Headphone Sensitivity Explained

Headphone sensitivity refers to the volume setting at which your headphones produce sound at their maximum level. In other words, the higher the sensitivity, the louder your headphones will be at their maximum volume setting. Suppose you’re looking to avoid unwanted attention from others. In that case, you might want to choose low-sensitivity headphones with less amplification—for example, try a volume setting of three instead of five or six on the same brand and model of headphone. If you’re looking to avoid hearing damage or improve your listening experience in noisy settings, high-sensitivity headphones may be the way to go.

Headphone Sensitivity in Detail

Headphones are rated by their sensitivity. Sensitivity is measured in decibels (dB) per milliwatt (mW). The higher a headphone’s sensitivity, the more efficient it can convert energy from electrical current into acoustic sound waves. This means headphones with higher sensitivity levels will require less power to achieve an acceptable volume level compared to headphones with lower sensitivity ratings. Since most playback devices have consistent output levels, lower sensitivity headphones will need more amplification, while smartphones and other portable audio players can drive high-sensitivity headphones.

Efficiency (Db/Mw)

The decibel level of a headphone at one milliwatt. Essentially, how loud a pair of headphones will play at a given power input. Generally speaking, more efficient headphones require less power to achieve a particular volume. Efficient headphones produce louder volumes with lower distortion and can be driven by low-power sources such as smartphones or portable music players. However, higher efficiency doesn’t always mean better sound quality because it depends on other factors such as frequency response and driver size. So you may be able to drive inefficiently. Still, high-quality open-back over-ear headphones with an earbud source, whereas efficient closed-back in-ear models may not be very loud or clear without amplification from a dedicated headphone amplifier or receiver.

Sound Pressure Level (SPL)

Sensitivity is measured in decibels (dB) and describes how efficiently a pair of headphones converts electrical energy into sound. It’s often written as dB/mW, which refers to how loud a pair of headphones would be for every milliwatt (mW) of electrical energy supplied to them. Some headphones are designed to be more efficient than others; sensitivity is just one factor in how loud any set will be. That said, if you’re looking for louder headphones, look for higher numbers here.

Lower Vs. Higher Sensitivity

To answer whether higher sensitivity is better than lower sensitivity, we have to break down what each one means. Lower sensitivity headphones will produce a louder sound from a given source, but they also require more power from that source. So if you’re using a mobile device or cheap receiver/amp, you’ll want a higher sensitivity headphone to get the most volume. On the other hand, high-sensitivity headphones are generally less efficient and require more power from an amp/receiver to deliver decent volume levels—which means they’ll typically sound better on more robust gear.

Volume And Headphone Sensitivity

What do they mean? When you’re looking at buying a new pair of headphones, chances are you’ll run into specs for sensitivity and volume. But what do these numbers mean? And how does it affect your listening experience? Let’s break it down. Headphone sensitivity: The idea is simple; when your headphones receive a signal from your music source (your phone, tablet, or computer), there is a certain amount of voltage that causes them to play at their maximum potential. The same goes for when you turn up the volume—the higher you turn it up, the higher voltage it will take to be heard at that same level.