Headphones vs full range speakers


I've never had any really high end headphones. I had like a $500 pair of Seinhauser earbuds for a while. I thought they sounded really good even pushing off a phone. Question is who has gone from listening to speakers for your main listening pleasure to headphones or vice versa. Can get something like the top of the line Focal Utopia headphones while pricey they are in line with "mid grade" speakers. 
 

I don't entertain often at all and the wife does not listen anymore. Just started thinking why not simplify and get some kick butt headphones. 

mofojo

A top of the line headphone system and speaker systems are two very different things. I have both. Click on my UserID to see them. I would say both of my systems are capable of similar sound quality and detail. I listen to my speaker system 99+% of the time. When I want a fire in the fireplace and look out the windows I listen to my headphone system.

 

In general, headphone systems are for a contingency...when I can’t make noise, don’t have the space, traveling, can’t afford a high quality speaker system, or the environment is to noisy. There are probably a couple people out there that like them better, but there is probably some hidden reason.

 

Headphone systems don’t project the images and sound in front of you like a real concert, the sound stage is in between your ears. No mater how good they are there is something physically touching you.. it gets fatiguing.

On the other hand you can put together a top notch system for a tenth the cost... that is about the ratio of cost of mine. The sound with my Focal Utopia or Sennheiser 800 is simply amazing.