Who Invented Headphones?

Headphones

Who Invented Headphones?

In 1919, Nathaniel Baldwin was the very first inventor of headphones. He made them in his own kitchen and sold the to the U.S. Navy. But John C. Koss, who was a jazz musician invented the first stereo headphones in 1958. In the 1960s and 70s John C. Koss took over the U.S. market with his 3-5 lb headphones. The first celebrity signature brand of headphones were called Koss Beatlephones, with a picture of the Beatles using them. A lot of them sold!

What Parts are needed to make it work?

What Are Headphones Used For?

First, there are two loudspeakers that are clamped together in the headphones. You also need magnets, coils, and wires. The stereo wire is connected to the back of the magnet. There's a front case and a back case. The back case is responsible for holding everything together. The front case faces your ear and sometimes they have a little fabric piece to keep it clean. The coil becomes an electromagnet once the electricity flows through it. They are built into enclosures to amplify sounds but to keep your ears and the headphones safe from damage. Some headphones have small openings in the back so that air can move freely and so the music doesn't sound muffled.

Usually when you first hear the word 'headphones' you think of the things that go around your ears so not everybody has to listen to what you're listening to. But they can actually be used for a lot more things. When people are recording in a studio, headphones are pretty much needed so that the singers and music producers can hear exactly how they sang. Competitive gamers use headphones to hear every detail in the sound. If people are in an office working, they may prefer to listen to music when their co-workers may not. Headphone really help DJs because during parties it can be hard to hear the music very well. While exercising using headphones can be very useful because then you don't have to carry around a speaker or your phone while exercising.

By: Ali Meredith

What Improvements Have Been Made to Headphones?

The very first headphones were made in 1919 and since then many improvements have been made. First the shape has been changed a lot. The band that lays on top of your head has become thicker and nicer looking. The part that goes over your ear has gotten bigger so the music sounds better and it's more comfrotable. The comfort has changed a lot and they are making headphones with better materials.

Sources

The Cool Material - Who Invented Headphones

The Complete History of Headphones

Visual.ly - The History of Headphones

Explain That Stuff - The parts of Headphones

Has Nathaniel Baldwin Been Challenged by Any Other Inventors?

Although Nathaniel Baldwin was the very first inventor of headphones, he has been challenged by a few or people. In the late 1950s, A musician named John C. Koss created the first stereo headphones. A lot later, Dr. Dre and Jimmy Lovine created Beats which are a much better version of the eraliest headphones.

What About Headphones Make Them Popular And Easy to Use?

Headphones started really getting popular in 2012 and they just kept going up. They are easy to use because you don't have to hold them against your ear, you can just make them the size you want. Some of the newest headphones are even cordless. They just hook up to Bluetooth. You can pick the music you want to listen to and you don't have to agree with anyone but yourself.

Some people might say that wearing headphones looks cool and they just like the style. There are many different things that go into making headphones popular.