Headphones or Speakers?
 

There seems to be two separate camps of avid music listeners: Camp A and Camp B. Camp B dislikes headphones as they don't produce enough bass and lack power for the mid-range sounds. This camp hence longs for the high-end speaker system, with several speaker and a huge subwoofer blasting aural fury through their puny body.

Camp B on the other hand thinks speakers, though appropriate in some cases, usually spread out the sound too much for their liking. Plus, other people are usually around, which can put a limit to the amount of noise you can make. Hence, this camp prefers the concentrated sound of the headphones. They are willing to sacrifice the raw bass power for having no single nuance drowned out and being presented clearly to the ear.

I am definitely a member of Camp B. Even if no one is around, I will always opt for a pair of headphones over speakers for the above reasons.

What camp are y'all a part of?

I'm a fan of both, but I actually prefer a nice set of cans. That didn't sound right.

Anyways, I like speakers more since it spreads the sound (especially when I listen to metal music). But at night I use my headphones since I don't want to wake up anyone. I also use my headphones when I listen to soft music (piano/vgm).

You have the best of both worlds with Sennheiser headphones. It is powerful, clear, booming, reduces outside noise, and keeps the music to yourself. Mine also folds which I really like.

I like speakers a lot better. Sure, the neighbors might complain about your music being too loud, but at least you're not making yourself go deaf like you would be playing headphones at full blast. I love the feeling of bass going through the floor and up into my body.

As long as it's quality equipment, I don't have a dead set preference. Different situations lend themselves to either delivery method.

I'm generally a Camp B listener. I never really got a chance to listen to very good speakers to really fully appreciate them as the budget won't allow, however, I have been able to get some very nice Sennheiser 555 headphones and love them so much. Also, the noise issue is a problem, as I'm living with family. It's great to be able to turn up the volume without having to disturb fellow members.

However, if I did have a choice of not having to worry about noise, and for a true Home Theatre experience, then for sure I'll go with good quality speakers and receivers. However for music listening, I'm a headphone fan.

Speakers, I actually can't hear worth a darn out of my right ear. So if I use headphones I can mostly only hear what's coming out of the left side very good.

I used to use either (I used decent-ish in-ear phones), but ever since I bought some decent headphones, my speakers have collected dust. I only use my speakers nowadays if I have other people with me and we're watching a movie or something.

I have a pair of Philips SBC HP250s and a pair of sennheiser HD 280 pros. Even though the philips cost less than 1/5 as the sennheisers, I much prefer their sound.

During the day I automatically go for speakers. And I think it comes down to freedom...I like to be able to get up to go to the bathroom, cook, answer the door, etc. When I really want to sit down and enjoy music, I put on my giant headphones. Music is stuck in the age of stereo, so it seems natural to have one channel blasting directly into each ear.

Oh boy, a headphone discussion. As Gamingforce's resident Headphoneus Supremus, I must participate.

I use my headphones probably 99% of the time. I have a pair of very nice studio monitors in my room, but I never use them for listening to music. They're very neutral and can easily output room-shaking bass, but they're simply not as enjoyable as my headphones. I like the close, intimate soundstage, and the slightly euphonic presentation they have. It is also nicer to be able to just hear the bass frequencies, as opposed to feeling them in my body. It is a more balanced presentation that allows me to hear all of the frequencies roughly equally. I suppose body-shaking bass can be a nice sensation, but I don't get off on it aurally.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...oNamek/650.jpg

HD650s. My headphone of choice. Sennheiser for life.

Edit: Although I nearly always use headphones for serious music listening, I rarely, rarely use them for gaming or movie-watching. It just doesn't feel or sound right.

Definitely headphones for me. Just because they're so portable and practical.
I hardly spend enough time in one place to make stereo listening worthwhile. I'm always moving around, waiting, and whatnot, so it's easier for me to just pop on the phones and get a quick fix.

