Headphones

And now for something completely different…

The difference between listening to music using speakers or a headphone is striking.

 

When listening to speakers:

• both ears receive the direct sound from both channels, the sound will mix
• for each channel the far ear will receive the sound a fraction of a second later
• for each channel each ear will hear the indirect sound as reflected from the walls, floor (bass!) and ceiling.
• again the far ear will receive the indirect sound a fraction later

When listening to a headphone, each ear will receive 1 and 1 channel only. No mixing, no delay, no indirect sound coming from the surfaces of the room.

The latter means that the room acoustics are eliminated.

 

It is possible to mimic listening to speakers over a headphone by using a crossfeed.

Heaphones can by ocer the ear, on erar, in ear, see types.

The dynamic driver is common but there are other drivers as well.

 

1. The place to discuss headphones for subjectivist.
2. InnerFidelity - Tyll Hertsensl left in 2018 but his measurements are still there.
3. Effin' Ringin' - Headphone Measurements: Frequency Response and CSD Waterfall Plots
4. 
   Lots of measurements here.