Are Headphones a Viable Alternative

[George 47]

I have recently been looking, with help from a couple of Wammers, at using headphones. Some years ago the headphone amplifier was a bolt-on goody put into proper amplifiers or a cheapie box. Their sound quality varied from below awful up to average. During this time I bought a set of Stax headphones having heard them at a bake-off and they sounded really good and ultra clear without being clinical. They did not have a high impact sound on rock and big orchestral music but the detail, clarity and naturalness was superb. It was beyond what I could get from most systems I heard.

However, they have become much more popular recently which has spurred on some companies to make dedicated amplifiers that sound very, very good for not a lot. I have heard the Schiit Magni2 which sounded great for a solid state amplifier and only cost a ton. Although I preferred the Little Dot valve amplifier. The Audeze Deckard was great with the Audeze headphones and a real step up in quality but somewhat more expensive. We had a superb sounding set up with a Little Dot and a set of BeyerDynamic 770s.

Some people are finding them a real alternative to using an enormous amplifier with huge speakers. The experience is not so visceral but you can get stunning sound quality. Obviously, the sound is not impacted by the room etc. and you do not need a large thermal bank of an amplifier with two vertical coffin-like box speakers.. But some of those Woo amplifiers do look huge and as they run big valves they do heat the room a little. But maybe not as much as four 845s. 

What is others' experience? Does anyone use them as a real alternative to speakers? I appreciate that for late night listening there may not be an alternative but I sometime prefer their sound.

 

[Von Krolock]

Some people are finding them a real alternative to using an enormous amplifier with huge speakers. The experience is not so visceral but you can get stunning sound quality.

This is a good summary of headphone listening. Bass sounds are felt through the body as much as heard & headphones can't do it,
but they can reproduce extraordinary detail albeit in an enclosed soundstage.

Last night I listened to headphone for 10 minutes before reverting to speakers, even at low volumes I much prefer their sound & the physical impact
at higher levels.

 

 

[monya]

I now listen to headphones 90% of the time whilst the system sits idle and if this continues I may well sell it. Am happy with Stax 009's and expect even greater things when a new amp comes along soon. No room interference is a big factor.

 

[SergeAuckland]

I use headphones for monitoring during live recordings, and very occasionally, for listening without disturbing others.

Apart from that, I can't get on with them as they don't present a frontal stereo soundstage, as it's all in my head. That for me is enough to relegate headphones to 'need to use' use only. The lack of frontal imaging also makes mixing on headphones hard, so try not to do any until I can monitor on loudspeakers. 

I've got two pairs of decent enough headphones, AKG K270S and KOSS Pro4AAs, both sealed back headphones necessary for recording use, and I had some Jecklin Floats, for years,  in an attempt to get some 'out of head' images for home listening, but could never really get on with them.

S.

 

[Thetiminator]

I rarely use my speakers now (Revel salon 2's driven by musical fidelity titans). Yes headphones don't give you the same imaging, although when you get used to it it's quite pleasing. And you'll never get the bass slam or depth that you do with big full range floorstanders......

But aside those two aspects my headphones spank the pants off my speakers in every other way. 

 

[f1eng]

I am like Serge, I use headphones for monitoring when I am recording and when travelling but I use speakers whenever I can and headphones only when speakers are not an option. 

 

[Pinkie]

The sigmas had a wonderful frontal presentation. A pity they aren't still made, although the wearer did look a prize nob. The ultrasone 900i that Mrs pinkie bought me for my last birthday are interesting. I like them for guitar practice but have only done a bit of listening to records with them. That reminds me. I am waiting for a prototype headphone amp board to make up from a friend.

Sent from my Hudl 2 using Tapatalk

 

[SergeAuckland]

The sigmas had a wonderful frontal presentation. A pity they aren't still made, although the wearer did look a prize nob. The ultrasone 900i that Mrs pinkie bought me for my last birthday are interesting. I like them for guitar practice but have only done a bit of listening to records with them. That reminds me. I am waiting for a prototype headphone amp board to make up from a friend.

Sent from my Hudl 2 using Tapatalk
 

Not unlike Jecklin Floats!

No, that's not me!

