Unreasonable?

[admin_exported]

Just as a experiment tonight, I decided to listen to a few of my current favourite track on my Bose headphones direct in to my Marantz pm4200 amp. I was blown away by the clarity and I realised that this is not what I hear through my speakers. Do you think that I am being unreasonable to expect that sort of sound from my speakers, or am I due to spend a fair few quid on a speaker upgrade? Probably have about £400 to spend if needed.

Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

i was thinking the same thing today, the sound, even from my poverty spec mp3 player was great, better than through my rx6's..

 

[SteveR750]

well, something is wrong here, the sound thru my spennys is better and more enjoyable than my Grados.

 

[JamesOK]

Is it really even valid to compare music through headphones with music through speakers? Surely the difference between the way a speaker and a pair of headphones delivers the music is the main factor?

 

[JoelSim]

maxflinn:i was thinking the same thing today, the sound, even from my poverty spec mp3 player was great, far better than through my rx6's..

Oh dear, time to start over then.

My iPhone sounds like someone dragging their fingers down a blackboard compared to the hifi.

 

[Anonymous]

i guess the obvious difference is that you're completely enveloped by
the music when using headphones, plus there's no room acoustics to play a
part, which do give headphones quite an advantage..

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim:
maxflinn:i was thinking the same thing today, the sound, even from my poverty spec mp3 player was great, far better than through my rx6's..

Oh dear, time to start over then.

My iPhone sounds like someone dragging their fingers down a blackboard compared to the hifi.
i guess saying the mp3 player sounded "far better" was a bit much, currently listening to the black eyed peas on my hifi, a quick volume hike has reminded me what those rx6's can do, so ive changed that to "better"

 

[SteveR750]

For me its simply because I can get a reasonably believable soundstage with my speakers, after all stereo recordings are based upon that layout. Headphones lose some of that information by way of their operation, and for me its the replication of the soundstage that provides the biggest cues to sonic "reality" Detail and frequency balance are all easily overlooked and compensated for by the brain. There is a reason why the ear is shaped the way it is

 

[John Duncan]

JoelSim:My iPhone sounds like someone dragging their fingers down a blackboard compared to the hifi.

And you replaced the supplied Apple earbuds with...what?

 

[John Duncan]

MartSmith:Do you think that I am being unreasonable to expect that sort of sound from my speakers

Generalising, yes. A good small pair of headphones will dig out more detail and have a better frequency response than your average standmount. They're a very different experience though, obviously. I like to think they both have their place...

 

[Gerrardasnails]

MartSmith:
Just as a experiment tonight, I decided to listen to a few of my current favourite track on my Bose headphones direct in to my Marantz pm4200 amp. I was blown away by the clarity and I realised that this is not what I hear through my speakers. Do you think that I am being unreasonable to expect that sort of sound from my speakers, or am I due to spend a fair few quid on a speaker upgrade? Probably have about £400 to spend if needed.

Thanks

I listen to music through my earphones when on the train and that's not a lot these days. At home, I listen to music via my system every day.

 

[Singslinger]

I think with headphones, the room variables are taken out of the equation (floor material, stands, curtains, furniture, distance between speakers, equipment support etc) and because the listening is so close-up, the sound is very detailed.

It's like listening to a good car stereo - you're in an enclosed space and again, because so many variables are not present and listening is close up, the sound will always be very enjoyable.

 

[jaxwired]

MartSmith:

Just as a experiment tonight, I decided to listen to a few of my current favourite track on my Bose headphones direct in to my Marantz pm4200 amp. I was blown away by the clarity and I realised that this is not what I hear through my speakers. Do you think that I am being unreasonable to expect that sort of sound from my speakers, or am I due to spend a fair few quid on a speaker upgrade? Probably have about £400 to spend if needed.

Thanks

I have a pair of AKG K702 headphones. These are world class headphones. They sound sublime. Without a doubt the sound they produce is superior to my very nice hifi system. However, I still listen almost exclusively to my speakers, not my headphones. I really don't think it's fair to compare the two. They are different sensory experiences IMO.

When I first purchased the AKGs, within a couple days I considered selling my entire rig and just using a head-fi rig, but ultimately I realized I would miss the sound of speakers. There's something special about speakers that headphones simply do not deliver. However, the headphone experience is lots of fun as well.

So, IMO, yes, headphones sound "technically" better than speakers. This has to be the case, the cost ratio is like 10 to 1. 2 grand will buy you one of the finest head-fi setups, and you need 20 grand for an equally high quality hifi.

 

[tyranniux42]

My Headphone rig is absolutely superb, and if i really want to hear what is on a recording ill get much closer to it than thru my hifi, mostly due to room interaction (my room is awful), however the last time i listened to my Headphones for a good session in months as the time base was probably in double figures!

Reason? the smile that my hifi puts on my face. Soundstage (even though its Naim...), PRAT (especially cos its Naim :-D) and general realism if its a good recording are all far and above what even my modestly expensive headphone rig can muster.

Saying that I'm listening to my headphones as I type due to no one in my house being up yet, and granted they do sound bloody good

Still nothing boogies like a good hifi rig IMO.

regards

Dan

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Singslinger:
I think with headphones, the room variables are taken out of the equation (floor material, stands, curtains, furniture, distance between speakers, equipment support etc) and because the listening is so close-up, the sound is very detailed.

It's like listening to a good car stereo - you're in an enclosed space and again, because so many variables are not present and listening is close up, the sound will always be very enjoyable.

I must be missing something here. I've listen to a car sound system of a £60k Audi and although the best earphones I've tried are circa £150, neither come anywhere near to my home system.

 

[Singslinger]

Gerrardasnails:Singslinger:

I think with headphones, the room variables are taken out of the equation (floor material, stands, curtains, furniture, distance between speakers, equipment support etc) and because the listening is so close-up, the sound is very detailed.

It's like listening to a good car stereo - you're in an enclosed space and again, because so many variables are not present and listening is close up, the sound will always be very enjoyable.

I must be missing something here. I've listen to a car sound system of a £60k Audi and although the best earphones I've tried are circa £150, neither come anywhere near to my home system.

100% agreed! (Although personally,I think the sound from the stock Audi system is pretty poor...but it'd be a different matter if the 60k were spent on the car's stereo alone)