[luckybaer]

I got some dedicated equipment yesterday, so I swiped a pair of speakers from my home theater and proceeded to hook up a new receiver and CD player.  I did my best to set things up to provide a good listening environment, then I popped in a CD.  Hmmm... not bad.  I didn't really get to focus on the music since my 12-year old boy (technical support specialist) and 3-year old boy (budding audiophile) were excited about the new toys and didn't make for a "quiet" environment.  I mean, how in the world can I focus on the music when the boys fired up Gorillaz and the older one was singing/rapping along to "Clint Eastwood"?
 
Eventually, I settled down in to the man cave's couch and started listening and relaxing.  Whoa!  Now I know exactly what some forum members mean when they wax poetic about speakers' soundstaging, separation of sounds, placement of sounds, etc.
 
Now, I don't think I will toss my headphones aside, even though I am totally wrapped up in the speaker experience at this point in time.  Right now, I'd say the speakers are a different experience than the headphone experience.  Better in some ways, but not so much better in others.
 
The plusses for the speakers are obvious - the soundstage, placement, separation (air!), etc.  However, as a proud member of the ADHD club, I can say that I am much more easily distracted by things outside of my listening coccoon while listening to speakers.  I can get TOTALLY lost while listening to headphones - not quite totally with speakers.  So, for 100% focus on the analytical side of music listening, plus PLUS to headphones.  For shear enjoyment, toe-tapping, and moving, plus PLUS to speakers.  lol
 
I guess in the same way that my DT880s are the "Yin" to my HD650's "Yang," speakers are one part of the immersive audio experience, while headphones are another significant aspect.
 
I can't wait to see what things sound like after I get a new pair of speakers and a subwoofer.  I'm not sure if the boys will let me take that horribly loud and compressed (but insanely fun to listen to) Gorillaz music out of the player once the subwoofer gets fired up.
 
I'd like to hear about YOUR experiences with speakers vis-a-vis headphones.  When you could listen to your speaker set up or your headphone set up, why do you opt for one at the exclusion of the other?  Just curious.

 

[Ypoknons]

But you could have focused on Gorillaz! 

 
Even though the MiniPod are pretty crappy on the low end without a sub, there's something fun about bass you can feel. Even with tracks that nastily mastered, like a lot of the pop/rock these days, I enjoy speakers because they're not so intimate, not every flaw is blared inside my very brain, and they have a nice thump, thump to the bass, more visceral than my headphones... But I have love headphones, they're a lot of sound in a small package, and I can play around with different ones without buying a new flat (see Chinese property bubble). 

 

[coke]

One of the main differences is that I "feel" the music with speakers.  Also the imaging and other things you mentioned are so much better than any headphone I've ever heard. I can close my eyes and point out where each voice or instrument is located.  There's a LOT more depth with a quality set of speakers than with headphones.
 
I can't carry my stereo with me to work though, which is why I have headphones.  They are mainly used for convenience.   It's nice to be able to enjoy quality music while sitting at a desk at work. Waiting for my Ortofon e-q7 to be delivered and can't wait to try them. 

 
 
One of the nice things about headphones though is cost. I've listened to a lot of speakers, and I feel things don't start sounding decent until around $2000+ and even then, most speakers have major flaws.  Also amps, preamps, and DACs are much more expensive than what's required for headphones.
 
If you're looking for new speakers, I strongly suggest looking at Salk.   I have a pair of their HT2-TLs and love them.  You wouldn't need a sub with these either.   http://www.salksound.com/index.shtml  Their songtowers are also something worth looking at.

 

[luckybaer]

Just got my turntable set up a few days ago.  Now, vinyl through speakers... whoa!
 
Vinyl through my receiver to the DT880... almost heaven!

 

[9pintube]

Good for you man, Sounds like you're on the right road to musical bliss!!         PS... I'll take my dedicated main RM (vinyl only) System anyday over my hd phone system....

 

[Phos]

My speakers are a set of Logitech Z-2200's, my headphones are a pair of ATH-A900's. One's a little better than the other.
 
Actually, we also have this old set of Bang&Olufsen speakers, but they're not very useful for a few reasons. They're practically built into the wall in a room with rather poor acoustics (windows down one side, shelves on the other), are nearly impossible to get signals to (I should just get the receiver out of the cupboard, makes no sense for it to be there anyway).
 
