[arjunlall]

I recently got a pair of Grado Sr60s, which are my first pair of open headphones. (Im loving them so far, quite different from my HD280s, each has their purpose)

So my speakers and headphones are both hooked up to my computer using a splitter. When listening to my grados today I accidently switched on my speakers, and it had a very interesting effect on the soundstage.

I still hear most of the precise sounds from my headphones but the sound seems to be more open and less inside my head. Its also nice having the kick of my subwoofer that I can actually feel, unlike the bass from my grados (which is great by the way).

Has anyone else tried this? Am I crazy? Have I broken some sacred headphone rule that will result in bad luck with my cans for endless years?

I'd appreciate any comments.

 

[smeggy]

I tried it a number of times by accident but never on purpose, it always sounded strange to me.

 

[Duggeh]

I do it with some regularity, the technique becomes more complimentary the more open your headphones are. DVDs on Jecklin Float + Speakers&Sub are pretty damn ace.

Downside is that you can forget just how loud you may be playing those speakers.

 

[Asr]

I could totally try this with my source, since it outputs to the RCA line-outs and headphone jack simultaneously (without shutting one off if both are connected). I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[ObiHuang]

I did this without noticing too, but for a different reason than just forgetting to turn off the speakers. My sound card's outputs plug into the multi-channel inputs of my Onkyo receiver, and when the headphones are plugged into the receiver, the speakers are usually muted but in multi-channel mode, the subwoofer is still on and the crossover frequency that I set for bass redirection remains at 80Hz. With the sub pumping out everything below 80Hz and my SR225s with everything higher, I have quite the enjoyable experience... but it probably eliminates the quiet solitary-factor that headphones are supposed to have.

 

[warrior05]

Yeah, I did this by accident as well. I was listening to a particularly bass heavy song and thought, "Man, I can really feel the bass with these new cans. This is great!" Then I realized I was feeling my subwoofer from my speaker set. I laughed at myself then turned them off. It was an interesting experience but I listen on headphones so as not to disturb my wife so I doubt I'll be taking it any further. Otherwise, I'm likely to have the speakers cranked at 1 in the morning and that would NOT be good!

 

[NotJeffBuckley]

I let my subwoofer do the bassing when I'm listening to open headphones (using a crossover so as not to mix frequencies between them, and delay compensation), but I would never blend open headphones and my full range speakers. Too many phase problems, no thank you!

 

[rhythmicmoose]

Bah, that's nothing. I remember hearing about a guy who listened to some Sennheiser earbuds underneath his HD-280s on a plane ride using a headphone jack splitter.

 

[cribeiro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmicmoose Bah, that's nothing. I remember hearing about a guy who listened to some Sennheiser earbuds underneath his HD-280s on a plane ride using a headphone jack splitter.

LOL
And maybe at home he uses his satellite loudspeakers + subwoofer in addition to these... And he might call it a 4 way home cinema

 

[Meyvn]

I hope no one crucifies me for this, but I once tried it with open headphones in my car. It was pretty awesome.

 

[Beyakusenn]

This might be an old thread, but it's exactly what I was looking for.
 
I also once accidentally had my speakers on while listening to my HD580's and I was impressed with the soudstage. I took my headphones off and noticed it was the speakers that created the soundstage.
 
Now I've sold my open HD580's, but with the semi-open T1's I have now it works just as fine. I use the same amp for the T1's, my KEF iQ5 speakers and REL Q100E subwoofer. At the right distance from my speakers I get a very special detailed, spacious and natural sound.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I hope no one crucifies me for this, but I once tried it with open headphones in my car. It was pretty awesome.

 
So where's the vocals in the soundstage there? The sitting off-center in the car already necessitates angled mounts and time alignment processors, with individual delays on each tweeter and midwoofer just to sync them with each other and the subwoofer, but now you have two drivers smack outside the ear canals with no crossfeed on their own.

 

[RushNerd]

I tried it a number of times by accident but never on purpose

I would hope more of you would feel more adventurous than this! I've tried it a few times with my HE-400s, it's an interesting effect having the same sound leaking in the other way, nothing really wrong with it for fun.
 

I let my subwoofer do the bassing when I'm listening to open headphones (using a crossover so as not to mix frequencies between them, and delay compensation), but I would never blend open headphones and my full range speakers. Too many phase problems, no thank you!

Conversally I've done this too several times (though not this complex, just simply leaving only the sub on) and the combination blows my mind. 
 
I love the sensation enough that i've gone a step further and ordered one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/ButtKicker-Gamer2-BK-GR2/131411426545 to go with my re-purchased he-400s. I'm not sure if there is any kind of tactile transducer people here on the forums, but for me it's the logical missing progression of headphones that you don't get.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
I love the sensation enough that i've gone a step further and ordered one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/ButtKicker-Gamer2-BK-GR2/131411426545 to go with my re-purchased he-400s. I'm not sure if there is any kind of tactile transducer people here on the forums, but for me it's the logical missing progression of headphones that you don't get.

 
This one makes sense actually, even if you don't use a high pass filter on the headphone, at least it's still not an overlap in the midrange (and treble) frequencies. The butt kicker shouldn't even play very audible frequencies, as it's a tactile transducer.