I like speakers - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

tktran · 02-01-2002, 04:50 AM

I think my headphone enthusiasm is diminishing. I mean there still plenty of headphones and headphone amps I haven't auditioned, eg. Ety's, Stax, Orpheus, but headphones just don't do it for me anymore.

Speakers -> Headphones -> Speakers...

Anyone else go through this phase?

gloco · 02-01-2002, 05:03 AM

This is the second post i've read about someone enjoying his speakers more now, Xander was the other guy.

Personally, i feel that i have gone as far as i can when it comes to acquiring headphones. Between the 7506's, 501's and now the 580's, i really feel i have all the cans that i need. I'm actually considering getting rid of my cheaper cans (minus the Grado's).

Unfortunately i cant enjoy speakers since i'm still living at home

I'm sure once i'm out on my own i will have the time and money to set up a nice stereo system.

Maybe you've hit that point where you've tried everything that's available and now the 'wow factor' is gone. The Ety's, Stax, Orpheus may be a pipe dream (when it comes to affording them)so what's the use of wondering?

I'm starting to feel like that.

Ahhh, when the audio show rolls around i'm sure i'll be hyped up once i actually see some Stax in person, and hopefully audition them too!

George

pawwh98 · 02-01-2002, 05:26 AM

Well, I also prefer my speakers when I'm at home alone. They're pretty good ones I chose carefully and spend a lot of money for.

The need for headphone emerged when I met my wife, who doesn't exactly share my taste for music and even more since my daughter appeared on the scene 5 months ago who also doesn't prefer loud music

Also my wife doesn't really enjoy the sound resulting from computer games like Unreal Tournament and Return to Castle Wolfenstein

For portable use, I found my speakers too bulky and prefer headphones at any rate

Snufkin · 02-01-2002, 05:26 AM

It all depends what I'm listening to and what mood I'm in.
If it's a movie - speakers all the way, I LOVE to feel the floor shake with bass during explosions and such. But some music I just love to zone out to and disappear into my own universe - headphones make this possible.

Vertigo-1 · 02-01-2002, 05:40 AM

I find myself enjoying my speakers much more than my headphones as well. More likely than not I'll probably drop the whole headphone thing soon as well and downgrade.

Neruda · 02-01-2002, 05:46 AM

speakers do a lot of stuff that headphones can't. If I had my druthers I'd buy (or make) a nice pair of speakers (with fullrange drivers ideally) and call it good. but there are several things that headphones do which speakers simply can't: they have great sound for much less money, they can be used in places where speakers can't (portable use, etc.), and they can be used when low noise is a must (late night). but speakers certainly provide a better listening experience for the most part, particularly soundstage-wise. At least IMO.

KR... · 02-01-2002, 06:08 AM

Such sneer utter blasphemy displayed on these boards lately disturbs me greatly.

Neruda · 02-01-2002, 06:12 AM

I gotta admit, KR's gotta point. Let's tar and feather him!

although I should point out that KR totally misused the word "sneer" in that sentance

.

MacDEF · 02-01-2002, 06:18 AM

Originally posted by Vertigo-1
I find myself enjoying my speakers much more than my headphones as well. More likely than not I'll probably drop the whole headphone thing soon as well and downgrade.

Vert, can I have first dibs on all your headphone stuff?

Wes · 02-01-2002, 08:18 AM

OK, OK! Speakers are best.

In a lot of ways.

But not in a lot of circumstances.

--Not if they are quite inexpensive (specifically as inexpensive as many of the most-respected headphones).
--Not if they are not meticulously placed.
--Not if the listener is not meticulously placed.
--Not if they are run only so quietly as to disturb no one.
--Not if the room or speaker is not treated to reduce room effects.

If any of those conditions are not met, chances are that a headphone will outperform the speakers.

What this all adds up to is that speakers are better than headphones but still far from ideal. Moreover, headphones present music in a peculiar way that differs--maybe valuably--from the presentation of the same music through speakers.

Headphones are superior to speakers certainly in the detail of the presentation and offer a soundstage that is, let's just say very attention-getting. Not realistic because speakers come much closer to that with most recordings which are aimed at speaker reproduction, but maybe the headphone soundstage is valuable in keeping the listener involved with the music.

So, I think it is possible to prefer the headphone experience to the speaker one. It's not compulsory to prefer either, and being AC/DC is probably ideal.

Both headphone and speaker reproduction are extremely unrealistic by comparison with live originals (in the kinds of music where that applies). If realism were the only criterion for our music reproduction, then binaural recordings through headphones might be the best choice and by a broad margin. But those recordings almost don't exist. There is simply too little such material to make that a serious option.

And, then, too...is realism what we really want? Don't we really crave something as exciting as our best live music experiences? Would we like binaural realism if we heard it? Or would it seem flat, distant, inconsequential.

That we really don't want mere realism in our reproduced sound is maybe most strongly indicated by the almost universal use of Foley artists to punch up movie soundtracks. Don't we want to somehow "break through" the recording process to get at the music? Or am I being a mystical sort of heretic?