[Lobe]

Practical reasons made me choose headphones. Living in close quarters with others, along with monetary reasons. If it weren't for those reasons, I would go speakers simply because you can feel the bass through your body whereas with headphones you can't

 

[jamato8]

I used to have a home in the country and a separate room for my sound system. Speakers all the way but now, no and I have to use headphones or now, the JH13's. My system was so lifelike I preferred it to all but a few live performances.

 

[spookygonk]

I'd prefer speakers. Won a pair of Tannoy DMT-10 monitors about 15 years ago and they put out the proverbial "wall of sound", I was gobsmacked andso was the guy who bought them off me then and there (just bought a flat & needed the cash). I've yet to experience anything like that with headphones, though to be honest I have a rather meagre setup, so really don't expect that.
What I do like with headphones is the detail & separation I get, especially if songs are properly recorded and mixed. When there's the sense of every component, every instrument spaced out in front of you working together then that's quite magical. I've only ever heard something like that with a loudspeaker setup and was from vinyl running through a multi thousand pound (GBP£) Mission Cyrus setup in a hi-fi store.

 

[32y0]

I prefer headphones for now, because it won't disturb the other people in the house and the neighbours. Also, I don't have the right room for a speaker setup and being a student doesn't help neither.
I would like to have a speaker rig once, but it just isn't the right time now.

 

[Jap]

[size=small]The question seems very unfair since virtually the whole industry (recording, mastering, etc.) is slanted towards speaker usage. With all the industry bias towards speakers, most are going to select them as the favorite. Most of the folks who choose headphones, select them for the same reason I do - because you want to avoid disturbing others.

If there was a competing headphone-based industry (recording, mastering, etc.), the results here may be much different. Compare the best of the speakers in a conventional system to that of headphones in say a binaural-based system and then you have the basis for a healthy discussion.[/size]

 

[intoart]

For the most part, I prefer headphones. The isolation and intimacy that good closed cans provide allows me to drift off into my own little musical universe in a way that speakers cannot.
Of course, I also recognize that the soundstage of speakers is bigger and that the bass is tactile in a way that headphones do not match. This is made up for, however, by the fact that headphone imaging (not the same as soundstage) is much more precise and 3-dimensional, and by the fact that headphone bass is much more detailed and tonally accurate.

 

[tenzip]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jap /img/forum/go_quote.gif [size=small]The question seems very unfair since virtually the whole industry (recording, mastering, etc.) is slanted towards speaker usage. With all the industry bias towards speakers, most are going to select them as the favorite. Most of the folks who choose headphones, select them for the same reason I do - because you want to avoid disturbing others. If there was a competing headphone-based industry (recording, mastering, etc.), the results here may be much different. Compare the best of the speakers in a conventional system to that of headphones in say a binaural-based system and then you have the basis for a healthy discussion.[/size]

While that's true, life's unfair. It is what it is, so that's the basis for the discussion, fair or not.

 

[Craneymusic]

In order to answer the question: "Which is better speakers or headphones", I would ask more detailed question myself:
If you want to experience the most of the sound you need to meet certain criteria
Sound: you need to not to hear, but also feel sound with your entire body. The sound needs to be projected to you from the distance.
Comfort: nothing should limit your motion you are not wired to anything. 
Can you get the same with headphones? No, you can't
Headphones beat over speakers in terms of private and portable use, but not the sound experience. For those people who love headphones and listen only to them, I would say the time will come that many of them will try speakers and find out how much were actually missing from sound. Even the most sophisticated in-ear sound monitors JH Audio 16 pro will not beat many legendary speakers. If am wrong than those people who spend large resources for big tube amplifiers and speakers are bunch of fools.  

 

[Craneymusic]

 
[size=medium]

In order to answer the question: "Which is better speakers or headphones", I would ask more detailed question myself:
If you want to experience the most of the sound you need to meet certain criteria
Sound: you need to not just to hear, but also feel sound with your entire body. The sound needs to be projected to you from the distance.
Comfort: nothing should limit your motion you are not wired to anything. 
Can you get the same with headphones? No, you can't
Headphones beat over speakers in terms of private and portable use, but not the sound experience. For those people who love headphones and listen only to them, I would say the time will come that many of those listeners will try speakers and find out for themselves how much they were actually missing from sound. Even the most sophisticated in-ear sound monitors JH Audio 16 pro will not beat many legendary speakers. If am wrong than those people who spend large resources for big tube amplifiers and speakers are bunch of fools.  
​

[/size]

 

[desktophifi]

I use headphones when i need privacy...for example when i want to listen some music and dont bother persons near. 
Speakers...are appropiate when im in a public place with friends, like a party, meeting...etc. 

 

[RexAeterna]

i prefer headphones for many reasons. i don't have the space for a nice speaker set-up. it cost lot more money compared to a headphone set-up. i appreciate the detail,imaging and intimacy of headphones can offer.

i would like a nice speaker system but i use headphones a lot more on all fronts. also i don't have the money and space for a perfect speaker set-up cause have to have speakers set-up perfectly in order for'em to sound completely accurate and amazing.

 

[Vincent01]

Quote:

i prefer headphones for many reasons. i don't have the space for a nice speaker set-up. it cost lot more money compared to a headphone set-up. 

It depends, there are headphones more expensive than speakers. 

 

[sanakaku]

If only i have the money i'd go with high end speakers.

 

[Vincent01]

But overall...i choose headphones. 

 

[RexAeterna]

Quote:

It depends, there are headphones more expensive than speakers.
 

your right about that but still i would never have the room and won't know how to set-up a room perfectly to make'em sound there best.