[Sordel]

While exploring the muscular lows of the Triport IEs today I decided to give another spin to Metallica's St. Anger, an album that I have never listened to on headphones before. By all standards that album sucks, except ... wow, it's like I never heard it before.

Instead of its sounding like James Hetfield shouting to be let out while the cast of Stomp! runs riot in a foundry, suddenly there's groove and savage intensity everywhere.

Please submit your candidates for albums that a love of headphones has completely rehabilitated.

 

[Duggeh]

I find speaker listening more forgiving than headphone listening. There are times Id listen to an album on speakers but not headphones, not the other way around though. So far.

 

[neilvg]

I agree with Duggeh, I find that speakers, being further away from my ears, provide the groove and impact without the close range assault.

Neil

 

[robm321]

I agree with Duggeh too about speakers.

I also agree that "St. Anger" sucks by all standards.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

Quote:

Instead of its sounding like James Hetfield shouting to be let out while the cast of Stomp! runs riot in a foundry, suddenly there's groove and savage intensity everywhere

Good one

But still, Hetfield goes off and breaks his voice way too many times and the production values are horrific. The 100$ drum kit u get in walmart sound better than the ones on this album

But coming back to albums that sound better, I wouldnt say better, but I would say interesting when it comes to Radiohead. I sometimes like to listen to Radiohead via headphones to find out those extra hidden instruments and tunes that u really cannot make out using speakers.

 

[Sleestack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilgiljongiljing But coming back to albums that sound better, I wouldnt say better, but I would say interesting when it comes to Radiohead. I sometimes like to listen to Radiohead via headphones to find out those extra hidden instruments and tunes that u really cannot make out using speakers.

What kind of speakers are you using?

I have used OK Computer to reference my headphone and speaker setups many times. If anything, I feel that headphones mask what is a a rather mediocre recording. While headphones can make you more aware of microdetail because of the proximity of the driver to the ear, I feel that they are far more forgiving injust about every other area of music reproduction.

 

[TimmyMac]

I've been diggin on Morcheeba a lot lately.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

Quote:

What kind of speakers are you using?

I listen to music on Logitech Z5300's connected to 24bit SBLive External.

I was referring more to Amnesiac and Kid A when I made that comment.

Quote:

While headphones can make you more aware of microdetail because of the proximity of the driver to the ear

That was exactly what I was talking about. And I also feel more "Into" the music when I use headphones.

 

[Lime Cat]

Agree on the speaker thing and I'll raise with Metallica sucks.

 

[Sleestack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jilgiljongiljing I listen to music on Logitech Z5300's connected to 24bit SBLive External. I was referring more to Amnesiac and Kid A when I made that comment. That was exactly what I was talking about. And I also feel more "Into" the music when I use headphones.

OK, not trying to insulting, but I will guess that your speaker setup is a limiting factor.

I can barely listen to Kid A on the speakers. Very poor recording quality.

I totally understand the appeal of headphones in that music directly in your head can make you feel directly connected to the creative process.

 

[Sleestack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lime Cat Agree on the speaker thing and I'll raise with Metallica sucks.

Lately I've been thinking the same thing. Maybe its b/c I listen to too much Opeth.

 

[neilvg]

As long as we're being opinionated -

Awesome Metallica:
Ride the Lightening
Master of Puppets
And Just For All

Good Metallica:
Kill Em All

OK Metallica:
Black Album

Bad Metallica
Everything else

===

As Sleestack has mentioned, for those who have never heard a good speaker rig, you don't know what your missing. Just as the lower range of headphones only gives a shadow as to what the very high end can do, w/ speakers this is even more so. And the configuration options are even more myriad than with headphones. But since this isn't a speaker forum, suffice to say, a good speaker setup, while very different from headphones, really does do the best job at capturing a recording, as it is, and presenting it as the artist intended.

Most mastering engineers do NOT use headphones to master (especially uber high end ones); but they do sue very nice speakers, in rooms especially treated for them.

Neil

 

[biged]

I really like Metallica's S & M album. I never get tired of Hero of the Day.

Ed

 

[Sordel]

I guess that this thread is a bit sidelined on Metallica, which is fine, but what I was getting out is that audiophiles typically pride themselves that their setup is so revealing that it uncovers the awfulness within good-sounding albums. It's comparatively rare to hear someone say that their setup makes a bad album sound good.

I thought that we might discover a) the qualities of the headphones from the type of music that they flatter and b) some interesting recorded material for assessing any new headphones.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

Quote:

OK, not trying to insulting, but I will guess that your speaker setup is a limiting factor.

Yeah well I never bothered to upgrade cos everytime I start playing something at reasonable volumes, someone has a problem. So I have shifted loyalties to headphones and use them most of the time.

However I would appreciate if u cud suggest some decent speaker sets for connecting the external soundcard to? (Yeah I know this isnt meant to be in this forum, but hey we have discussed this half way already anyway!!)

The thing is, most albums end up sounding pretty awful when compared to some of the well produced albums (BSSM by RHCP,B4 CRWDD STRTS by DMB are two excellent sounding cd's IMO)

I usually always test a headphone/speaker/rig by playing one of those albums for testing overall refinement and clarity. Followed by a bass test by playing Portishead, Enya for Soundstage, Opeth for bass speed and cracking up under pressure, Lamb of God for Bass drum punch, garbage and some random electronica stuff for treble/upper mid range testing.

Obviously this mite be a flawed selection, but IMO they do a good job in evaluating a set of cans/speakers.