[Amit Novos]

Hello,
 
I was wandering, how do you, people, evaluate the sound quality of a headphone while listening to classical music? (for instance piano solo).
 
I find it a bit difficult, since music is art, and art is interpretation, therefore the same piece could be played in many different ways.
 
When it comes to that, i usually refer to what the composer meant and how most of the pianists play.
 
What do you think about that?

 

[MDPD]

Hmm, well not being an expert in headphones, (far from it), I think this doesn't just apply to headphones, but speakers as well. In fact, it pretty much applies to systems too.
When evaluating headphones, speakers what have you, your not really listening for how an artist interprets the piece. Your listening for the overall quality of the recording first of all, (you know the whole garbage in, garbage out thing). Your listening for how the headphones in this case, handle the range of frequencies, where things drop, where things spike, the staging, etc.
Personally, for classical music I find using solo piano somewhat difficult to evaluate with. I personally prefer to use full orchestra where applicable. Why? I feel it gives me a greater range of frequency, better challenge to the headphones, speakers, etc and easier to judge staging, and impact as well as everything else.
Anyway, that's just me. It's all subjective.