Headphones vs Speakers.....Go!

[diecaster]

Give me speakers every day of the week and twice on Sundays!!

 

I only use headphones when I have no other choice.

[diecaster]

Headphones, even the best, leave me feeling like what I am listening to is quite artificial. Quality speakers don't do that as they disappear from the room.

[diecaster]

23 minutes ago, hdo said:

Speakers cannot produce detailed sound.

 

That is a patently false statement.

[diecaster]

But detail does not equate to better sound quality. It is just one component. I listen for realistic sound, not extreme detail. Speakers do a much better job of recreating realistic sound and are much more pleasant to listen to as far as I am concerned.

[diecaster]

12 minutes ago, hdo said:

You need to take laws of physics into account: inertia and momentum of drivers. Speaker drivers are very heavy. They cannot move fast to produce accurate sound. This is well-known fact! That's why they adopt alternative technology such as magnetic planar and electro-static. Electro-static force is very weak force. So it cannot generate volume. Magnetic planar uses stronger magnetic force. Perfect for headphones. But it cannot extend to speaker level naturally. You need over-engineering like Magnepan speakers.

 

 

Yet quality speakers sound better and more natural than headphones could ever hope to sound. 

 

As far as I am concerned, headphones are for when you can't disturb others or for people that don't have the budget to buy a properly 2 channel setup.

[diecaster]

14 minutes ago, Nordkapp said:

Well, the HP industry is alive and flourishing contrary to what you believe.....

 

Mainly for the two reason I listed above......

[diecaster]

19 minutes ago, Nordkapp said:

Just curious why you are so hell bent on trashing HPs? Do you work for some 2 channel consortium? We fully understand your position. You've expressed it here ad nauseam. Your position is not universal. Accept it please. And stop trashing others who happen to enjoy them. 

 

This is not a zero sum game. I love headphones and I use them a lot! I just think that speakers sound way better and much prefer them to headphones.

[diecaster]

6 minutes ago, Kal Rubinson said:

Yes and there's no reason why anyone need be influenced by another's preference.

 

That's funny coming from a guy that writes for Stereophile! Of course we are influenced by other people's preferences. But, that doesn't mean those preferences are the be all and end all. We all need to listen for ourselves.....

[diecaster]

I find that a proper speaker/room setup with the right amp kills headphones in bass reproduction. Multiple transducers are the way to go here as there is no way that one transducer can handle the entire audible range. And let's not forget that proper bass reproduction is as much about what you feel as what you hear. This, again, is where headphones lack realism. Headphones offend me the most though is how the soundstage is presented: completely unrealistic. Sure, it can be really cool sounding...but just not life like.

[diecaster]

52 minutes ago, esldude said:

Again every approach involves some compromises and every approach has problem areas to be overcome to achieve good sound quality.  You don't have to tell un-truths about speakers to say you prefer headphones or even to say headphones have some very good qualities. 

 

Yes! As I said before, this is not a zero sum game.

[diecaster]

No headphone/amp can make me forget about speakers....

[diecaster]

3 hours ago, AMR/iFi audio said:

 

For a short while at least... 😎

 

I have no idea what that means....

 

But no headphone/headphone amp combo ever sounds as good as a proper speaker setup. I use headphones ONLY when I have to be quiet....and never because I want to use them.

[diecaster]

38 minutes ago, AMR/iFi audio said:

 

There are headphones on the market which sound great enough to just listen to them for a loooong time. We're not saying that headphones are any better than regular stereo setups but rather find both equally useful and enjoyable. 

 

We get to agree to disagree.....

[diecaster]

5 hours ago, AMR/iFi audio said:

 

Yes. It's not a war between them, right? 😎

 

It depends on the question, doesn't it? Speakers beat headphones head to head. But I use headphone sometimes because I would rather listen to music through headphones than not at all.

[diecaster]

@Em2016 and @STC

 

Let's not conflate professionals composing, recording, mixing, and mastering with the consumers listening to music in their homes. Because they are not even close to being the same thing.

 

Also, unless you can show me that even 25 percent of the industry composes, records, mixes, and masters tracks and albums using headphones, all you are doing is saying that a few people use headphones for these activities. In other words, exceptions don't invalidate the rule. 

[diecaster]

1 hour ago, Em2016 said:

But back to my earlier question, what does "Speakers beat headphones head to head" mean?

 

Do you not know what "head to head" means? It means going up against each other.

[diecaster]

6 hours ago, Em2016 said:

 

Noted but what does "going up against each other" mean, in terms of specifics in the context of this discussion?

 

Look at the title of the thread. Why are being so obtuse?