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Achieving High Fidelity Sound
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dillon View Drop Down
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Points: 214 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dillon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2017 at 3:49pm
Amazing work Ash mate!

I love headphones too. But at the end of the day, there is absolutely no substitute for a well set up, room treated speaker system for room filling being there sound. For me of course. I need to FEEL bass and sub bass in the pit of my stomach.

Regards
Nottingham Analogue Hyperspace w Space Arm & Dynavector 10x5 HOMC/GSP Revelation M/John Sampson upgraded Meridian 508.24 CDP/Sony 777ES SACD/ProAc Response D18/GSP Solo ULDE/GSP cables and ICs
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Ash View Drop Down
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Points: 2920 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2017 at 9:30pm
Thanks. Yeah, my AKG K1000 does not mimic speakers at a distance but it is a step up from conventional headphone listening, to my ears. You need to have a very well thought out speaker system and listening environment to beat these in tonal accuracy and rhythm, I think. I soon sold all of my other headphones after using these for a while and pretty much stopped listening with headphones altogether. I only look at speaker stuff these days but most importantly, I keep doing what I've always done and focus on music and composition, which is what I enjoy. 

As someone who wears both glasses and contact lenses, I would make the following spatial comparison.

If: Headphones=glasses

Then: Speakers=contact lenses


I personally achieve my best vision with contact lenses. Much improved ability to appreciate and perceive 3D space. It's the same with decent speaker drivers that are set up properly; it conveys more space and scale. With contact lenses, the thickness of the corrective lens is greatly reduced compared to glasses, letting more light through to the retina and improving absolute resolution in low level light. High resolution speaker drivers at more of a distance allow your ear pinnae to work as they're intended to and give more directive sound information and allow certain nuances to be more clearly heard without needing to concentrate as much. In my experience anyway. So yeah, contact lenses are like speakers for me; I prefer not going back to glasses/headphones unless I have to. Smile


Edited by Ash - 19 Dec 2017 at 9:47pm
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dillon View Drop Down
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Points: 214 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dillon Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2017 at 9:52pm
That's such a cool analogy Ash. Rooms are the biggest factor in achieving your hifi goals I have always said. Not easy in our smaller spaces compared to the USA for example. I have had big speakers in tiny spaces and in bad spaces. Luckily, I have had biggish spaces most of my adult life. Until recently, none of those were treated. Sounded OK, but still not right. Then I discovered the wonders of room treatment with bass traps, diffusers and absorbers and life was never the same. It can be done as cheap as you like DIY too. My gosh what a massive difference! Now I have my gear set up using the classic 3rds methodology in a dedicated room. The speakers have disappeared! Soundstage is massive, sounds come out from 10 feet behind the speakers, 10 feet from the sides blah blah. The walk through and touch soundstage at last.
Nottingham Analogue Hyperspace w Space Arm & Dynavector 10x5 HOMC/GSP Revelation M/John Sampson upgraded Meridian 508.24 CDP/Sony 777ES SACD/ProAc Response D18/GSP Solo ULDE/GSP cables and ICs
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Ash View Drop Down
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Points: 2920 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Dec 2017 at 10:08pm
I like close proximity speaker listening where each ear is only about a couple of meters from each driver. This means lower listening volume required for clear dynamic sound so less room/baffle interactions, less diaphragm excursion and almost no speaker box enclosure needed for a nice extended low bass response. This is just my style of listening; it wouldn't suit everyone. But for me personally, it's when speakers sound best outside of a dedicated listening room with extensive acoustic treatment.
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Fatmangolf View Drop Down
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Points: 5267 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fatmangolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Dec 2017 at 4:17pm
Nearfield is the standard term for what you describe Ash. It's the closeness to the speakers to the listener relative to the walls of the room, so the direct sound is dominant. I sit about 2m from my speakers in a room roughly 4m x 4m, luckily it's not actually square. A bigger room would give me more options but I have used some acoustic treatrment and careful placement to get a decent sound.
Jon

Open mind and ears, whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC.
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Ash View Drop Down
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Points: 2920 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ash Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2018 at 3:19pm
To any of my past customers on here who purchased a Sennheiser HD540 Reference II headphone from me, would any of you like to sell one to me? Tongue Embarrassed Assuming its still in really good condition. Otherwise I may have to get on the restoration path again to generate one for my own use. It's gonna be a Linear I or Reference II that I use to monitor my speaker adventures but to produce either of them in the form that I want is likely going to resort to a multiple purchase part salvage, like last time...
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Fatmangolf View Drop Down
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Points: 5267 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fatmangolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 May 2018 at 6:53pm
Can do. Please PM me.
Jon

Open mind and ears, whilst owning GSP Genera, Accession, Elevator EXP, Solo ULDE, Proprius amps, Cusat50 cables, Lautus digital cable, Spatia cables and links, and a Majestic DAC.
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