Headphone positioning

[Rizumu]

Hmm...let's see if I can get a discussion going.

Wow, I just found out that where you position your headphones actually DOES matter!

;; I had previously disregarded the suggestion on headphone positioning at Meier Audio but decided to give it a shot recently. So, as recommended, I've listened to my Portapros with the drivers placed "more forward and below with respect to the entrance of the ear channel." Click here to see a diagram of I how I used to and am now lisetening.

I thought it sounded better, but wasn't sure if this was psychosomatic or not (i.e. I was expecting it to sound better so...). Not until I switched back to the old position, and WHOA. Sure sounds a lot better in the new position...when I switched back it seemed more...hmm...how do you guys describe sound anyway? (I guess I need to work on my terminology

)
Anyway, it seemed more spacious and fuller in the new position, and more like I was right in front of the band instead of standing a ways off. It sounded more distant in the old position... Is this what the page means when it says that the "perception of depth is increased."?

Do you prefer to listen to headphones in this position? What positions do you prefer?

 

[joelongwood]

I never would have believed this either, Rizumu. But there is definitely a listening "sweet spot" with headphones, just as there is with speakers. I usually listen with the headphones slightly forward.....it tends to bring the soundstage to the front.

 

[Vertigo-1]

Yes, headphone positioning can affect the soundstage. Quite noticeable on my Staxs. I like to bring the back of my Omega II's pads forward until they almost touch the back of my ears. This tends to give me the best forward imaging. On the flip side, if I want a closer presentation and want to really hear all the little details, then I just center the Omega II's cups in relation to my ears. This does tend to bring voices a little too close in to me for comfort though.

 

[Rizumu]

I know joelongwood, I was taken back by how much it affected the sound...I'm definitely enjoying the improved soundstage.

Now that I fixed the rattle in my Portapros, I'm just kicking back and enjoying the music

You wouldn't believe how annoying it was to try and listen to trance with the drivers buzzing in my ear on every beat...

C'mon, no one else has preferences? Don't be shy now...

 

[mikeg]

Quote:

Originally posted by joelongwood I never would have believed this either, Rizumu. But there is definitely a listening "sweet spot" with headphones, just as there is with speakers. I usually listen with the headphones slightly forward.....it tends to bring the soundstage to the front.

A head-fi member suggested "watching the music." By doing this, and using a little imagination, it's possible to bring the soundstage to the front.

 

[Hirsch]

Positioning is absolutely critical to the R10. If it's not in precisely the correct spot, there's major degredation to the sound.

 

[Nik]

Yes, I’m totally with Hirsch: the R-10 needs a correct position in the head, probably more than others headphones. But each cans has his own position to find. For the R-10 you MUST to put the caps “around” your head, (a little behind in the nape) to compensate the forward of the transducers. Only in this correct position you can listen clear and distinctly all the spectrum.

 

[mikeg]

Positioning an AKG K1000 is not at all critical.

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I should place the R10 further back? Hmm that's interesting... must try that next time.

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally posted by mikeg Positioning an AKG K1000 is not at all critical.

???

Try the angle adjustment feature, and report back.

 

[bangraman]

I can't seem to get a forward soundstage on my headphones, strangely they seem to be quieter now...?

 

[mikeg]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hirsch ??? Try the angle adjustment feature, and report back.

When playing at a fairly loud level (average 82 dbA), a moderate change of angle doesn't make a significant difference. At lower volumes there is a noticeable loss of base when turning the ear pieces away to an excessive angle. One other difference. When using an excessively small angle (i.e., placing the ear pieces right against the ears) the perceived width of the sound stage is reduced. The best results for me are obtained when turning the ear pieces to a moderate angle; i.e., with ear pieces just a bit out of contact with the ears. But, when using a reasonably high volume, small shifts of angle either way make little difference as far as what I hear.

 

[AdamZuf]

awake, old thread! (i love to do that

)
i really don't like the advice from meier.

though it makes things more forward, with all of my phones, pushing the headphones forward seems to cause an annoying midbass hump, and less clear presentation. treble gets muffled. less information is projected directly to the ear. hey, i want that info
that info, of coarse, has a touch to my imagination, so in the long run my imagination compensates for technicaly less forward soundstage, that's the way i feel.
pushing them down seems to make a better bass to treble seperation, it was good with the senns, where i wanted to feel the treble speak better.

this is an overall judgement of the effects.
with my DT880 and CD3000, i always like it just a bit forward to my ear canals. or at least that the way it seems

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally posted by mikeg When playing at a fairly loud level (average 82 dbA), a moderate change of angle doesn't make a significant difference. At lower volumes there is a noticeable loss of base when turning the ear pieces away to an excessive angle. One other difference. When using an excessively small angle (i.e., placing the ear pieces right against the ears) the perceived width of the sound stage is reduced. The best results for me are obtained when turning the ear pieces to a moderate angle; i.e., with ear pieces just a bit out of contact with the ears. But, when using a reasonably high volume, small shifts of angle either way make little difference as far as what I hear.

Hey , right on Rizumu. I just recently learned that positioning could make such a difference.

The angle adjustment on the K1000 is a personal preference and I think it is critical to get right. More important, the ear pieces need to be at exactly the same angle (I usually measure with using the length of a nickel) or else the sound is unfocused. Also critical is the position of the headband and the earspeakers relative to your ears. On my head, I finally found the perfect position, which is actually slightly to the rear of my head.

The HP-1000's are also critical of placement. After reading Jan's article a while back, I learned how to position them properly by placing them a little lower than might seem correct and all of sudden...soundstage comes into focus and the frequency coherence falls into place.

My HD-600's are much less sensitive to placement

 

[wallijonn]

it may depend on how the drivers are positioned inside the pads.

you have angled drivers and you have parallel / direct firing into the ear canal drivers.

if you if you adjust the up /down position, and the forward /back position of the axis of the driver, by moving the headband forward, and provided that you do not make a up/down adjustment on the headband, what you are then doing is a diagnol adjustment.

in the case of angled drivers you are changing the firing axis onto a different part of the ear canal.

so what you could conceiviblybe doing is changing the perceived brightness / detail and therefore the perceived soundstageing.

But first you should really try the up / down adjustments. On my Beyers I find that I have to make them really snug (up/down). I find little need for a forward / back adjust ment, as I do it almost automatically. unfortunately this tends to give me top of head burn with the DT880.

On my Grado SR80 / Aiwa AK100 modification I adjusted the driver to my ear for best comfort and best sound, tuned to my ear, before cementing everything in place. It therefore is most comfortable without any need for adjustment.