I use them both equally, really. Although I'm not a fan of headphones in the sense that you can't usually hear anything that's going on around you; people calling for you is the main offender here. But I like the sound headphones offer more. :3:

I prefer speakers when I'm either doing other things on the internet or my room or listening to spoken word/comedy. For some reason when I write headphones MUST be used. I just need to block everything out except for the music and my thoughts.

I haven't ever owned a pair of decent headphones, and I don't intend to spend the cash to get a pair anytime soon, so I guess I belong to Camp A, then.

To be honest, when I did use a pair of (admittedly not-so-good) headphones for gaming/music listening I found it a bit... uncomfortable, for reasons I'm not sure of myself.

Depends.

I prefer speakers usually because I don't really like a silent room, so the speakers are on at least just for the ambience. For gaming though, it depends on the game and the situation. If it's late, I'll wear headphones (not my super.fi earphones) to play. I usually wear headphones for a FPS too for fuller sound. But for music at home, I like my speakers better.

And for going out, <3 my earphones: UE super.fi 5 pro.

I do have pretty good speakers, but I prefer to use my headphones in order not to disturb anyone. While I know that it's not good for your ears (especially if you're used to pump up the volume, lol), I still think that the sound quality is better and more realistic when you use headphones

FUCKING AMEN.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...eiserhd555.jpg

I've got me a pair of Senn triple 5s, and I LOVE them. I pretty much use them for everything from music to gaming to movies. It's so versatile <3.

Also, I've tried out the Shure E2Cs and (don't kill me here) I found them not as good nor robust as your typical $20 ones, HOWEVER, once I did the sound test of running a vacuum cleaner to simulate a constant noise level, the Shures pretty much blocked out all the sound and I could still listen to the opening of Beethoven's Piano Concerto # 1 without having to crank out the volume - however, with the stock cheapie portable headphones, all that noise was already washed out and drained away by the vacuum cleaner.

I might get some E4Cs for portable use if I ever do see them go much down in price from the $299 USD. Mucknuggle managed to snag them for $200 through the internets somewhere...

You can get the E4Cs for $200 at HeadRoom.com

I enjoy speakers much more. It doesn't have the same feeling of confinement that headphones do, and it allows freedom and a range of doing things without being "hearing impaired". If I'm doing things around the room, and someone wants to chat with me, it's much more annoying to take the headphones off, turn off your ipod, and then put them away while talking. Why not let the music play?

Headphones for me are only used when I can't disturb anyone or if I feel lonely and emo. Like those students who walk to class with their ipods. You automatically confine yourself, you have this "don't talk to me" persona, am I right?

Right. In fact, sometimes I wear my IEMs while I'm walking through the neighborhood even when I'm not listening to music, so that the neighbors won't say hello to me.

I'm sure you have sucky neighbors (like me). :(

Aye :tpg:.

I've got two sets of golden headphones, at least I think they are. One is the awesome Sennheiser HD 595 and the other is the rockin Grado 325i .
Oddly enough I use my speakers and headphones about equally. Some days I want to feel the sound and other days I want to hear every note within the human hearing range. So I'd have to say I prefer both, depending on a given situation of course.

If I had to choose one or the other I'm pretty sure I'd go with the headphones. Why? Aside from sound difference they're just more fun to listen to.

I picked speakers, since I've got a full blown HT setup hooked up to the PC (SPDIF) and everything else it can be connected to. While I'm getting into the headphone scene now (thanks Piccolo), I have to hand it to boxy ole speakers.

My setup is mediocre, but sitting there after I put the 300 tracks in the playlist, it was far more immersive than anything a headphone could manage. I'm trying to get a SVS PB10 and some NHT classic threes, but that won't be for a good while.

The downside is that I'll have to turn it down sometimes, lest I wake the dead at 12am with carpet bombing in Ace Combat. :tpg:

You just haven't heard the right headphone yet. Perhaps you should do away with the upgrade path and go STAX right away. ;)