IEC 60268-7 ED4

Sound system equipment - Part 7: Headphones and earphones

Scope

IEC 60268-7:2025 is applicable to headphones, earphones, headsets and earsets, intended to be used on, or in, the human ear. It also applies to equipment, such as pre-amplifiers, passive networks and power supplies which form an integral part of the headphone system.

This document does not deal with:
- safety, for which reference is made to IEC 62368-1 or another appropriate standard;
- the characteristics of microphones of headsets, for which reference is made to IEC 60268‑4;
- earphones and other devices for hearing aids, for which reference is made to IEC 60118-0;
- headphones for audiometry;
- headphones and other devices which form part of an active ear-defender system, although some of the provisions of this document can be applicable;
- active noise cancelation characteristics as covered by IEC 60268-24.

This document specifies the characteristics which are included by the manufacturer in specifications, and relevant methods of measurement. It includes a classification of the different types of earphones, mainly characterized by the way in which the transducer is coupled acoustically to the ear, and a classification code which can also be used for marking.

Rated conditions and characteristics in this document provided by the manufacturer are not generally intended for external verification. Measurement methods for rated characteristics are informative and are provided for the benefit of manufacturers for the purpose of test repeatability and data comparison. All other specifications and tests are provided for testing by the manufacturer and for external testing and verification.