[Eisenhower]

I just finished building a pair of modula MT's, which use the dayton rs180 (shielded) 7 inch mid and the seas h1212 tweeter.
But unfortunately my senn hd600's still sound better to my ears. These speakers sound fantastic, they really do, but my senns just give the music more depth in the lower mids. For example, I can really hear the decay of bass drums nicely on the senns, whereas with the speakers I just get the initial hit. I can hear the tops of acoustics guitars resonate with the senns. The modulas just lack this.
Also the senns seem to have a much wider soundstage, the music really surrounds me. The speakers just seem to clump it all together near the middle. This might be more the fault of setup.
One thing the modulas have over my senns is the highs. Cymbals are very realistic, more open and sparkly. I guess this is the senn "veil" at work. But I will note that this makes the senns very easy to listen to for long periods of time, and maybe why the lower notes are more pronounced.

Possibly I need more time to tweak my speaker setup. I'm in a tiny dorm room, so its difficult to image these guys.
What is your take on speakers v.s. headphones? Anyone feel the same I do? I was hoping the opposite would happen, that the speakers would be more impactful and deep. I mean, the only thing that I dislike about the senns is the fact that they can't give me the chest thumping realism of live music. Maybe I should try floorstanders or a small sub.

 

[Sordel]

The reason that I've invested in a headphone system while believing that speakers offer higher absolute SQ is that speaker systems are incredibly picky with respect to vibration, placement, height etc. Worrying about hotspots just isn't much fun, but the ideal system (pace Headroom) really is speaker-based.

 

[Eisenhower]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sordel /img/forum/go_quote.gif The reason that I've invested in a headphone system while believing that speakers offer higher absolute SQ is that speaker systems are incredibly picky with respect to vibration, placement, height etc. Worrying about hotspots just isn't much fun, but the ideal system (pace Headroom) really is speaker-based.

Is it even worth pursuing a speaker setup without a dedicated room?
I mean, maybe its verification of the senn's quality when I can achieve comparable sound to hifi speakers for less.

 

[uraflit]

in the past, i listened to speakers for the majority of the time, but since discovering head-fi, those times are virtually non-existant now.

i'm actually looking to get the cheap insignia bookshelf speakers with a T-amp and call it a day. under $100 for a decent setup just for the casual listening when you dont "feel" like using headphones