Will decent speakers always out do headphones?

I was just thinking about the subject yesterday. I have good headphones and have had some pretty serious headphone amps, DACs, etc. However the experience is just different. Yes, with headphones you may hear some detail that was less noticeable through the speakers. However, it's just different. I also agree with Erik that you also hear with your body. When you don't feel the music though your body, the experience is not the same.

A headphone amp with cross feed may improve your headphone experience if you have a preference for the sound of your speakers. However, you'll never get the same "feeling" from headphone.

Plenty of people have a preference for the headphone sound. I'm not one of them.....

Tele, again, please give us more details. Heaphones, headphone amp, and what speakers?

I also want you to think again, are you feeling the sound through your body, or is it a sound stage issue?

This will help you I think:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossfeed

No objective answer for that. I don't like listening through headphones, no matter how good they are.

I'm really going to take the whole music through the skin thing to heart. Makes me think of Bull Durham (breathe through the eyelids) but seriously. I never really thought of that but its real. I play concert and jazz trumpet and now that you guys talk about it. Its not skin pre se. Its top to bottom. You feel string bass and drum a little lower in your body than sax and cymbals. Middle tones are right in your chest.... Very interesting concept. Now are there headphones that can do it?

Sorry if that post came across wrong regarding the skin thing. I totally agree. Listening to the Beatles white album for the first time in ages. I see it and still think there must be a way to make good headphones replicate the full sound.