Do you prefer headphones or speakers?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Harvest Your Thoughts, Nov 25, 2014.

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  1. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I've actually had my eye on the Bose 25's as their reputation is so solid, and I understand what I am and am not getting with Bose. The thing is, I currently have some sony noise cancelling earbuds I preferred by leaps and bounds to the Sennheiser wireless headphones (for both sound quality and NC).

    I have HD280 pro's and there's just too much bulk. The ATH-ESW9A's are what I use on the commute these days in fact. I like them because the cups fold in and they slip into my backpack. They work pretty well for me, and I prefer them over the above-mentioned sony noise canceling earbuds - there's tradeoffs there of course, but I guess I prefer higher sound quality + ferry engine noise to lower sound quality with a quiet background.
     
  2. B_big!

    B_big! Vinyl Record Enthusiast

    ( ( ( ( ( ((((((( [​IMG]

    I prefer speakers as long as I just wanna listen to music. I only use headphones when I edit audio files of recorded vinyl records, they preserve me from being disturbed by background noises during the work.

    _________________________________________________________
    [​IMG]
    About the fine art of record covers
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2014
  3. scompton

    scompton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
    I use in ears for commuting and other noisy environments
     
  4. wiki

    wiki Member

    I tend to prefer headphones for a few reasons.

    For one, my speakers are a Sony home theater in a box. They sound good for a HTIB, I've owned a few and listened to a few more, and for the money it performs great (side note, I keep it in stereo mode when listening to music. I hate the fake surround from Dolby Pro Logic II on music, and especially with an analog source I avoid digital processing). That being said, my Sony MDR-V6 and Sennheiser HD 202 headphones are better. Secondly, I have a vacuum tube amplifier for my headphones, and I like the tube sound. Third, I live in a small duplex and headphone listening allows me some privacy so I don't disturb others. Lastly, my small bedroom has bad acoustics with all my furniture. Once I live on my own and have a bigger place I want to have a room dedicated just to music listening, and will likely get a tube amp and some stereo speakers.
     
  5. scompton

    scompton Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arlington, VA
    Once you have a bigger place, you'll probably be married and she'll nix it. When we first moved in together, my then future wife started nagging me to get rid of my, low end, floor standing speakers. I gave in pretty quickly since she didn't like me listening to them anyway. When my neighbor gave me his Polk 5.1 speaker set with an Onkyo amp, she was fine when I brought in the amp because it would be hidden in the TV stand, and the speakers because they were small. When I brought in the sub, she said "That's not coming in the house". Since she only hears below 200 Hz, I had to set it up to demonstrate that the sub was the only thing that was going to make sound she could hear. After that she was fine with it as long as it was hidden, so it's not really ideally placed.
     
  6. triple

    triple Senior Member

    Location:
    Zagreb, Croatia
    Both are better than speakerphones.
     
  7. philly67

    philly67 Forum Resident

    I use both. My stereo speaker system isn't anywhere near where my headphone set is. But speakers are great for the daytime and with other people around...cooking & reading...and definitely for mono listening (took me a LONG time to realize why i wasn't getting as much joy as i should playing mono discs thru my headphones)

    Headphones, late at night, with music that is nicely mastered with a nice whiskey. Some music just cannot stand up to that type of detailed listening, you can see ALL the cracks in the paint. It'll drive you batty if you don't watch.
     
  8. mmars982

    mmars982 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    I prefer headphones, but that is partially because I do not have an "ideal environment" in my house. But even if I did, I still might prefer them. Just seems easier to immerse myself in the music & eliminate distractions. My personal opinion only, of course.
     
  9. oktapod

    oktapod Forum Resident

    My headphones out-resolve my speakers, and dodge any room issues. Speakers do better and deeper bass, and have that visceral thing. My speakers are large ATC active floor-standers, they're about as good a speaker as I've heard, but I am finding my cans more intimate and musically engaging than the speakers at present. Probably because I can listen to my Zappa without sneers from my wife, and can geek out on my prog without shame :)
     
    2xUeL likes this.
  10. oktapod

    oktapod Forum Resident

    Further to the above, I doubt there is a speaker that I can afford that can better my headphones in this regard; I'd probably have to spend tens of thousands of pounds to do so, which is mad unless you have a huge budget and a dedicated, treated room. Would I love to have such a thing? Sure. But no way will anything less beat even upper-mid-range headphones driven properly. My setup is an SPL Phonitor headphone amp (with some mild cross-feed dialled in) into Sennheiser HD800 headphones. I can't imagine anything usefully better at any price....
     
