[PaganDL]

Because I can...

 

[blackdragon87]

mainly to block out brother annoying piano playing

 

[Strat1117]

Variety. I love my big rig, but sometimes I prefer the intimacy of headphones. Plus, I can listen while my wife watches Downton Abby....

 

[Spareribs]

I had a friend ( who I no longer hang with ) was watching x rated stuff at night and his mom heard it upstairs and she hollered at him.

He should have used headphones

 

[Damz87]

Generally prefer headphones so I can listen while working or late at night and can’t disturb my wife & kids. But it’s only in the past 12 months that I’ve discovered IEM’s and how good they can sound and there’s a distinct moment that I came to this realisation.

Growing up I could never get earbuds to stay in my ears so I didn’t pay attention to anything “in-ear” until I was given a set of Sony XBA-4’s as a birthday present in 2015. I remember trying them out with my iPhone 5 and being surprised at how secure and comfortable they were in my ear, but also how bad they sound, so I put them in a drawer to collect dust and forgot about them.

Fast forward to January 2019 and I’m about to leave home to catch a flight, and realised that I accidentally left my bluetooth anc headphones at my office, so the XBA-4 was the only option.

On the flight I pulled out the IEM’s, plugged them into my iPhone X and BAM! These sound incredible now?! What the screw happened?? Why are they so much better than before?

Turns out that those XBA-4 IEM’s are super source picky and my old iPhone 5 must’ve had a higher output impedance or something. But damn, in that moment I was genuinely shocked at how great an IEM can sound, and 12 months later I’m still totally hooked

 

[340519]

Why do you listen to headphones? Do they sound better? Crowded house? What?

Lextek

I have a great 2 channel setup but I prefer headphones.

 

[tmb821]

I use headphones because they have the ability to make the world disappear when I put them on. I also use them because I am hearing impaired and the closeness of the speaker in relation to my ear allows me to actually hear what I’m listening to.

 

[Allegro maestoso]

These peeps nailed it:

tmb821 "allows me to actually hear what I’m listening to."
citroeniste "The room mucks up the sound too much."
eric343 "a special listening room with the soundproof doors closed"​

Sound gets lost in the room! So many household and neighborhood sounds compete for my ears' attention. Two-channel listening is the vigorous, expensive, and often fruitless pursuit of an unattainable ideal - every nuance perfectly balanced and audible. I have come to view two-channel as more about architecture and construction than music. This can run into serious money. Headphone listening pursues the same unattainable goal of total audible detail, but it's much, much easier (and more affordable) to get closer to that goal.

The two-channel setup in my front room - an old Kenwood receiver and two DCM speakers inherited from my dad - rarely gets used. 99% of the time I choose my headphone rig instead. My home office desktop setup is different - a Denon compact integrated amplifier, Monitor Audio Bronze 2 speakers and a Polk Audio sub. I rarely use headphones when I'm in this room, choosing to listen out loud instead. I guess being physically closer just makes it better.

Variety is another factor. If I get bored and want to try something different, I can just put on a different pair of headphones. I have eight to choose from. I have four amps and three DACs to choose from too. Very difficult for 2-channel audiophiles to mix and match with such ease.

 

[joshnor713]

Because I can't listen to speakers at work. I do 90% of my listening at work. Can't imagine getting through the days without them.

 

[SilverEars]

I was in the train today, and some hoodlum came in and blasted his smartphone speaker music.

I then realized the practical purpose of a headphone. I also realized I was slow to realize this.

 

[ekfc63]

Convenience/Laziness. My headphone rig is pretty decent (Chord Dave/MSc, XI Audio Formula S/Powerman, Abyss TC), sounds fab, but my vinyl rig still smokes it.

 

[F208Frank]

I listen to headphones over speakers because generally the room for speakers are usually not ideal in homes unless you have a dedicated listening room. I also personally feel if I spent more on my speaker set up, I would still get better sound from my headphones simply because I am not willing to do "room treatment" for my living room and upset the wife.

I do love the bass being felt to the chest from speakers though.

If money and funds and room set up were all unlimited/perfect, speakers all the way.

For most people, headphones are better value.

 

[Oddiofyl]

I never really listened to headphones that much but right before my divorce I bought a pair of Grado RS2e and a Neve amp. Good thing I did because I ended up packing all my gear up and putting it in storage for over six months. That system got me through a rough time.

Now my system is set up again and I upgraded to a Quicksilver Headphone amp and Klipsch HP 3 phones. Now I find myself listening to headphones all the time. Amazing how great they sound together with Hi Res sources.

 

[droido256]

Sounds better, plus isolates me from the a holes.