The Evolution Of Headphones [INFOGRAPHIC]
The beautiful thing about music is that it can be either a social or an intimately personal experience, depending on how you choose to enjoy it. Music brings people together and can easily transcend any language barrier, but it can also bring us closer to ourselves and provide us with a soundtrack to our daily lives. One of the most powerful ways to facilitate an intimate listening experience is through the use of personal headphones – a technology that has come a long way since its inception nearly 100 years ago.
Dating back to 1919, old battery-powered radio headphones eventually evolved into cardboard versions in 1958, when audiophiles were introduced to a full-spectrum of sound with a rich set of highs and lows. But it wasn't until the introduction of the Walkman in 1979 that headphones truly evolved into something that all music fans and consumers seemingly needed, as music-on-the-go pretty much became the standard.
In-ear buds and wireless headphones eventually made their debut in the 1990s, which ushered in today’s selection of portable listening gear aiming to fit a wider spread of audio needs such as making phone calls, exercising, or tuning out for a long flight.
The infographic below details more of the evolution of headphones as we know them today.You may want to look at headphones at OneCall after reading the infographic.
Click image to enlarge:
Source: Denon
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Hisham Dahud is a Senior Analyst for Hypebot.com. Additionally, he is a digital strategist for Fame House and an independent musician. Follow him on Twitter: @HishamDahud
In-the-ear tech is not new to the late 1990s; that’s just when it started to become widely available, comfortable, and affordable. Pro in-ear monitors (IEMs), often custom fitted, have been common since the 1980s. Ill-fitting mono earpieces were widely available to consumers since the early 1970s, I believe.
