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Why headphone? Why not stereo speakers? - Page 3

post #31 of 39
2/20/10 at 6:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by El_Doug View Post
Headphones trump speakers when it comes to reproducing the smallest of details There is also a feeling of intimacy with the music that cannot be matched by any speaker system, simply by nature of design.
I respectfully disagree.

Try some nice electrostats or ribbons. One of things that turned me onto quality headphones is that the retrieved detail much like my ribbons do. And if you haven't sat in the sweet spot of a pair of dipoles, you still don't know what intimacy and soundstage can be like outside of the real thing.

Personally, I run both headphones and speakers.

You don't need to spend a fortune, either. The Quad ESL-63s and Conrad-Johnson MV-52 tube amp - together - cost less than what I paid for the HD-800 by itself.

There are lots and lots of speaker bargains out there right now. Anyone interested in speakers ought to buy some.
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post #32 of 39
2/20/10 at 6:28am
Personally i use headphones first of all for space limitations, as i don't have the room for a full size speaker setup even if i wanted to...in addition to that i live with other people i can't really bother with speaker listening.

I believe this is the very reason for most of us...however headphones can sound quite good so it's not such a sacrifice.
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post #33 of 39
2/20/10 at 6:30am
roommates are the big show-stopper for me... then maybe space--though I think I could squeeze them in if I did some rearranging
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post #34 of 39
2/20/10 at 9:39am
My first headphones I bought not to disturb the neighbours and ever since I never looked back.

Besides I can wear my headphones on my head at home and on the go, even the old Pioneer Monitor 10. Portable speakers found form in the boom boxes and portable stereos which I find to bulky. Having the sound of music all for yourself is great.
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post #35 of 39
2/20/10 at 12:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by adiZero View Post
Why headphone? Why not stereo speakers? Why Not Both?

I enjoy both my headfi rigs and my stereo setup Both are mid-fi but good enough for me. My Beresford DAC is used both as a source in my stereo setup and as DAC/AMP combo for my Grado's.
Has anyone tried both at the same time?

I have accidentally and the sound, bass from speakers and detail from phones and separation between the two, was interesting. But then I remember to turn speakers off and haven't really experimented with both on.

Anyone tried a speaker / phone hybrid setup?

.
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post #36 of 39
2/20/10 at 3:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Erik View Post
I respectfully disagree.

Try some nice electrostats or ribbons. One of things that turned me onto quality headphones is that the retrieved detail much like my ribbons do. And if you haven't sat in the sweet spot of a pair of dipoles, you still don't know what intimacy and soundstage can be like outside of the real thing.
I have indeed had the pleasure of sitting dead-center between a pair of well-placed 63's. It was an amazing experience of detail and clarity, with a soundstage second to none. However, I would never argue that any headphones has a better soundstage than any speaker system

The problem lies in the combination of detailed sound, and "oomph." To me, headphones can mix these two properties to perfection. In my experience, those speakers that offer fantastic resolution (such as the quads) do not have the impact I so desire, while those amazing dynamics with great punch lack details when compared to cans.

As for intimacy... perhaps you and I have a different definition
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post #37 of 39
2/20/10 at 3:56pm
I live in a middle-age apartment building with very crappy sound isolation, I am pretty much forced to use headphones. I have loved headphones since I was a kid, but I have always realised that speakers are better. If I would live either in very old apartment house (with 1 meter thick concrete walls. my friend is a very lucky one. Great home theatre and neighbours dont hear a damn thing...) or new one with good sound isolation, I wouldnt have such a headphone system as I have now. I would have a good Wharfedale speaker system around me.
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post #38 of 39
3/4/10 at 6:36pm
as said in another post, I can't afford several perfectly treated rooms and several pairs of pro speakers, so I buy several headphones...
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post #39 of 39
3/5/10 at 8:15pm
Personally I don't have that much money to throw around at speakers; mostly because they are more expensive than portable audio.... but mostly because I'm listening to music away from home.
Also since I'm graduating this year and going off to college, I mainly only invest in portable devices such as IEMs and portable DAPs.
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