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It would be nice if we knew which headphones they tested. Since so much of a headphone's reputation these days relies on largely anecdotal evidence from self-pr
by AdmiralAsshat 9y ago
It would be nice if we knew which headphones they tested. Since so much of a headphone's reputation these days relies on largely anecdotal evidence from self-professed audiophiles, some kind of objective rating on frequency response for major brands or well-known cans would be highly welcomed in the audio world.
It's very easy to say, "I can hear so much more of the song out of my ATH-M50's than I can a pair of Beats", and you may be right. But something objective to back it up would be great, too.
- josefresco 9y agoConsumer Reports? Granted it's premium content, but I would imagine their reviews would include more than just frequency response. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/headphones.htm http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/headphones.htm http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/headphones/buying-guide http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/headphones/buying-guide
- eli 9y agoAnd to be clear, you have to pay for it because they buy all test products at retail and don't accept any ads or include any affiliate links. I don't always 100% agree with CR, but they are super committed to objectivity.
- creepydata 9y agoMost libraries have copies of consumer reports magazine.
- fencepost 9y agoIf you have the cash, subscribe and support a great resource. If you're ramen profitable and sharing an apartment with 8 other entrepreneurs, keep in mind that many libraries have online access to subscription resources that can include both CR (and other publications) and a variety of online learning resources like Lynda.com.
- lostlogin 9y agoWhen I know a subject well and then read a consumer report article, I'm yet to agree with them. Their other irritating trait is the strange battles they pick that seem aimed to get them in the news.
- londons_explore 9y agoTesting ~150 headphones varying in price between $5 and $5k, I assume it covers most makes and models.
- dom0 9y agoFrequency and phase response are just linear characterisations, they don't model any non-linear effects. That being said, speakers and headphones all have a sound (unlike any properly designed amplifier); there is hardly any right or wrong there, and while the best approximation of a flat response might seem technically most correct, people will probably prefer different sounds.
- codedokode 9y agoNon-linear effects can be seen when measuring THD. Any non-linearity will distort the sound and create additional frequencies in the output.
- dom0 9y agoThat's not correct. THD measures some non-linearities and is unable to detect others (e.g. IMD).
- genka 9y agoI don't buy headphones super often, and I'm not super obsessive over it, but the people at headphone.com have always made me feel at least a little better informed: http://graphs.headphone.com http://graphs.headphone.com
- falcolas 9y agoSadly, it seems like they're getting out of the resale business, and focusing back on their DACs and amps. Sigh.
- criddell 9y agoFor a lot of people Beats sound good enough, they are affordable (but still expensive), and built fairly well. Clearly, it's subject but to lots of people they also look good. For just about anything worn on one's head, aesthetics and comfort will be the dominating factors. When I was a kid, my friends and I would kill time in the library by flipping through Car & Driver, Motor Trend, and Road & Track magazines trying to figure out what car is best. The Camaro might be two tenths faster in the quarter mile than the Mustang, so clearly anybody that buys a Mustang is an idiot, right? This is what a lot of headphone evaluations sound like to me.
- throwasehasdwi 9y agobeats are built REALLY badly, look at any of the teardowns. They also use garbage no-name drivers that are identical to what you get in $20 headphones, again look at the teardowns.
- closeparen 9y agoCorrect, they are a fashion item. The point is to be seen wearing them, not to sit alone in your silent apartment with a nice headphone amp and concentrate on your music. Do Oakleys block the sun better than $5 checkout counter sunglasses?
- linkregister 9y agoOakleys are more scratch-resistant and comfortable than the checkout counter sunglasses. It's probably cheaper to just buy 15 pairs of the checkout counter sunglasses if you only care about durability.
- arethuza 9y agoI have a pair of Oakleys (Juliets I think) that are about 15 years old and must be on the fifth pair of lenses. Been hit directly by a dinghy boom more than once and survived fine. Headphones on the other hand - I go through maybe 3 or 4 pairs a year so buy fairly cheap ones because I know they are going to be destroyed or lost.
- beat 9y agoThat only works if your objective measurements map well to subjective listening experience. Frequency response does not map well. Neither does THD. They're measured not because they're useful, but because they're easy to measure and sound "objective" and "scientific". It's an appeal to authority fallacy with a graph.
- stcredzero 9y agoBut something objective to back it up would be great, too. That brain-training game on the Nintendo DS -- the one that had you distinguish two voices saying things simultaneously -- your score on that game is a great way to evaluate headphones for vocal accuracy. Be careful though: the DS can't adequately drive all headphones, so you'll need an amp for high impedance headphones.