Headphones vs. loudspeakers

First of all.. I'd like to say, this topic has been brought up countless times before on Head-Fi.

I really dont think the two are comparable. They both have their tradeoffs. Speakers have a more natural soundstage, music that you can feel, but they also have drawbacks like dealing with room acoustics, things like that. A good pair of headphones, in my opinion, as far as accuracy and resolution goes, will rival a good part of speakers costing vast multiples of its own price. It's a good way to get audiophile like fidelity, without spending a lot of money, since headphones are cheaper to manufacture. It's also a good way to listen privately, and I feel with headphones, that some music is just more intimate because theres little air between you and whats generating the sound waves. Headphones also typically seem to reproduce bass frequencies with a lot more accuracy then a lot of loudspeakers as well, since the diaphragm is so tiny, theres emmense control over its motion. The same cant be said for larger loudspeaker drivers. There are speakers, however, that reach a greater field of fidelity unrivaled by any headphone on earth. They cost a LOT of money, though.

The imaging of headphones is also somewhat weird, since theres very little, if any at all, crosstalk. This usually places the sounds inside your crainium, which can be irritating. Some headphones though, like the AKG K401/501 have a soundstage thats portrayed outside your head, almost as if they have natural crossfeed. Because of the lack of crosstalking in headphones, however, they will always have a more opaque image then loudspeakers.

Also, I'd like to add.. It's very convenient while listening to headphones if you're planning on relaxing, using the computer, laying down, or even falling asleep listening, which I enjoy doing frequently. This is nearly impossible using a single set of loudspeakers, however, because you've always got to remain in the "sweet spot" to get the best sound.

I have not forsaken my loudspeakers, but I love how economical the upgrade path to high-end sound can be with headphones. Since the kids came along, it's a rare occurence when i can pull my speakers out into the middle of the room and sit in the sweet spot for a couple of hours... hell, even half an hour. I mostly listen at night now, so the phones are ideal, and it's a hell of a lot cheaper to upgrade headphones than speakers.

I still covet those moments when I can listen seriously to my loudspeakers... they are still better at deceiving my senses to make me believe I'm there at a musical event. However, I'm able to listen deeper into the mix of a recording with the headphones, picking up more of the subtle details of the musicians' playing.

I guess it's great to have a choice about which way I'd prefer to listen to music. I suspect many people are like me... it depends on what I'm in the mood for.

LOVE YOUR HEADPHONES, BUT DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR VANDERSTEENS!!!!

My headphones don't replace my speakers.... they compliment them.
They are also very different sounding.

Before when I only had PC speakers my headphones all sounded much better than my speakers. But now that I've completely overhauled and gotten a real speaker setup, headphones simply come in during the quiet times...and not even then sometimes. In the end I prefer speakers by far...it's also nice just having the music wash over you regardless of position, instead of being tethered like a goat to the system.

the world of hi fidelity shouldn't be comapred

headphones are for their purpose as
speakers are for theirs


however it is true, that most stereo recordings weren't meant for headphones, asides from binaural, good quality loud speakers will give a more natural soundstage

however you can easily get as good or better sound quality from a set of good cans and amp for much less and with headroom's crossfeed it works out pretty nicely.

still though they are 2 different things for 2 different applications I feel...


IMF RSPM Mk. 4
http://www.frenchimages.com/marklev/IMF/RSPM/index.html
my speakers

Transmission line bass loading

Marantz 2325 amp
qed interconnects and wire
blah
and
marantz cd5000 cdp

need to get a new sacd player though...

I've always found this to be an interesting question. I also owned a pair of 2ce Vandersteens, which I still miss very much. The system I had at that time was probably the pinnacle for me in terms of my personal system. Conrad-Johnson preamp, Golden tube power amp. All analog, all class-A, simply killer! But the amp drew 600 watts out of the wall to produce 40 WPC class a. And the speakers were kinda big... then I moved into a smaller abode and sold it all (except for the VPI) for a solid state rig built around a YBA Integre integrated amp. Very, very nice, but not quite like the old rig.

My biggest problem was the speaker question. I don't have a big living room, so the Vandersteens had to go. After auditioning dozens of models and not finding anything with the midrange accuracy I was after, I opted to build my own. Ended up with a 2-way sealed system based around an Audax 8" woofer and an Morel 1" tweeter. The crossover is based on Kimber's DiAural design. These things don't have nearly the extension or "heft" than the 2ces did. But they do sound good in this room. And while "voicing" them, I referenced the HD600s numerous times, in an attempt to get a similar top-to-bottom overall sound. I got close, but it's still amazing to me how much more "clean" the headphones are.

I was pleased by a compliment a visiting friend payed the speakers, though, when he said "these sound good enough to edit on". He works at Dorian Records as an editor. I don't mean to open up the "Studio monitors vs. Audiophile speakers" thing, but I felt that I had accomplished part of my goals when I heard his comment.

In my opinion, there are no speakers (I mean none) that can give you the level of detail and fast transient response that good headphones can give you. But headphones are more of a "cerebral" sound, while good speakers give you a "whole body" response.

Just my .02

Speakers - always on
Headphones - need to use basis

But I do prefer to use headphones when playing PC games, or to weed out CDs that need to be cleaned or replaced.

I know this is diving more into the speaker listening realm, but try listening to your speakers in the nearfield, perhaps no more than an arms length away (easier with a bookshelf speaker). It's sort of like a headphone's position for your speakers, and it's great for dramatically reducing the room's effect on the sound reaching your ears. Getting the drivers to integrate properly can be a bit tricky, though, so you'll have to experiment with your height or the speakers'. It's worth the effort!!

Schiss

I tottally disagree. I've heard a few systems using loudspeakers that made my AKGs and the HD600s sound like toy boombox's from the ghetto. The level of detail available in a good speaker is very great indeed. It just requires much money.

well then
again

same with stax and electrostatic cans
aka. the orpheus


electrostatic detail from cans like that

will be much more open and transparent and accurate

than most speakers, at most the time
unless you have a perfect room of 30feet in diameter round with like the perfect height and sound absorbing material


and of course maybe martin logans may be able to compare

Not to offend any rich people or anything, but I think electrostatics sound gross. It sounds a bit dull. I much prefer drivers and tweeters to vibrating panels that resonate. I like having air move rather than sparks jumping about.

As I've found out, they're definatly not for all types of music. Mainly stringed stuff, and vocals? They all generally seem to lack any deep bass and impact, which can make them seem very dull and boring to a lot of people. The detail, however, is estounding so I hear. I'm dying to hear a set.

Speakers...

It's funny, a lot of times I am amazed at the pure soundstage I am missing from my really cheap $40/each cambridge soundworks speakers, cheap $150 8" subwoofer out of my $350 Onkyo 575x reciever in my HT system (though the subwoofer really sucks, go headphones for bass extension!). Sure, my headphones blow them away in accuracy but it is just that expansive presentation that attracts me. I think I have dropped that "headphones are cheaper/better" clause, speakers can be just as good, though in different areas (just like headphones).

Still headphones are used more so others are not bothered and I am not bothered by others.

electrostatic isn't really for any bass at all...
but the martin logan series

have setup the perfect setup for electrostatic/dynamic speakers
as for midrange-treble the details of electrostatic is phenominial

and the energy and soundstage also

BUT!! yes most electrostatic is flat, so it won't have much coloration with the music, so the amp will make alot of difference in the kind of sound you are trying to achieve, as tube will warm it up a bit

however... the bass is nicely meshed in and is virtually transparent...

as for low-mid to bass is ususally the most undetailed, a dynamic driver works great.