Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
open-back en · ADJ
Meanings
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Of headphones: only partially covering the ear, so that there is airflow to the wearer's ears.
For listening in quiet, isolated environments like your home, "open-back" earphones, usually over- or on-ear, are your best bet.
2015 July 2, Kate Murphy, “The Difference Between Listening Up and Tuning Out”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 28 Jun 2022:Sometimes, they provide warmer, more life-like sound quality, and the open-back design could be a safer way to play VR for you.
2022 August 17, Cameron Faulkner, “Logitech's Chorus open-back headphones slide onto the Quest 2”, in The Verge, archived from the original on 28 Feb 2023:If you ask any audiophile what headphone type they prefer to use for an extended listening session, I can almost guarantee they will say that open-back headphones are the better choice. Open-back headphones enable air to circulate around the ears and allow heat and sound to escape so that music sounds so much better, even for extended listening sessions. Open-back headphones just feel more natural and comfortable.
2020 September 24, Mark Sparrow, “Sennheiser Makes Open-Back Headphones More Affordable With The Brand New HD 560S”, in Forbes, archived from the original on 01 Feb 2022:
Forms
Antonyms
closed-back
Synonyms
open-eared · open-ear