Y not make headphones that can be both open and closed?

[Bupalooga]

Just an idea, why cant they make headphones with interchangable covers? One pair thats an airated mesh and another set thats solid insulated plastic or something so the user can choose between open or closed? They could clip on with maybe small magnets or something.

[Blade of Grass]

From my knowledge, it's because open headphones and closed headphones have different design elements to make them sound good. They "require" different things. If you were to change back and forth, instead of getting one pair that's booth and sounds good, you'd have one pair that's either good open or closed, or mediocre at both.

[Borgodoc]

.

[Oisin Maguire]

its physically impossible to both have a 'switch' type mechanism that will stop the transfer of a pressure wave leaving the ear cups. unless you want replaceable ear cups for what ever your situation is but thats going to be very difficult to implement, for the price it would probly come out as you could buy two pairs of decent headphones.

[Rhizo]

It would be impossible. Drivers are tuned, you can't just tune them from open to closed with a flick of a switch. That's the primary problem anyways.

[Smoka]

There are semi open headphones like the AKG K240 but it will still leak sound

[h264]

It's a design choice, not a feature.  Beyerdynamic just makes different headphones for each design, for example.

[ZombifiedPyro]

It is not possible. If you can find a pair of open headphones (maybe you have some, or maybe you have a dealer locally) put them on, play your favorite song, then cover them with your hands and play it again. You will be able to tell the difference right away.

[CougarCasper]

I think a company named Astro made some headsets with interchangeable ear cups plates, which made them open and semi-closed. Though it is a gaming branded headset, and you know how they often sound. ;)

[mr-nipples]

Yeah the design of the headset effects sound just as much as the driver used inside them. It would sound aweful trying to get a sound that would work with both open and closed

[Bupalooga]

Awe k, it'd probably be more of a gimmick than a quality feature if ever implemented. Diddnt think drivers & headphone enclosure were so internectedly tuned.

[dgtL]

That is a really good question! i would think they would make it pretty well on the market if done correctly.

 

on a side note; Why use "Y" for "Why"?

[Bupalooga]

 

on a side note; Why use "Y" for "Why"?

Haha yea I don't think iv actually typed Why in a long time, I'm just one of those sorta lazy people.

[MrPumpkins]

I believe these have a switch or interchangeable cups with or with out vents and open or closed sounding or in between setting on the switch of the custom one pro headphones from beyerdynamic.