[HelixEndeavor]

Sounds like you've been getting cheap headphones. Bluetooth headphones are inherently less reliable due to far more points of failure.

You say you can "probably" get replacement batteries but we've already seen that it's damn near impossible to source the tiny batteries for things like true wireless earbuds.

[chrisseaton]

> Bluetooth headphones are inherently less reliable due to far more points of failure.

Really? They seem to have less points of failure to me - they're fully encapsulated (usually glued shut) and don't have to physically interface with anything less than simple metal charging pads. Compared to physically being shoved into something and yanked out and a cable that is being manipulated.

[HelixEndeavor]

> They seem to have less points of failure to me - they're fully encapsulated (usually glued shut)

This just means they're harder to repair? That's not a reduced point of failure in really any sense.

Wired headphones are some wires, solder, also often glue, and a driver. Wireless headphones have batteries, internal computers that need to communicate wirelessly with devices and - in the case of True Wireless Earbuds - themselves, and in general more parts that are more delicate crammed into the same or smaller space.

> don't have to physically interface with anything less than simple metal charging pads. Compared to physically being shoved into something and yanked out and a cable that is being manipulated.

What a strange point. Unless you're wirelessly charging some AirPods then... You're gonna have to charge those things with a physical cable. That will have to be, as you so hyperbolically put it, "shoved into something and yanked out."

Fortunately, any decent headphones worth your money anticipate such rude treatment and have their cables be easily replaceable.

Wireless headphones can't be said to do the same for their batteries that will inevitably wear out.

[chrisseaton]

I don't know if maybe you don't use Bluetooth headphones, but no they don't have a physical cable you plug in. They do it wirelessly and with pad contacts.

[Glant]

Maybe they were saying the case needs a charging cable unless you do wireless charging?

[HelixEndeavor]

And what are those pad contacts in? A charging case. Which needs to be charged via physical cable.

[Reubachi]

Software, batteries, and the bluetooth comm protocol are three giant points of failure. An example, I can no longer use my car's (2012) bluetooth with any modern device. At least, it is horribally laggy and doesn't display data, when it works.

Points of failure on wired buds are the cord and connector construction and materials. So you can generally know the "more you spend", it's likely being put into the construction (for reputable brands).

[L_226]

software is a point of failure :) also, batteries