ll explore five scenarios that affect the durability and longevity of both wired and wireless headphones.
By the end of this article, you will know which headphones you should invest in and what factors influence the longevity of both wired and wireless headphones.
5 Scenarios
1. Longevity Depends on the Quality of the Headphones
Perhaps the most significant factor that determines how long your headphones will last is the price you pay for them.
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for when it comes to headphones.
Cheap wired headphones usually last for as little as 3-6 months.
However, high-end models have been known to last for decades with the proper maintenance and some repairs.
A middle-of-the-range pair of wireless headphones will usually last 2 to 3 years.
Cheaper wireless headphones last as little as a few weeks, while an expensive pair of wireless headphones can last for about a decade without the need for maintenance and repairs.
Paying more for your headphones does not always guarantee a more durable product, of course, but more expensive headphones like Beats and Bose tend to outlast lower-end brands and models.
In general, expensive headphones are built using higher quality materials and to a higher standard.
This results in higher build quality which, in turn, results in better durability and – just as importantly – better performance.
Expensive headphones are usually built with repairs in mind.
This means if you break one component of the headphone, you will likely be able to fix them instead of being forced to replace them.
The possibility of repairs massively extends the lifespan of headphones, especially wired ones.
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2. Battery Size Matters in Wireless Headphones
Average wireless headphones have a battery life of about 18 hours. However, some high-end models have a battery life of 40 hours plus.
Larger batteries produce longer battery life as they can store more electricity.
As a result, larger batteries in headphones will last for longer without charging.
This can increase the longevity of the headphones as batteries only have a certain number of charges in them before they start to fail.
If your headphones only have 20 hours of battery life, they will require charging every week or so, depending on how much you use them.
However, if you use headphones with 40-hour battery life, you’ll only have to charge the headphones twice a month.
This means that, in theory, the 40-hour headphones will last two times as long as the 20-hour headphones.
If you are looking for a high-quality pair of wireless headphones with insane battery life, I recommend the Edifier Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones from Amazon.com.
They come equipped with 95 hours of playtime and battery life and over 1500 hours of standby time.
If you want wireless headphones that you will rarely have to charge, this is a great option.
3. Developments in Hardware and Software Affect Popularity
One of the biggest reasons that wireless headphones stop working is that they become obsolete.
Hardware is constantly upgrading and updating, producing higher quality audio and easier usage.
Software is also continually upgrading within both the headphones and the devices that they are attached to.
If your wireless headphones are over five years old, there’s a good chance that the software used in them is outdated.
This can result in poor connections when you use them over Bluetooth or wifi.
Additionally, the hardware or software used in newer electronic devices, including mobile phones, iPads, and tablets, may not match well with your headphones.
Many mobile users abandoned wire headphones when Apple decided to remove the earphone jack from their phones.
As a result, Bluetooth headphones and earphones became far more convenient.
In recent years, some laptops in recent years have also abandoned their AUX ports, rendering wired headphones incompatible with new devices.
Sometimes longevity is not the only consideration when buying headphones.
Depending on the gadgets and devices you own, you may find that wireless headphones are a necessity, not a choice.
4. Detachable Wires Extend the Lifespan of Wired Headphones
The most likely cause of problems in wired headphones is the wire.
A wire is a thin piece of metal and plastic that is integral to your headphone’s functioning.
The wire is the weak spot in wired headphones and the most likely aspect to break.
Headphone manufacturers know this, and they have a simple yet effective solution.
Higher-quality wired headphones now come equipped with a detachable wire.
This means that when the wire gets damaged, you can pay a few dollars for a new one and continue to use the pair as you like.
Wired headphones equipped with detachable or easy-to-replace wires can outlast even the best wireless headphones.
This is because wireless headphones contain many more pieces of technology that can fail.
Wireless headphones have Bluetooth sensors, batteries, charging ports, and more that can all break.
On the other hand, wired headphones only need a wire to do the same work.
Therefore a cheap replacement for the wire makes wired headphones last significantly longer as long as the damaged wires are replaced or repaired.
5. Make Use of Apps To Keep Up With Sound Quality Upgrades
One of the biggest challenges that wireless headphones face is the inferior sound quality compared to wired headphones.
Wireless headphones can only send and receive information, whereas a cable can transfer more information at a higher speed.
The more information is shared, the more available space is for audio input.
As a result, wired headphones generally produce a more precise sound.
However, in recent years wireless headphones have had numerous upgrades that enhance the sound quality.
While this makes them sound better, it also results in wireless headphones becoming outdated after only a couple of years as new features and specifications are constantly added to newer headphone models.
Instead of buying a new pair of wireless headphones when this happens, you can make use of the sound modification apps available to download.
These apps allow you to adjust the sound of your wireless headphones from your mobile, so they perfectly match your preferences.
These apps will not massively increase the audio quality, but they will allow you to tailor your listening experience to your specific requirements.
As a result, you can continue to use your outdated wireless headphones until they stop working.
Sound quality apps usually don’t work well with all wired headphones. However, there are certain brands they are compatible with.
Read also: Are Wired Headphones Louder Than Wireless? 5 Facts Revealed
Final Thoughts
In general, wired headphones last longer than wireless headphones. The major risk with wired options is the wire, which is fragile and can break easily.
However, if you’ve got a set of headphones with a detachable cable, you’ll find that not only is a set of wirehead headphones a great long-term investment, it also offers greater sound quality.
Wireless headphones, on the other hand, are chock full of delicate parts that can break easily, affecting longevity.
While researchers are looking into ways to improve sound quality, that doesn’t solve the fragility of the headphones so easily.