Do you really enjoy headphones?

WLDock

headphones are awesome for air travel, and late night action TV watching when even at low volumes the HT surround is a bit too full and disturbs others. I like them for music when the house is too noisy to critically listen to speakers.

mrbiron

To answer the OP, i don't know yet.

I am slowly investing the money. If i like it, i will keep doing it. If i don't, i sell everything and move on. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

250GTLusso

I have a pair of STAX SR34 Electrostatic headphones that I purchased 30 years ago that I still use when I cannot use my SDA speakers. They sound amazing. I haven't seen anyone mention electrostatic headphones, but they should be experienced.

sucks2beme

I used to do 30% headphones. I would do speakers for a month, or two, then headphones.
It was a combo of do not disturb and just plain changing things up. I had multiple
pairs of decent headphones. After moving to Memphis, I haven't had a 2 channel
system set up for almost 2 years. I moved back into a house and haven't had a chance to
get back to my son's house back in Dallas to pick up my Proacs. I mostly use my Stax
sr-202's either with my homebrew energizer/amp or my Sansui au-717 and a srd-7
transformer box. I've also got sr-30's and 80's, as well as Grado ps500's and AKG Q701's.
The Stax setup soundwise gives up nothing to speakers, other than some comfort.
They are a bit clunky to wear. The 202's were updated with leather earpads.
The good thing about headphones is you can have several different rigs stashed
away without filling up the house with gear.

mhardy6647

250GTLusso wrote: »

I have a pair of STAX SR34 Electrostatic headphones that I purchased 30 years ago that I still use when I cannot use my SDA speakers. They sound amazing. I haven't seen anyone mention electrostatic headphones, but they should be experienced.

Not to be a kvetch, but those particular Stax are, as the box says, electrets (like an electret microphone)-- not electrostatic.

The are darned fine headphones, though.

EDIT: I looked for a really clear & succinct differentiation of the two via Google, and found -- a lot of crud.
This is the best I could do on short notice

https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/t.mpl?f=general&m=52930

Mechanistically, they work like electrostatics, but don't need the HV polarizing voltage. They do still need an interface box, though (as you know). There are also self-energized electrostatic headphones (I think Koss once made one), so it gets kind of -- complicated.

Viking64

mhardy6647 wrote: »

Not to be a kvetch, but those particular Stax are, as the box says, electrets (like an electret microphone)-- not electrostatic.

The are darned fine headphones, though.

I am glad you kvaught that. Good eye!

mhardy6647

I think STAX has also made some electrostatic earspeakers*, but most of their products (at least the even semi-affordable ones) have been electrets.

---

* I remember that, at least, "back in the day" (when I had hair, e.g.), STAX very fastidiously, and assiduously referred to their (extremely fine) products were not headphones but rather earspeakers.

stangman67

I've owned various sets of headphones over the years from expensive audiophile to el cheapos and everything in between. I would say in general I dislike headphones, they close me out to the outside world and every single one I have owned gets uncomfortable after an hour or two. I currently own a set of V Moda crossfade M100's which are a riot. I like the energetic sound and I use them from time to time, but I much prefer my speakers

250GTLusso

@mhardy6647 , thank you for that link! It reminded me why I chose to buy those STAX SR34s some 30 years ago. STAX had several other models costing two, three, and 4 times as much (I think $1000?), that were really comfortable, and were "open-air" phones that sounded amazing. The SR34 was the best bang for the buck at the time for me. I thought everybody has to have a set of phones, right?

Clipdat

The KOSS variants are still available and get a ton of positive feedback: https://www.koss.com/headphones/over-ear-headphones/esp950

oldrocker

Not a big fan of them now but back in the day after many "turn it down" from mom & dad, I do remember using them much more.

dr1978

Now that I have some decent speakers I use headphones less often, but I never let a new release from one of my favorites (Radiohead, Queens of the Stone Age, Tool, Modest Mouse, etc) go by without giving it a spin or two on my headphones. I'm sure if I'm able to upgrade my rig over the years things will change, but for now using my Sennheiser Momentum 2's is still the ultimate listening experience. Being fully enveloped in the sound lets me drift away a little easier.

verb

I use mine mainly for air travel, of which I do a lot for my job. Bose QC15 has pretty decent noise cancellation. I just picked up a set of B&O Beoplay H9's which are wireless. At home I hardly use them. Much rather rock out with my 2B's and soon to be completed 1C's!!!

