Speakers vs. Headphones

[sack_patrol]

Headphones or Speakers. Anything goes. Suggest what you think is the best, and explain if not too lazy. What do YOU think is best for anything...what is the perfect audio output device.

 

I've had quite a few speakers and headphones and headphone sets, and I think that the YAMAHA RH-5Ma headphones are by far one of the best out there selling at around 60$. With a decent audio card you get everything you would with a home theater system...only smaller and cheaper. Although more for games, a good set of headphones would be excellent for hearing all the detail in anything you listen to.

[supergeek101]

Headphones for personal. They sound great. But speakers are for if more than 1 person wants to listen. I dunno, thats my opinion.

[WhenKittensATK]

In terms of SQ/Price ratio : Headphones

Comfortably: Even

Annoyance to others: Speakers

Silence: Headphones

Overall Experience: Speakers

Gaming (footsteps): Headphones (tweaking maybe needed to get footsteps right on speakers)

Gaming (immersion): Speakers

 

I would say a good 5.1 / 7.1 speaker set would be ideal if you got roommates who don't care about the extra noise. I personally use headphones, because I'm not that kind of guy who would annoy others with loud music. That's right I'm talking to the drivers with their rattling trunks. There is a point when there is just too much bass. A line you shouldn't cross.

Edited October 4, 2009 by Krazyxazn

[tkrow21]

IMO you should get headphones because they're much more portable, cheaper, and offer better performance than an equally priced speaker set.

[sack_patrol]

I do have the headphones... this thread is to discuss.

 

(with my sound card, I actually get 7.1 sound from headphones which is quite nice)

[SMeeD]

Id say headphones, you can get a really nice headphone setup for cheap compared to a speaker system. The only downside being you're the only one who can hear it.

[IVIYTH0S]

Id say headphones, you can get a really nice headphone setup for cheap compared to a speaker system. The only downside being you're the only one who can hear it.

Yeah I agree, if you think about it. When you buy really nice speakers you're kinda "paying" for the rest of your friends to listen to the high quality with you. Instead of just paying your share.

Edited October 4, 2009 by IVIYTH0S

[spectrascope]

Headphones if your willing to pay to play, for high quality tube amp for the headphones,, and for the headphones to match look to throw down about $550-600, the amp is needed because most sound cards or regular will not have enough power to run the headphones to there full capability.

[psycho_terror]

my PC is part of my home theater setup, and i have friends, so headphones are never going to replace speakers for me.

 

now i think about it i also find headphones pretty uncomfortable.

[Waco]

A good set of cans will sound better than any reasonably priced speakers.

 

That said, nothing is as immersive as 130+ dB of sound coming at you from all directions. When you can FEEL the explosions in a game it makes you feel like you are there.

Edited October 4, 2009 by Waco

[Silverfox]

I'm a fan of both. Sound stage is genuinely good on headphones, but it's nigh-on impossible to beat proper floor-standing speakers for that feel.

 

I have Sennheiser HD595 cans and a dedicated Little Dot MKIII valve amp to drive them ... the quality is just superb, but there's just that 'feeling' that big speakers can give you - actually feeling the bass body for a start.

 

Tricky to say one is better than the other, but they both have merits and let-downs.

[sack_patrol]

A good set of cans will sound better than any reasonably priced speakers.

 

Agreed. + a good sound card, and you've got a 7.1 simulation. Headphones beat speakers any day.