Should I buy headphones?

Yes. I use Senn. 600s driven by Sonic Frontiers Line 2 tube pre-amp-- it has Headroom circuitry. The 600s are very comfortable, and with open air construction your ears don't sweat during long listening sessions-- don't want sweaty ears! My listening room is right next to our guest room, and as I often listen to music late at night, when we have guests, headphones are my only option. I still prefer speaker listening, but don't feel deprived when I have to use headphones. Cheers. Craig

I'll cast another vote with the crowd (great to be a follower, no?). I've got the Sennheiser 600's with a Headroom Home amp making them go and I really do like the sound (the processor on the Headroom is switchable, for those times it subtracts from resolution). That said, I usually really do prefer the sound through the speakers, even a low levels. It's only late at night when I really feel the need for volume that I find myself firing up the headphones (or when I am trying to isolate the latest funny sound in the system and need one more point of reference). (Though, I have to admit, when it is late at night and I feel the need for volume, I am often, ah-hem, we'll call it too "distracted," to remember to be considerate to the neighbors...).

I guess a lot depends on what your definition of low volume is, but I definately prefer my Senn HD600s driven by a Headroom Home to listening to my BAT/DNA0.5/Vandy 2ci combo at acceptable late night volume. When I have to work at night, I often come home and listen while my family is sleeping. You can boogy or not, but it won't wake them and I find the sound very pleasant, especially with the processing circuitry which eliminates the "music in the middle of your brain" feeling you sometimes get with phones.

Thank you for your interesting and thoughtful responses. Headphones is a more complicated subject than I thought. I was interested that there are websites with extensive chat rooms dedicated to the subject. I will probably buy some headphones, although I have not yet decided which ones.

Best regards,

If low-volume listening is what you'll be doing most of, skip the headphones and set up a near-field system. Get some good, small speakers and sit close to them--a couple of feet away. You can keep the volume low, without having the weird sound (and lack of comfort) of headphones.

Of course, you'd be talking more money this way, especially if you can't (or are not comforatable) running your power amp in an A-B speaker setup. But even if you need a second amp, you can get away with something smallish. Add a Creek passive preamp and an inexpensive CD player, and you shouldn't be out a whole lot more than a set of higher-end 'phones and a headphone amp. And you will get much more natural sound. . . .

Of course, it might depend on just how much (or how little!) volume the wife can sleep through. The wife-rating of any system can trump all other factors. :-)