[JohnFerrier]

Which has a wider dynamic response...electrostatic or dynamic headphones? Does the name answer the question?

 

[catscratch]

What exactly do you mean by this? Do you mean "dynamic range," as relates to the difference/ratio between the quietest and the loudest sounds that a headphone will render?

Erm... hard to answer as dynamics and electrostatics have a fairly different sound signature, which makes comparisons of exact minutae difficult, at least for these untrained ears. I will say that in my experience, electrostatic headphones can play louder without distortion, and portray microdetail in a more relaxed manner - which, to me, implies that they have the ability to portray both a highly textured loud sound and a highly textured quiet sound simultaneously, without distorting either sound, or making the quite one louder than it should be, and vice versa. Ok, that probably didn't come out right, but I'm just so tired... Don't know if that answers your question. Electrostatics are usually more transparent than dynamics and can be said to lack body - though I personally disagree with this - but I don't think that answers your question either

Ok, sleep...

 

[JohnFerrier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch What exactly do you mean by this? Do you mean "dynamic range," as relates to the difference/ratio between the quietest and the loudest sounds that a headphone will render?

I would have simply used the term "dynamic range", but image the frequency response of headphone transducers changes with signal level. A FR of 16 to 30khz is likely measured at 103dB. It could very well diminish at say 50dB. (At 40dB, the signal is in the microvolt region.)

I need to do some more research. Thanks.

 

[Nak Man]

Not sure what you really meant here ... but if this speakers analogy can be of any help: I feel electrostatics sound good at smaller volume level, while dynamic speakers are thoroughly enjoyable at louder listening volume.

Probably that got something to do with dynamic cone's 'impact' and static membrane's lack of 'damping' (whatever that means =), but that's what I hear. Since phones drivers move very little, maybe those effect would be less pronounced.

 

[JohnFerrier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nak Man Not sure what you really meant here ... but if this speakers analogy can be of any help: I feel electrostatics sound good at smaller volume level, while dynamic speakers are thoroughly enjoyable at louder listening volume. Probably that got something to do with dynamic cone's 'impact' and static membrane's lack of 'damping' (whatever that means =), but that's what I hear. Since phones drivers move very little, maybe those effect would be less pronounced.

Just wonder what is considered to sound good at both low and high signal levels--thus have good dynamics. Thanks for your comments.