ASR Getting Into Measuring Headphones!

[m8o]

Yes! Super happy to see this. I have hardly been back to InnerFidelity since Tyll left and the new person running it chose to only do subjective reviews, w/absolutely no/zero objective measurements.

[Edit: just discovered today the Innerfidelity is dead! ... certainly isn't a surprise to me tho]

I'm willing to loan you numerous headphones to build-out your library of measurements. Just not all at once. Any interest? I'll wait to provide my list owned.

 

[sweetchaos]

Should we create a new thread for headphones we own, that we could send for testing?

I realize there's a thread "What headphone(s) do you own ?", but that's more general, and not specific to people who want to send headphones in.

 

[Doodski]

Should we create a new thread for headphones we own, that we could send for testing?

That's a good idea.

 

[danadam]

While the data is great, having so many versions of it is not so.

 

[Cahudson42]

What is measured I'm sure will evolve as with speakers etc.

FR is obvious. But distortion, THD and IMD.. Transient response/CSR.. All under multiple situations/SPL. What else? Is there a way to measure 'sound stage' for example?

 

[amirm]

Congratulations Amir. I hope it will bring much good for the community.
Do you have a planning in mind how you will divide up your measurements of electronics, speakers and headphones?

Thanks. No plan currently. With speakers I try to do one for every piece of electronics. Headphones will not be that frequent at the start.

 

[amirm]

Yes! Super happy to see this. I have hardly been back to InnerFidelity since Tyle left and the new person running it chose to only do subjective reviews, w/absolutely no/zero objective measurements.

I'm willing to loan you numerous headphones to build-out your library of measurements. Just not all at once. Any interest? I'll wait to provide my list owned.

Of course there is interest. First though i need to get through the ones which have been secretly sent.

 

[Helicopter]

That's a good idea.

OK Here is a thread where you can offer headphones without necessarily recommending them.

 

[YSC]

A challenge..!

How do you prioritize which ones you measure in what order?

My suggestions: First, those most likely to be considered Now by ASR members: HD560s, HE 5Xx, Deva., Sundara, Ananda, Under $1k..

Perhaps a couple $5k-type for comparison up front.

But, right now , No ' historical' unbtainium types. (HE6 etc.). Later, perhaps. HP up to $1k..to start for now..

Cross select the current dynamic, planar offerings. Electrostatics, again later.

As well as 'garage shop' (Verum?) stuff. Later.

Eagerly anticipating these new reviews!

this is attractive to me as I owned the HE500 since it released and although the pleather headband basically break down by now but it's still my favourite headphone to use when speakers are not suitable

 

[TheWalkman]

Great news.

I’m betting there will be many members experiencing buyer‘s remorse when they find their $1500 headphones don’t really out perform a pair of $100 Sennheisers.

I’m heading to Costco to stock up on popcorn. Let the fun begin!

 

[wwenze]

Any plan to use your measurement skills + audio knowledge into making a system that makes headphones sound like speakers in a room? Like what Creative SXFi have tried (and failed horribly at)

 

[Rick Sykora]

@amirm you needed more stuff to test?

 

[amirm]

@amirm you needed more stuff to test?

Well, now that you put it that way, no.

 

[Rick Sykora]

Well, now that you put it that way, no.

At least they shouldn't stress your back!

 

[Vini darko]

You're a legend amirm your wifey too. Don't know where you're gonna find the time but look forward to following the journey refining the art of headphone measurments.

 

[YSC]

In theory yes but how one goes about getting them one to do this is not clear. I know I won't be loaning mine to them.

Maybe someone like UE can send you a pack of gear for their 3D scanning type ear moulding machine? It seems fairly easy to setup and use as it’s basically a 3D scanner with a reference plate to scan my ear canal and so they can easily make one which fits your rig and maybe for your subjective review? It takes me only 15 min back when I got my uerr 3 years ago

 

[dheepak10]

Great news - Looking forward to clean measurements

 

[MerlinGS]

Any plan to use your measurement skills + audio knowledge into making a system that makes headphones sound like speakers in a room? Like what Creative SXFi have tried (and failed horribly at)

For 4K Smyth Realiser A16 can emulate up to 24 speakers in a room. Apparently it provides an incredibly close audible copy of the speakers in room. Although the company initially seemed to have a lot of issues delivering their units to purchasers in kickstarter, I think they may have caught up and they are now trying to deliver the preorders. However, new purchasers that pony up the current price seem to have no issues getting their units delivered.

PS Never tried the unit myself, but many users (including some reviewers that participate in this forum) have spoken highly of it.
PPS For what is worth two HP they highly recommend are Sennheiser HD800 and Stax.

 

[SoundsGood2Me]

Thank You Amirm! I truly appreciate your unbiased 3rd party inspection, especially since you seem VERY Technically Adept. And your reporting skills are excellent, too - you're easier to understand than even John Atkinson.

I bet there's headphone manufacturers out there that are going to have restless sleep tonight! Godspeed

 

[617]

@amirm , remember when you got the NFS, my memory is that you took your time with the first few reviews to work out a methodology for creating data and data presentations which were meaningful and useful to enthusiasts and technical nerds like me.

I think you did a great job with that, with no early reviews missing out on much that later reviews benefitted from.

I hope you can do the same with headphones. As with the NFS, educating the readership about how your measurements work, what they mean, and what they do not mean, is as important as supplying the measurements themselves. If it were me doing speaker measurements, I'd spit out the data and let God sort it out, but you're a lot more benevolent than I am.

Also I am glad to see someone else express scepticism in the 40 point eq correction curves supplied by various online sources. My hope is that meaningful correction curves, or suggestions, can be derived from the measurements.