[SoundGoon]

I was responding to a pm a little while ago and in it was asked if I considered a certain pair of headphones to be "audiophile headphones", and I had to answer that I really didn't know. Therein lies my question: What makes a headphone an Audiophile Headphone?

 

[taimurmalik]

Buying it has to jeopardize your financial future.

 

[MASantos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoundGoon I was responding to a pm a little while ago and in it was asked if I considered a certain pair of headphones to be "audiophile headphones", and I had to answer that I really didn't know. Therein lies my question: What makes a headphone an Audiophile Headphone?

I would say the sound quality and build quality.

There is no rule as to what qualifies as audiophile equipment or not. Some manufacturers use the expression "audiophile quality" to express that a certain thing is very high quality.

 

[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MASantos I would say the sound quality and build quality. There is no rule as to what qualifies as audiophile equipment or not. Some manufacturers use the expression "audiophile quality" to express that a certain thing is very high quality.

I'd say built quality isnt a factor. Otherwise people wouldnt risk their money on the Omega1.

An audiophile headphone is different from a regular headphone, only in that it has a better audio convayance than the majority. Whatever the sound signiture or the aesthetics of that headphone may be.

 

[PiccoloNamek]

If we assume that "audiophile" is a word used to describe a person dedicated to achieving high fidelity in the recording and playback of music (as Wikipedia says) then a true audiophile headphone will reproduce the sound as close to the way it actually is as possible, the way the artist or mastering engineer intended it to sound, adding as little coloration of its own as technically possible.

 

[Jahn]

the same thing that makes a headphone a "digital" headphone. meaning, hype

let's take Grado cans for example. i'll be the first to admit that a Grado doesn't have the most cutting edge build quality, even all the way up the line, but it still puts out noise that pleases many music lovers. also, there's something nice about 'em that starts with the (relatively) cheap SR60 all the way to a GS1000 (talking production models only here, folks). so where does the "audiophile" part kick in? where your ears start enjoying the music.

 

[crypt@]

"Sound Enthusiast" is how I like to interpret "Audiophile". I believe a "sound enthusiast" is one who enthusiastically surrounds him/herself with sound/music.

Any equipment used to create, reproduces music (i.e. headphone) is just a tool. If a mono-ear plug can achieve that for a person, though far fetching that may be, then that is the audiophile headphone for that person. Large number of us, myself included, who frequent this forum are more than just "audiophile", we are also "audio-equipment-phile". Though some are more equipment-phile than others.

In the end, it is important to remember that, there is not much point putting on a headphone or turning on the transport if there is no album to play with. And that brings me back to the simple fact, we must all be audiophile. Therefore, whatever you have on right now, is that elusive audiophile headphone!

The artists keep the audiophile going, and for me, W5000 keeps it flowing.

 

[dan1son]

From a marketing perspective Audiophile is normally used to describe extremely high end build quality and specific styling. Things with brushed alluminum faces, lots of knobs, big binding posts... things like that are marketed as audiophile.

Audiophile marketing from actual Audiophiles usually fits somewhere in the middle here. They will market the highest quality sounding products as audiophile grade because they believe this is the case. These don't necessarily look the audiophile part, but normally do because the manufacturer wants it marketable to those who are not Audiophiles to the truest sense of the word.

An audiophile (the noun) usually refers to someone obsessed with making the sound as close to the actual live sound they can get. Obsessed to a point where price and methods are not an option. They will go around the general consensus and do whatever it takes to make the sound more "true." This is completely sound related... looks and build do not matter to them.

Based on the noun definition... most of us probably fit into that category. The main difference between some of us is the fact that we can't afford to do ANYTHING to make it sound better.

 

[Wmcmanus]

The easy answer is that there is no universal answer to this question. Of course, you could read every thread in the history of Head-Fi and possibly come to a different conclusion, but my guess is that you would agree with me.

For some people, an "audiophile headphone" would have to be the HE90, R10, Omega II, L3000, or the like... it's a long list. Others would argue that you can get there with the KSC-35 in the right system. Sometimes it's a matter of budget considerations and it's always a matter of personal taste, but there are many ways to skin the cat. If it sounds good to you, then it is good.

 

[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wmcmanus If it sounds good to you, then it is good.

Wise words.

 

[seagrasser]

Well, in my adventures down this road, it usually means perfomance at the expense practicality which brings up the 10% or 1% rule.

My definitions of this rule depends on disposable income of course (hence 10% or 1%).

I seems that most of my Mid-fi puchases will get me 90% there and thus represent a good value to performance ratio (subsitutes 99% and 1% if you can afford the hi end stuff). That last 10% is very much like the perfect red stemmed cherry that is perfectly placed on top of a sundae. It really makes the package complete, but can be quite a chore to find the perfect one.

In other words, audiophile to me means going that last little bit sonically, at a performance/price quotient that is less than practical considering the alternatives.

What does it take to be an audiophile piece? That is subjective. Something brings a pleasing nuance to the listener, like that triangle you never heard in the background before on you favorite recording. Using esoteric methods and materials to provide a cleaner sound, maybe. New technology, that lowers the noise floor, probably. In all, these things skirt the edge of experimental and probably are not mass produced (means expensive usuall, yet there are some exceptions).

What makes it worth it......that sonic bliss that is achieved with that audiophile cherry.


......runs and hides his wallet as he heads to the sale forum.....

Thanks for reading this long reply, one of my first.

Jason

 

[Comfy]

"Audiophile" is an adjective that refers to people, not to objects.

...And audiophilia is almost defined by a continous search for a better sound. So "audiophile headphones" don't really exist. They are always the next pair of cans you want to purchase.

 

[nibiyabi]

The phrase "audiophile headphones" doesn't necessarily imply that the headphones themselves are audiophiles. What if I said I had found some "workout headphones"? That doesn't mean the headphones can deadlift a few hundred pounds -- they're for working out. Just like audiophile headphones are for audiophiles.

Now about defining it, I guess the broadest definition is "a headphone that costs significantly more than the average person would spend on headphones, with a superior sound quality that is only easily detected by one with acute hearing, a kind of audio connoisseur". There. I said it.

 

[Comfy]

Nibiyabi: you seem to completely misunderstand my point.

There are high-end headphones, and hi-fi headphones, if you like, but there is no such thing as audiophile headphones.

There are audiophiles (crazy people), who mostly seem to enjoy high-end stuff, but there is no common agreement between audiophiles (who are they?) to standardize anything, not to mention headphones.

Audiophile headphones? From KSC-75 to the Orpheus, and anything in between, except for the Bose Triports.

 

[kramer5150]

one that does this to you...

If it puts a smile on your face and draws you into the tunes then thats all that matters.

as opposed to...