I still say that loudspeaker imaging and soundstage are far more accurate and convincing than any headphone set-up I've heard and I've heard the best.The real price-performance advantages with headphone rigs seems to be concentrated to sonic detail.You must spend big bucks on a loudspeaker system to replicate the detail offered by a good headphone rig.

Yep!

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I own the PSB stratus Goldi.No sub is required,I promise.The HD600 is not hard to top as far as imaging or soundstage go with a good loudspeaker.the PSB easily has a far better image and soundstage than any headphone I have heard.I still say the area headphones better most loudspeaker systems is in the detail department.I always use headphones to hash out the minute details of a recording,especially vinyl.I use my loudspeaker systems to judge soundstage,imaging and instrument/voice placement.We are indeed comparing apples and oranges,this is why i think it is important to have a good audio system which includes both headphones and loudspeakers

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I am with Mark 100% here, I would never listen to headphones and immediately sell mine if I could listen to my stereo as loud as I wanted, whenever I wanted.

I agree that speakers have better soundstaging and imaging than headphones...


...provided you're sitting in front of them in the sweet spot. I would love to be able to enjoy speakers 24/7 and not have to use headphones unless I wanted the purest details, especially since I don't find many headphones to be comfortable. However, my schedule is so packed that I rarely get to just "sit." I spend 10-12 hours a day working lately (with periodic Head-Fi breaks, of course ). When I have free time, nowadays I try to go for a walk, or go to the gym, or hang out with my better half So I tend to spend a lot of time listening to music at my desk working, when doing personal web/email stuff, when I'm out and about, etc., where headphone excel.

Granted, when I'm at home in my office I can still hear the stereo, and even see it; but I'm not anywhere near the sweet spot, so headphones are much better for imaging and soundstage for me.

"Haven't heard the PSB Stratus Gold-i's, will listen to them (I do have a local dealer) and see if they compare with the HD600's. Looking at the spec's, I would be tempted to add a subwoofer."

I used to own an 15" Velodyne subwoofer thinking I "needed" one to get all I could out of my HT rig. I eventually sold it because it was virtually superfluous with the Stratus Goldi's. Unless you want to cause structural damage to your home, the PSBs should put out plenty of bass.

markl