Help a guy who wants to enjoy headphones but can’t

I love my headphones, though they aren't especially good ones. I added a headphone amp and was surprised at the difference it made in headstage. I still know they;re headphones but the the space is much larger. I've dreamed of owning a pair of Stax headphones ever since I demoed a pair at an audio show years ago. I was listening to a live recording of some very good jazz (Sonny Rollins) when I heard some applause. So I turned around to see what was happening. The applause was on the recording. That blew me away! Someday I'll get a pair...

 

Thanks again, everyone, especially Ham Sandwich for your long, thoughtful comments. I definitely want to try Out Of Your Head (but first must update my OS!).
-Bob

 

Out Of Your Head is on sale at Massdrop right now. Sale is over in 12 hours.

I don't consider Out Of Your Head to be an audiophile solution. It resamples everything to 48 kHz. Completely messes with the sound and tonal balance. And is a bit of a hassle to deal with and get to cooperate with your media player software. But if in the process it makes music listening on headphones more enjoyable for you it would be a worthwhile option.

I got in on the Massdrop deal. So now I've got OOYH to play around with. I've been curious about it for a while. But was difficult to justify at the full price because it's something that I wouldn't actually use for listening very often. It messes with the sound way to much for me. But it's still really neat in concept. And I can envision situations where it would be useful (especially for movie watching). So I'm going to give it a try.

 

I don't feel soundstaging is necessary to musical enjoyment. I enjoy the effect, but it's not the most important part of the musical signal. I have a single speaker Tivoli table radio in my bedroom I get a lot of enjoyment out of.

Trying to wring a soundstage in front of you out of headphones seems odd to me.

 

Not really a headphone guy, but they have uses for hearing music in an alternate way. But I would say take a look at Schiit amps if you're thinking alternate gear may help.

Just curious though, I'm from Jax too, I'm betting you got space to enjoy a nice rig. Why the need for headphones?

 

I want to clear up a couple of things.

Crossfeed. When listening to speakers your right ear will hear mostly sound from the right speaker but also some sound from the left one. Crossfeed is a process that tries to get this effect on headphones. The result is very subtle and barely noticeable and is said to reduce listening fatigue. I don't think it contributes to 'headstage' development. Nor do I think it's that important as there are many highly rated headphones amps which don't do this.

Ambiosonics is the reverse. This is a method of getting speakers to act like ordinary headphones by preventing your right ear hearing the left speaker.

I always find it odd that proponents of Crossfeed and Ambiosonics both claim them to be the best way to listen.

There are very few binaural recordings and most of them seem particularly uninteresting fare. I wouldn't build a headphone system just to listen to binaural recordings.

I have no experience of hearing a larger then headphones soundstage. My music though is from Red Book CDs and mostly studio recorded pop music. I use HD800s with A Headroom Blockhead amp which is now ten years old, so perhaps, as Ham Sandwhich suggests, it is too old to be able to give me a large soundstage. I don't mind as I like the sound. The detail I get is more than my speakers but I've used it as a challenge to improve my speaker sound.

 

I do have the space, but I also have apartment-building neighbors and like to listen late at night. I've never had a complaint, but I'd like to keep it that way.
-Bob

 

I think any of these types of systems are using some pretty fancy and possibly crude and damaging phase trickery to get where they are trying to go. Not too comfortable with that if I was a headphone guy. Phase trickery is for mixing, not reproduction IMHO.

 

I've always liked headphones. It was how I first experienced Hard Rock with Led Zeppelin II, an experience that was mind-blowing in 1969.

I don't always listen to music with headphones, but when I do, it's with over-the-ear headphones.

 

I was pretty much forced to have a headphone only system since relocating in Jan; I'd listened through speakers for 25 years and initially I didn't think it would work or I'd be content. Like others have said, listening through speakers and 'phones are 2 very different approaches to enjoying the music one loves, chalk and cheese. I do enjoy a wide expansive and realistic soundstage hence the reason why I bought Senn HD800s which are, to my ears, the soundstage 'phones king. But it's still a different, though not worse, aural experience.

Now I'm fully committed to the 'phones system, my focus isn't on soundstage nor detail (some quite inexpensive 'phones do detail), it's on the texture and tone of the instruments, aspects of music reproduction that none of my speaker systems - some costing lots more £/$ - managed to pull off.

 

(OP) That's an interesting perspective, Alan, and so are so many others all of you have shared. In fact, late last night, I just HAD to listen to the viola sonata of D. Shostakovich, and I grabbed my HD598s. I really was struck by the things you say, the tone and texture. And for a few brief moments, I almost managed to forget about my objections to 'phones. Almost! Now...if I could only somehow grasp the concept of headphone "soundstage"! THANKS.
-Bob

 

Thanks Bob. In my case, I think I trained myself to adapt to and appreciate what 'phones offer me; it took time and an open mind but gradually it's worked and I'm a happy chap I'm not sure the main point is the actual 'phones one uses, instead I think the pivotal issue is one's mindset, I'm sure you've got the 'right' stuff Bob, I hope it works for you