I guess you could also take that last paragraph as an example of how much easier headphones are.  

 

[Prog Rock Man]

I switched to all head-fi after a series of house moves where I could never get decent placement for the speakers. Headphones mean you do not need to compromise. They also mean I can pursue my hobby whilst others are watching the TV, playing computer games etc.
 
I also get higher fidelity for my buck and can have a load of different headphones to use. Try that with speakers.

 

[SillyHoney]

I have just demoed a pair of Martin Logan Source hybrid speakers hooked up to a relative expensive Pioneer amp playing an AC/DC CD. It's just... decent. I much prefer my STAX. But it's really really the Best Buy environment is to blame.



At home I have a pair of 2-way Infinity speakers, 8" Infinity subwoofer and a Denon receiver. They cost less than $500. I used to prefer them than any of my cans before going STAX. Now after extensively listening to my STAX I found them have pretty many flaws. I hardly ever listen to music with them recently.



Just sharing thoughts...

 

[JB197]

If I want to dissapear into the mix then it's headphones for me, but if I am doing other things then it's the speakers. The only draw-back is that extended headphone listening becomes tiresome more quickly because of actually having a physical thing on my head. Never get that with speakers of course. Also, when I am using the speakers I sometimes find myself picking up a magazine or book to gently flick through... whereas with my cans on I usually drift away with my eyes closed.

 

[Pulse14]

Well I have on of those walmrt special stereos from sony (3 disc, am/fm, tape?, 2 bookshelfs, and a sub) and have the speakers set up extremely stereo (around 60 deg each from centered in front of me), which i know is wrong!!!!! But for some reason, the just sound like the air-iest set of cans on the face of the earth, and also seem more......alive? then my MS1. But most of all, the speakers have helped me realize what soundstage, air-iness, and other hifi-terms mean.
 
My speakers feel "lively" and "jubilant" and can reallllllly pump songs out with a big heartbeat-pulse (favorite song for them is "Sunday Mornings" by Maroon 5). They do sound nice with some softer songs, I love to listen to the album "The Final Cut" from Pink Floyd on them, but it seems they dont shine here.
 
My headphones though? They are quiet, intimate, and very personal. They let me enjoy my music by relaxing to it and allowing me to uncover the small parts of songs that give the music its "color". My MS1i is an absolute king at this. It is very balanced, IMO, with a slight lean to the bright side. I use to only enjoy dark cans, but with my MS1 i realize the detail i have been missing. Listening to "Home" by Michael Buble actually gives me goosebumps with the MS1, while my speakers seem to lack that same "presentation" of the song. But the MS1 can really rock too. AC/DC, Aerosmith, Queen, Zeppelin, and the like also sound great.
 
It seem that my speakers are very good for the morning, when i favor the songs that pump, and my headphones great for all other times. One exception though: (and i recommend this to everyone) when you get the chance to turn speakers up, DO IT! When the fam leaves, and im home alone, i turn my stereo up to about 22 (11 is normal). When I do this, its like the other two carb's just went WOT!

 

[AudioDwebe]

A speaker-based rig, if properly placed into the listening environment, with the correct amount/location of acoustic treatment, provides (to me) a far more involving listening experience.  Short of that, I feel headphones will far outperform them, generally speaking.
 

 

[Prog Rock Man]

Quote:

Well I have on of those walmrt special stereos from sony (3 disc, am/fm, tape?, 2 bookshelfs, and a sub) and have the speakers set up extremely stereo (around 60 deg each from centered in front of me), which i know is wrong!!!!! But for some reason, the just sound like the air-iest set of cans on the face of the earth, and also seem more......alive? then my MS1. But most of all, the speakers have helped me realize what soundstage, air-iness, and other hifi-terms mean.
 
My speakers feel "lively" and "jubilant" and can reallllllly pump songs out with a big heartbeat-pulse (favorite song for them is "Sunday Mornings" by Maroon 5). They do sound nice with some softer songs, I love to listen to the album "The Final Cut" from Pink Floyd on them, but it seems they dont shine here.
 
