• 12-20-2009, 03:12 PM
    Happy Camper
    I'd like to weigh in on the headphone vs speaker debate.

    Two different tools and two different presentations.

    I've lived with my current speaker setup for some 12 years. I love my speaker rig. But I find myself going to listen to my headphones more. It confines sound to my listening area and the details are as good without the db needed for speakers. Less power consumed and just as satisfied when I shut down the gear for bed.

    Point is headphone listening has gained a lot of ground in high fidelity. High powered headphone amps fed from a dedicated DAC/CDP/TT will put many a speaker to shame in all but soundstage. If I were starting in the hobby again, I would get a rig set up for headphones while I'm getting through school. That way you could get a decent source and enjoy high fidelity while building your earning power. When you get the space and bucks for a speaker rig, you will know what high end sound is.

    The normal Joe wouldn't spend $2000 for an amp and $2000 for a quality source to drive a $200 headphone. Don't let the price fool you, SQ value is higher with headphones.
  • 12-20-2009, 03:38 PM
    poppachubby
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Ajani
    I forgot to address this point... Yes, sometimes people are more 'extreme' with their opinions online than in real life... but another major factor is that people often neglect to re-read their e-mails/posts before they click 'send'.... Sometimes what you think you've said in a message is totally different from what you've actually said...

    Yawn....hang on, let me check that. I thought you might have something interesting to say about the OP, indeed, we are done.
  • 12-20-2009, 05:13 PM
    Ajani
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Happy Camper
    I'd like to weigh in on the headphone vs speaker debate.

    Two different tools and two different presentations.

    I've lived with my current speaker setup for some 12 years. I love my speaker rig. But I find myself going to listen to my headphones more. It confines sound to my listening area and the details are as good without the db needed for speakers. Less power consumed and just as satisfied when I shut down the gear for bed.

    Point is headphone listening has gained a lot of ground in high fidelity. High powered headphone amps fed from a dedicated DAC/CDP/TT will put many a speaker to shame in all but soundstage. If I were starting in the hobby again, I would get a rig set up for headphones while I'm getting through school. That way you could get a decent source and enjoy high fidelity while building your earning power. When you get the space and bucks for a speaker rig, you will know what high end sound is.

    Well yes... Headphones allow you to really build a "source first" speaker setup if you like... Since you can combine a high quality (possibly expensive) source with high quality (though relatively cheap) headphones and headphone amp... So if you make the move to speakers then you already have a great source to start with... as opposed to splitting money on relatively cheap source/Integrated/Speakers when you first start... and having to upgrade all of them as you upgrade...

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Happy Camper
    The normal Joe wouldn't spend $2000 for an amp and $2000 for a quality source to drive a $200 headphone. Don't let the price fool you, SQ value is higher with headphones.

    Yes, though you can spend $2K on source and use a $200 - $500 Headphone Amp (no need for $2K for a headphone amp, unless you are really aiming for state of the art- in which case you'd want to upgrade to more expensive headphones)....
  • 12-20-2009, 05:28 PM
    Ajani
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Feanor
    It's a problem I have; the inability to politely nod and smile when people utter nonsense. It's been career-limiting for one thing.

    Yes, I guess it is crassly rude to dismiss the supposed benefit of a person's gigabuck system as being a matter of taste or, worse, imagination. Civility is important. :o

    Civility should perhaps be paramount when it comes to hifi systems but maybe not so much when it comes to global warning or healthcare.

    Civility aids any discussion... whether hifi or global warming... One of the reasons why organisations like PETA have such a hard time, is that many people just regard them as obnoxious @$$holes... and so their entire message gets ignored...

    In hifi it tends to be even worse, since it really all just comes down to what sounds good to the individual... There are many persons who claim turntables are better than CDs, but that means nothing to persons who prefer the sound of CDs... In such a case there really is nothing to debate... so a drawn out, heated argument about why Vinyl or CD sounds better is just an exercise in frustration...

    It would be like you and I engaging in a debate about whether Revel or Magnepan sounds better... Nothing you say will convince me that Magnepan sounds better... and unless you prefer the sound of Revels, then no argument I present would convince you to ditch the Maggies... There is no right or wrong, just a matter of individual tastes... We might as well argue about whether barbeque chicken tastes better than a hamburger...