Headphones in 20 years?

O

organmeni

Audiophyte
Audio quality in headphones have come a long way since the early 2000's, what do you reckon the advancements in audiophile headphones in 20 years? https://routerlogin.uno/
We still don't have a headphone that has the best low end, mid range, imaging, soundstage and treble in one headphone and I don't think we ever will.
 
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tyhjaarpa

tyhjaarpa

Audioholic Field Marshall
Many headphones from 20 years ago still hold fast if you solely consider sound quality, so I don't really see how the audio has come a long way from there? I think you might mean noise canceling and what not, but those don't really have anything to do with sound quality. And yes, there are some headphones that are excellent with the areas you list, but they come with hafty price tag as well.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
What about headphones is so superior now over 20 years ago? I can see it for IEMs, they were barely existant then that I remember.....
 
M

MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
In 20 years people will opt to have ear speakers surgically implanted in their heads and their phones up their. . . nose.
 
Bucknekked

Bucknekked

Audioholic Samurai
In 20 years people will opt to have ear speakers surgically implanted in their heads and their phones up their. . . nose.
Now there's an idea ! It could work right along with the brain implant thats coming.

On a lesser aggressive tactic, I don't know that headphones have improved over the last 20 years or so.
I see them miniaturizing for sure. But the vast volume of headphones aren't headphones to me at all, they are those earbuds like Apple makes. To me, those are a gigantic step down from real headphone quality listening.

When I was working and flying a lot, I bought a set of Inner Ear Monitors (IEM) that completely blocked out the world when I put those in. The sound package on those was outstanding. They were pricey at nearly $400 bucks but they ran for years and years and the sound was top notch.

If we back up the clock about 40 years or more, I had a big pair of Stanton's. They were comically gigantic. For sound however, they were pleasing and rocked my world until the headphone cord wore out. I had these and they were stinking awesome. Now these were headphones ! Earbuds can kiss my ass.

1671558443881.png
 
M

MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
Now there's an idea ! It could work right along with the brain implant thats coming.

On a lesser aggressive tactic, I don't know that headphones have improved over the last 20 years or so.
I see them miniaturizing for sure. But the vast volume of headphones aren't headphones to me at all, they are those earbuds like Apple makes. To me, those are a gigantic step down from real headphone quality listening.

When I was working and flying a lot, I bought a set of Inner Ear Monitors (IEM) that completely blocked out the world when I put those in. The sound package on those was outstanding. They were pricey at nearly $400 bucks but they ran for years and years and the sound was top notch.

If we back up the clock about 40 years or more, I had a big pair of Stanton's. They were comically gigantic. For sound however, they were pleasing and rocked my world until the headphone cord wore out. I had these and they were stinking awesome. Now these were headphones ! Earbuds can kiss my ass.

View attachment 59170
I can't go earbuds or anything hanging on, or in my ears. Over ear is the only way I can really enjoy headphones. I have no need for them now unless I was guesting at someone's home or when on the plane. My car has a great sounding system too so, between that, the JBL lsr305 at work, plus my home system, I'm pretty much covered.

I ran all of the millennials off at work so now I have the shop to myself and can listen to whatever I want. :)
 
L

lnlioc

Audiophyte
I can't go earbuds or anything hanging on, or in my ears. Over ear is the only way I can really enjoy headphones. I have no need for them now unless I was guesting at someone's home or when on the plane. My car has a great sounding system too so, between that, the JBL lsr305 at work, plus my home system, I'm pretty much covered.

I ran all of the millennials off at work so now I have the shop to myself and can listen to whatever I want. :)
You have a nice setup, but if you want to have fun, go somewhere else. Like a beach, there is no parking for cars. Then, what will you do? I believe that is the reason you require earbuds in your ear.
 
M

MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
You have a nice setup, but if you want to have fun, go somewhere else. Like a beach, there is no parking for cars. Then, what will you do? I believe that is the reason you require earbuds in your ear.
Nah. I can wait till I get home or the car. I don't take my phone or any other devices to the beach or in the boat or at least it's not powered on then, or anytime outdoors for that matter. I prefer the anticipatory aspect of entertainment after some time away from it. I'd be right tired of it if I had to listen all the time and would welcome the silence instead.

I listen to my main system about 5 hrs/night on average and what amount to concert marathons with it on most weekends. It's enough.

On the bright side, nobody needs to tell me anything twice and can talk to me from every angle without waving or actually getting in front of me.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Now there's an idea ! It could work right along with the brain implant thats coming.

On a lesser aggressive tactic, I don't know that headphones have improved over the last 20 years or so.
I see them miniaturizing for sure. But the vast volume of headphones aren't headphones to me at all, they are those earbuds like Apple makes. To me, those are a gigantic step down from real headphone quality listening.

When I was working and flying a lot, I bought a set of Inner Ear Monitors (IEM) that completely blocked out the world when I put those in. The sound package on those was outstanding. They were pricey at nearly $400 bucks but they ran for years and years and the sound was top notch.

