Headphone newbie seeking recommendations

[Angle Poise-Lamp]

my question is: is it normal for £400 headphones to be more resolving and detailed than £1000+ speakers?

It’s often said that to achieve the same sound quality with speakers as headphones, you need to spend 4 times as much. Not everyone agrees though and, of course, the listening experience is very different.

 

[Fidelity dom]

Just got the HD650 today (for some bizarre reason, the HD600 will be delivered tomorrow) - first impressions are quite good.

Did a very quick A/B with my speakers (Focal Aria 906) and I think I actually prefer the Sennheiser - i can definitely hear the bass more clearly than through the speakers and despite many people talking about the HD650 being veiled, I find them and as clear as the Focal. The latter might have just a smidgen more bite though.

Anyway - as a total HP noob - my question is: is it normal for £400 headphones to be more resolving and detailed than £1000+ speakers?

Many of us are listening in sub optimal rooms, the room probably has the greatest impact on sound quality & getting it right with room treatments is not always easy with the lived practicalities of multi use spaces. Headphones take the room out of the equation & I find myself at times preferring a relatively cheap set of cans over my system speakers. I am not surprised your finding the headphones giving you more, there is a reason why recording engineers master using headphones as well as monitor speakers😀

 

[Jasonovich]

Just got the HD650 today (for some bizarre reason, the HD600 will be delivered tomorrow) - first impressions are quite good.

Did a very quick A/B with my speakers (Focal Aria 906) and I think I actually prefer the Sennheiser - i can definitely hear the bass more clearly than through the speakers and despite many people talking about the HD650 being veiled, I find them and as clear as the Focal. The latter might have just a smidgen more bite though.

Anyway - as a total HP noob - my question is: is it normal for £400 headphones to be more resolving and detailed than £1000+ speakers?

Headphones you don't have room acoustics to ruin the sound of your speakers.
Once you step up to top notch planars, you'll be blown over.

 

[Entrigo]

Thanks all. I have started down the room treatment route (wool rug, two acoustic panels at first reflection point etc) but I guess more would be needed.

Well, very interesting indeed. Have the HD600 coming today, will do a bit of comparing to see which one I prefer and return the other haha. And I since I got a £150 Richer Sounds voucher for my birthday, might even take the chosen ones to a store and compare to the Hifiman (I think RS has the Ananda). I feel the bug is already settling in my organism 😂

 

[PieterG]

Anyway - as a total HP noob - my question is: is it normal for £400 headphones to be more resolving and detailed than £1000+ speakers?

I'd say yes. Speakers depend so heavily on room interaction. Headphones are way more direct. I also agree that they are two distinct listening experiences that each have their own place.

 

[Entrigo]

I'd say yes. Speakers depend so heavily on room interaction. Headphones are way more direct. I also agree that they are two distinct listening experiences that each have their own place.

Yes definitely. I can see the benefits of both.

But knowing me, the risk is now this will further fuel my upgrade bug as I'd want to be sure my speakers are at the same level as my headphones. And as more extensive room treatment is not an option - it's a shared living space, as Fidelity dom was rightly saying - I will be looking even more keenly at better speakers 😂.