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Poll

What devices do you use on a regular basis for listening to music?

Speakers
[ 185 ] (40.5%)
Headphones
[ 170 ] (37.2%)
In Ear Monitors (IEM)
[ 70 ] (15.3%)
Earbuds
[ 32 ] (7%)

Total Members Voted: 311

Topic: How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc. (Read 82268 times) previous topic - next topic
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How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #25
I agree with the author's AES paper which points out that MTM designs have response errors which are "not predicted by a simple lobing error analysis" that most speaker designers utilize.


Nothing new about a speaker company dissing others while touting their own fix for the problems of the world.  At some point you are bound to see phrases like: " sets new standards for a speaker in its price class." (in quotes because it came from the author, but something like that appears in the literature of almost any speaker beyond the system-in-a-box class) 

If there was a fatal flaw in the motivation of constraining the vertical dispersion, I suppose the author would have addressed it, rather than ignoring it.
If the paper truly justified the death of  D'Appolito designs, that surely would have happened over the 17 years since it was published.  Thiele-Small concepts in speaker design took off like wildfire and dominated the industry in just a couple of years after publication.

I'm not saying MTM  is perfect, but it is a viable design layout with virtues that have stood the test of time.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #26
So I am using Adam A7 which are on my desktop and are connected to a sound card. Yet I am somehow reluctant to call them "desktop speakers", to put them into the same category as 1.5 inch $20 plastic computer speakers,
Ceterum censeo, there should be an "%is_stop_after_current%".

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #27
I use Sony MDR-XB500 and some crummy speakers on my Lenovo laptop.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #28
I'm not saying MTM  is perfect, but it is a viable design layout with virtues that have stood the test of time.

Just don't stand up while listening to them or you'll be in for a rude awakening.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #29
Bought myself a pair of Mackie Thump PAs for a ridiculously low price. There's no PA speakers option! Heh. I listen to my music through PA speakers more often than "hi-fi" speakers.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #30
5.1 system, Behringer 2030p monitors all around, home built Dayton sub.  Speaker EQ applied by AVR.  Pretty good bang for the bucks.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #31
I am somehow reluctant to call them "desktop speakers", to put them into the same category as 1.5 inch $20 plastic computer speakers


Price is not a point of interest in this poll, only usage.

There's no PA speakers option!


Forgive my ignorance: what are PA speakers, what's their usage and what are they connected to?

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #32
My category isn't really covered in the poll. Which is a shame as it's becoming the popular option.

Whenever possible I listen to active desktop multimedia monitors (ADAM A3X). Which are not really hi-fi speakers. Connected via an audio interface (MOTU Ultralite). Which is not really a soundcard.

Tried various types of headphones but prefer to avoid using any of them whenever possible. If I had to choose a favourite under duress it would be the ever reliable and sturdy on ear Sennheiser HD 25-1 11. Never tried IEM or buds but I might consider doing so now I have a light and handy ultrabook type lappy.

For some strange reason I gave up listening to audio in the car about 15 years ago. Never figured out exactly why.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #33
Sounds like desktop speakers to me, by my definition anyway (self powered speakers placed on top of a desk and connected to a computer device).

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #34
Hi-fi speakers, headphones, desktop speakers, a little bit of everything!

Audiovector C2 Mk II speakers, hi-fi speakers.
AIAIAI TMA-1 Studio headphones, circumaural headphones.
Sennheiser PX-100, supraaural headphones.
And of course the stock system in my car, which would obviously be car speakers.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #35
Quote
Sounds like desktop speakers to me


Not to start a row or anything in your excellent thread mate but I think you may be missing the point a little.

Your lists reflect what is rapidly becoming a collection of outdated paradigms.

In ye olden dayes we had a hi fi. With smiley face speakers which sounded good with music. Controlled via the pre amp options on the Integrated amp.  Or maybe an n.1  system  for video controlled via the receiver. Then there was, since that fateful day some time in the 9Ts when you discovered you could play audio on your PC, computer audio. Desktop speaker systems best for speech and games.

