The first and most important part of headphone care is caring for the cable. Wrap it around a few fingers so that it assumes a natural coil before storing it will prevent internal damage. Most earphones come with some kind of storage pouch. Be sure to use it, or buy a new one of your own. It can be a bit trickier with headphones, particularly larger ones, but some headphones do have detachable cables. That’s one feature to keep an eye out for when shopping for headphones. Headphone cables will all inevitably suffer from repeated use. Being able to replace the cables means that you can get quite a long life out of your headphones. No matter what though, winding the cable up and not just wadding it together is a great way to extend the life of any pair of headphones, even wireless ones!
Keep Headphones Clean
Earwax shouldn’t be a problem with headphones, but sweat can be. Take note of the IP rating for your headphones, which is how water-resistant they are. Try to find a pair with a rating of at least 5 (7 is ideal). Some headphones have replaceable ear pads which will make maintaining them easier. Earphones can be more difficult to clean. These are susceptible to earwax. Earwax blocks and alters the sound from earphones and it doesn’t look good either. Unfortunately, not many earphones are shipped with a kind of cleaning tool in the box. The good news is that they can be bought pretty cheaply online.
Get Better Sound with Apps
There really is an app for everything, including playing with the sound from headphones. If you don’t like how your headphones sound then just tweak it with an app. These apps also have a lot of other subtle uses, including toning down the bass as many headphones place too much emphasis on bass. It’s even easier to handle this if you’re listening on a computer. Programs such as Sonarworks True-Fi can use information such as your headphones, gender, and age and then create the perfect sound profile for you. It sets the headphones to create the kind of sound you could expect to hear in the recording studio. Using these apps is a great way to get more out of your headphones and improve your overall listening experience. Having said that, the big headphone manufacturers like Sony or Bose usually come with great sound quality already.
Be Careful when Using Them
Caring for headphones is something you should do even while using them. Even basic things like avoiding extreme temperatures and removing them carefully instead of yanking them out by the cable can make a lot of difference. Keep in mind that your headphones aren’t as tough as you might think they are. It is recommended that you avoid liquids and high humidity levels – we already mentioned sweat earlier – as these can damage sensitive electronic parts of headphones. Even the size of your eartips could play a part. You want a pair of headphones that sit comfortably on your head without pushing or squeezing. The less your headphones irritate you, the less you irritate them.
Properly Store Headphones When not in Use
How do you handle your headphones when you aren’t using them? Most people don’t think to store them properly. We just roll them up and leave them be. Improve the longevity of your headphones by storing them in a designated spot or by keeping them in their pouches or case. If yours didn’t come with a case then you can easily buy them online. They are designed with headphone storage in mind and are just the right size and shape to ensure your headphones last for a long time. Even if you don’t have a case, keeping your buds in a designated pocket or drawer can help. Roll them up properly and store them in the same place all the time. That way you keep them safe and, as an added bonus, you’ll never lose them again!
Summary
By taking some simple steps to really care for your headphones before, during, and after using them you can ensure that your headphones last for a long time. Fail to care for them though, and you could find yourself replacing them more often than you’d like.
