[NotaLefty]

I'm kind of upset that I can't fall in love with a pair of headphones. I've owned HD598s, Momentums, HD600s, DT990s, SR80s, and now have HD700s. Sure, they sound great. The 700s beat everything I've owned so far. However, when I unplug them and listen to my Audioengine A2 speakers, I'm floored with this full, beefy, realistic sound. These are sub-$200 speakers, so liking them more than headphones that cost much more than that is bothering me. I guess I don't know what I'm asking. Does anyone else experience this? 

Not sure if this is posted in the right place, feel free to point me in the right direction if it isn't. 

 

[whirlwind]

Sounds like you are just a speaker type of guy....nothing wrong with that.
 
Just listen thru your speakers and enjoy your music 

 

[Jim McC]

  Sounds like you are just a speaker type of guy....nothing wrong with that.
 
Just listen thru your speakers and enjoy your music 

 
True. I wonder if there are guys here that use cans almost all the time instead of speakers? Music, movies, everything. What I like about headphones is that I can hear things that I don't with speakers.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Because headphones aren't speakers, they can't ever replicate the feeling of sound actually hitting your entire body. It's always in your head. Some people prefer it, some people don't. I like headphones over speakers myself, and I'm coming to the realization that I prefer closed to open. Personal preference, simple as that.

 

[NotaLefty]

   
True. I wonder if there are guys here that use cans almost all the time instead of speakers? Music, movies, everything. What I like about headphones is that I can hear things that I don't with speakers.

The HD700s are definitely more articulate than my speakers. That being said, they're a lot less fun to listen to, and make poor recordings sound especially awful. 

 

[SomeGuyDude]

   
True. I wonder if there are guys here that use cans almost all the time instead of speakers? Music, movies, everything. What I like about headphones is that I can hear things that I don't with speakers.

 
That'd be me. I don't have headphones hooked up to my TV for most viewing, but I would if I could. I like headphones because it's intimate. It's right there in my head, not over there coming out of speakers. 

 

[Boochie]

  The HD700s are definitely more articulate than my speakers. That being said, they're a lot less fun to listen to, and make poor recordings sound especially awful. 

Welcome to the world of high end, deadly accurate, pure sound reproduction, LOL !! 
 
Like you, once I got my first pair of nice Sennheiser headphones (HD 558's), I suddenly realized how poor some of the recordings I had.  Songs that sound just fine over traditional speakers suddenly sound like crap thru my headphones.  But, by the same token, now I hear sounds that I have never heard before.  Like the cymbals in the background or the individual guitar strings as they are strummed.  At first I blamed the headphones and almost returned them.  But the more I listened, I come to realization that it was the recording, not my headphones that were at fault.
 
Your experience might not be the same as mine but when I began to seek out the highest quality recordings of the songs I like, the more I came to appreciate the quality of a high end product with true, accurate sound reproduction. 

 

[elvergun]

 
Welcome to the world of high end, deadly accurate, pure sound reproduction, LOL !! 
 
 But, by the same token, now I hear sounds that I have never heard before.  Like the cymbals in the background or the individual guitar strings as they are strummed.  At first I blamed the headphones and almost returned them.

 
Well, it depends on which speakers you are using.  With my speakers I hear the cymbals in the background or individual guitar strings.  My speakers are not crap...but they are not that great either (Monitor Audio Radius). 

 

[Rob80b]

  I'm kind of upset that I can't fall in love with a pair of headphones. ........................

Hi NotaLefty
 
From what I’ve read your running your HD700s on a what .. Asus Z87-C mother board.
The HD700 are fairly revealing of up stream components so I can imagine that your speakers would be more rewarding.
I’m an aging audiophile so have invested a fair amount over time, and my HD700s are at the end of $4000 plus in electronics, doesn’t necessarily make it better but I’m sure it beats running them off a CPU.
So in my case the HD700s sound very close to my Dynaudio Special 25s speakers off my Bryston gear.
The point being is we all have to start somewhere but I do not think the 700s, although excellent phones, will not give you musical satisfaction with your current set-up, mind you while breaking in my 700 at work I ran them off an old 30 year old Technics receiver hooked up to the audio output of an iMac using iTunes and was pretty happy with the output.

 

[Shroker]

The reason most people would have headphones over speakers is because they can't use their speakers . Its more or less the unverisal truth. Also as you go up the chain...speakers and the gear to really bring them out become expensive and consuming.

 

[elvergun]

  The reason most people would have headphones over speakers is because they can't use their speakers . Its more or less the unverisal truth.

 
This!!!
 

Also as you go up the chain...speakers and the gear to really bring them out become expensive and consuming.

 
Yeah...up to a point.  With the money some people on this site spent on headphone and equipment, they could  purchased a respectable speaker system.    I think you get better value per dollar with speakers once you reach a certain price point;  you can get a couple of great sounding floor-standing speakers with the same amount of money you can buy an HD800.    Sure, you can also spend a crazy amount of money with speakers...I really feel sorry for the wallets of serious speaker guys.