Question about open back headphones

[kevinhutchins]

Hello,
I'm curious as to why some of you prefer open back. Especially for setups that require a preamp. I mean this as a genuinely curious question as I was surprised when I learned it was a thing. I'm confused as to the reason for preffering them over a quality set of speakers/stereo, given the sound leak means they arent really suitable in most places people use headphones (office, gym, doing yard work or other chores, ect). And if you need a preamp/dac for one, then you're pretty much limited to a desk or similar setup which defeats the advantage of portability compared to a stereo. Is it more about being cheaper/more compact than a high quality stereo?

 

[Al ears]

Hello,
I'm curious as to why some of you prefer open back. Especially for setups that require a preamp. I mean this as a genuinely curious question as I was surprised when I learned it was a thing. I'm confused as to the reason for preffering them over a quality set of speakers/stereo, given the sound leak means they arent really suitable in most places people use headphones (office, gym, doing yard work or other chores, ect). And if you need a preamp/dac for one, then you're pretty much limited to a desk or similar setup which defeats the advantage of portability compared to a stereo. Is it more about being cheaper/more compact than a high quality stereo?

My understanding is they simply sound better. Predominantly made for the home market where 'leaky' doesn't really matter.
The use of a headphone amplifier is necessary for those that don't have any other means of attaching said headphones and again offer improvement in sound quality over internal headphone amplifiers along with flexibility to adjust the sound to your own requirements.

 

[Gray]

Hello,
I'm curious as to why some of you prefer open back.

Hello to you Kevin.
I'm curious about your curiosity.

...they arent really suitable in most places people use headphones (office, gym, doing yard work or other chores, ect).

I've never used headphones in any of the above places - so I'm ok with my open-backed headphones....and I reckon that might apply to plenty of users.
When I listen to music, I listen to music.
I don't do other things.

Headphones users don't necessarily prefer them to speakers - though plenty do - arguing that the same money gets them better sound from decent headphones than speakers could give them.

 

[Rodolfo]

Welcome, and good question!

I'm with Gray in that I rarely listen to music out and about, and when I do, such as on a flight, I'm likely to use LDAC-equipped Bluetooth head or earphones for convenience. At home, where I do most of my listening, I definitely prefer my stereo speakers or, next, my open headphones. I do have a closed headphone set, and a set of earphones for situations such as listening in bed or other closed quarters. If I had to choose, I'd prefer my open ones for best sound, and probably the earphones next, for both satisfying listening and convenience/flexibility.

Note that there are broad ranges of sound profiles and sound quality between and within both types of headphones, and that tastes explain much of the choice preferences you may learn about. Plus, tastes can vary even for individuals, depending on many variables such as the source, or even the time of day or day of the week. I used to prefer closed because of the advantages you cite, and then I came to prefer open.

Finally, in my experience, for many applications, leakage is quite over-stated for many opens, on the one-hand, as is privacy for many closeds, on the other. Volume matters, as does hearing.

 

[ianrjones]

Open; you can hear the bin-men. Closed; you can't.

 

[Revolutions]

Open back headphones give a more natural listening experience, giving room ambience. Helpful for studio engineers to hear things closer to how it will sound with speakers.