[CookieFactory]

Have you guys noticed a general trend toward an "euphonic" sound instead of an "accurate" sound here in the forums? I think this is especially prevalent in the IEM threads. Just my thoughts, anyone else feel this way?

 

[EdipisReks]

you can blame GoRedWings19

 

[exkgb]

The problem is that everyone defines their own perception of "euphonic" sound as the "accurate". There's not true "accuracy" to speak of anyway. If you have a totally flat response curve from a headphone, it'll sound horrible. All headphones (IEMs included) have their curves adjusted for human hearing and each of us hear differently. In the case of IEMs, it gets even more complicated as factors such as Ear-canal shape, tips, insertion..etc.. all affect the sound.

What is "accurate" to one person might not be to another.

 

[Wmcmanus]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks you can blame GoRedWings19

The fuzz master himself!

 

[marvin]

Yeah, everyone hears differently, but not that differently. Almost everyone will agree that the AKG 501s and Etys are light on bass quantity, that the K1000's have heavy rolloff in the lowest octave, that the Super.fi 5EB/Shure E5s are overly heavy on bass, that Grados are more lively than Senns, etc.

It not that people hear differently so much as people finding a pair of headphones with the sound signature that they like, accuracy be damned.

 

[jerb]

I think this is what your saying marvin but Im not sure so dot take offensive If Im saying the same thing.

everyone has their own taste in music, we like different genre's, one may like sound brighter while otehrs prefer a colder or darker sound.

now, there is agreement on most phones about how they sound, As listed before Grado's are livelyer than senns, etc. No ones gonna deny that the DT770, for example, has bass. Some people love the DT770 for that reason, the same reason others cant stand the phone. this may be due to a gerneral preference or maybe one person is listening to bass heavy music where as the other is listening to a lighter music and the emphasized bass takes away from it.

most people like colored music, its just the way it is

 

[CookieFactory]

I don't think "accuracy," changes from person to person. In fact the very semantic definition of "accuracy," rules out such variablility.
However what is subjective is euphony. While one person may like a bass-heavy sound with a beat to tap their toes to, another person may enjoy clarity, and listening critically.
One camp follows that headphones should remain as faithful to the source as possible, while the other camp just wants music to sound good.
Has there been a poll on this? Maybe we should ask what school of thought each Head-Fi member belongs to.

 

[Kirosia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvin that Grados are more lively than Senns, etc.

Lies i say! They're both capable of being very very lively!!! Mwahahaha!!!!

Anyways, you can have both euphony and fidelity, just don't study the music so much! I actually don't find phones non-agressive (dull, boring, etc), but the recordings themselves. I think many CDs, even pop and rock tunes, are this way. They just don't have much soul and it's the phone's job (and source, amp, et al) to compensate. Certain phones just color them to be a certain way, others "try" to stay neutral.

From what I figure, if the recording itself is already fast, overly laid back, harsh, bassless, etc to begin with then truly "neutral" equipment (there isn't really such a thing right?) will portray them as such. Thus I don't necessarily associate the word neutral with dull or aggresive or forward or whatever. Many times it IS the recording that's the problem.

DISCLAIMER: All of the above was taken out of my arse, so it may not make sense or be true at all.

 

[K2Grey]

One reason why there is a trend towards euphony is because no one wants to say that their purpose in spending (from perspective of normal people) ridiculous amounts of money is to analyze the music, instead of getting enjoyment from it. On the other hand live music is the most hi-fi of all, and many people seem to be able to enjoy it perfectly fine without going into deconstructive mode.

There's also the problem of how someone who has never heard live music can say that a reproduction is accurate or not, since then he has no point of reference. For example, maybe a person may think that since the cymbals and the vocals have the same loudness, that means the mids and highs are balanced, when in fact the cymbal is supposed to sound louder, or things along that line. Other problems include gauging neutrality from electronic music or other things where there is no reference at all. It's alot easier to say "this sounds great to me" than to say "this sounds accurate to me" since if it sounds great to you, it sounds great; but in order to say something is accurate or neutral you need to have a good reference to put it against.

 

[Sovkiller]

I have tried a few of the so called accurate ehapdhones in good systems, and honestly I pass....they have show me nothing new...!!!!!

 

[Dr.Sade]

SA5000, AD2000, K701, UE10PRO, and other analytical "headphones" are being recommended to professional sound engineers for for their ability to reveal flaws.

Many audiophiles are attempting to combine these and other "analytical"
headphones with other technologies (tube amps etc.) to make them
more forgiving (or more natural) and easier to live with.

Yet some audiophiles, the minority it seems, want to hear the highest possible resolution despite any recording or system flaws.

Neverthless, there does seem to be a trend among the majority of
audiophiles to value musicality (euphony) over the nth degree of detail, resolution, and high fidelity.

 

[AdamWill]

"On the other hand live music is the most hi-fi of all"

I don't think that's necessarily true. At least not all live music. Sure, it's true of a well-staged classical or jazz concert, but a well-recorded studio recording played through good headphones is a hell of a lot more hi-fi than your average rock show. Going to a rock show is a great way to have a good time, but if it's a band that makes even moderately interesting music, you'll probably get a better idea of the music they're trying to play by listening to a record than you will at the show...

 

[Jahn]

I'm the first to admit that I can't stand old school high fidelity. I need some fuzz! That's why my HP2 has tons of stuff surrounding it to make it as fuzzy as possible - same with the Melos - the tubes in there help rock things out.

But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate NEW school fidelity. Meaning, there is still a threshold of fidelity that i need to enjoy my cans - if you slap some ipod buds on my ears i'll be writhing in pain.

so - it must sound "good" in both camps, fidelity and euphony, in balance with my tastes - imho they aren't mututally exclusive.

 

[Elec]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AdamWill "On the other hand live music is the most hi-fi of all" I don't think that's necessarily true. At least not all live music. Sure, it's true of a well-staged classical or jazz concert, but a well-recorded studio recording played through good headphones is a hell of a lot more hi-fi than your average rock show. Going to a rock show is a great way to have a good time, but if it's a band that makes even moderately interesting music, you'll probably get a better idea of the music they're trying to play by listening to a record than you will at the show...

Agreed. I've heard some people very strongly state that the goal of hi-fi headphoning is to reproduce the sound of live music as accurately as possible, as if EVERYONE were going for this (or is stupid if they aren't). I couldn't care much less about doing that. I don't get to listen to a lot of live music. The (rock) concerts I've been to have been fun but sounded way crappier than the bands' nicely recorded and mastered CDs. I'm not a musician, so I have no hangups about BrandX piano (or violin, or trumpet, or whatever) needing to sound exactly the same on my headphones as it does in real life.

I'm looking for what sounds good to me, and that may well be euphony instead of "accuracy". I'm always amazed at how clean, pure, fast, and detailed my Etys are. But they're also kinda boring compared to my Senns. They don't have the same soundstage, warmth, or weight to them. I can tell the Senns are a bit fat sounding when I go to them from the Etys, but I don't even care, because I like their sound, accurate or not

 

[halcyon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CookieFactory Have you guys noticed a general trend toward an "euphonic" sound instead of an "accurate" sound here in the forums? I think this is especially prevalent in the IEM threads. Just my thoughts, anyone else feel this way?

Short answer. yes.