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Classica Music-Is the impact of the recording technique more important than the equipment?

post #1 of 3
2/13/11 at 5:02pm
Thread Starter 

I like to listen to orchestral classical music- and I have used several different headphones. While each has its effect on the result, I find that the recording has a major impact as well. The original recording is usually set up for stereo- even if the original sound is mixed from several microphones. It is also assumed by the engineers , I believe, that the listener is likely not using headphones, but speakers, where sound from each speaker reaches both ears. With headphones, that is not true.  I do not discount the quality of the headphones  as having a major impact, but in many cases the soundstage is a bit too left right,   and not wide. Isn't this more likely due to the recording than the headphones?

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post #2 of 3
2/13/11 at 5:17pm
Yes. Some amps offer crossfeed to help with this. I heard foobar has this option also, I think.
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post #3 of 3
2/13/11 at 8:11pm

If your equipment is complete crap, the best recording in the world will sound like crap and if the recording is complete crap, the music won't sound good even through a million dollar rig.

 

There is no such thing as  a truly neutral playback system.  Speakers create phantom channels, which I believe you are referring to, which are artifacts by which each ear hears signals from both channels, but the opposite ears channel, i.e. left speaker to right ear is time-delayed and muddies up imaging. Headphones give a pure account of the left and right channels but can sound "in-the-head" or give artifactual left-right imaging with some recordings, which I think you are also referring to. 

 

Crossfeed or blend will reduce channel separation but if it will make the image even more constrained within your head and between the ears.

 

One pure recording technique for headphones, which is rarely carried out is "binaural recording"  in which 2 microphones are placed just at the opening of the ear canal of a dummy head, or even a real one.  I used to do some of this myself.  The spatial effects can be quite staggering.  Unfortunately these recordings are hard  to find and don't work well with speakers.  Stax put out some CDs years ago.

 

I personally find the Stax Sigmas to give the most realistic spatial images because of they pull the drivers ahead and  away from the ears and give a more natural presentation,

 

 http://www.head-fi.org/products/stax-sigma/reviews#4775

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