[flordenuve]

May seem like a stupid question, but I'm serious. I have three headphones, Sony V6, Sony CD3000 and AKG K340, and while they all are pretty different, I'm quite incapable of telling which one is the best.
I listen to one of them and think "yeah, this sounds really nice", and when I try another I first think "Well, this sounds weird", but after 20 seconds I've adapted to the new sound signature and feel it's just as good as the other, only different.
So, my question is simply: what makes a headphone good?

 

[Kabeer]

Lol well there can be technical ways of discussing how a headphone can be good.

But ultimately its the listening tests. And as long as you have reasonable amplification driving those headphones, the only way to tell is do what you have done. Listen to them!!

If you cant discern anything substantially better between them, then they arent better than each other, for your taste. Simple as that.

Your quite lucky!! Just keep the cheapest one and turn back whilst you can!!!!!!

 

[Meta-Fi]

While I'm not a full fledged audiophile yet, I personally think that what sounds good is pretty much akin to visual aesthetic and individual preference.
Everyone has different values of what they consider to be a "good" headphone.
If you want to talk in terms of build quality this becomes much more easy to solidify. You definitely want something comfortable that won't feel cheap or fall apart, and I'm sure most would agree that a "good headphone" shouldn't. Unless of course you consider a cheap headphone to be "good" because of it's price.
As far as sound goes it's purely subjective. What sounds like great bass on phone to one person sounds like needless bass bloat to another. Great hi's and mids to one person translate to overly bright and sibilant to another.
All you can do is go with what sounds good to you and if it happens to be everything, consider yourself lucky.

 

[Meta-Fi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kabeer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Your quite lucky!! Just keep the cheapest one and turn back whilst you can!!!!!!

haha just what I was thinking when I read it.

 

[flordenuve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meta-Fi /img/forum/go_quote.gif All you can do is go with what sounds good to you and if it happens to be everything, consider yourself lucky.

Well, it's not like I think that everything sounds good, but the three cans I have are all good, I think.
It's kind of like wine tasting - I enjoy a good wine, and I can definitely tell a lousy wine from a good one, but when it come to wines above a certain price, I really can't tell which one is the best. Perhaps I don't have that kind of detailed sensory perception, or something

 

[Currawong]

Some headphones are suited well to certain types of music also. Some music I have with very deep bass notes sounds boring on AKGs, but is completely different when heard through Denons and probably other headphones. I'm sure if I only listened to classical and jazz I'd be using different headphones to what I use now. It's personal preference and what you're used to as well.

 

[panda]

1) blow softly on each cup
2) rub in circular motion
3) whisper into ear_cup
4) ask: are you good?

 

[Meta-Fi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flordenuve /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, it's not like I think that everything sounds good, but the three cans I have are all good, I think. It's kind of like wine tasting - I enjoy a good wine, and I can definitely tell a lousy wine from a good one, but when it come to wines in the same price category, I really can't tell which one is the best. Perhaps I don't have that kind of detailed sensory perception, or something

Maybe the solution is to sample some super hi-end cans and compare those with your currents?

I don't think it comes down to your sensory perception being lacking, I think it's far more likely that either the differences in your phones aren't vastly different enough to solicit a "wow" from your ears, or maybe that while you enjoy these headphones you haven't truly found your sweetspot yet when it comes to the exact sound qualities you find appealing.

 

[Chri5peed]

If they cost over several hundred dollars they're good!

 

[Cinders]

Quote:

Originally Posted by panda /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1) blow softly on each cup 2) rub in circular motion 3) whisper into ear_cup 4) ask: are you good?

5) Have sex with headphones
6) ????
7) PROFIT!

 

[krmathis]

My take on the question...

You can in general see if a headphone is good or not by reading the technical data, owners impressions, and looking at pictures. But that is no substitute for handling and auditioning the headphone yourself, to decide if you like its sound and build qualities. After all we all have different pair of ears, and different preferences.

 

[asmd]

this reminds me of "canned fish" syndrome. if you've had canned fish your entire life, the day you're served up fresh caught fish, its not going to taste right. and depending where you are in life, it may never taste right.
i still like my radio from a small radio (typical compressed radio sound sig with midbass boost made popular by the bbc). radio never sounds right over hi-fi... canned fish.

there needs to be a reference. when based on almost universally the same opinion as to what phones to initiate yourself into good sounding headphone audio, the grado sr60/80 seems to be the definitive answers. so i did, and it was different yeah, but its "supposed" to be good/better as compared to lesser/stock options. then once you go up and up, the definition of good also changes accordingly on a peer scale and at a personal level.

the reference i suppose needs to be auditioning a "reference". not always do able though. not for me and most of us, im sure.

regards,
asmd.

 

[AudioDwebe]

The answer, really, is quite simple: If you enjoy the way a particular headphone presents the music to you, then it's good.

Just a guess, but I'm thinkin' you're probably a "music lover" as opposed to an "equipment lover" and as long as the music comes through for ya, you really don't get into all the minute, micro details that someone else thrives on.

You just might be one of those lucky people who, even if you've got ten different headphones, are able to enjoy each and every one, regardless of manufacturer or the price hierarchy.

 

[nvkid909]

there is comparison to lesser / cheaper phones, but really i found good phones suddenly reminded me how good some music that i neglected my attentions to was/is. like it's new again, getting a new experience from old music, hearing things in stuff i owned for years that i'm sure i never heard before.

just like you can get more out of cans with an amp, you can get more out of the same music with good cans. there is still more to explore within, wow factor still available.

 

[PhoxHound]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cinders /img/forum/go_quote.gif 5) Have sex with headphones 6) ???? 7) PROFIT!

I was totally gonna do that minus step 5.

Listen to them on lots of your favorite songs and decide which one you like the most.