It may be possible to build a speaker that matches the detail, clarity and natural tone of the best headphones. But I doubt it. The larger amps needed for speakers are not going to yield as good a signal as smaller amps. Even Nelson Pass has realized this with his First Watt offerings, especially the F1 and F2. Also notice that they are designed for very high efficiency speakers. The equation has not changed since the early days of audio. Lower powered amps and high efficiency transducers will yield higher fidelity.
Electrostatic 'phones are not particularly efficient, but they are similar to efficient speakers in that they require little power. When you take a small (headphone sized) electrostatic transducer and power it with the best amplification available, it will remain in a class by itself.
I understand how one might fall in love with a particular approach, but some things are basic and don't change with time. Most so called high end equipment does not sound very special. Nice looking and exclusive, but sonically no way to get your money's worth. I have been listening to speakers considered special since the 1950's, and I am sorry but I have a working BS detector and the "high end" is not full of stellar sounding offerings, and bargains are nowhere to be seen. The world of headphones is full of both.
When something really special comes along, it is not the hyped Stereophile approved stuff. The best my well traveled friends have ever heard was a spartan room at the 2007 CES at the Venetian. It was an adequate SACD player, a KR Kronzilla amp and pair of Escalante Fremonts, $20000 amp and $20000 speakers. A lot of money, but in their opinions worth it.
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Further, I paid less for a pair of AMTs than I did for the HD-650 I had. |
I am sorry, but this "logic" is disingenuous at best. Comparing bargain used prices with the new prices of other equipment is not a valid comparison. If both prices are for used equipment, it is an admission that great headphones hold their value well because they are good, but yesterday's flavor of the month speaker fad is rapidly devalued when the honeymoon is over and reality sets in. The KR-Escalante combo actually
is great and can
not be had for the price of Senn 650s or any other headphone and amp.
Let's have a reality check, for heaven's sake. I've seen it for fifty years and I'm not suddenly falling for it it now. I love speakers and I love headphones, and I love music even more. And I hate hype. Right now Michael Jackson is being paraded as a great artist and line arrays are supposed to be high fi instead of sound reinforcement gear. In future years history will wonder what we were collectively smoking.
Clark