[Pepsi]

I love soundstage, but with clarity. Clarity > anything.

 

[SillyHoney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGreen /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't like the soundstage of the AD700s, for example (its got some focus in the centre then the outskirts of the soundstage is completely unfocused, which really drives me mad).

EXACTLY!!! Eventho it's so huge and I have a feeling of being in the middle of a large hall, I don't know exactly where I am standing. That's the problem. When the recording get complicated I'm totally lost.

 

[JohnBal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cAsE sEnSiTiVe /img/forum/go_quote.gif I want to hear how it was recorded. If the musicians were recorded on a large stage, say Carnegie Hall, I want to experience that spread, depth of image, and of course all the wonderful acoustics that great venue provides. If the musicians crowded into the mens room at O'Hare airport to jam, I want to hear the lack of spread, as well as the resultant slap echo that comes 2nd nature to a truly rotten recording environment. If a pair of headphones - or any gear for that matter - doesn't show me that differences in that manner, then I'm not interested in spending time with them.

Agree-
Thats me 100%

 

[cardozo]

This makes me think of a question: In descending order, what are the full-size headphones with the largest soundstage? Which would be placing the Beyer DT880 250 ohms in this classification?

Cheers,

Peter

 

[shane55]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardozo /img/forum/go_quote.gif This makes me think of a question: In descending order, what are the full-size headphones with the largest soundstage? Which would be placing the Beyer DT880 250 ohms in this classification? Cheers, Peter

Well... I have not heard everything, obviously, but of my currently owned cans (HD600, M50, SRH840, DT880), the DT880 is cavernous compared to the rest. The M50 is the most 'intimate'.

shane

 

[pterodactilo]

It depends, if recording asks for large soundstage and headphones provide it then I like, but if it is an intimate recording and an artificially wide soundstage is introduced then it is a flaw for me. Do the AKG K701 produce this or soundstage is large yet natural?.

 

[monsieurguzel]

I'm a little unsure as to how much I like large soundstages in recordings. One types like Jazz / Blues / Vocals I feel much more immersed in the song and feel like I am on stage with the performers. However, on electronic music, rock, and sometimes classical, things can feel a little too distant at times and it actually takes away from the performance. The overly airy HD800 sound stage sort of bugs me at times and feels off in some songs, but then redeems itself by blowing me away in the next song. I guess you can't have a headphone that is perfect for everything...just like in real life there isn't one event space / venue for all types of music being produced.

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardozo /img/forum/go_quote.gif This makes me think of a question: In descending order, what are the full-size headphones with the largest soundstage? Which would be placing the Beyer DT880 250 ohms in this classification? Cheers, Peter

Obviously can't list them all, but here's a rough idea of how some of them stand in general:

Large: K1000 (of course, these aren't exactly your run of the mill headphone design, but nonetheless), HD800, GS/PS1000, K701, AD700

Average: DT880, HD5xx up to 650, some higher end closed headphones

Relatively compressed: Most of the cheaper closed headphones, Most monitoring headphones, Grados

Quote:

Originally Posted by pterodactilo /img/forum/go_quote.gif It depends, if recording asks for large soundstage and headphones provide it then I like, but if it is an intimate recording and an artificially wide soundstage is introduced then it is a flaw for me. Do the AKG K701 produce this or soundstage is large yet natural?.

I really like the K701, but that is to me one of their flaws. Their width is recreated in every recording whether it calls for it or not.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGreen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just wondering. I find myself quite partial to small, precise soundstages. I prefer it over larger, imprecise soundstages, anyway

Depends on my mood.. But usually prefer a smaller, more precise & accurate SS..

 

[MrGreen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by K_19 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I really like the K701, but that is to me one of their flaws. Their width is recreated in every recording whether it calls for it or not.

I agree. I suspect it is a product of the way we record music though, just as much as it is of the headphones.

 

[FirsToStrike]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xnor /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can get pretty decent results within minutes with bs2b, a free foobar2000 plugin. Everyone should give it a try. I don't think this makes much sense, have you ever listened with speakers experiencing real soundstage?

I mean what i call "soundstage" is like im listening to my music from a distance- like listening to music coming out from speakers, just better quality and sometimes some instruments sound closer. I don't feel it's like a real live concert.

 

[n3rdling]

I've posted on this a few times now, but I find these huge soundstages to be overrated and more as something to show off to new listeners than to stay accurate to the recording. My various auditions with the HD800 made me believe that I didn't like huge soundstages period; I hated the fact that I'd put on a familiar track that was recorded in a small space with just a singer and his guitar and it'd sound like Carnegie Hall. I bought the R10 recently and was worried the angled drivers were going to do this and bug me, but I learned another thing about my preferences: it's the combination of never changing soundstages and diffuse imaging that drives me bonkers. The R10 thankfully has nice imaging, so I still find it extremely enjoyable to listen to. The soundstage changes size from recording to recording more than I expected as well, so that's good too. In terms of imaging and changing the size of the soundstage depending on the recording, all headphones pale compared to the Stax O2. It just gets it right every time. It can give you no soundstage like certain Grados if the recording calls for it on one album and then give you a large soundstage on another. The soundstage never gets as large as the Stax Sigma or Sony Qualia, but it gets large enough for me. Most headphones frankly suck at this aspect.

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pterodactilo /img/forum/go_quote.gif It depends, if recording asks for large soundstage and headphones provide it then I like, but if it is an intimate recording and an artificially wide soundstage is introduced then it is a flaw for me. Do the AKG K701 produce this or soundstage is large yet natural?.

I sold my K702s because I felt they had a bloated, alien-sounding soundstage that distracted me from enjoying my music. You will find many that disagree, but that's me.

 

[SillyHoney]

Right after listening to AD700 I learned that soundstage sometimes sucks and can ruin the recording. I was eagerly waiting for the AD700 to see how huge soundstage wow me but I'm disappointed

 

[schawo]

What lost, can never be restored. Soundstage can be tightened by a DSP effortless, but can't be widened. I <3 soundstage