Why are wireless headphones so rare?

"Why do people keep putting up with the hassle of wires? Is it just a lack of knowledge about wireless headphones?"

That may be one reason. For example, I know little about them these days. Are there wireless headphones that test out as well as wired for sound quality? Should be possible, but I have not noticed anything so far (though I have not investigated thoroughly) so dunno if any like that?

The headphones have to have some sort of power. It would be batteries...
So either the phones would be really heavy to last, or, you would be changing batteries every few days.

If you would be using the phones with a portable device, then you would have to drag along the sending unit anyway if carrying them. So for most apps, i would think wireless would actually be the bigger PITA.

The few wireless are really designed for in home use. And the phones get charged sitting on the base unit.
For portable, that would not be much of an option, unless the sending unit was separate from the charging unit. and sending a signal wireless may take too much energy from an Ipod to work well.
(since 90%+ of all portables are an Ipod or phone.. The wireless might work with a phone, but I bet no way could an ipod support the power drain.. )

Just use your bluetooth headset for music?

Elizabeth +1.

"The headphones have to have some sort of power. It would be batteries...
So either the phones would be really heavy to last, or, you would be changing batteries every few days."

You could keep the batteries in a separate pack and just run a power cord to the headphones. And use rechargeable batteries.

The point was no wire.. Why bother with a battery pack and a wire, when all you needed was the wire to the player?