  11. dnuggett

    dnuggett Forum Resident

    Location:
    DFW Texas
    For me there is a place/time for both. Speakers for daytime/early evening listening. Headphones when the kids/wife are in bed. As far as sound preference, answer is still the same. Both.
     
  12. Abbey Road

    Abbey Road Well-Known Member

    I actually prefer speakers, but voted for headphones, as that is how I do almost all of my listening. My headphone rig is much nicer than my stereo, and I have a 2 1/2 year old girl, which seriously limits the amount of time I can use speakers. I don't really have a high-end stereo, but it does sound really good and I like it. :)
     
  13. Abbey Road

    Abbey Road Well-Known Member

    This too! So happy I live in a time where I can enjoy great fidelity without breaking the bank, via headphones and a nice DAC/Amp.
     
  14. TeflonScoundrel

    TeflonScoundrel Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Definitely speakers for me, although I have a set of Sennheiser HD598 which I use when I want to listen to music on the loud side late at night. I prefer the sound to be in front of me rather than inside my head, but I do enjoy listening to headphones too. When I can't use my speakers.
     
  15. econalan

    econalan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Speakers for sure. A few weeks ago, I demoed an audeze lcd-3/chord hugo dac combination being fed from a macbook pro. Definitely a high-end headphone setup, and although it sounded very nice, I could never imagine this replacing my stereo setup. To my ears, still more enjoyable to listen to speakers.
     
  16. Platterpus

    Platterpus Senior Member

    Speakers all the way. I hate headphones.
     
  17. acdc7369

    acdc7369 Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Is this a trick question? Speakers! Headphones are more of a tool for when speakers are inconvenient.
     
  18. tim185

    tim185 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Australia
    Good speakers (dont have to be great), will always beat headphones in a properly treated room. by a long long way. While speakers are obviously important, its the room that plays the biggest factor in how your going to hear music.
     
  19. Diamond Dog

    Diamond Dog Cautionary Example

    I did indeed try the HD800's and found I preferred the T1's overall on a wider variety of music.. They're a terrific match with the Manley Neo-Classic because they love power and the Manley will drive pretty much any cans, I'm thinking. The issue is less that I'm unhappy with my headphone rig and more that I'm just a lot happier with my conventional system and speakers. I really like my speakers a lot!

    D.D.
     
  20. wiki

    wiki Member

    Ha, maybe. I'll just have to marry an audiophile if I get married, haha.
     
  21. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    I understand. Speakers are very different than headphones. The listening experience is very different. Speakers get you to connect with different parts of the music than headphones. And some music really wants speakers rather than headphones (like The Who). It's just a bummer that you've got a neat 300B Manley preamp/headamp and are disappointed with headphone sound. I haven't heard the Manley, but I've heard a few other 300B headphone amps and they've all had a tube magic that is very complementary to headphone listening. Just wonderful magical headphone amps. Some of the best headphone amps I've heard (and also some of the most expensive).

    Audeze was teasing a new prototype high impedance headphone at RMAF. Potentially a good match for a tube amp like the Manely. Worth keeping an eye on if you're still looking for a different headphone sound. I prefer the Audeze sound to the T1 and HD800.

    If I had a listening room where I could crank speakers whenever I wanted without bothering neighbors and others I would be going with speakers rather than headphones. But that's not the case. So I've gone with headphones and make the best of if, and have learned to enjoy headphones for what they they do well.
     
    Diamond Dog likes this.
  22. progrocker71

    progrocker71 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I like the experience of headphones for certain albums, certain moods. But 90% of the time I'm listening to speakers. Sometimes if it's late at night and I don't want to bother the neighbors I'll put the headphones on.
     
  23. KeithH

    KeithH Success With Honor...then and now

    Location:
    Beaver Stadium
    Speakers, easily. I have a few pairs of headphones, but I rarely use them. Let the music breathe. :) Luckily, my wife likes most of my music, so I don't have to resort to private listening sessions.
     
  24. T'mershi Duween

    T'mershi Duween Forum Resident

    Location:
    Y'allywood
    Gee... your wife sounds positively lovely to deal with.
     
  25. Ham Sandwich

    Ham Sandwich Senior Member

    Location:
    Sherwood, OR, USA
    Hearing damage or partial deafness can make some sounds quite unpleasant. Especially bass. My dad needs hearing aids. I've listened to simulations of what things sound like through hearing aids when you have hearing damage. Music with bass is not pleasant at all. A lot of normal sounds are not pleasant to people with certain kinds of hearing damage. Hearing aids don't necessarily help with that, and in some cases make the unpleasant sounds even more unpleasant.
     
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