 

[George 47]

If you want a bit of fun try a binaural recording that gives an interesting and new perspective on imaging. Barber's Shop on the Chesky sampler is interesting. Would you like a hair cut sir? Click go the scissors....

 

[SergeAuckland]

If you want a bit of fun try a binaural recording that gives an interesting and new perspective on imaging. Barber's Shop on the Chesky sampler is interesting. Would you like a hair cut sir? Click go the scissors....

I really wish binaural recordings worked for me, but they don't. I've listened to quite a few, some years ago, the BBC did a series of dramas using binaural recordings, but they just didn't work for me. I got none of the 'surround' effects at all. Yet, stereo works for me very well, so it must be the (odd) way my brain works!

S

 

[George 47]

I couldn't possibly comment.

I had a listen to some older binaural recordings and they did not work that well but the newer ones, particularly the Chesky recording seems to sound better giving the 3D effect. Oddly enough my problem has been getting a good forward 3D image. I can get 3D effects behind me but not forward. 

 

[m@tty]

They are for me!

Do most of my listening on them!



Although currently using an Objective2 as the Bottlehead Crack is just to interesting for my 21month old

 

[vincula]

LOL!. Kids love valves. They're born with the right taste for music xD  Lovely combo. In passing, what DAC is that one?

Regards,

Vincula

 

[George 47]

LOL!. Kids love valves. They're born with the right taste for music xD  Lovely combo. In passing, what DAC is that one?

Regards,

Vincula

it is the 3 it comes between the 2 and the 4....

 

[JTW]

I now occasionally use headphones but really just for chamber music as I like their analytical nature for that genre.

 

[insider9]

I only use headphones occasionally. Usually when it's late to listen via speakers as music would disturb kids sleeping. They're great alternative although I share sentiments in regards to imaging, which I prefer on speakers. I found that a decent/dedicated headphone amp makes a difference. As well as open back design improves soundstage and imaging dramatically vs closed back I've heard. Sure in some environments you can't really use closed back. It is a different experience but I enjoy it nevertheless.

With no room interaction and usually with headphones measuring better than similarly priced speakers they're a great point of reference. In fact main reason I upgraded my headfi was so that I have a point of reference when and if I upgrade my system. And that I can continue to enjoy music when in between ideal setups.

 

[m@tty]

LOL!. Kids love valves. They're born with the right taste for music xD  Lovely combo. In passing, what DAC is that one?

Regards,

Vincula

It's a Starting Point Systems Dac3

 

[Strider]

I've been listening to my cans setup more and more lately. Its a very modest pairing of a Fiio E9 and a Fiio E07K Andes, I bypass all the settings in the DAC so it isn't doing anything apart from being a DAC, set Windows to 24 96K, the headphone amplification is taken care of by the E9. Headphones are AKG K550 - the sound is stupidly good!

The whole frequency spectrum is represented, no sibilance but bags of detail, bass is so tuneful and goes deep, mid range and especially vocals are on point, great attack and dynamics. I do get a very good image from this setup with a tangible 3D soundstage, to my ears its seriously good VFM.

I heard the aforementioned system George has albeit with a different DAC, on Saturday I was at Bry-Fi's place and heard the Little Dot MKIII amp, Beyerdynamic DT -770 80 ohm and a Chord DAC 64 - This was utterly breathtaking! Plus points in place most areas of my setup - detail, frequency response and sheer 'musicality', mine still does better in the imaging department but can't compete for overall enjoyment as the other system.

George, that Little Dot MKIII will be a welcome addition to my setup after I've paid for two new tyres on my car and finished playing with my new lens.... 

 

[vincula]

It's a Starting Point Systems Dac3

That's for the answer. I didn't know them, but I like the approach. Got a Henry Audio USB DAC here, another one that started as open source, if memory serves me right. Exciting one, I think. Works wonderfully with my pc set-up. Got an Audio Note DAC 1 Signature too and a Lampizator-style non-oversampling tubed TDA 1541 dac. This last one's actually the best sounding in many aspects, but it's noisy. Not a good investment. Curious about the French one.

Regarding headphones, I've just invested in a pair of Grado RS1, but I still prefer music breathing though the air. I play sax too, so I can't tell you otherwise for obvious reasons  .

Regards,

Vincula