[EscaBoi]

i've often wondered what these terms mean. I hear head-fiers say stuff like "these headphones lack highs" or "the mids are great"

what does that mean??

sorry, i'm not sure if this would be the appropriate section. please let me know if it isn't

 

[familyman]

well highs mean high powered bass, BOMM i mean BOOM, and mids mean the middle of the song, "man these headphones have great mids" = "these headphones make the middle of the song sound great" and lows are when the headphone stops satisfying you and you don't have enough money for a new pair, those are the lows.

 

[jagorev]

Musical pitch is determined by the frequency of sound waves.

High pitches = high frequency = soprano, violin, flute, etc.
Medium pitches = middle frequencies = viola, cello, alto, tenor, oboe, etc.
Low pitches = low (bass) frequencies = bass, bassoon, bass drum, baritone, etc.

Frequencies are measured in terms of oscillations of a soundwave per second, a unit known as hertz.

Humans can hear from 20 Hz (lowest) to 20,000 Hz (highest).

Every time you double the frequency, you get one octave higher. For example, a piano has about 7 octaves, from left hand side to right hand side. Humans can hear about 10 octaves, though we lose some of the highest octave (10,000-20,000) as we grow older.

Generally, under 400 Hz is low or bass frequencies; midrange or middle is from 400 Hz to 3000 or 4000 Hz, and the couple of octaves remaining above that are the highs or treble.

 

[familyman]

ignore him he is lying.

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by familyman ignore him he is lying.

I've been exposed!

 

[Jahn]

Highs - Cymbals. How do they sound? Are they clean and splashy when they should be? If it's a ride cymbal, do you have a nice weighty "ting" without the hits being all slushed together? In other words, does it sound like a real cymbal? Then you're good on the highs.

Mids - does a woman's voice sound lush when it should be, or reedy or raspy when appropriate? Can you hear that vocal timbre as if she's invading your brain with sweet nothings? I think you're ok in the mids then. If she sounds like Rosanne Barr mumbling at you while she's making quick work of a Duncan Hines Raisin Loaf, you've got issues.

Lows - when that Fender P-Bass gets thumped, do you feel that movement of air? Do you just hear that immediate string twang, or that nice low resonant thrum that comes immediately after? And when there's a quick run up the frets, is everything boomboomboom in a big mess, that "one note bass," or is it just as musical as that lead guitar living in the high mids? Is it a smeary sound that seems to spill over the vocals and lay like a thick blanket over the whole performance, or is it "tight" and punchy, just kicking in when and where it should? After all, the Bassist is the true rhythm of the band, not the drummer - the bass should be able to be distinct enough where you could keep time just by the bassist - and that includes the electronic thump from club mixes too. If so, you've got good bass.

 

[familyman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagorev I've been exposed!

actually that's a great ex[;lanation, oops ms1 cord got under my finger, explanation.

 

[Jahn]

Of course there is also the explanation -

"No Highs, No Lows, Must Be Bose!"

 

[Gabe Logan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn Of course there is also the explanation - "No Highs, No Lows, Must Be Bose!"

Hehe.Someone should put that in their sig.

 

[kramer5150]

heres how I see/hear it:
Lows = 20-350 Hz
Mids = 350-4000Hz
Highs = 4000-20000Hz

I further break it down as follows:

Sub-bass = 15-50 Hz
Bass = 50-200 Hz
mid-bass = 200-400Hz
lower mids 400-900Hz
Upper mids = 900-4000Hz
treble - 4000-20000Hz

When I was an IASCA competitor (car audio), a HUGE part of competing is the ability to explain all your crossover frequencies, and speaker resonance, in terms of Hz and db/octave slopes to the judges... quickly and clearly. My first few shows I SWEAR

I had a really good sounding system... but I stuttered and stammered in the judging lanes and got whooped.

**edit**
Go to guitar center and play around with the rane graphic EQs, play some music and boost / cut frequencies to get a feel for what each band sounds like.

Garrett

 

[nadavnaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by familyman well highs mean high powered bass, BOMM i mean BOOM, and mids mean the middle of the song, "man these headphones have great mids" = "these headphones make the middle of the song sound great" and lows are when the headphone stops satisfying you and you don't have enough money for a new pair, those are the lows.

LOL are u serious? middle of the song?! NOOO! its the middle freqs!

 

[RichardCory]

He was joking.

 

[nadavnaz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichardCory He was joking.

lol ok

 

[EscaBoi]

hmmm i think i get it now...so
lows = bass
highs = treble

mids seem to be a little confusing but i partly understand that

so when people say the Sennheiser HD280's lack highs, it means the treble sucks then right?

 

[jagorev]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EscaBoi hmmm i think i get it now...so lows = bass highs = treble mids seem to be a little confusing but i partly understand that so when people say the Sennheiser HD280's lack highs, it means the treble sucks then right?

In the case of the HD280, there's a treble roll-off. The highs are reproduced at a much lower volume level, so it's harder to hear. A "bright" headphone is one that puts an emphasis on treble - Grados and the DT990, for example.