[zuluwarrior0760]

I went through several iterations coming up with a home office system
that would have some of the flavor of my big system at the other
end of the house, which is magnepan 3.7/bryston 7bsst2/CAT SL1 Renaissance Phono Pre/
Esoteric K-03 SACD Player/Merrill Williams 101.2 TT/Ortofon TA210/Ortofon Cadenza Black

I ended up after several tries with the Wadia Powerdac @ 50wpc approx and a pair
of mini maggies with bass panel under the desk.......
while very nice, it didn't get me even 20% of the way to where I wanted to go, so I scrapped
the whole kit and kaboodle for a pair of Audeze LCD-X open backs.  I'm listening
to them with a cheap nuforce dac/amp but everything is opening up nicely and in a week
I'll have the first Burson Conductor Virtuoso in the states......I can wear these for 6 hours
and not even know they are there......and the sound even with a 99 dollar dac/amp
is absolutely wonderful......and they're not even broken in yet.....

[funkmonkey]

             


 


Well...  never "downgrade."  But, I have found myself seeking a headphone experience that can parallel a speaker one.  LOVE my Salk HT3s, absolutely... also LOVE my KEF M500 headphones driven straight from an iPod.

I have been going around the block and back searching for something (headphone set-up that doesn't cost a mint) that I can enjoy on my terms...  And not giving a shit about the neighbors; not worrying about my child and/or wife sleeping...  Headphones allow that luxury.  Speakers...  hmmmmmm...   they will never actually be "replaced" by headphones for me, BUT headphones can provide an extremely satisfying musical experience.  I want it as easy as possible when it comes to headphones, so I can listen on the go, or at home and still "enjoy."

It might take a bit of searching for the right combo...  but there are a lot of options out there, some WAY too expensive, some worth it.

So, "downgrade,"  absolutely NO.  Sidestep, and accommodate, most definitely YES. 

[charmerci]

Interesting that 4 people here have/had Maggies and are now doing (mostly) headphones instead...

[milford3]

It always amazes me that some audiophiles think that buying headphones and an amp is a downgrade from their speakers.  Some will spend 5k to 8k on speakers and think nothing of it but headphones that cost 1k is to much money.   Headphones have their place.  My go to can is the Audeze LCD2 or the Beyer T1. Headphones give the listener a different  dimension.  At times (depending on my mood) headphone listening blows away my Hoyt Bedford Type 1's with two subs.  I'm done ranting now.  Happy Holidays everyone!

[kingdeezie]

It always amazes me that some audiophiles think that buying headphones and an amp is a downgrade from their speakers.  Some will spend 5k to 8k on speakers and think nothing of it but headphones that cost 1k is to much money.   Headphones have their place.  My go to can is the Audeze LCD2 or the Beyer T1. Headphones give the listener a different  dimension.  At times (depending on my mood) headphone listening blows away my Hoyt Bedford Type 1's with two subs.  I'm done ranting now.  Happy Holidays everyone!

That is why I put downgrade in quotes, because it seems to be the general consensus among audiophiles. I agree that generally headphones just present the sound differently, as opposed to better or worse.

I think the issue is, is that a lot of people when thinking about what aspects of sound that they most appreciate, usually tend to prioritize soundstage. The illusion that the performers are out in front of the listener is a stereo characteristic that a lot of people judge their systems by.

Obviously, a set of speakers is going to present a more convincing soundstage, and that is why people seem to prefer speakers so fervently over headphones.

I think I will eventually get a nice headphone setup, but for now I decided to purchase more appropriately sized speakers for my room.

Happy holidays!

[vortrex]

Bought a digital HP system with LCD-3's.  It's very fun to listen to while working or late at night, but it doesn't compare to my vinyl speaker system.  It's my first experience with real headphones.

[Guy 13]

That is why I put downgrade in quotes, because it seems to be the general consensus among audiophiles. I agree that generally headphones just present the sound differently, as opposed to better or worse.

I think the issue is, is that a lot of people when thinking about what aspects of sound that they most appreciate, usually tend to prioritize soundstage. The illusion that the performers are out in front of the listener is a stereo characteristic that a lot of people judge their systems by.

Obviously, a set of speakers is going to present a more convincing soundstage, and that is why people seem to prefer speakers so fervently over headphones.

I think I will eventually get a nice headphone setup, but for now I decided to purchase more appropriately sized speakers for my room.

Happy holidays!

Hi kingdeezie,
I agree 100% with you.
It always make me smile when I read that someone says that
his headphones have a huge soundstage...
I prefer speaker set-up to my headphone
for sound quality and soundstage.

Guy 13 on planet Vietnam.

[jtwrace]

As much as I enjoy my headphone setup which is still very expensive it doesn't compare to my large system at all.  It can't.  Impossible. 

[zuluwarrior0760]

Interesting that 4 people here have/had Maggies and are now doing (mostly) headphones instead...

For me it wasn't about them being Maggies......I tried two dynamic speakers before that
which were also quite well known......for me it came down to trying to get the same flavor
I got in the big room with the Magnepan 3.7s and the Minis as well as every other thing
I tried just didn't get me there......I guess I'm not a nearfield listener so to speak.....

but:

I love the flavor of the Audeze LCD-X

FWIW: I will never give up the Magnepan 3.7s unless it's for 20.7s or their successor......
I've had several speakers 20K or thereabouts that the 5K 3.7s obliterated......in
most categories.....

[FireGuy]

Coming up in January to compliment my Beyer DT880 is the HiFiMAN HE400.  I like the planer sound and therefore will absolutely enjoy this addition.   I too agree phones are not a downgrade but a different presentation with its place on many occasions. 

[Johlke]

Since my sister-in-law moved in with us and stays in the guest room, which is right above my listening room, I've moved to headphone listening almost all the time.  I started with a mid-priced system just to check it out (HifiMan EF-5 amp and HE-500 headphones) and was very pleasantly surprised.  I've now moved up to HifiMan HE-560 headphones and a Woo Audio WA6-SE amp and couldn't be happier.  As another poster has already stated, the biggest thing you "lose" is the gigantic soundstage that a good audio system can create, but in every other aspect of listening a good headphone system is likely to be superior.

[ajzepp]

Interesting that 4 people here have/had Maggies and are now doing (mostly) headphones instead...

Speaking only for myself, it has nothing to do with how much I love Maggies...just has more to do with a convenience factor. Headphones allow me to listen anywhere, and that often wins out over sitting in the living room listening to the big bad mamas. But I'm not meaning to imply that headphones are necessarily better or more enjoyable, just that at this point in time I reach for them more often.