I agree with @yyzsantabarbara above. I too have a RAAL SR-1b Nearfield Ear Monitor (Earspeakers) system and they are the closest thing to the experience of listening to loudspeakers in a room. Of course, in my mind the gold standard is a live musical performance in a performing space but both speakers (I have had many speaker-based systems in the past) and headphones both have their merits.
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?