EQ headphones, why?

[Jimbob54]

a true, exacting standard (like the harman curve) is more of a suggestion than a final target.

 

[kemmler3D]

well, to @GaryH's point, individual loudness contours and HRTFs vary like crazy. The harman curve is meant to approximately compensate for the difference between a headphone's sound and an idealized speaker's sound in-room. But it's not possible that a standard curve will fully achieve this goal for every ear. It can compensate for the physical and audiological / psychoacoustic things we all share in common. But unfortunately those commonalities don't get everyone the sound they want.

In fact, I spoke to an engineer at a very well-known IEM brand (you've heard of them, maybe even your mom's heard of them) and they told me they had tried to categorize the pinnae of real people. The idea was to measure enough of them to come up with groupings / types of ear shape so that they could in theory customize sound according to your "ear type", something along those lines.

They gave up on this effort after finding no pattern in ear shapes after dozens of measurements.

At the end of the day, the harman curve is a good starting point, but adjusting EQ by ear (NOT via tones, obviously, that's only for arrogant fools) seems to be the only option for a final finishing step between "good" and "perfect", if any such thing can be said to exist in headphones.

 

[markanini]

well, to @GaryH's point, individual loudness contours and HRTFs vary like crazy. The harman curve is meant to approximately compensate for the difference between a headphone's sound and an idealized speaker's sound in-room. But it's not possible that a standard curve will fully achieve this goal for every ear.

That doesn't make sweeping sinewaves a good tool for EQ when you intend to listen to music. If you think Harmans goal was to solve varying HRTFs you are giving them too much credit, evolution did that job for our species.

 

[RoA]

Imho EVERY Headphone benefits from EQ to a larger or smaller degree. It's like photos. I never ever publish a photo that has not gone through some editing.

 

[GaryH]

It's more like TV calibration.

 

[Berwhale]

The harman curve is meant to approximately compensate for the difference between a headphone's sound and an idealized speaker's sound in-room.

I think the Harman curves are 'meant' to support the design and tuning of headphones that will sell more units by maximizing their market (the clue is in the name).

 

[GaryH]

 

[Peterinvan]

I want to point out that headphone reviews rarely address the needs of us older folks. I have not seen any stats on the age group that the manufacturers are tuning for. While I suspect that the market for TOTL headphones is mostly Boomers with that kind of disposable income.
I am 75 this year and my audiologists reports show a slow decline in upper frequency regions (above 8Khz). Consequently, the high frequency emphasis on the 109Pro is a good match for my ears. Very happy with my 109s as well as my new HiFiMAN EF400 amp/DAC. I have ordered the iFi ieMatch4.4 to address the excessive gain on the EF400.

 

[Phoney]

I want to point out that headphone reviews rarely address the needs of us older folks. I have not seen any stats on the age group that the manufacturers are tuning for. While I suspect that the market for TOTL headphones is mostly Boomers with that kind of disposable income.
I am 75 this year and my audiologists reports show a slow decline in upper frequency regions (above 8Khz). Consequently, the high frequency emphasis on the 109Pro is a good match for my ears. Very happy with my 109s as well as my new HiFiMAN EF400 amp/DAC. I have ordered the iFi ieMatch4.4 to address the excessive gain on the EF400.

I'm 26 and I allways have to dial down post 10khz. Usually everything post 8khz. To me it seems like they usually are trying to compensate for hearing loss, as EQ is more popular amongst the younger generation anyways. I have yet to experience a headphone where I've had to boost above 10khz (except Arya v2 with a +0,5db HS), and I think I've had to reduce that area in about 95% of the headphone I've owned.

 

[TrevC]

Do you think it's right or wrong to use the equalizer with headphones?

I use the loudness button on the amp for my AKG 550.