2. speakers
  3. 140508-108941

Will decent speakers always out do headphones?

I was just curious for some feedback. I have decent bookshelf speakers (Sonus Faber) and a quality power supply (MAC6700) but also have two teenagers who play drums and guitar. Since I don't have a sound proof/dedicated listening room I decided to invest in a  pair of headphones which I hoped would allow to listen to my music in the evenings while they practice. The headphones accomplish the goal of giving me a break from the endless Black Sabbath/Led Zeppelin riffs (not that its a bad thing... but its a small house...) however its a night and day difference when I sit down in my sweet spot and listen to the same music through the speakers. So much more open and "full". Is this to be expected?
telemarcer

Showing 2 responses by erik_squires

erik_squires
16,728 posts
 
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

erik_squires
16,728 posts
 
Really depends. You should tell us about both setups.

There is a lot to be said for cross-mixing of headphones to give a fuller sound, but you should be aware too, are you listening with your body? Maybe your speaker experience is through your skin, not your ears and that will never compete. 
But, in terms of what comes through the ears, headphones can excel at giving every little bit of nuance, because you loose nothing from room acoustics.  Getting that same level of detail can be a lot harder with speakers and rooms.

Best,
E
More to discover