I would love to try speakers, but I dont want to spend money in speakers just to see they sound bad in my room. my room is essentially a square with a long hallway in the middle with the roof shape going up and down. I listened to my friends polk audio speakers with a yamaha amp in his living room, my god they sounded horrible. The bass was boomy with no slam and it drowned out all detail (Im not sure if this is because Polk speakers are bad or if his living room wasnt good for the sound). I also listen to 80% classical and soundtracks so I would need a good speaker setup that gives me the detail I want which can be expensive. Also with headphones you can compare easily. Im looking at the Aryas right now and I could find a hundred posts of people who have both the Arya as well as one of my headphones giving me a good breakdown. Headphones allow you to own multiple sets. While I didnt delve in the world of speakers much Im sure not everyone owns multiple sets of speakers. Not to mention room acoustic of one person will make the speaker sound different than the room Acoustic at my house, so it kind of ruins the comparison.

I had that, and it is just as good. I owned the 660S in the past and really didn't care for them, that was before I found out how to use EQ. With a little EQ, these sound great.

Aeon Closed X

[deleted]

Stax 4070

Your premise is not true - speakers are not way better than headphones. I have both good speakers that cost thousands and TOTL headphones and one is not superior to the other, but have different strengths. In fact I think the TOTL headphones sound better in most cases. One are where speaker system does better is high quality subs can actually make you feel physical bass, which headphones obviously cannot do.

I much prefer IEMs, esp when listening to music in bed. I get better sound from my OEMs, but IEMs are generally more practical for my uses (voice and listening to higher range music)

So, much like mech keyboards, the joy of headphones is in finding what hits your subjectives. Are you a basshead? Treble junkie? Audiophile flat neutral killjoy? Do you prefer intimate sound or the widest soundscape you can find? Something that you can wear about town or only when you're sitting at your climate-controlled listening station?

Koss Portapros are an easy recommendation, provided you find them on sale. For $30 they're amazing. For $50, I'd pass. They get even better with some aftermarket pads on them (Yaxi pads are like $12).

If you're more into IEMs, you're flat spoiled by choice, and there's a new hotness cheap IEM about every four months. Most recently that's the Salnotes Zero and Truthear Hola, previously it was the Moondrop Chu. The BLON BL-03 used to be a big rec, and they're great provided you can get the bastards to seal (you pretty much need aftermarket tips). I've been eyeballing the Truthear Zero, though the last thing I need is yet another pair of cheap IEMs. The Moondrop Aria are a solid recommendation that stays under $100.

The great thing about IEMs is you don't have to think about amplification. Just get an apple dongle (or equivalent) and go.

For me speakers aren't really comparable to headphones outside of the fact they both produce sound. I am either in the mood of one or the other. I find the intimate sound of headphones can be very comforting. It's a complete different listening experience, imo.

Others have mentioned space constraints, but it's also the seating position factor. Usually, with speaker set ups (especially higher end ones), outside of a very small "sweet spot" it doesn't sound nearly as good. Headphones don't have that issue.

Lastly, most decent headphones are full range and the bass extends to 20hz, especially with planars. Speakers? Need a sub or really big towers to get that subbass extension and desk set ups like mine have nowhere for a sub and towers aren't designed for desks. My 6 inch bookshelfs do a pretty good job but definitely roll off in the bass, even eq'd. For that full bass extension at my desk headphones are the only solution.

So, in my experience, there are both practical and preference reasons to get headphones over speakers.

Are you a real audiophile or what? Both ofcourse 😄

6.35mm and 3.5mm single ended outputs.

Got the same setup except dac/amp being Ifi zen air and the 660's cost me 300 green ones They do sound amazing with a little eq

With Arms Wide Open

Not everyone has a living situation that allows for good speakers. Some like the intimacy of headphones.

hot take but the Austrian Audio Hi X60 (with EQ) has single handedly ended my buying and selling spree. Ridiculous value!

It’s good to have both (if you can afford it). I agree speakers are more enjoyable than headphones, especially if physicality and stage are important to you. On the other hand, it is hard to get clean sound out of speakers without room treatments and correction, and that’s not everyone’s cup of tea. If you had to chose one, I can see why a lot of people would go the headphone route given certain lifestyle constraints. I read somewhere that speakers put you inside the music, and headphones put the music inside of you. As a music lover, both are feelings you want to have ;-)

Atrium closed, kennerton rognir, dca stealth

You being able to feel the bass in your entire upper body already implies that you at least have decent acoustics for your setup.
Many locations would have near 0 sub bass because of room geometry or desk placement.

Thanks! I believe it is 3.5mm SE only on the other output.

What a majestic crossover episode it must have been! Is there a Harman target for thock already?

Amazon music. For the price it’s heard to beat and I’m 47. My hearing isn’t what it used to be.

Currently it's my LCD-XC, but I haven't tried a lot of headphones. My other reference points for closed backs are N90Q, JM modded HE R9 and ATH-W5000. It brings out details and texture best though isn't the most natural sounding.

And fountain pens... hence r/mechanicalheadpens

They are all-purpose headphones. Jack of all trades... Very practical.

I am fortunate enough to have expensive headphones and speakers. They each serve their own purpose. I don’t think they can do what the other one does and I enjoy them both equally.