Corded headphones are making an unexpected return • Hacker News Board

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#41

Post by vorpalhex » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 4:49 AM UTC

derekp7 wrote: post #29

wintorez wrote: post #11

I try to avoid things with irreplaceable batteries as much as possible.

I used to feel that way, but then I've got a drawer full of old gear with replaceable batteries that I can't get the batteries for anymore. Would be much more useful if rechargeable lithium batteries were standardized. Also I probably wouldn't really want to use any of these devices even if I could get a battery for them as the technology has moved so much since I originally got them.

A lot of those batteries are probably easy enough to source the cells for. Usually just the adapter is what differs. Larger packs are usually discrete cells at that.

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#42

Post by fartcannon » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 4:49 AM UTC

I'm an old man now so I can't speak for cool kids, but the sheer amount of old people who love and rock Apple gear would be more than enough to make them seem powerfully uncool to a teenage me.

Apples got a bad case of the Facebook mom's group, basically. (No offence to the mom groups, you've given me so much help over the years)

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#43

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 4:50 AM UTC

coin wrote: post #31

coldtea wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US power plug and socket is also unchanged, and yet it's a crap design.

What's so bad about them?

[deleted]

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#44

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 4:51 AM UTC

LAC-Tech wrote: post #37

Wired in ear phones are a nightmare. If I use them every day I end up going through about 2 pairs a year. No I am not surgically precise with them, but at the same time I'm not a gorilla - nothing else in my life breaks this much.

[deleted]

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#45

Post by GekkePrutser » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 4:53 AM UTC

LAC-Tech wrote: post #37

Wired in ear phones are a nightmare. If I use them every day I end up going through about 2 pairs a year. No I am not surgically precise with them, but at the same time I'm not a gorilla - nothing else in my life breaks this much.

True but they cost almost nothing. 5 bucks for a decent pair of Sonys. Though I have to say the Bluetooth ones are also really cheap now. I got a Xiaomi true wireless pair for 15 bucks and they work amazingly well.

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#46

Post by acidbaseextract » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 4:54 AM UTC

coin wrote: post #31

coldtea wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US power plug and socket is also unchanged, and yet it's a crap design.

What's so bad about them?

For those who are into this kind of thing, here's a 25 minute mini-documentary of the US electrical system's history and problems. It's more focused on wiring, but has a lot to say on plugs: https://youtu.be/K_q-xnYRugQ

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#47

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 4:55 AM UTC

vorpalhex wrote: post #41

derekp7 wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to feel that way, but then I've got a drawer full of old gear with replaceable batteries that I can't get the batteries for anymore. Would be much more useful if rechargeable lithium batteries were standardized. Also I probably wouldn't really want to use any of these devices even if I could get a battery for them as the technology has moved so much since I originally got them.

A lot of those batteries are probably easy enough to source the cells for. Usually just the adapter is what differs. Larger packs are usually discrete cells at that.

[deleted]

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#48

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 4:58 AM UTC

senectus1 wrote: post #18

never liked plugging things in my ears unless to wipe out loud noises. I often plug in earphones when mowing the lawn or vacuuming / woodworking. Otherwise I use "bone conducting" headphones to listen to podcasts and audiobooks. I rarely listen to music this way, I only seem to like music that's played out loud.

[deleted]

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#49

Post by vmception » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 5:00 AM UTC

jrm4 wrote: post #17

The 1/8th inch RCA stereo jack is the best interface ever created. The fact that it's essentially unchanged from when this 44 year old used it in middle school is pretty good proof.

Narrator: it is not good proof.

Re: Corded headphones are making an unexpected return

#50

Post by TaylorAlexander » Mon, Nov 15, 2021, 5:03 AM UTC

I use a little Bluetooth to 3.5mm adapter and clip it on to my wired headphones. This one is the fiio ubtr which is nice and tiny tho a little more battery life would be nice. I designed my headphones to be 3D printed on a resin 3D printer and I wired them with a short cable going to a male 3.5mm jack. I can plug them in to a Bluetooth adapter or just use 3.5mm male to female extension to use them as wired headphones. I love the flexibility. I have photos and source files on GitHub here:

https://github.com/tlalexander/reboot-headphones

There is a newer design in the linked OnShape document which is smaller and uses two 3mm titanium rods for a headband. They’re really nice and they’ve been my daily headphones for what feels like a year now. I love knowing that no matter what breaks on them they can be repaired forever.