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Can headphones ever be as good as high end stereo?

I am absolutely satisfied with the sounds of my current setup but I feel like I'm unable to listen at the volumes I prefer on a regular basis due to the ole spouse. I've been considering switching over to headphones. By selling my current speakers and amps I could easily finance stax 009 phones and a suitable amp, which seem to be regarded as the pinnacle of headphones.

My question is, what would I be losing or gaining in the switch? Right now my setup emits a beautiful wall of sound and I would hate to give that up. Understand that I have never owned a pair of headphones worth more than 80 bucks so I have no idea what good ones sounds like. Almost all source material would come from a pyon ultima table. Thanks
bfin3
Post removed 
murphythecat
181 posts
 
and no speaker will sound like totl headphone. 

headphone do stuff that no speaker/room can do: more resolution, more linear bass.

chrisoshea
377 posts
 
I echo the thoughts of others...keep your speaker based system if you love it that much. You will really regret selling/trading it and it may build some unhealthy undercurrent of resentment between you and the spouse. My wife is an audiophile too...lucky guy am I to be sure. She DOES go to bed early most nights so....  
- Work out listening times with the wife
- Get a good / excellent headphone rig for when you need the fix and she's up and awake or asleep. A used set of Sennheiser HD600 or HD800 and a tube Woo Audio or Musical Fidelity amp should do the trick for well under $2,000 including quality cables. You can have your proverbial cake and listen/eat it too....

Best regards,

Chris
nycjlee
286 posts
 
No.
bainbmil's avatar
bainbmil
5 posts
 
No, absolutely not.  It can be a great, and different experience.  It can give you goose-bumps.  But it can never give you the physicality and impact of a really dynamic full-range hifi setup.  Also, I find the imaging to be all wrong with headphones.
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