[General Discussion] Headphones or Speakers?

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.



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.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

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

There's nowhere I can't reach.

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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.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

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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.

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

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?