[darcyb62]

I guess I would call myself a relative noobie when it comes to headphones and quality audio. I have been meddling with computer based music composition for quite some time an recently have been getting more serious about the listening experience. I have been asking questions to various product vendors and I will often get asked I am looking for or what's more important: accuracy, naturalness, soundstage, types of music, etc. With the exception of music genre (which is better represented by music I will not listen to) I have a difficult time answering. The reason for this is that I don't really have a baseline by which to compare. The other problem is that there aren't really a whole lot of places I can go to demo this stuff.

So my question is this, where does one start?

Going through the equipment I have I can hear differences and I do have preferences but I have a difficult time to understand the why. For example, on the headphone side I have a pair of Grado SR125s with which I am quite happy with the sound. For in-ears I have a pair of Shure 310s Monster Beat Tours and V-Moda Vibes. In order of preference from best to worst it would Grado, Monster, V-Moda the Shure. So how do these phones compare in terms of listening parameters?

I've also realized the importance of DAC in sound quality but again have a problem in qualifying what I like about the sound. As an example I had been using a Presonus Inspire for my audio in/out functionality from my Mac and tried switching over to Line6 UX1 and was shocked that (1) that there was a significant difference in the sound and (2) that I very much preferred the sound of the Line6 device. But again I can't really explain why.

So what do I do or where do I go to better understand the subtleties behind this stuff? It seems to me that I need a baseline for comparison but how do go about doing so?

Darcy

 

[mgrewe]

There really is no rhyme or reason to what you think "sounds good." As you listen to more and more music, your ear will naturally start to pick up on the subtleties of the music. I can almost guarantee that your preference in sound will change, and welcome it.

For the gear part, read reviews on gear people have written about and try to soak up some of the knowledge that's floatin around this site. Another thing is, form your own opinions. Don't always blindly trust someone's review. Be patient and enjoy what you have when you have it.

 

[Happy Camper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgrewe /img/forum/go_quote.gif There really is no rhyme or reason to what you think "sounds good." As you listen to more and more music, your ear will naturally start to pick up on the subtleties of the music. I can almost guarantee that your preference in sound will change, and welcome it. For the gear part, read reviews on gear people have written about and try to soak up some of the knowledge that's floatin around this site. Another thing is, form your own opinions. Don't always blindly trust someone's review. Be patient and enjoy what you have when you have it.

This is the right mentality.

Better will always be out of reach. Find your comfort range and be happy with what you have. Learn it before stepping to the next level and you will spend less.

 

[boomana]

Not sure where you live, but getting to meets and listening to every possible everything not only help you zero in on what pleases you, but also gives you a frame of reference by which to evaluate gear as well as evaluate the opinions of members on this site. There are more than a few members whose opinions I value, but based on meet experience, I sometimes wonder if we're listening to the same gear. There are other members that I've met a few times, and based on our common sensibilities and preferences, I would take their recommendations without needing to hear something myself. Also, thanks to the gear-person ways of Team Florida, plus a couple CanJams, I've heard quite a bit of gear, and my tastes have consequently evolved over time, and what I value now is not the same as I did years ago.

 

[Uncle Erik]

The best baseline is the real thing. Go to concerts and shows. I highly recommend going to see any orchestra in your area, community groups, choirs, jazz clubs, etc.

Go learn what music sounds like live. That's all you need to know.

 

[darcyb62]

I appreciate the words of advice. I guess the point is this: there is no magic to this, it just takes time and that I should walk before I run. The most important thing is to get out and listen. As far as listening I am quite fortunate as I am on the board for our local symphony. I have the opportunity to listen to a lot of classical and have got to be on pretty good terms with the maestro.