My headphones though? They are quiet, intimate, and very personal. They let me enjoy my music by relaxing to it and allowing me to uncover the small parts of songs that give the music its "color". My MS1i is an absolute king at this. It is very balanced, IMO, with a slight lean to the bright side. I use to only enjoy dark cans, but with my MS1 i realize the detail i have been missing. Listening to "Home" by Michael Buble actually gives me goosebumps with the MS1, while my speakers seem to lack that same "presentation" of the song. But the MS1 can really rock too. AC/DC, Aerosmith, Queen, Zeppelin, and the like also sound great.
 
It seem that my speakers are very good for the morning, when i favor the songs that pump, and my headphones great for all other times. One exception though: (and i recommend this to everyone) when you get the chance to turn speakers up, DO IT! When the fam leaves, and im home alone, i turn my stereo up to about 22 (11 is normal). When I do this, its like the other two carb's just went WOT!

You will find such dynamics at lower volumes with better gear. Also, all hifis have a sweet spot where they are on song before they start to distort. Attenuation whereby the voltage of the output from a CDP is reduced to match an amp better helps. Google 'hifi attenuators' and you see products by Rothwell and Golden Jacks which are not too expensive. They fit onto the interconnects that go between your CDP and amp.

 

[jonathanb715]

I've had a variety of good stereo equipment over the years, and I've always preferred speakers to headphones if I could listen to either.  My first good stereo had a Superphon Revelation + pre, B&K EX442 amp, AR ES-1 turntable, Nak BX300 tapedeck, JSE Model 1 speakers (JSE used the same infinite slope crossover patents as the current Joseph Audio speakers).  My last was Portal Audio Panache integrated, Von Schweikert VS1 speakers, Wilson Benesch Circle Turntable, modified Monolithic PS1 phone pre, Sony SCD-C333es cd/SACD player.  In between, I've had Epos 22 speakers (my favorites, but they haven't fit in either of my last couple of houses), Threshold T100 amp, Musical Fidelity Nuvista pre (I really preferred the Superphon and still regret selling it), plus lots of demo equipment.
 
Now I'm headphone only.  I still prefer a good stereo - the best ones have a knack for creating an illusion that the band is in the room with you (my systems could never created the scale that you were in a concert hall listening to a full blown symphony) that headphones just can't match.  For me, headphones are just a step further away from creating realistic playback - I'm more aware with them that I'm listening to a recording, not the real thing.
 
The only reason I'm headphone only is that financial circumstances dictated moving to an apartment building - one that doesn't allow loud or even moderate volume music after 10, plus I have a couple of kids, so my listening sessions are always after the kids are asleep.  Headphones do have some advantages - clarity is a big one, and the ability to hear low level detail is another.  Being able to get consistent results in most any room, and at a significantly lower cost, is also a big advantage.  
 
JB

 

[hans030390]

I think the main advantage to speakers is being able to use multiple drivers for a certain range of frequencies. I think it's much easier and cheaper to accurately reproduce sound with speakers compared to headphones.
 
I'd likely have to spend several hundred dollars to find headphones that satisfy me like my $150 DIY bookshelf speakers coupled with my $100 8" TSC sub and cheap receiver I got for $60. 
 
The only real advantage headphones offer for me is a more "intimate" listening experience (duh, isolation and having drivers right next to your ears). However, if I could put my stereo in a silent room meant for acoustics, I think that would still edge out headphones greatly. Even if they have the same volume to my ears, speakers are always going to have a "bigger" sound (I'm not talking about sound stage and all that). No matter how soft or intimate music can get, I find that headphones always feel like they're taking a sound that's bigger than them and trying to reproduce it that way.
 
That said, I love my headphones. They do occasionally add something different or "better" to music, but I much prefer speakers and the like.

 

[GreyArea]

I find it all depends on the kind of music you're listening to and the situation.
 
I like to work with music in the background, for some reason, I tend to focus better. However, if I listen with headphones, I feel like I'm interacting with the music, it's more like a obtrusive listening experience. Whereas when my speakers are pumping out music into the background, it feels like just another aspect of my working environment, even if it is a positive one.
So, if i'm listening to music for the sake of listening to music, I usually opt for the headphones.
 
If I'm listening to most forms of music, classical, jazz, alternative rock, electronica, I prefer headphones because I find it easier to immerse yourself in the sound.
Whereas with drum & bass or dubstep, you really have to feel the bass.
 
At the end of the day, I agree that these are two different experiences.