The HiFi Myth and Professional System Design

Rob Sinden

I completely agree about headphones. The systems here that have been measured and corrected with RoomPerfect sound virtually identical to professional headphones.

If you compare hifi systems with the same headphones they sound nothing like each other, largely because the room has messed up the sound so much.

gibbsy

Although I prefer listening on speakers for enjoyment and relaxation it's the headphones that shows the music to it's true potential and for me been a worthy investment. As such I have a completely separate system dedicated to the headphones, a system that carries in excess of 80% of my listening time and a not inconsiderable amount of money.

oldcootstereo

I think psychoacoustics is going to become the "thing" in hifi going forward.  The recent discovery that there are literally millions(billions?) of vibration-sensitive neurological sensors throughout our bodies (somatosensation) changes the headphone vs. speaker scenario.  These vibrations signals are processed in the brain the same as heard signals.  Could this be why reference level music is so satisfying?

I find headphones, as pleasant sounding as they are, give a disembodiment sensation that I find distracting, not engaging.  When watching TV using my stereo system/headphones, the actors' voices can end up "in my head", not appearing to be centred on coming from the TV... very odd sounding. So headphones also "mess with the sound", just psychoacoustically, as far as our ears/brain/body are concerned.

dannnielll

Ok! But in my case I have been using phones on and off for decades , and that lump of grey matter between my ears has learnt to make corrections. In general the type of music I go for is female  or male vocal, folk and Country!!!( Your objections noted) or small ensemble quartets , so the viseral punch of enormous bass or Rock is irrelevant to me.  The big power ballad with a 100 piece orchestra of strings, not for me either , so the clarity of phones works for me.

oldcootstereo

I especially like the lady bartender's cheery line from Blues Brothers:  "We have both kinds of music here, Country AND Western!"  

Absolutely, the iPod/iPhone/smartphone revolution was a HUGE step up from Walkmans and portable CD players.  But that is an entirely different world from room-filling stereo, the only commonality being that they both play music.  

It is amazing how our ears/brains adapt/compensate for different sonic situations.

dannnielll

Sorry phones was short for Headphones.

oldcootstereo

AHHH... but my points stand, just not as intended.  

I haven't tried listening to music on my headphones as I can use the full system just about anytime I please... being retired has its benefits.  

dannnielll

As am I, but my children are not and night shifts means daytime sleeping.... The headphones keeps the tinnitus at bay.

gibbsy

I'm retired as well, doesn't mean I can get away with listening to Jethro Tull without the headphones on though, not the wife's favourite. Besides that because of her dicky ticker she gets tired and goes to be bed early. Headphones essential. At least I can listen to Tull in peace.

Listening on headphones can show up those little nuances that speakers or listening position can miss and now I've completely separated the headphone essentials from the main set up and certainly have the highest quality SACD player connected to just a headphone amp as that constitutes 80% of my listening at the very least.

oldcootstereo

Fortunately for me, SWMBO is healthy and likes rock, though getting her to listen to Thick As A Brick all the way through is not in the cards.  

Maybe one day when they cart me off to the old age home (assuming they don't haul me out of here with a toe-tag on) and I can't run my stereo anymore I'll have to swap over to headphones... but until then, if the house is rockin' don't bother knockin'...

Headphones or speakers, my not-that-severe, variable volume tinnitus is the same, so no (dis)advantage either way there.