headphone recommendation diagram (no EQ)

[kami]

Hi everyone,

I dedicated a few minutes today and I came up with this flow diagram, it's basically what I do when I try to answer someone in the recommendations thread.

With more time and use cases, I could write an embeddable javascript app that would attempt to make a recommendation after the user answers questions via a drop-down list. I love the new PowerBI headphone index, but newcomers sometimes don't know all the context behind EQ, closed or open back, etc
For now, I am focusing on diagrams because those can migrate into a web app. I want to make the web app, but I want to be sure about its usefulness.

I excluded these two cases:
- "I don't like the Harman curve" because such judgment means you've read enough, and you don't need a list of steps to pick headphones
- "I want to use equalizer" because that might involve choosing whether to use jaakkopasanen's AutoEQ values or not, and that's a very deep rabbit hole of assumptions. (Perhaps I should have a simplified "EQ Choice" section)

Any input from any forum readers?

KM

 

[pozz]

Brilliant. Can you make a similar one for choosing amps, speakers and so on?

 

[kami]

Brilliant. Can you make a similar one for choosing amps, speakers and so on?

Yes, specifically with amps because when I started lurking this forum, it was a constant struggle for me to understand if I needed an amp for my first use case.

But I’d like to get feedback to understand if it’s useful for anyone starting the hobby

Thanks for your input @pozz

KM

 

[markanini]

Good initiative. Consider adding another node for preference between low-end extension and airniess because the choice between open and closed back can be motivated by tonality at least as much as isolation.

 

[kami]

Good initiative. Consider adding another node for preference between low-end extension and airniess because the choice between open and closed back can be motivated by tonality at least as much as isolation.

I am still a bit green on terms, by "low-end" extension we mean low-end bass frecuencies, right?

KM

 

[markanini]

Good point. Bass extension is a better term to use.

 

[Helicopter]

I think these criteria might be important:

I need to drive them with my phone / i have a dongle / I have a proper headphine amp.

I am not going to EQ / I will EQ. I know this is mentioned, and I have a reasonable preference for good without EQ... I know it is a can of worms, but we really just need to know if the headphone can be good with EQ or how good it can be. And then we need to know how good raw, and we need to know which one matters or if both matter.

 

[MRC01]

I dedicated a few minutes today and I came up with this flow diagram, it's basically what I do when I try to answer someone in the recommendations thread. ... Any input from any forum readers?

In the flowchart on the "local store", "no" branch, put something in about 30 day trials. Many online/mailorder companies have this and it's the only option for some people to listen and compare headphones before they commit to the purchase.

 

[kami]

In the flowchart on the "local store", "no" branch, put something in about 30 day trials. Many online/mailorder companies have this and it's the only option for some people to listen and compare headphones before they commit to the purchase.

i thought about this and included it in an initial version. It looked convoluted . I will give it a try.

Would that branch merge with returns to online store? What’s your opinion @MRC01 ?