Did anybody here "switch" from speakers to headphones?

I've grown up on speakers thanks to my dad owning a television and audio repair shop when i was younger. It wasnt til like seven years ago when i started to get into headphones due to moving into an old small building with thin walls and jerks for neighbors (not all but most).  Rather then waste my time going the "noise wars" route i have been using headphones more and more to fully enjoy my audio pleasures. I've noticed headphones are much more detailed with plenty of privacy. Even with good speakers i need to play it loud to get the kind of detail i get from headphones at lower volumes.

Still theres something energizing and mentally comforting about sound traveling through space especially when one lives alone during the quieter night hours. Of course then i wont be playing loud ha ha.

So for me its forty percent speakers just because I CAN and sixty percent headphones for complete immersion without wanting to stomp somebodies guts in :D

Yes, because the speakers are too much depending of room conditions, of it's acoustic and many other factors that with the headphones you don't have to worry

To me both speakers and headphones have their place and serve different purposes, so it's not really a matter of settling for one.

I appreciate the intimacy and detail provided by headphones, but speakers are just more convenient and natural. In the ideal world with no other constraints like funds, space, neighbors, bad acoustics etc., if I had to choose one I'd go for speakers.

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Originally Posted by yepimonfire 

Meaning you used to own/buy high end speakers and then decided to pursue headphones instead. If so, why?

 

I used to go the speaker route but i ended up selling it all awhile back and putting that money towards headphone stuff simply because even with great speakers room acoustic problems always screwed up the sound, even when i placed all sorts of acoustic treatments, and that got expensive real quick. With headphones, i don't have that problem. the only real trade-off is un-natural imaging and not being able to "feel" low frequencies, but you get used to that eventually.

I never got into to speakers the same way I did headphones, but usually liked to enjoy my music on my 2.1 computer system (I did own a large stereo system once though), I never even consitered getting fancy stereo stuff because i've alwaysed lived with someone else, but even more it's like cars, the sky is the limit in price. I found headphones like PC's extremely reasonable when you consider how much high-end/mid-tier stuff costs, not only that but the headphone experience is pretty unrivaled. You cannot ever get this from speakers unless you have reference bookshelves in a controlled soundroom.

HFs will never sound as good as a surround sound system to me, and usually not even as good as a pair of nice external monitors. I just wish I could have the privacy and convenience (and prices) of headphones with the sound of external speakers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PleasantSounds 

To me both speakers and headphones have their place and serve different purposes, so it's not really a matter of settling for one.

I appreciate the intimacy and detail provided by headphones, but speakers are just more convenient and natural. In the ideal world with no other constraints like funds, space, neighbors, bad acoustics etc., if I had to choose one I'd go for speakers.

It's interesting you say that speakers are more convenient. I actually think the lack of convenience is what has me consumed with headphones lately. I have some of the best speakers on earth sitting in my living room, but the convenience of headphones has been very alluring. I just don't often feel like sitting in one spot to listen to my speakers for an extended period of time. With headphones I can lay in bed, be at work, sit at the computer, etc., without worrying about a sweet spot, or, as previously mentioned, the impact of the room. I love my speakers and have no desire to get rid of them, but they've taken on primarily an HT role as of late whereas my headphones are what I choose for music. 

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Originally Posted by Focker 

 

It's interesting you say that speakers are more convenient. I actually think the lack of convenience is what has me consumed with headphones lately. I have some of the best speakers on earth sitting in my living room, but the convenience of headphones has been very alluring. I just don't often feel like sitting in one spot to listen to my speakers for an extended period of time. With headphones I can lay in bed, be at work, sit at the computer, etc., without worrying about a sweet spot, or, as previously mentioned, the impact of the room. I love my speakers and have no desire to get rid of them, but they've taken on primarily an HT role as of late whereas my headphones are what I choose for music. 

Speakers (depending on your situation of course) are a lot more casual and laid back. Headphones are much more direct and almost demand your attention, things on your head aside, the experience is different on both. Music is best suited for HPs IMO because of the detail and cost+volume.

However, the fact that headphones INSTANTLY give you flawless acoustics (assuming open cans here lol!) and flawless positioning make them lightyears ahead of 95% of the stereo setups on earth. That huge variable taken out of the things to worry about alone is worth switching to HP's IMO.

And then you have Planar headphones which are basically like speakers (or blast them off your head for a pair of small speakers) nice middle ground there :)

Even in my acoustically treated room I have to sit in specific spots to get the full effect of my monitors. The learning curve for headphones is essentially 0. At the most you need a small amp and different ear pads. Getting the most out of high-end speakers will basically transform your house and consume your life. I'm missing the convenience of that.

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Originally Posted by yepimonfire 

i can agree there, as far as surround sound goes, good luck getting that effect with headphones lol.

Maybe some day... And I would be the first customer if that day ever arrives. For now I've tried various surround sound emulating headphone things now and they all sound downright terrible to me.

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Originally Posted by machoboy 

Even in my acoustically treated room I have to sit in specific spots to get the full effect of my monitors. The learning curve for headphones is essentially 0. At the most you need a small amp and different ear pads. Getting the most out of high-end speakers will basically transform your house and consume your life. I'm missing the convenience of that.

Pretty much this 100% as involved and hobbiest as headphones can be, it's not even scratching the surface of acoustics and high-end stereos.

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Originally Posted by yepimonfire 

yeah they do, ha. i don't see why someone doesn't come up with a multi-driver surround sound headphone. it'd be ugly as hell, but i'm sure someone could pull it off.

I remember when I went to disneyworld (pretty sure it was DW) years back and they had this building that was some theater with a Drew Carry feature, you put on these also 80's style headphones with yellow foam covers and after 5min the lights/screen go out in the theater and you can only hear. Not sure if they used binaural recording or WHAT but it sounded completely surround, they had a bunch of hokey positioning sound effects and stuff, but the effect was really good.