Headphones is like doing meticulous work with reading glasses on. All pretty perfect. Large speakers in a properly treated room is like standing on a mountain top watching the sunset. Majestic!
Headphones vs speakers….
So I’ve been patiently waiting to buy the final pieces for a Benchmark HAB2 and DAC3 system. I have the Totem 1 speakers and decided to hook them up to an old Naim Nait 5i (probably not the best pairing) and Cambridge Azur 840C CD player. Over the last few months I’ve been on a quest for great sound through headphones and a headphone amp while I’m waiting and after maybe five sets of headphones I’ve found what I was looking for and I’m very happy.
After hooking up the Totems and Nait today I’m very disappointed. However, my room is far from treated yet - I have installed a large carpet, furnishings and will be hanging thick floor to ceiling curtains on the three walls - one behind the speakers and two side walls. However, wether I’ve been spoiled by the incredible sound of my headphone setup or I’ve been expecting too much from a full system I can’t imagine after room treatment and dialing things in that I’ll be anywhere close to being as impressed as I am with my headphones…..do any of you guys feel this way or am I being too pessimistic?
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- 74 posts total
Headphones lack impact and dynamics as in realism ,I have heard headphones like the top Star with $7 k headphone amps like Linear tube audio which sound Fantastic , but a very good floorstander will give you goosebumps with room impacting Bass, and dynamics you can feel ,headphones can sound great but lack That you are there physical impact. |
Isn't it all about what a person likes and their priorities? Both approaches are great and both are right. It depends on one's priorities. The headphone fanatics love the clarity, surround, etc, stuff that they need. My max involvement in headphones is the Grado SR80. But for me - I like to "see" the magic forming in front of me in thin air between, around and away from the speakers! Your headphone system seems to be fantastic - pursue that (and if needed, upgrade). No point in spending money in a loudspeaker system, unless you can afford both. |
1+ @audioman58 , head phones are like sex with a condom. The problem is most of us can not afford the equipment that handily surpasses headphones in performance. |
OP,
You can see my systems under my ID. I have been I proving my main system since the 1970’s I got serious about my headphone system around 2007. I improved my headphone system to the point that when I listened to my main system, I was completely disappointed. My main system was highly detailed with great slam…. But completely without warmth and musicality. I had based my headphone system on a really good Woo 300B headphone amplifier. This was the trigger for me to fix my main system. My main system is now all Audio Research Reference components… it is simply magical… natural and musical… just like my headphone system. Sure there are soundstage differences between my headphone system and main. But they both have the same musical attraction… I can’t pull myself away… they are both so musical… I just want to keep listening.
So, my point? It is about your equipment… and for your main, venue. You can achieve the same basic sound quality and enjoyment level… but it takes work. There is nothing “innate” that makes one different from the other… it is your equipment choices. |
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