Quote:
Originally posted by Orpheus
i understand what you mean.... but i think we look for different things when we listen....
personally, i don't see any point in picking components that hide the truth from me. if the distortion exists on norah jones' CD, i want to hear it, not cause i enjoy listening to it, but simply for the sake of truth. |
Cool. I respect that as far as difference in our listening habits.
What I wanted to say was that you can have a cake and eat it, too. I don't know how, but, some systems can let you hear everything on the reocrds and still enjoy your music. Does this mean they are hiding the *truth*? you still hear stuff just the same as System A, yet, on System B it, somehow, deliver the flaw/recording distortion differently and perhaps not so destracting from the contents.
Letting the information through is important at the end of signal chain. I'm just objecting to some of the systems/gear out there just do it terribly. Now, which is the truth?
Quote:
...there is a logical reason why people still prefer loudspeakers though, and may even claim that they are more "revealing/accurate"... though that really isn't true. |
Agreed.
Quote:
so, people say headphones have no "soundstage" or whatever. that's really a fallacy, cause such a description is out of context--headphones give you exactly what is in the recording... loudspeakers do not. |
The soundstaging thing is a manufactured stuff by printed media ( esp. US rags ) to most extent. I see why many people dig it but soundstaging alone does not make a convincing playback. This is why I don't like most hi-end gear. Focus has been this and mellow treble extension that rob the life out of music. Many hi-end systems I have heard and, admittedly had, they assassinate the music. I sure do not want *eunuch* music.
I guess it is a mindset thing. I don't need floor shaking or having the *true* 30 hz extension ( oh boy, but, that would be cool hehe ) to enjoy lifelike music.
One thing, the fone does well is to get that clean bass extension. That, I don't get that from my standmounts. Somewhat ironic to get the deep bass from the 'fones rather than speakers. But, for me, i'd rather have cleaner presentation down there than sloppy bass shaking my room and scaring small domestic animals.
Quote:
if you are just talking about true accurate reproduction of sound, headphones cannot be beat, by ANY loudspeaker, in a real acoustic situation. |
dunno if you can make the general statement like that. All headphones are also not free of coloration and distortion. Just like speakers, there aren't the perfect phones. That's why I pick the ones I can live with and work with it to get the most of it.
Quote:
anyway, i am glad you guys found the B&W's to be enjoyable. there's nothing like listening to high quality speakers in a nice room, and being able to sit down without cables dangling all about your head. but don't forget about your headphones.... they are the best for what they do. |
I wasn't singling out B&W speaker per se. Just talking about speaker and 'fone listening in general.