If we back up the clock about 40 years or more, I had a big pair of Stanton's. They were comically gigantic. For sound however, they were pleasing and rocked my world until the headphone cord wore out. I had these and they were stinking awesome. Now these were headphones ! Earbuds can kiss my ass.

View attachment 59170
Carrie Fischer?
 
Bucknekked

Bucknekked

Audioholic Samurai
You have a nice setup, but if you want to have fun, go somewhere else. Like a beach, there is no parking for cars. Then, what will you do? I believe that is the reason you require earbuds in your ear.
@MrBoat

What you don't know about your reply is that MrBoat lives in Tampa Florida. A genuine beach and seashore guru.
Telling him if he wants to have fun, to go somewhere like a beach made me laugh. Really. That's kinda like telling @TLS Guy if he wants to enjoy some music go listen to a classical orchestra.
And then suggesting to put in them little plastic earbuds just kinda finished it off. I can't think of another AH member less likely to stick earbuds in than MrBoat. I can't see that ever happening.

I realize you didn't know any of this and your reply was in good taste and just perfectly fine. But it did make me laugh and that's probably a good thing as well. We can all use a good laugh every now and again.
 
M

MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
@MrBoat

What you don't know about your reply is that MrBoat lives in Tampa Florida. A genuine beach and seashore guru.
Telling him if he wants to have fun, to go somewhere like a beach made me laugh. Really. That's kinda like telling @TLS Guy if he wants to enjoy some music go listen to a classical orchestra.
And then suggesting to put in them little plastic earbuds just kinda finished it off. I can't think of another AH member less likely to stick earbuds in than MrBoat. I can't see that ever happening.

I realize you didn't know any of this and your reply was in good taste and just perfectly fine. But it did make me laugh and that's probably a good thing as well. We can all use a good laugh every now and again.
Even when I was a kid I didn't like things in or behind my ears. Even sunglasses are annoying. Safety earplugs at work are another irritant so I have to wear over ear protect.

Yeah, I have spent most of my life here on the bay either wading in it, or floating on it. The beaches I leave to the tourorists. :D
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Nah. I can wait till I get home or the car. I don't take my phone or any other devices to the beach or in the boat or at least it's not powered on then, or anytime outdoors for that matter. I prefer the anticipatory aspect of entertainment after some time away from it. I'd be right tired of it if I had to listen all the time and would welcome the silence instead.

I listen to my main system about 5 hrs/night on average and what amount to concert marathons with it on most weekends. It's enough.

On the bright side, nobody needs to tell me anything twice and can talk to me from every angle without waving or actually getting in front of me.
Do you even like music? :)
 
M

MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
Do you even like music? :)
I listen to my home system every day. I average about 5 hrs per, and around 20 hrs on weekends. Still, I'll use headphones as a last resort than to do without entirely, but if there is another worthy option, I would certainly choose that.

Half of why I don't frequent the forum so much the last year or so is because I am pretty much audio set for life and mostly listen now.

I wear a welding hood clamped to my head every day for the last 30 years. I have cables attached to me as well. Every moment I get to be totally free from attached hardware, the better. While I certainly did not favor headphones over speakers before that, these other factors have certainly helped push the idea of headphones or ear buds even further to the back of preferences.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
I listen to my home system every day. I average about 5 hrs per, and around 20 hrs on weekends. Still, I'll use headphones as a last resort than to do without entirely, but if there is another worthy option, I would certainly choose that.

Half of why I don't frequent the forum so much the last year or so is because I am pretty much audio set for life and mostly listen now.

I wear a welding hood clamped to my head every day for the last 30 years. I have cables attached to me as well. Every moment I get to be totally free from attached hardware, the better. While I certainly did not favor headphones over speakers before that, these other factors have certainly helped push the idea of headphones or ear buds even further to the back of preferences.
Ever get out of a chair and try to walk away while wearing headphones? That's just good family fun. That's one of the reasons I don't use them often- most of the time, I'm trying to find a problem with an AV system or finding noise sources (the inductive probe for my cable toner has a 3.5mm jack for headphones when the area is too noisy).
 
M

MrBoat

Audioholic Ninja
Ever get out of a chair and try to walk away while wearing headphones? That's just good family fun. That's one of the reasons I don't use them often- most of the time, I'm trying to find a problem with an AV system or finding noise sources (the inductive probe for my cable toner has a 3.5mm jack for headphones when the area is too noisy).
No, but I have heard people just start singing out loud while wearing them and nobody needs to hear that from me. :)
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
No, but I have heard people just start singing out loud while wearing them and nobody needs to hear that from me. :)
We had a headphone display at one of the stereo store's locations and it was a common occurrence for someone to belt out a song in the relatively quiet store. Their embarrassment when they realized that nobody else could hear the music was hilarious.
 

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