Now you can have it all. In one.

Quality multimedia speakers (& a sub if you want) which sound good with any program, music, speech, DVDs, DAWS. even instruments. All controlled via a multi channel, multi program audio interface. You can even keep the hi fi connected if you want. Or satellite speakers in the kitchen. Or talk to your mates over Skype on headphones and listen to music at the same time.

You see what I mean? Your poll options reflect a time when everything was separate. Now it's all integrated. I mention this not to cause friction but because anyone who hasn't sussed this yet is missing out and  deserves to be well advised.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #36
There's no PA speakers option!


Forgive my ignorance: what are PA speakers, what's their usage and what are they connected to?


PA speakers tend to be higher power full range speakers designed for use in relatively large open rooms or outdoors. That's a generalization as there are a LOT of types of PA speakers which address different applications.

Usually PA speakers attempt to target a mix of power and even frequency response.


Then you have guitar speakers which are designed for high power and good low-mid to hi-mid fidelity.

Then there are bass guitar speakers which are designed for very high power with large excursion to reproduce low frequency fundamental tones and their harmonics as well as decent mids.
Here is my bass guitar rig for example:
http://images.delusionalmind.com/equip/bob...cabs_021107.jpg
That's 2 x 15" and 8 x 10" speakers driven by a 700 watt head.

etc.. there are a lot of speaker designs out there..

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #37
Forgive my ignorance: what are PA speakers, what's their usage and what are they connected to?


Someone already described them, but for origin, "PA"  meaning "Public Address"

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #38


How they look. XLR inputs, which I've got hooked into the balanced TRS outs on my E-MU 0404, with balanced-TRS->XLR adapters.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #39
I'd say about 75% of my music listening happens at home, and about 85% of that is with 3-way studio monitors, another 10% with hi-fi speakers and the remaining 5% with circumaural headphones. The 25% of listening I do while on the go is a mixture of circumaural and supra-aural headphones, depending upon where I'm at and/or what I'm doing.

I couldn't vote in the poll as studio monitors don't rightly fit into any of the specified "kind of speaker" categories. The categorization appears to be geared more toward how or where the speakers are connected and not what they produce.

Studio monitors and PA speakers should have had a separate category together or individually, IMHO, as they differ in what they produce when compared to other speakers, esp. hi-fi speakers.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #40
My category isn't really covered in the poll. Which is a shame as it's becoming the popular option.

Whenever possible I listen to active desktop multimedia monitors (ADAM A3X). Which are not really hi-fi speakers. Connected via an audio interface (MOTU Ultralite). Which is not really a soundcard.
I couldn't vote in the poll as studio monitors don't rightly fit into any of the specified "kind of speaker" categories. The categorization appears to be geared more toward how or where the speakers are connected and not what they produce.

Studio monitors and PA speakers should have had a separate category together or individually, IMHO, as they differ in what they produce when compared to other speakers, esp. hi-fi speakers.
Darn, perhaps I should have waited rather than lumping my (albeit quite basic) home studio monitors into ‘desktop speakers’. And to confuse things further, I connect them to any old thing: iPod, computer, Line 6 POD X3 Live acting as a stompbox and/or as a USB-audio interface, synthesisers… So yes, I would have to agree with you both that the options provided do not cover enough possibilities, at least in our cases.

If skamp wants, I can add some other options and (re)allocate votes according to requests.

Canar: How about a size reference for that beast?

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #41
Canar: How about a size reference for that beast?
635mm tall, 386mm wide, 335mm deep.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #42
Not to start a row or anything in your excellent thread mate but I think you may be missing the point a little.

Your lists reflect what is rapidly becoming a collection of outdated paradigms.

With due respect, I have to disagree with your disagreement.

I first connected my PC to my now 20+ years old integrated and speakers (the "hi-fi") via an external USB DAC in mid 2000s and since about then this has become my only source at home (apart from an FM tuner and very very occasionally some vinyl, say less than once a year).

