[Blackwoof]

Not to name drop ASR for drama reasons, just confused. I don't really get them saying above 1% THD is a issue when some of the best headphones(HD650, SR80e, ER4S, etc) & Speakers are quite high. The Etymotic ER2SE i had is <0.15% at 90db yet sounds worse than the ER4XR i had in 2019 that was 0.85% average.

I've gotten the planar/Electrostatic crowd angry before that T50rp is planar yet distorts about the same as HD650. The HD800S has same amount of THD as the 650 yet it get's a lot of praise.

 

[castleofargh]

1%@1kHz is a rule of thumb reference for when THD can typically become noticeable out of a transducer. There is nothing wrong with wanting headphones that have 1% or less THD when aiming for better transparency. It would be silly to have that as only criterion for transparency. Because it's only one variable, and because even relatively to harmonic distortions, a value at 1kHz is not nearly enough to understand what goes on in the audible range.
But I happen to often consider THD@1kHZ@XXXSPL to narrow down my search for a new pair. If things remain well below 1%, I forget about THD and focus on other variables. And if I see THD going high, then I will want to check more detailed measurements, or try the headphone myself before buying(as I distrust subjective review, there isn't much choice left). BUT if I can do neither, then I usually just won't take the chance. Good decision or bad decision, it's going to be mine.

Just like how I tend to avoid certain FR profiles because I know what I like and what will be a PITA to EQ. Sometimes a headphone still does a lot of things right, and when trying it, I will like what I hear despite suspicious measurements. It's rare thought, so until I get a chance to listen, I still interpret a bunch of specs and discard gears with weird FR or high THD specs at 1kHz(sorry). That served me pretty well as far as rule of thumb goes. Feel free to be more inclusive if you have the time/money to go test many more headphones and IEMs.

 

[Blackwoof]

The only time <0.2% at 100db SPL ever mattered was PA speakers for metal gigs. Transparency in my view is more than just one aspect, Many Grado's can sound clear despite looking like a hot mess on any THD chart. Some high THD headphones look like the transducer struggling to do 90 ~ 100db or the diaphragm can't flex as freely to handle the bass SPL at 95db. Which is one of the reasons why the DT 770, HD650, T50rp have 5% in the bass area.

It reminds me of the Flac purists that would cry about MP3, then run off when they couldn't tell a VBR MP3 at 160kbps(Grado SR225e). Going by their logic a ER3XR would need to push 2 ~ 4% at 1KHz to have 0.8 ~ 2% under 90db, Which Etymotic admitted in a thread about why the ER4XR was higher than the ER4SR.

 

[bigshot]

Distortion is a difficult thing to judge by numbers alone. Different kinds of distortion can be audible at wildly different measurements. THD is an average, so it could be good or bad. You don't know just by the number. I wouldn't worry at all about anything under 1%, but it's possible that up to 4% or so can sound excellent too. It all depends. I think distortion ratings are more useful for speakers than headphones. When it comes to DACs and amps, it probably doesn't matter at all.

 

[Blackwoof]

Sighted bias also a issue too since the ones that moan the ER4XR being 1.1%. Also go quiet when the ER4S, ER3XR they gave good impression on is <0.85%, or suddenly blame all their gripes on that being the issue.

 

[bigshot]

A lot of people put the cart before the horse and look for reasons why something is happening before even making sure that there actually is a problem.

 

[Blackwoof]

A lot of people put the cart before the horse and look for reasons why something is happening before even making sure that there actually is a problem.

Sum's up the bass speed argument with headphones too. BA/Planar can rest much quicker without ruining mids & treble, But with dynamic drivers it much harder to do in single driver set up. Which is why Speakers are alway's dual driver.

I've been flamed before pointing out if it could be that companies tune & use driver that can only handle 70db SPL, Since one reviewer noticed at 70db SPL the bass THD was <0.4%.

 

[legcramp]

Just in, ASR measured these apple ear buds to have extremely low THD, nothing else will sound better unless you like hearing distortion.

 

[KeithPhantom]

Just in, ASR measured these apple ear buds to have extremely low THD, nothing else will sound better unless you like hearing distortion.

Distortion isn't the problem most of the time (0.1% THD is -60 dBFS, both masked by the music and extremely quiet even when isolated), FR is. That's the reason I prefer a HD 600 instead of the LCD-2, because even though the HD 600 has worse distortion measurements, it has a way better and more cohesive FR.

 

[Blackwoof]

Distortion isn't the problem most of the time (0.1% THD is -60 dBFS, both masked by the music and extremely quiet even when isolated), FR is. That's the reason I prefer a HD 600 instead of the LCD-2, because even though the HD 600 has worse distortion measurements, it has a way better and more cohesive FR.

Many can't even tell the ER4XR let alone the HD600. This is why i skip impressions of DD Headphones that fawn it being <0.2%. Since despite one ER4XR i had being <0.85% i still couldn't tell with electronic with sine waves.

 

[castleofargh]

Just in, ASR measured these apple ear buds to have extremely low THD, nothing else will sound better unless you like hearing distortion.

There are many earbuds and well vented in-ears with similarly large dynamic drivers, that show excellent THD measurements(better than expensive multi driver IEMs).
But again, assuming that THD alone defines what will sound better is a stretch. As mentioned by @KeithPhantom, FR is a dominant variable when it comes to personal preferences. While a few papers suggest that THD isn't the best tool to predict impressions of sound quality. Both objectively and subjectively, it's not hard to expect stuff found in the -30 to -70dB area, to have smaller impact than something like FR that will affect even full scale amplitudes.
In my case avoiding ear buds has nothing to do with audio quality or audio preferences. It's just that I typically have no use for a portable rig that won't isolate me from outside noises.

 

[Blackwoof]

There are many earbuds and well vented in-ears with similarly large dynamic drivers, that show excellent THD measurements(better than expensive multi driver IEMs).
But again, assuming that THD alone defines what will sound better is a stretch. As mentioned by @KeithPhantom, FR is a dominant variable when it comes to personal preferences. While a few papers suggest that THD isn't the best tool to predict impressions of sound quality. Both objectively and subjectively, it's not hard to expect stuff found in the -30 to -70dB area, to have smaller impact than something like FR that will affect even full scale amplitudes.
In my case avoiding ear buds has nothing to do with audio quality or audio preferences. It's just that I typically have no use for a portable rig that won't isolate me from outside noises.

Also many THD charts don't show stuff at 85db where they can suddenly be <0.09 ~ 0.85%. Like when people said the ER2 was <0.1% but they only used a 80db chart, where the 1% ER4XR was 0.5%. At 100db the ER2XR/SE suddenly push 0.75% at 1KHz.

Another site i lurk had 3 dudes ignore this when told an seem to stupidly admit they listen at 80db+ not getting how dangerous that is.