CNET editors' headphones buying guide: Headphone connection types

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Earbuds, noise-canceling, circumaural, and wireless: there are more types of headphones than ever. Which ones are right for your ears? Read CNET's headphone buying guide for the answers.

Headphone connection types

From 20-year-old Walkman models to state-of-the-art iPods, most audio devices use the standard minijack connector, but there are some competing connection options. Don't like cables? A small but growing number of wireless headphone options are becoming available. Just make sure your headphone plug matches the jack on your audio source.

Types: Minijack plug | 1/4-inch plug | 2.5mm plug | Multipronged | USB

Minijack plug

Also known as: 1/8-inch; 3.5mm; Walkman-style.

This is by far the most common headphone connector, especially for portable AV devices.

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1/4-inch plug

Also known as: full-size; phono.

The larger, older 1/4-inch plug style is still commonly found on nonportable AV equipment such as receivers, home stereos, and DVD players.

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2.5mm plug

Also known as: Cell phone-style

This is the smaller cousin of the minijack. It's usually found on cell phones and similar communication-oriented multimedia devices. The 2.5mm plug almost always includes a two-way design so that it can handle both microphone and headphone transmissions via a single connection.

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Multipronged

Communication headsets and surround headphones designed specifically for PCs usually have more than one plug. Communication headsets usually have separate headphone and microphone minijack plugs, while some PC-centric surround headphones have three plugs to interface with the corresponding ports on the back of surround-sound PC audio cards.

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USB

USB

USB headsets are almost exclusively relegated to PCs and game consoles. The connection is digital rather than analog and can handle two-way communications via a single connection.

If your device doesn't have one of the standard analog jacks, it will almost certainly offer an adapter (an inexpensive add-on converts the proprietary port on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP to a standard minijack, for instance). Additionally, adapters are available to convert any of the analog connections from one to another: minijack to phono, 2.5mm to minijack, and vice versa. See the accessories section for a complete list of adapters.

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