[iamdse47]

quote-  "A new audiophile craves bass;
An established audiophile craves treble;
A really serious audiophile craves mid-range.
 
''Ancient Chinese audiophile saying'' "
 
i see this all over head-fi .... and i currently have monster turbines and i really hear the bass- i really appretiate the bass guitar in alternative rock ( amber by 311 a classic example) but i want to know more about treble. when i got my turbines i was listening to some lower quality songs and i heard a something like static but it turns out it was the cymbals.. i played the same tracks with higher quality like 320 and flac and i noticed the difference. i know that treble is cymbals crashing but what else is considered treble and why is it that "An established audiophile craves treble" ?

 

[sml1226]

I wouldn't call myself established in any way, but I've never been a real basshead. I've always been more of a treble fan. I don't know why, that's just the way it is with me. So I'm not sure how to answer the question, but I think the whole Beats issue just shows how more experienced people don't like bass as much as treble and mids. The Beats are almost all bass, which is why a lot don't like them. The mids and highs are masked by the bass in those, so you miss the details of the higher frequencies.

 

[LFF]

The treble frequency range starts at around 6,000 Hz. An increase in this range is desired by some established audiophiles because it is very often confused with perceiving "more detail". Another term I often hear used on treble heavy systems is "more revealing", "crisp", "clear" and "airy". Even a slight bump in the treble range will emphasize things like cymbals, breath, brush strokes on drums, ambiance and many other things. A lot of people find this to be pleasing...especially older people who have some hearing loss.

EDIT: Expanding on that saying.
 
Newbies usually crave bass (40 Hz - 450 Hz) because it is a frequency range most low-grade systems emphasize. The bigger the emphasis on the bass frequency range, the more "impact" they get or feel. A bump in this range will give most instruments and voices a bit more body and fullness.
 
The critical aspect in all recordings is the midrange. The mids occupy the 500 Hz to 6,000 Hz range of frequencies and those are the frequencies the human ear is most sensitive at picking up. Why? Evolution! It's the frequency range the human voice occupies the most. It's critical because this frequency range carries the most information which our ear will emphasize. Even a slight maladjustment in the mids will makes things sound nasal, honky or muddy.
 
This is very brief and quick...I know but I hope it helps.

 

[iamdse47]

aha i think i understand what you r saying .... im trying to get off the bass heavy and refine my ears .... however most of the music i listen to the bass guitar is critical to the songs and add a new dimesion .... also i use the rock eq setting on my ipod - it enhances both bass and treble. lastly i pulled the trigger on the FA DBA 02s so hopefully i can appretiate treble and mids more with an adequate IEM that is focused on specifically that-  and what is your opinion on the DBAs used for alternative, christian rock and female vocalist bands like versaemerge paramore shiny toy guns ect...?

 

[Rmccullo]

 
I like to turn the eq off on my iPhone. As far as bass, treble, and mids, I like a good balance. To my ears, if theres too much trebble, the music sounds fake, and sometimes hurt. If there's too much bass, I can't get a feel for the clarity.

 

[gduck]

i often hate that whole term, "audiophile," as it can carry a snobbish image
however, reading this forum, there are many ppl who prefer different sound sigs, and their music reflects that
i myself like warm bassy midrange heavy sound (i listen to rock, electronic, and some hip hop)
 
i think the preference in treble can also do with age, not to bang on old ears but perhaps as ppl get older, their ears might like brighter phones ?
and as many cheap phones are low end heavy and muddy, putting a treble oriented phone beside them makes them different from the crowd, where when compared, ppl might associate the different sounding phone as superior?
also, would having a more detail sound be understood by others as a better headphone  (i.e this headphone reveals more detail thus is better) ?
Or maybe treble dominant phones tend to be matched up with classical music which in turn is  generally seen as high brow music so ppl associate this with being of higher quality
 
or maybe alotta ppl just prefer treble

 

[kingtz]

I always preferred the midrange because I am in love with female vocals. But I didn't know that made me a "really serious audiophile"! Now I feel all 1337! lol