How often do you listen to music with headphones?

I voted usually but I’m really about half and half.

But headphones fan here so thought I’d lean into it

 

I never listen to headphones. (Well, hardly ever since they are required on air flights but I cannot foresee taking a plane again.)
They are uncomfortable.
They cannot present a credible soundstage.

 

Increased in recent times due to more late night listening. I do live in a single family house but do live close together so I want to be courteous to my neighbors.

 

Rarely in the living room where I use the HD6XX connected to a Cavalli Liquid Platinum but often in the study where I use the Focal Elex connected to the Violectric HPA281.

 

Do the kids not enjoy music? I’m always perplexed by this concept of keeping music listening and children separate...

 

No but they go to bed earlier than I do....

 

Discomfort is the main reason I didn't listen to headphones for a long time. They were the over-the-ear type and tended to be hot and uncomfortable and I could only wear them for a short period of time. However, with the advent of portable audio headphones have become more comfortable.

The first headphones I regularly used were the Sony Ear Clips. They were lightweight, comfortable so that I could wear them for long periods of time, would stay firmly in place on my ears, and sounded fairly good (although I later noticed they sounded much thinner compared to other headphones, an issue with many earbud type headphones). Now, I've found other comfortable headphones like the Koss PortaPros and the Koss KPH30i that I can wear for long periods of time and sound very good for the money.

 

I've been listening to Roon/Tidal through Senn HD600's and a Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 Digital daily during Covid work-from-home. I stopped by my office yesterday to grab the Schiit Vali 2 that I left there back in late March.

I'm now running the S2 Digital into the Vali 2. I decided to play around with DSP in Roon and turned on Crossfeed. Holy ****, what a difference! I'm not sure I'll be able to go back.

If you prefer speakers to headphones (which I do) and are running Roon, try turning Crossfeed on. Really amazing.

 

I thoroughly dislike headphones. Never use them except when cycling or sitting in public transport. Years ago I used headphones at work, fortunately we have a decent Bluetooth speaker at our office at my current job.

 

I couldn't vote half & half.

At home, it's the speakers, but outside it's headphones....

 

Usually should read Occasionally, or include the latter in the list.....sorry to be picky. I use Sennheiser HD 400 that I have had for the last 25 years, and they sound as good as the day I bought them.

 

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD 570s, but only use them to very occasionally listen to a YouTube video ... I find headphones listening to be an exceedingly unnatural experience. Always happy to put them away.

 

I would prefer a below mediocre speaker to an excellent pair of headphones.

 

Pick either "Rarely" or "Usually". Who cares about the fine gradations?

 

Uhhhh ... obsessive audiophiles? ...

 

Never. I always listen through speakers.

I have a friend who only ever listens through high-end headphones. He said my speakers are the only pair he's ever heard that can recreate the pinpoint spacial accuracy of a pair of top-of-the-range phones.

 

I can't stand having the band inside my skull!!

 

Obviously you do.....

 

people are listening to the wrong headphones and associated gear and recordings if you get no soundstage/headstage with them. Of course you can cherry pick recordings that sound like ass on headphones and speakers. If it sounds like it's inside your skull you're doing it wrong.

 

I live in an apartment so I use headphones about 95% of the time.

 

This is why I only used 4 choices - adding more and more fine gradations would only make the survey meaningless. IMHO, the usage of headphones is governed by necessity or preference. I just wanted to have an idea of who used headphones as a personal choice and why and who avoided them and why. My reasons for using headphones solely (apart from in car music) is that I live in a small open plan townhouse with my wife, who isn't into music as much as I am. Because of that, I do a lot of listening when she is asleep. I love the intimacy of headphones, but that doesn't preclude listening to plenty of indifferently recorded albums.

 

"Always. Love 'em..." But I don't think speakers suck.

 

OK. Sure. Name one and I'll try it. Despite my stated distaste for headphones, I have been going to CanJam for years in the hope of finding something I can live with. So far, the only(!) possibility is via a Smyth Realiser.

 

I'll do better than that with 3 - Stax Sigma Pro or Sigma/404, AKG K1000, Mysphere 3.

 

Yes John, I have a similar situation, my Wife is not into music in the way I am, she is an avid reader and usually likes it quite when she is engrossed in a book. I could go into my wee studio to listen to music, but sometimes is nice just to sit with each other and chill out....this is when for me a good pair of headphones are very useful to have at hand.