Normal headphone sound or virtual speakers?

[iGude]

For most listeners, the virtual soundstage with headphones is inside their head or very close to it. Let’s imagine that headphones had a switch by which you can switch from normal headphone sound to a perfect simulation of the sound of speakers in a treated room with a virtual soundstage few meters in front of you.
Would you use that switch or are you happy with the headphone sound as is?

Why I ask? I had a discussion with a fellow audio enthusiast who claimed that even if that switch would exist, headphone users would prefer to not use it. Just trying to find out if he is right.

 

[SSS]

Nice idea. But it is for sure not feasible. The sound is always direct at each ear without the room direction information. Room information needs to have both ears uncovered. If somebody would invent this switch I would use it because I don'l like the "in-the-head" music.

 

[VintageFlanker]

I would prefer the sound of real speakers. Not a simulation of it.

 

[fpitas]

I would prefer the sound of real speakers. Not a simulation of it.

I agree. If I had crappy speakers though, or a tiny listening room, I'd go with headphones. Not sure I mind the normal headphone presentation.

 

[iGude]

But it is for sure not feasible

Let’s imagine the switch was existing, and it would sound as much as speakers like real speakers.

 

[holdingpants01]

headphones with crossfeed software (I use Goodhertz CanOpener Studio) are close enough to ideal room with nearfield monitors, so I prefer that. I tested Slate VSX recently (headphones + software that tries to emulate different environments) but I didn't like that added another layer on top of the music. I'm happy with headphones + crossfeed

 

[Spyart]

headphones with crossfeed software (I use Goodhertz CanOpener Studio) are close enough to ideal room with nearfield monitors, so I prefer that. I tested Slate VSX recently (headphones + software that tries to emulate different environments) but I didn't like that added another layer on top of the music. I'm happy with headphones + crossfeed

Can you elaborate More on another level? What is it exactly? Vsx has very large hype so I am curious)

 

[holdingpants01]

Can you elaborate More on another level? What is it exactly? Vsx has very large hype so I am curious)

basically the VSX is a cross feed algorithm with added EQ of a chosen space and convolution reverb of it. You can't separate them though, so you get all of it together. The effect is not really immersive as there's no head tracking or anything like that, so it feels static and filtered. Only one setting was convincing, but it was a boombox in mono, so not really useful outside of specific studio work. This whole thing is not aimed at consumer market anyway

 

[phoenixdogfan]

Virtual speakers which is why I have a Smyth A16 Realizer and have captured 24 channel virtualizations of Dutch & Dutch 8C's in a professional recording studio, and my home system consisting of Kef LS 50 Metas + Dual SVS SB 2000's DSP'd with Dirac DLBC room correction and crossovers.

 

[Blashyrkh]

I already have it actually, it's not a switch on the phones obviously, but on the PC:
EqualizerAPO + Hesuvi connected to a virtual cable

You have tons of virtualizations algorithms, some of them very interesting. You can choose from 2.0 to 7.1 channels.

Using them only when gaming though (7.1), for music I use 2.0 bitperfect playback without it.
The switch is easy, just select DAC or Virtual cable from the windows sound control panel (or application itself)

 

[iGude]

Using them only when gaming though

Thank you for contributing. What is the reason that you don’t use it for music?
Just curious..

 

[Blashyrkh]

Mainly because equalizerAPU uses direct input and doesn't work with asio or wasapi, and because whatever is the virtualizer algorithm, it will always sound a bit artificial.
Anyway if you use the correct HRIR, you can have a very convincing effect.
Currently HD800 + Hesuvi + Peq is the very best I ever tried

 

[iGude]

Let’s imagine that headphones had a switch…

A warm thank you to all members who took part in this vote already!
May I encourage more headphone users within our community to vote, so that we get a bit more statistical depth?
I appreciate any kind of feedback.

 

[musicreo]

I voted for the virtual speakers. I love my own measurement of speakers and use it with EQ-APO.

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[Natchie]

I would vote for having a switch for the headphones.

 

[iGude]

I would vote for having a switch for the headphones.

Thank you for contributing! Just curious, have you checked the respective checkbox already?

 

[Natchie]

Thank you for contributing! Just curious, have you checked the respective checkbox already?

Thanks for the reminder...just checked it off...adding to the headphones camp

 

[TheBatsEar]

Would you use that switch or are you happy with the headphone sound as is?

I would use that switch to enjoy music.
I would turn it off to monitor single instruments.

 

[ThatGuyYouKnow]

I am extremely impressed by how convincing binaural headphone audio can sound in modern games.

 

[TheBatsEar]

I am extremely impressed by how convincing binaural headphone audio can sound in modern games.

If i move my head to listen to something i noticed in the back, the illusion falls apart.

I hate to be that guy in a headphone thread, but physical speakers really are the bees knees, unless your application is monitoring of single instruments/voices or mobile music. Headphones just can't replicate the sound of speakers, in my opinion.