[Fargeg]

You only use EQ to make changes that sound good to you. If it already sounds good to you, then congrats. Your ears are perfectly shaped for the sound of the headphone. Not everyone else is as lucky, so using EQ drastically improves our experience.

It's more that headphone acoustics is highly limited and compromise-prone compared to loudspeakers'. Sennheiser themselves couldn't tune bass extension into the HD800S without concocting the silliness that was the HD820.

I use my coax NFM setup as a reference for how technical, neutral audio should sound. The HD800S sounds way more different than ear variation can possibly account for, but modifying oratory's EQ preset brings the headphones very closely in line apart from the bass slam and imaging depth.

 

[gefski]

It's more that headphone acoustics is highly limited and compromise-prone compared to loudspeakers'. Sennheiser themselves couldn't tune bass extension into the HD800S without concocting the silliness that was the HD820.

I use my coax NFM setup as a reference for how technical, neutral audio should sound. The HD800S sounds way more different than ear variation can possibly account for, but modifying oratory's EQ preset brings the headphones very closely in line apart from the bass slam and imaging depth.

Huh???? “…headphone acoustics is highly limited and compromise-prone compared to loudspeakers.” ???????

In playing recorded music, I can’t think of more wildly variable behavior than any loudspeaker’s interactions with the thousands of possible rooms and room positions it could be placed in.

 

[Fargeg]

Huh???? “…headphone acoustics is highly limited and compromise-prone compared to loudspeakers.” ???????

In playing recorded music, I can’t think of more wildly variable behavior than any loudspeaker’s interactions with the thousands of possible rooms and room positions it could be placed in.

As I said, even Sennheiser can't tune a sub-bass lift and sort-of-speaker-like imaging into the same headphone without the result being something like the HD820.

 

[dadracer2]

As I said, even Sennheiser can't tune a sub-bass lift and sort-of-speaker-like imaging into the same headphone without the result being something like the HD820.

I would think they could given their R&D team if that was what they wanted. Also not sure that the HD820 was designed primarily to be an HD800 with bass lift. Certainly, I'd think it would be fair to say that getting a closed back headphone to image like an HD800 would be difficult and result in compromises elsewhere.

 

[phthora]

As someone who finds the 800/800S balance to be excellent, I've never understood the interest in eq with these phones. More generally, with all the best phones, I find eq tends to mess up a carefully engineered and complex character - the result always seems less than the sum of the parts to me. I agree it's a better idea, if possible, to look for components that match your preferences out of the box.

I agree with the spirit of this, for sure. I tend to aim for a stock signature that I will like and generally will not EQ unless it's a very easy fix (like a modest bass shelf). Even when the sounds has flaws, I tend to leave these alone and let the blemishes help create the personality of the headphone. I'm not about the airbrush out Marilyn Monroe's mole.

What sometimes happens though is that the perception of the headphone's sound changes at some point after it's too late to return them. Maybe it's burn-in or pad compression or shifting taste or just greater familiarity with the gear, sometimes you see that mole and suddenly it's not so endearing. At that point, trying EQ is a much better option than jumping to selling the gear and starting over. Likewise if want you want is exactly this headphone, but with more vocal presence or if for some music you like hefty bass but not on other music. Sure, you could buy more gear. I've certainly been down that road. But, EQ is free and carries no risk. Worth a shot in those cases.

 

[dadracer2]

I agree with the spirit of this, for sure. I tend to aim for a stock signature that I will like and generally will not EQ unless it's a very easy fix (like a modest bass shelf). Even when the sounds has flaws, I tend to leave these alone and let the blemishes help create the personality of the headphone. I'm not about the airbrush out Marilyn Monroe's mole.

What sometimes happens though is that the perception of the headphone's sound changes at some point after it's too late to return them. Maybe it's burn-in or pad compression or shifting taste or just greater familiarity with the gear, sometimes you see that mole and suddenly it's not so endearing. At that point, trying EQ is a much better option than jumping to selling the gear and starting over. Likewise if want you want is exactly this headphone, but with more vocal presence or if for some music you like hefty bass but not on other music. Sure, you could buy more gear. I've certainly been down that road. But, EQ is free and carries no risk. Worth a shot in those cases.

I guess that ultimately it is down to choice. If you like to EQ, go ahead, and as you say it's free. If you like the results then that is great. On the few times I have heard EQ applied to headphones it seemed as if some things were improved, but issues then appeared elsewhere. It's not for me, but that's just my opinion so should be regarded as of no value whatsoever.

 

[phthora]

I guess that ultimately it is down to choice. If you like to EQ, go ahead, and as you say it's free. If you like the results then that is great. On the few times I have heard EQ applied to headphones it seemed as if some things were improved, but issues then appeared elsewhere. It's not for me, but that's just my opinion so should be regarded as of no value whatsoever.

On the contrary, since you recognize that it IS your opinion, and not some established fact or something accepted axiomatically, it has great value.

 

[dadracer2]

On the contrary, since you recognize that it IS your opinion, and not some established fact or something accepted axiomatically, it has great value.

Not if you have any common sense it doesn't.

 

[phthora]

Not if you have any common sense it doesn't.

Okay. Your opinion is worthless, I guess.

 

[dadracer2]

Okay. Your opinion is worthless, I guess.

Thank you, finally something we agree on.

 

[Xerosnake90]

I like to EQ because I've always enjoyed the headphone just a bit better. It's not for everyone but I don't understand why you'd be upset about others doing it just cuz you don't

 

[dadracer2]

I like to EQ because I've always enjoyed the headphone just a bit better. It's not for everyone but I don't understand why you'd be upset about others doing it just cuz you don't

I'm absolutely not upset about it. As I said before if people want to EQ then they should go ahead and do so.

 

[gefski]

Sheesh, a food fight over EQ.

On the 650 thread, it’s always about the V-word.

 

[chargedcapacitor]

Sheesh, a food fight over EQ.

On the 650 thread, it’s always about the V-word.

Haha, as it should be.

 

[Xerosnake90]

I'm absolutely not upset about it. As I said before if people want to EQ then they should go ahead and do so.

Not you specifically just people in general