Do I really need to solder headers to a shield? Or can I just plug it in?

I recently purchased an MP3 Player Shield for my Arduino. I bought a couple of headers to run through the shield's holes down to my arduino. The shield's "Quick Start" Guide is telling me to solder the headers with the shield. Is this TRULY necessary (for testing purposes)? Or could I just plug it in and down to the Arduino.

Thanks!

P.S. Would I need to use all 4 headers? 2x 6pin and 2x 8pin?

VAlexander:
I recently purchased an MP3 Player Shield for my Arduino. I bought a couple of headers to run through the shield's holes down to my arduino. The shield's "Quick Start" Guide is telling me to solder the headers with the shield. Is this TRULY necessary (for testing purposes)? Or could I just plug it in and down to the Arduino.

No - you need to solder the headers in place, otherwise there will be no connection to anything (or at best, the connections will be very intermittent).

VAlexander:
P.S. Would I need to use all 4 headers? 2x 6pin and 2x 8pin?

Without looking at the schematic, I don't know; you would need to look and find out what pins are used by the shield, and which headers are needed for those pins. But if you intend to hook anything else on top of the shield (either external circuitry, or another shield on top), then you need to bring all the pins of the Arduino "up" to the next level.

Thank you! And yeah I didn't mean solder everything including the arduino lol But okay for sure, then I'll solder. And So would you say it's better if I just solder all 4? So that if in the future I decide to stack it'll be possible?

Here's what shieldlist® says about the shield I'm using.

VAlexander:
I recently purchased an MP3 Player Shield for my Arduino. I bought a couple of headers to run through the shield's holes down to my arduino. The shield's "Quick Start" Guide is telling me to solder the headers with the shield. Is this TRULY necessary (for testing purposes)? Or could I just plug it in and down to the Arduino.

Thanks!

P.S. Would I need to use all 4 headers? 2x 6pin and 2x 8pin?

its not REALLY necessary to solder, I have used things like alligator clips for some sensors and boards, but really you will save yourself a lot of headache if you just solder it. Is there any reason you wouldn't want to solder right away? Only reason I haven't soldered in the past was when I wasn't sure the case something was going in, so I would just alligator clip it down then check continuity and plug it in temporarily.

VAlexander:
And So would you say it's better if I just solder all 4?

Yes, solder all 4. It will give you practice soldering and it will make the whole thing more stable.

VAlexander:
Thank you! And yeah I didn't mean solder everything including the arduino lol But okay for sure, then I'll solder. And So would you say it's better if I just solder all 4? So that if in the future I decide to stack it'll be possible?

Not only if you decide to stack, but if the shield you're stacking on needs a pin that is on a header you didn't solder - well, that would be a problem, see?

As far as soldering the headers: If these are so-called "long pin stackable headers" - to do a good job of alignment will take a bit of effort. The best way is to put them through the holes on the shield, then stack another shield on top, and flip the whole assembly over. Make sure the shield to be soldered is flush and even with all of the header plastic, then solder the two end-pins of each header (they can just be a quick tack solder joint if you want), then pull off the shield you used for alignment. Place the shield you are soldering upside down on a flat surface, and finish all solder joints.

How can you connect a shield without the headers?