In the previous article, we explained the differences in sound quality depending on the hardness and density of the rear housing. Let’s take another look at the wood chart, based on this information. (Click on the image to enlarge it.)
Group A:
Characterized by crisp and fast-paced audio.
Extremely hard wood.
Produces tight, sharp, and solid sound.
Tends to deliver thin yet dense sound lines.
Group B:
Compared to Group A, the sound is slightly thicker with stronger contrast.
Very hard wood.
Produces tight, sharp, and rich sound.
Group C:
Warm tonal characteristics.
Standard hardness wood.
Softer sound compared to Groups A and B.
Group D:
Features rich bass and slower sound characteristics.
High-density, heavy wood.
Often oily, giving a softness that overrides its hardness.
Sound leans toward a lower pitch, emphasizing bass with subdued treble.
Group E:
Slightly reduced power and bass.
Hard wood with lower density.
Produces tight and lightweight sound.
Bright, open sound with a sense of airiness.
Group F:
Rounded edges in the audio make it easy to listen to.
Soft wood.
Delivers soft and warm sound.
Group G:
Unique or special types of wood.
In reality, wood is further classified into smaller categories, and the sound of each piece of wood is slightly different, but because there is so much information it is difficult to understand, it is divided into seven groups.
Caution 1:
It’s important to note that the differences in sound due to the hardness or density of the wood apply only when compared to other types of wood.
For example, even if you use the hardest wood available, such as snake wood, it does not necessarily guarantee the sound characteristics of hard wood (high resolution, clarity, sharpness, tightness, etc.). It only means that when comparing directly, snake wood demonstrates these characteristics more than other softer woods.
Caution 2:
The degree of sound change caused by the choice of wood is subtle and does not significantly alter the inherent sound signature of the earphones.
For instance, if you’re looking for a mild and soft sound, it’s better to select an earphone model that inherently produces such a sound rather than relying on softer wood to achieve it.
The choice of wood is not a magical solution for drastically changing the sound. It’s merely a subtle tool for fine-tuning the sound closer to your preference.
That said, when comparing earphones made with different types of wood, you’ll likely find one that you prefer over the other. This makes choosing the wood for the backplate one of the enjoyable aspects of customizing earphones to suit your personal taste.