[Antman27]

Hello all ,I use my Ipod every day on the train with my Ultimate Ears super.fi 5EB and I think they sound great BUT its hard left and hard rght no center image. Is this whats to be expected from all headphones or just in-ear monitors.
Thanks~

[BradJudy]

This is common to headphones unless you have either a crossfeed device/function (bleeds sound from each channel into the other) or recordings designed for headphones (binaural recordings).  Some of the absolute best audio moments I have had were with good headphones and binaural recordings. 

[audiojerry]

This is common to headphones unless you have either a crossfeed device/function (bleeds sound from each channel into the other) or recordings designed for headphones (binaural recordings).  Some of the absolute best audio moments I have had were with good headphones and binaural recordings. 

Really?. I've never had a left to right problem in the past. Even with the cheapest phones, there has always been a center image. What I have never gotten was the front-to-back soundstage depth provided by a good system with good speakers.

I'm considering getting into a hi-rez setup for phones with amp, but the soundstage issue in my biggest concern.   

[robert1325]

Get some sennheiser px100's 

Very fun sound

[PhilNYC]

Really?. I've never had a left to right problem in the past. Even with the cheapest phones, there has always been a center image. What I have never gotten was the front-to-back soundstage depth provided by a good system with good speakers.

I agree...

[Steve Eddy]

That is weird. Unless the recordings you're listening to were made with everything panned hard left and right, you should get a center image. You'll sense it as being in the middle if your head and not necessarily in front of you, but it should be there.

Though I suppose it's possible that there are some folks out there whose brains may be wired up such that they simply can't sense that "middle of your head" imaging. I mean, there are much stranger things than that, such as people who don't hear music, but "see" it instead.

se

[randytsuch]

I have the UE 5pro's, and I get a center image.  Soundstage is different from speakers, but I definitely get a center image.

Almost sounds like left and right are out of phase?

Randy

[BradJudy]

I assumed he meant the typical headphone effect and was choosing different words.  Any strongly stereo (i.e. with sounds exclusively or near exclusively in one channel or the other) will produce a hard left/right effect with headphones and that was what I was responding to.

If you are listening to a recording that has a balanced sound (in the classic left/right balance sense of the word), then you should have a 'middle of the head' center image effect. 

[jbtrio]

I have the sennheiser  px100s also, good sound for portables. Their about $40.00.