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"speed"

post #1 of 30
2/11/12 at 11:03pm
Thread Starter 

i know some headphones sound faster than others but a second in the song is still a second, how can some headphones sound faster than others?

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post #2 of 30
2/12/12 at 3:35am

Typically, referring to the "speed" of a headphone or loudspeaker means how well it can reproduce transients (especially in the bass range). With high amount of resonances/reverberation in the impulse response, the temporal details of music can be blurred (e.g. "one note bass").

 

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post #3 of 30
2/12/12 at 8:56am
Quote:
Originally Posted by reddragon View Posti know some headphones sound faster than others but a second in the song is still a second, how can some headphones sound faster than others?


You are correct, using the word "speed" to describe audio equipment is simply wrong. And it's not even correct for transients, because that falls under regular frequency response. If a device has a frequency response that's reasonably flat to 20 KHz, then it can respond properly to any audible transient.

 

--Ethan

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post #4 of 30
2/12/12 at 9:15am

maybe the speed of the driver? how fast it can produce one note and going back to its orginal position? thus making everything cleaner , being able to pick each note out in ur tracks easily without them bleeding into each other... thats what i think it is anyway haha

 

think a headphone with muddy bass and a headphone with really tight and controlled bass..  :D 

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post #5 of 30
2/12/12 at 9:44am
I think when people talk about speed on these forums it has not much to do with transient response or the like. Instead I think it's rolled-off or flat bass or more upper than lower bass, little sub-bass, i.e. the opposite of bloated bass and probably also emphasized treble etc. All of these things make a headphone sound fast, but it has nothing to do with the speed of the driver.
Edited by xnor - 2/12/12 at 9:46am
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post #6 of 30
2/12/12 at 5:38pm
Thread Starter 

oh ok, thanks for the feedback even though im still a little bit confused lol

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post #7 of 30
2/12/12 at 5:38pm
Hmm I always associated speed with clarity, detail, and decay
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post #8 of 30
2/12/12 at 6:32pm
Thread Starter 

so a fast headphone is more clear and more detailed, correct?

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post #9 of 30
2/12/12 at 6:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by reddragon View Post

so a fast headphone is more clear and more detailed, correct?


A "fast" headphone by Head-fi standards is one that's perceived to be more detailed. That sometimes just means it has more treble, not necessarily even better treble.

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post #10 of 30
2/12/12 at 7:16pm
when i think of something fast, i'm thinking of something on how well it can pick-up low-level information. it also can be on how fast the driver push-pulls and goes back to resting position but this usually involves electrical damping factor. you can make a headphone react slowly(decay longer) or fast(short to no decay) depending on the damping factor of the driver is presented. bass is perfect example and tubes. reason why tubes are so popular is their very low damping factor which can make bass light headphones seem more bass heavy due to less control of the driver and longer decay taking place which some perceive as being ''slow'' sounding. it's hard to explain though, especially since everyone has different meanings.
Edited by RexAeterna - 2/12/12 at 7:27pm
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post #11 of 30
2/12/12 at 10:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by RexAeterna View Post

when i think of something fast, i'm thinking of something on how well it can pick-up low-level information. it also can be on how fast the driver push-pulls and goes back to resting position but this usually involves electrical damping factor. you can make a headphone react slowly(decay longer) or fast(short to no decay) depending on the damping factor of the driver is presented. bass is perfect example and tubes. reason why tubes are so popular is their very low damping factor which can make bass light headphones seem more bass heavy due to less control of the driver and longer decay taking place which some perceive as being ''slow'' sounding. it's hard to explain though, especially since everyone has different meanings.


When people say "low-level information," what does this mean?  Can anyone help me out here?  Thanks.

 

Honestly, I'm much more familiar with the terminology and jargon musicians use to describe music, and some of these catchphrases I have yet to learn.  Likewise "speed" something of a mystery to me as well.  Is there even really a consensus?  Often I feel that audiophile language is quite imprecise.  Perhaps it's the difference between professionals and hobbyists:  the efficacy of the communication influences one group's ability to earn money, while it influences the other group's penchant for spending money.

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post #12 of 30
2/13/12 at 9:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeaj View Post



When people say "low-level information," what does this mean?  Can anyone help me out here?  Thanks.

Honestly, I'm much more familiar with the terminology and jargon musicians use to describe music, and some of these catchphrases I have yet to learn.  Likewise "speed" something of a mystery to me as well.  Is there even really a consensus?  Often I feel that audiophile language is quite imprecise.  Perhaps it's the difference between professionals and hobbyists:  the efficacy of the communication influences one group's ability to earn money, while it influences the other group's penchant for spending money.

Well, like most things audio, the terminology will become clearer as you listen to more gear. After trying several headphones you will pick up the idea of "speed "
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post #13 of 30
2/13/12 at 12:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fir3dp View Post

maybe the speed of the driver? how fast it can produce one note and going back to its orginal position? thus making everything cleaner

 

Again, this is simple HF response. I don't understand the need to create new words to define stuff that's already been defined perfectly well. biggrin.gif

 

--Ethan

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post #14 of 30
2/13/12 at 12:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeaj View Post

When people say "low-level information," what does this mean?


Low-level information is simply parts of the music that are soft. If they're not clearly audible there are a few possible reasons:

 

1) They were simply mixed too softly by the mixing engineer.

2) They are masked by background noise.

3) They are masked by distortion of other, louder things in the track.

 

--Ethan

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post #15 of 30
2/13/12 at 12:12pm

At first I was confused when people used "slow" to describe the HD 650's but I do kind of understand now that I've tried faster headphones like the T50RP for instance. . . and I don't think it has anything to do with the frequency response. . . 

 

But apparently I am wrong. . . 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transient_(acoustics)

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transience <- to me it seems to apply to sound but w/e. 

 

 

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