Headphones or Speakers?

[screwdriver]

Each has their own place /and times for use .
i have a decent speaker set up which i prefer using but at times when other peole need privacy and i wanna listen by myself - the headphones are great.
i used it a lot when we had a newborne and when we were renting in an apartment complex where noise is a no no.
Now we have a house but i still respect the privacy of ther people in the house.

[LUMIERE]

I find myself listening to headphones more these days due to living situation, near neighbors. Though, I really do enjoy listening to my speaker setup when I can. It definitely has a feeling that you can't get with headphones and conversely headphones will offer a feeling you can't get with speakers. The best part is when the headphone quality in terms of detail, speed and dynamics are matched with the speaker setup. In reality, it's probably rather difficult to produce a similar feeling... though, I'm extremely happy with my setup and wouldn't change it.

[selfdivider]

I prefer speakers, by far. I just get more of a visceral reaction to the music I'm listening to from speakers. When I lived in a small 1 bedroom in Manhattan, though, I listened a lot to my AKG 701s, but mostly because I had to... but now, it's been a while since I've used them, although I really love them.

[blumenco]

I started out as a complete died in the wool headphone nut, Speakers were for "parties" as I saw it.

Later, I came in touch with Cain and Cain, started an apprenticeship, and in many ways never came back from single drivers.

I am now in Japan devoting my life to studying the things!

So yes, speakers indeed do have HiFi applications, and a certain allure, and generally, I think that they are preferable, though I continue to keep one foot on each side of the line. I love headphones still and will never give up on them.

This is for many reasons: to get headphone resolution out of speakers (esp multidrivers) is an incredibly expensive undertaking. Headphones physically posess specific advantages:

I think of it this way: headphones are like a motorcycle. Cheap for the zero to 60. Very fast in a straight line, incredibly exciting to drive, but cannot enjoy that speed easily with two people. also, it is generally hard to ride them long distances.

Speakers are like a car. Maybe a bit slower on average, but the sports models have better handling than a motorbike, and some cars do not loose too much on the acceleration category. Of course, nothing can compare with a formula one car.... that is the kind of company I like to keep!

I must say though, that some of the headphone "super systems" are simply without peer in all the audio world.

I think that the happy world of the middle lies in single drivers loudspeakers, electrostat ear-speakers, and some electrostat loudspeakers. Fully front loaded horn systems can be very nice too, but can get VERY expensive. Single drivers can get darned cheap for their performance level. More of the money you spend tends to go towards the driver unit itself, not the complicated crossover, high power amps, etc.

Microphones, 99% of headphones, boomboxes, most car audio: all single transducer. Most studio monitor speaker systems? not single driver (though there are some...). Most studio monitor systems tend to be highly specialized applications of multiple drivers, which do work well, IMO, when compared to most consumer grade, and frequently underengineered multi driver systems.

Even then, I think it is important to not be too much of a snob to forget to simply listen to and enjoy the music through whatever happens to be playing it, even through cheap headphones layed down playing on the coffee table in order to try to entertain more people. Music is music. My audio hobby, the climbing of the mountain, simply was not fun for me until I learned to detach myself somewhat from my critical nature except when I need to use it.

Of course, I have built single driver speakers for a living for quite some time now, so I guess that all my opinions must be weighed against that fact. So please, understand that I am disclaiming myself fully. While I am indeed a manufacturer, I really consider myself to be simply a "pro-sumer." So I reserve the right to have an opinion, and to love audio like all the rest of you...

Regarding my opinions of single drivers vs. multidrivers, please understand that I am devoting my life to simply building what I love rather than trying to "trash" an entire category of speaker design.

So please, all this is IMO,

-Clark

[Akabeth]

Originally Posted by ClieOS

I like both, but my current life style confines me to a headphone user.

What he said

I'm aiming to have both in the long-run

[Bones13]

Privacy, Portability and Bang for Your Buck - headphones all the way.

For the visceral feeling you get with your whole body hearing/feeling the music - speakers.

Being older (49 atm), I grew up with the larger size 3 way speakers being the norm. I had a DIY set that I toted about to college, and had to re-make once I got married to help the WAF. These excelled at the Boston, Yes, and such from that era.

I too have fallen for the single driver speaker, with the vocals and jazz that I prefer now-a-days. One set of voight pipe DIY fostek speakers, and a newly purchased Tekton desktop speakers (fostek based as well), although I am still awaiting the amp to make this set work.

I would say all things being equal, i prefer speakers, but it was my Senns/Raptor and UE10pros/Hornet that brought me back into audiophilia. Bluegrass from the iPod/LOD/Hornet/UE10pros still give me goosebumps, hearing all the fingering of the strings, and even the handling of the instruments is just awesome. My $1K speakers are good, but not as good as the UE10pros driven by similar source (heh, the IEMS cost that much too though)

[webbie64]

Originally Posted by blumenco

I think of it this way: headphones are like a motorcycle. Cheap for the zero to 60. Very fast in a straight line, incredibly exciting to drive, but cannot enjoy that speed easily with two people. also, it is generally hard to ride them long distances.

Speakers are like a car. Maybe a bit slower on average, but the sports models have better handling than a motorbike, and some cars do not loose too much on the acceleration category. Of course, nothing can compare with a formula one car.... that is the kind of company I like to keep!

I must say though, that some of the headphone "super systems" are simply without peer in all the audio world.

I think that the happy world of the middle lies in single drivers loudspeakers, electrostat ear-speakers, and some electrostat loudspeakers. Of course, I have built single driver speakers for a living for quite some time now, so I guess that all my opinions must be weighed against that fact. So please, understand that I am disclaiming myself fully. While I am indeed a manufacturer, I really consider myself to be simply a "pro-sumer." So I reserve the right to have an opinion, and to love audio like all the rest of you...

Regarding my opinions of single drivers vs. multidrivers, please understand that I am devoting my life to simply building what I love rather than trying to "trash" an entire category of speaker design.

So please, all this is IMO,

-Clark

Well written and well thought out, Clark. And a very good summary IMHO of where the strengths and limits can be found in transducers for music reproduction.

[VicAjax]

i hug my Regas.
i pat my Etys on the head.

speakers FTW, whenever possible.

[ack_0220]

i'll stick to speakers when i really want to enjoy my music provided i can crank the volume up. Then i'll switch to headphones during midnights. I guess my headphones are just there to replace my speakers when necessary. But i have to say, some phones does a much better job than speakers that are equally priced.

[TheAnomaly]

well with my recent acquisition of the Dynaudios in my sig, i have to say i'm becoming a speaker man. i haven't listened to my Beyers for more than a few moments within the last 3 weeks; i'm holding onto them for now to have a balanced system though. eventually i want to upgrade to a more balanced sound signature so the move between my speakers and headphones isn't so jarring.