Jaybeez

I'm retired now, but used Shure in-ears when traveling on business. Took up less room than the Bose noise-cancelling unit which is quite good (and I'm not a Bose lover) but bulky.
If I want to watch / listen to something while surfing after my wife goes to sleep I use a set of Sony MDR 7506's.
If I were serious about a set of cans for critical listening I'd pick up some Blue Ellas.
But no, not a big headphone fan. Give me a good set of speakers any day!

K_M

Yes...
Can hear things that are not apparent easily on speakers.
Downside, you can hear problems that are not (always) apparent on speakers.....

BC6

We have a small house and my wife doesn't always approve of my choice of music, or more specifically the volume, so I bought Audeze LCD-XC headphones. At first I tried the open back version, which sounded great, but she could still hear the music, so I switched to the closed back. They didn't sound as great. It's taken about 2 months of tweaking and playing with Roon settings, but I finally have them locked in really well. I love listening to them. I especially enjoy digging up the old cd's from the 80's and hearing things I didn't hear back then. However, as much as I enjoy them, whenever I hear something really good, all I want to do is fire up the new 2.3tl's and crank it up. I love the headphones, but for me, nothing beats the physical experience of sitting in a room filled with sound.

steveinaz

Never was much of a headphone listener.

halo

Roger Sanders of Sanders Sound Systems: At 1:49, he discusses headphones.

https://youtu.be/Vdf3VA06iSA

txcoastal1

But I also like a speaker that produces a good sound stage, and the nuances a "good" room produces. Gives you that live feeling

ab0tj

My story is similar to others here. I have a pair for work, I have a pair for travel, I have a pair for when out walking or biking. Those are mostly out of necessity. At home I definitely prefer listening on speakers, but I do really love my HiFiMan planars+Schiit stack for a change of pace every once in a while.

Willow

I use mine at work almost every day. It started with the in-ear that came with my phones. Now I'm using Neutron - 90% of my tunes are FLAC. Sent through my FiiO Kunlun into my Grado SR125e. What I like is that I can get great sound and still hear if someone is talking to me. They save me from going crazy many times over many hours of hacking away at my PC.

EndersShadow

Rocking out on my headphones as we speak. 7 hours straight, loud volumes, no ringing in ears and cant hear anyone else so I can zone in.

Spotify on iPhone 6 Plus -> 3.5mm to RCA ->Sherwood S7125B stereo receiver -> Behringer DT-770 32 ohm

^You ask why the AVR in the mix? Two words: Tone Controls

Also can get it louder than my iPhone alone.

Clipdat

@msg you need to buy a Schiit Asgard 2.

msg

Maybe one day! when I really lose my grip on the roots sticking out at the top of the Headphones Branch of the deep dark Rabbit Hole.

WhereYou

For me, it's no problem at all. I always wear the headphone on the way to work.

laelle

Clipdat wrote: »

The KOSS variants are still available and get a ton of positive feedback: https://www.koss.com/headphones/over-ear-headphones/esp950

I had them... they sound really good but all the electrostatic praise is a bit strange; there is not much more than the dynamic transducers BUT clarity, if you like bass, don’t buy them, really...

And to “clarify”, they are clear sounding headphones, but other dynamic headphones with less emphasis on bass will sound exactly the same, seriously

EndersShadow

Like mine so much I upgraded em lol...

Added a HK preamp and a Little Dot tube headphone amp w vintage tubes!

Source is still iPhone (for now) or tablet.

Looking at Tidal or using a mini computer as a source

audioluvr

I have Monsters i use for air travel and when in my diesel truck because they block out most exterior noise and they have a very good noise cancelling mic for phone calls

halo

I have the Massdrop Sennheiser HD6XX paired to my MAC. The MAC connects to a USB DAC to a Massdrop O2 headphone amp to the HD6XX. That’s the best sounding setup I have for headphones but I really like my V-Moda Crossfade 2 Bluetooth headphones with aptX for late night listening to Netflix and YouTube so I don’t disturb my wife. They work very well for my commute on public transportation and I’m never worried that they’ll be damaged since they’re so rugged.

steveinaz

Never been a headphone guy. I mean, they sound GREAT, but I just prefer speaker listening.