[niotio910]

Hi,
 
I'm a newbie in audiophile. I've been viewing a lot of posts in this room. I've found some headphone terms that I don't understand. Any explaination of following terms is appreciated
 
1. closed v.s open headphones
2. laid back
3. tubes (probably especially for amp)
 
 
Thanks!

 

[jonoliew]

1. closed headphones don't have "vents" on the side. Like dj style headphones and some Audio-Technicas.
open headphones are vented eg. akg k701/702 grados etc.
 
Just take a look and you'll see.
 
2. Not sure what you're referring to.
 
3. Tubes like you guessed correctly are vacuum tubes. Mainly used in amps/preamps now, its an option instead of getting a solid state amplifier

 

[niotio910]

Thanks jonoliew!
 
"Laid back" is the one I've seen a lot in describing headphones's characteristics. For instance, one said Senn HDxxx sound is a little "laid back"...
 
By the way, what the difference between amp and preamp?

 

[Young Spade]

Quote:

Hi,
 
I'm a newbie in audiophile. I've been viewing a lot of posts in this room. I've found some headphone terms that I don't understand. Any explaination of following terms is appreciated
 
1. closed v.s open headphones
2. laid back
3. tubes (probably especially for amp)
 
 
Thanks!

1) There are a few differences between closed and open headphones. Closed meaning the sound is closed in, and you get better isolation and, generally, better bass response because of this although this isn't always the case. Open phones might have a larger sound stage or a feel of more detail/openness because of their design. There are trade-offs between each so you should decide based on what you need your phone to do. 
 
2) I would attribute something to be laid back if the various areas of the frequency response aren't pushed up, accentuated, or in your face. IE: Laid back. People say that some laid back phones are some in the Sennheiser area and some examples of "up front" phones would be the Grado models. 
         Being laid back or in your face has its advantages and disadvantages as well. I would want a laid back phone for maybe acoustic or jazz music and something up in my face with rock/metal/hardcore/rap/electronic etc...... Of course I left out classical because that varies a lot for me. I personally want as neutral of a sound as possible so I wouldn't aim for either of these two characteristics in a phone. 
 
3) I have no knowledge in this area; check out the headphone amp section for more information on this

 

[Prog Rock Man]

The pre amp is the volume control and source selection and the power amp is the actual guts of the amp where the amplification takes place. An integrated amp has all that in one box. A pre and power amp has it in two boxes and then you can get a preamp with two mono blocks which is one power amp per speaker so that would be three boxes.