IEM / Headphones general sound quality axioms.

[ObjectAudio]

After spending a lot of time and money with this hobby I think that I can define my IEM/Headphones axioms.

1. There is no correlation between price and sound quality.
2. There is no a perfect sound headphones/IEM. Each have some frequency response flaw.
3. Every IEM/headphones will benefit from some EQ.
4. The most important aspect of sound quality is the frequency response assuming the THD is acceptable.
5, Every IEM/Headphones with the same type can sound very similar if EQ to the same target.
6. As usual there is a lot of snake oil in the IEM/Headphones business.

Thoughts , Opinions?

 

[DVDdoug]

I generally agree!

1. There is no correlation between price and sound quality.

I'd say almost no correlation.... On the low end, the cheapest ASR-recommended headphone is the ~$150 AKG K371 and it seems to have a reputation for poor/flimsy build quality. At the high-end, yeah... probably zero correlation.

2. There is no a perfect headphones/IEM.

Some people are 100% satisfied with what they have (until they get bored and want "something better" ) but different people have different preferences so you'll never get agreement on which is the best or "perfect". And some people are never satisfied.

3. Every IEM/headphones will benefit from some EQ.

I'd say not always. And it's certainly not necessary. Many people are happy with their headphones as they sound, and that's why they chose them.

I don't listen to headphones a lot but I have a few different pair and I never EQ for the particular headphone. That's not to say they wouldn't benefit from some EQ but I just "accept" whatever I'm listening to.

5, Every IEM/Headphones can sound very similar if EQ to the same target.

I'd say... "Just about every headphone sounds different but they can sound very similar if EQ to the same target."

6. As usual there is a lot of snake oil in the IEM/Headphones business.

And the whole freekin' audio business, and especially the "audiophile" community There's even some "common nonsense" (but not as much snake-oil hardware) in the pro audio world.


...I'd probably also add, "Headphone/IEM listening is a different experience than listening to speakers."

 

[ObjectAudio]

I will add:
I am only talking about sound quality. I am not talking about build quality , materials and so.
I understand that people are satisfied with what they have , but because most of them are not trying to improve by EQ. I have good amount of headphones and IEMs and each one of them I was able to improve the sound quality to my ears by EQ to my preferred target.

 

[tomtoo]

I dont know about iem's, maybe there your headline is right. But with headphones i dont think so. You cant eq a closed to a open headphone. The same you cant eq a electrostat dipole to a boxed speaker.

 

[maverickronin]

If you're not at least using basic Meier/CMoy crossfeed when listening to stereo mixes you're doing it wrong.