Why Earphones and Headphones Labeled Left & Right
We all have noticed ‘L’ and ‘R’ symbols on our headphones and earphones. The literal meaning of both of these symbols is as follows.
- L stands for Left ear
- R stands for Right ear
Basically, it is guidance from the manufacturer to symbolize which ear should wear its earphone.
Sound moves very slowly from one ear to another. Its speed should be enough that your brain can hear the sound. When you analyze it from the wave pattern of sound from left to right ear, its distance should be enough that it should bounce back and reach you.
Sound moves slowly enough at a speed of 330 ms to enable the brain to detect its reach from one ear to another ear. This is called Interaural difference.
Research
In This Article
Importance of Left & Right Mark on Headphones or Earphones
If you have experienced a live concert or TV music show, you might have noticed that the sounds can tell you about the action and dissection without even seeing the show. This is due to the Stereo Sound. This is very important in Stereo sound to wear the right earbud in the right ear.
How Marked Headphones Work When It Comes To Watching Videos/Music shows?
The processing logic behind the stereo sound is that they are recorded on two different mics. If you are in a pop music show or in a concert, where there are many singers performing individually but in a band, you can hear them with their alone sounds which give the direction of the person performing and also you can recognize their individual voices.
If you are watching an action movie where there are fast-moving vehicles, there are some scenes in the movies where the car is slowly coming from one direction and one car coming fastly from the opposite direction, if you put in the wrong earbud, you may feel confused while watching the movie.
This is due to 3d sound which is a music mixing way where you can listen to different sound directions than a standard mix.
If you wear the headphones in the wrong ears, you will not be able to experience the original direction of the sound that the music composer has made and want their listeners to experience.
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How Marked Headphones Work When It Comes To Gaming?
If you are a professional gamer and are used to wearing headphones while gaming, you must have noticed that sounds of firing, blasts, or vehicles come into the specific earbud because they guide the direction where that firing, blasts, or vehicle came from.
Stereo headphones are very important, especially in professional gaming. Because, when you see an enemy coming from the left direction but if you have worn the wrong earbud, you may feel from listening that the enemy is coming from the right direction which will ruin your gaming experience.
That’s why you should buy stereo headphones and wear the right earbud in the right ear.
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How do you know which earbud goes in which ear?
You may see the ‘L’ and ‘R’ symbols on your headphones and if there are no symbols, you can head to any of the videos from your headphones’ brand where you can learn more about the guidance about which earbud goes in which ear.
- For earphones, the right earbud is where the mic is attached.
- For headphones, the left earbud is where the mic is attached.
If you have worn the wrong earbud in the wrong ear, you will see a lot of differences in experiencing the sound distortion from your games or music and they will not easily fit into your ears. You will feel uncomfortable if the wrong earbuds are on the wrong ears.
Mono Headphones Sound
If you have experience wearing mono headphones or earphones, you might have noticed that sound does not rotate from ear to ear and that it does not guide you about any directional action. So, you can’t actually realize the stereo sound which somehow distorts enjoyment.
Benefits Of Marked Headphones
Sound Quality
Marked headphones give you better sound quality because each earbud gives its sound with accuracy and precision.
Design
The marked headphones and earphones are made better in design and easily fit into your ears to keep your ears comfortable.
Conclusion
Why are earphones and headphones labeled left and right? They are marked on the headphones and earphones to guide you about which earbud to wear in which ear. Because nowadays music mixing is done in 3d ways which have directional sounds and each sound goes in a specific ear through the right earbud in the right ear.
You must read guidelines and reviews before buying the marked headphones.
You must estimate your budget accurately before selecting which pair of headphones are suitable for you.
You must specify your need to buy gaming. Because not every headphone is made for all purposes.
