Imaging(?) Problem
Jun 13, 2002 at 2:50 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 12

andrzejpw

May one day invent Bose-cancelling headphones.
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I don't know if what I'm describing is imaging. . . but anyway, the more I listen to music, the more I try to "pick out" the location of instruments, etc. Now, I was listening to Brubeck's Time Out(jazz cd), and I noticed something. Everything seems to be slightly behind me. I don't know, I get the impression that I'm the lead singer, and I hear musicians behind me.

Can anyone chime in? Or should I just shut up and enjoy the music?

oh yeah, my system: denon 370 > Outlaw PCA > Headroom Little (newest) > HD580s.
 
Jun 13, 2002 at 7:37 PM Post #3 of 12
I have heard this when listening to older stereo recordings with the W100's. In the early days of stereo, to accentuate the stereo effect, many recordings had some instruments panned hard left and hard right. Headphones that have a wide soundstage, like the W100's, make it sound like some instruments are slightly behind you. If it bothers you crossfeed can eliminate this problem. But I don't like crossfeed, so to place a positive spin on everything let's call it.....Poor Man's Surround Sound!
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Jun 13, 2002 at 7:39 PM Post #4 of 12
Just put the headphones on backwards and the instruments will sound like they are slightly in front of you
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Jun 13, 2002 at 7:47 PM Post #5 of 12
Imaging?.....hmmmm, try some Stax Earspeakers.....detail and imaging out the wazoo. You can reach out, and touch the musicians. (Well,....almost...)

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Jun 13, 2002 at 10:44 PM Post #6 of 12
yeah I tend(ed) to hear everything behind me with my 565's. basically, it's just a thing headphones have, soundstage is never going to be anywhere near realistic.
 
Jun 13, 2002 at 11:35 PM Post #7 of 12
Quote:

Originally posted by 2 channel
Just put the headphones on backwards and the instruments will sound like they are slightly in front of you
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lol, believe it or not, I tried that!

Oh, and this is with a little, and the crossfeed IS on.

btw, this is an older recording. Dave Brubeck.
 
Jun 14, 2002 at 1:33 AM Post #8 of 12
Our brain doesn't have much info when it tries to figure out 'forward backward' imaging, because our ears are on the same plane for front/back imaging. It relies on frequency response changes and delays caused by the shape of our ears facing forward.

Sometimes it helps to take your phones, and move them forward on your head, so that the back of your ears are up against the back of the cup of the headphone. It definately improves my HD590s as well as my sony 7506s. It moves the driver forward a bit, so that its in a bit more 'natural' of a position. Try it, it might work for you.

If you had AKG K1000s, you could fold out the ear pieces, which would improve your imaging, while increasing your goofyness factor by a factor of 10.
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Peace,
phidauex
 
Jun 14, 2002 at 9:44 AM Post #10 of 12
I find if listening eyes open etc I am aware of the particular
in head characteristics of headphones .
But listening in the dark ,eyes shut etc with external spacial
cues gone the effect soon fades and full sound imersion occurs.

As the latter form of listening is my favourite it is the overall
sense of space that phones give that is an important factor to
me when in this listening mode[plenty of ambient bass helps
here].

The Stax do a fine job in that department.


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Jun 14, 2002 at 2:47 PM Post #11 of 12
...Staxs do that with some recordings (present things behind me). I have found that with mine (and I have seen this recommended elsewhere for other cans) if I scoot them forward a ways (retaining comfort, of course), it helps a lot and puts things both ahead and with depth (which they already have tons of).

- Matt
 

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