Expensive headphones that sound bad

[solderdude]

More often then not one can make 'bad' sounding headphones (regardless of their price) sound good or at least better with proper EQ.
In certain cases, however, EQ can make some improvements in other cases it can make a world of difference.

Some headphones (The DT48 for instance) are not designed for signal fidelity but are designed with other properties in mind.
Most headphones are designed to impart a certain sonic signature (tonal balance related) that is pleasing to certain owners but objectionable to others who may prefer a very different tonal balance.
This could trigger reactions of people stating a headphone sounds 'bad' while in reality it just doesn't suit their needs nor take the time to apply EQ.

With EQ you could select cheaper or more comfortable headphones and make them suit one's tonal balance. But... you can't make a purse from a sow's ear is true in quite a lot of cases.

 

[Blujackaal]

More often then not one can make 'bad' sounding headphones (regardless of their price) sound good or at least better with proper EQ.
In certain cases, however, EQ can make some improvements in other cases it can make a world of difference.

Some headphones (The DT48 for instance) are not designed for signal fidelity but are designed with other properties in mind.
Most headphones are designed to impart a certain sonic signature (tonal balance related) that is pleasing to certain owners but objectionable to others who may prefer a very different tonal balance.
This could trigger reactions of people stating a headphone sounds 'bad' while in reality it just doesn't suit their needs nor take the time to apply EQ.

With EQ you could select cheaper or more comfortable headphones and make them suit one's tonal balance. But... you can't make a purse from a sow's ear is true in quite a lot of cases.

Yep, The audeze headphones need some heavy fixing to just sound good which i can why some would just skip them. Just get a HD6XX, DT 1990, HE400i which only need mild fixes.

 

[Rja4000]

Looks like they were designed by an 80 year old that spent the entire sixties high and sitting right next to the stage speakers at festivals.

Or worse.
I rememeber once, a rock band signer wanted us to push the level on his monitor higher.
He was having his ear about 40cm from a 15" bass + 1"tweeter 250W stage monitor.
The 99dB/W/1m (or more) kind of thing.
Crazy!

 

[BillG]

In regards to DSP for headphones, I just happening to be tuning it right now for a new IEM (CCA CA16) I received this morning. Fortunately I don't have to do much to these. I've others that I've set up as well. By the way, I'm primarily a speaker person...