Headphones and soundstaging

[caesar]

I listen to headphones 2-3 times per week. But I still haven't got used to weird soundstaging of headphones. This really limits my enjoyment.

Anyone figure out a way or a trick to make the sound stage seem more real, or do you guys just suspend disbelief?

 

[Steve Williams]

I listen to headphones 2-3 times per week. But I still haven't got used to weird soundstaging of headphones. This really limits my enjoyment.

Anyone figure out a way or a trick to make the sound stage seem more real, or do you guys just suspend disbelief?

Buy better head phones....just kidding . But this could be a factor couldn't it

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I listen to headphones 2-3 times per week. But I still haven't got used to weird soundstaging of headphones. This really limits my enjoyment.

Anyone figure out a way or a trick to make the sound stage seem more real, or do you guys just suspend disbelief?

What do you mean by weird soundstaging?

 

[Bruce B]

Headphones will not give you soundstage spatial cues like a set of speakers will. You can get close by listening to binaural recordings, but that's it.

 

[caesar]

What do you mean by weird soundstaging?

I can't make out of what's left, right, center, etc.

 

[caesar]

Buy better head phones....just kidding . But this could be a factor couldn't it

Unfortunately, I am on top of the mountain - Beyer T1's driven by Luxman.

 

[garylkoh]

A couple of years ago, at a Head-Fi CanJam in Florida, I sat through a presentation and demo by Dolby on their Dolby Headphone processing. It was quite impressive - taking the soundstage out of inside your head:
http://www.dolby.com/professional/technology/home-theater/dolby-headphone.html

It's supposed to process 5.1 DVD into 2 channel headphones so that you still get surround sound, but it also did a decent job on stereo CDs. I'm not a big fan of headphones, so I haven't explored this at all.

 

[cjfrbw]

AKG K1000 and Stax Omega, both only available used and neither currently manufactured, are reputedly the most like "earspeakers" to give speaker like presentations in front of the listener. Ultrasone headphones have a process that is supposed to also help in moving the sound stage forward of the nose. I have some Ultrasone Edition 8's, and this process is only partially successful with some recordings.

I have been listening more to headphones lately, and after a while, one just gets used to them being a different paradigm with strengths and weaknesses. They can be awfully nice when you get used to and accept their limitations.

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

I just want a nice set of cans.

 

[mep]

Uh John, are you talking about headphones or headrests?

 

[Johnny Vinyl]

LOL...a little of both maybe.

Actually I have a decent set of cans or at least, decent enough for me. Never been a big user, so I'm not overly critical of how they perform.

 

[Jay_S]

I think that cjfrbw has it right. My experience: with continued headphone / earphone listening (5 days of week for a couple of hours a day), my perception of the sound field changed. I got used to the different perspective of headphones and the soundstage was no longer a concern. I guess that I just learned to listen in a different way, or alternatively, I was no longer expecting a "speaker" type soundstage.

 

[cjfrbw]

Crushing cans with cans. Don't give her your Sennheisers:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehta5Thc8iQ&feature=related

 

[garylkoh]

Well, I'll be......

I spent a bit of time doing some research and installed Dolby Headphones to my Foobar, and for the first time I'm enjoying listening to music on my laptop with headphones without getting a blinding headache. Still not as good as a set of good speakers, but at least I don't have drums banging about inside my head.

Check this out:
http://www.overclock.net/sound-card...eadphone-experience-foobar-configuration.html

You won't need everything there unless you are listening to AC3/DTS soundtracks through Foobar, just the wrapper and the Dolby HPH DLL.

 

[Vincent Kars]

Dan Lavry has some nice prictures demonstrating the difference between headphone and speakers

You can try a crossfeed.
A crossfeed emulates the HRTF by taking the signal from one channel, EQ and delay it and feed it into the other channel and visa versa.
You media player might have one or there is a plug-in.
A VST plug-in and a lot more about headphones can be found here: BlogOhl
A VST plug-in simulating both the HRTF and the room acoustics is Isone Pro

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

It is a completely different sound stage; it takes some getting used to. The negative is that its sound stage is less of a recreation of "live." The positives are clarity, detail, resolution. I know plenty claim it, but the odds that your speaker rig is as revealing as a pair of top-quality phones are slim to none. There are no crossovers in the way. Headroom issues can be eliminated with milliwatts, and room effects are totally out of the picture. Not to mention that the drivers are just millimeters from your ear drums. You want to A/B something for audibility? Headphones are your best bet.

Tim

 

[fas42]

Not to mention that the drivers are just millimeters from your ear drums. You want to A/B something for audibility? Headphones are your best bet.

Tim

Which makes it interesting that when I mention listening in such a fashion to speaker drivers you and perhaps others find this a deeply disturbing concept. Obviously the two mechanisms work on completely different principles, something I should really have known ...

Frank

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

Which makes it interesting that when I mention listening in such a fashion to speaker drivers you and perhaps others find this a deeply disturbing concept. Obviously the two mechanisms work on completely different principles, something I should really have known ...

Frank

Two things, Frank - 1) We don't find it disturbing, we find it incredible, and not because you put your ear up to the super tweeter, but because you put your ear up to the super tweeter and claimed that you were getting perfect imaging and transparent driver coherency. I've never been truly "disturbed" by any of your posts, Frank. I enjoy the humor.

Tim

 

[fas42]

Two things, Frank - 1) We don't find it disturbing, we find it incredible, and not because you put your ear up to the super tweeter, but because you put your ear up to the super tweeter and claimed that you were getting perfect imaging and transparent driver coherency.

Interesting that people still haven't got it: at high volume levels as far as our ears are concerned, automatic compression in the ear/brain takes place, everything is adjusted so that that our auditory senses are not overloaded. Everytime a muso, including yourself, gets into close contact with others similarly doing their thing this kicks in, this is why "real" music sounds like it does: it's very loud, compared to how most people listen to audio systems, but not uncomfortable, it just feels intense and enveloping, which is why musos get a kick out of it.

And putting your ear next to speaker drivers not pumping out distorted sound is experiencing the same thing, there's no "incredible" about it at all ...

Frank

 

[amirm]

The headphone systems from these guys most definitely creates a soundstage. It even does this for surround: http://www.smyth-research.com/

The demos I have heard are uncanny. You put on and remove the headphones and listen to speakers and you can't tell the difference!

That said, I have not kept up with it as of late and thought I heard of some issues.