headphone sounds

[junk88]

soundstage, imageing, mids, treble which is the most important? or are they all just as important?

 

[phthora]

soundstage, imageing, mids, treble which is the most important? or are they all just as important?

That sort of thing depends largely upon your own taste and idiosyncrasies. Some people find that the technical aspects of the headphones, things like driver speed, imaging, resolution, soundstage, etc., are more important than the sound signature since you can always EQ to get the tonal balance you want. Other people place more importance on having a pleasing sound signature, given that the technical aspects are often adjustable with different upstream gear and much subtler anyway. Don't worry about who's right, just try to get your ears on as much gear as possible and figure out what sort of sound you like.

Now, if I've misunderstood your question and you're just trying to start a conversation about people's preferences, here are mine (as posted in my profile):

• I enjoy many different types of sound signature, but most prefer a signature slightly brighter than the Harman Target Response Curve.
  
• I prefer "planar bass" for its fast decay, great texture, and linearity, especially in the very low sub-bass.
• I generally prefer an accentuation in the sub-bass, and I find a lack of bass extension problematic.
  
• I do not usually like more than a modest mid-bass hump and prefer none at all.
  
• I am sensitive to peaks and resonances in the 1.5 to 2.4k region, and I do not like more than moderately forward vocals.
• I am more tolerant than average to peaks and resonances in the 6-8k region. I notice sibilance, but even moderate sibilance does not bother me much.
• I enjoy extended and prominent treble, usually more than polite treble, as long as there are no sharp peaks or resonances.
  
• I generally prefer clarity, resolution, and driver speed over musicality and liquidity, though I still prefer a smooth tonal quality.
• I enjoy moderate to strong dynamic impact or slam, and find low dynamics unsatisfying.
  
• Soundstage width is a low priority for me. I find imaging and separation much more important.
  
• Currently, what I consider closest-to-neutral is the MrSpeakers AEON Closed without tuning pads.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

soundstage, imageing, mids, treble which is the most important? or are they all just as important?

They're all important.

No soundstage/imaging = can be disorienting or fatiguing to listen to.

No mids = sounds weird

No treble = female vocalist with sinusitis and a band behind a thick curtain

No bass = tin can for anything that isn't just vocals and a guitar

 

[tomb]

All other things assumed to be of high-quality, soundstage and imaging are most important. Most high-quality headphones can be equalized to a semi-perfect response (the foundation of Sonarworks' business). However, if soundstage and imaging are not there, there's nothing that can be done to the headphone to fix that.

It's one reason the HD800(s) continues to be the favorite flagship headphone through many years. Its response quirks are ridiculously easy to fix through equalization. However, no other flagship possesses its soundstage and imaging.

 

[cddc]

all important...

a perfect headphone should have flat response (ie. no hyper in bass/mid/treble) and also good soundstage/imaging/etc

 

[cddc]

because no headphone is perfect, so people can only pick with their preferences.

some prefer large soundstage, some prefer heavy bass, some prefer analytical, so now we have different best headphones