This to say that while the backend feeding the low level signal has vastly changed over last few years, the front end feeding power to our ears has remained the same over the last fifty years or so. And all in all even a powered speaker is a integration of an integrated plus a speaker: nihil sub sole novi!
Maybe a real novelty could have the form of something like Dynaudio Xeo, which all in all is always the integration of a wireless receiver-decoder-converter plus an integrated plus speakers (like my current setup: Apple Airport Express > Rotel amp > Infinity speakers).

So willing to interpret Skamp's point of view which I do share, the distinction is in the way the speakers are placed relative to the listener: an "hi-fi" system is usually meant to be listened rather "far field", vice versa desktop speakers are usually listened very "near field".

All that said, in this very moment I'm writing on an iPad2 while listening to Etymotic IEMs plugged to it, connected to the shared library of my MacBook...
... I live by long distance.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #43
So willing to interpret Skamp's point of view which I do share, the distinction is in the way the speakers are placed relative to the listener: an "hi-fi" system is usually meant to be listened rather "far field", vice versa desktop speakers are usually listened very "near field".

This is fair enough, assuming skamp agrees with your interpretation. Just as I’d be happy to add options for monitors, PAs, and perhaps others, I could alternatively leave the current number of options but clarify them options with reference to usual listening distance and suchlike.

I’m not complaining about the poll, just looking for ways to make it easier for more people to participate. I’m sure we can think up a good balance between the number of options and the number of devices/contexts covered by each!

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #44
"far field" ... "near field"

Then they should be labeled as such with a description of what they mean in order to avoid confusion.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #45
As Nessuno said, the distinction that I make about usage and equipment is like the difference between listening to a Hi-Fi setup fed by a standalone CD player while sitting on a couch, and listening to some FLACs through "desktop speakers" (monitors or whatever) connected somehow to a PC, while sitting at a desk.

I don't see a difference in usage between any "desktop speakers" (whatever their price is) and "studio monitors", if they all sit on a desk, if they're all self-powered and connected to some kind of PC audio device (soundcard, USB DAC, whatever). I also don't really see the particularity of PA speakers.

That said, my knowledge about speakers is very limited, as I almost never use any. So maybe you could come up with a list of options to add to the poll, describing precisely what they are, how they are used, what they're connected to, and generally speaking, what sets them apart.

Note: I'd like to reiterate that price and quality are not within the scope of this poll, notably because price is not an accurate indicator of quality, and quality is quite subjective.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #46
The only PC audio device these could connect to is one with balanced outputs. Usually those are only found on mixing boards and "pro audio equipment", which is what the E-MU is designed for.

Relax, though, it's just a silly poll.  We're having a nice discussion as a consequence. I'd suggest you relax and let it settle down before rushing to change things.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #47
I don't see a difference in usage between any "desktop speakers" (whatever their price is) and "studio monitors", if they all sit on a desk, if they're all self-powered and connected to some kind of PC audio device (soundcard, USB DAC, whatever).
But studio monitors do not need to be connected to a PC, whether directly or indirectly, and neither do speakers more traditionally associated with computing. In my example, I can connect devices directly to my monitors, or I can connect via my POD X3 Live to apply effects, and the POD may or may not be connected to a PC and acting as a USB audio interface and mixer.  I’ve connected my portable players directly to tinny old £5 Time speakers in the past, cheerfully violating their assumed purpose as computer speakers. Surely I’m not the only person who has speakers, whether they’re marketed as monitors or for computers or as something else, that are not part of a hi-fi system and to which I connect things other than a computer?

Quote
I also don't really see the particularity of PA speakers.
Whilst I don’t think there would be many users listening through a PA on a regular basis, it’s perhaps worth having as a separate option for precisely this reason, not to mention the different experience and contexts associated with this type of equipment.

Quote
That said, my knowledge about speakers is very limited, as I almost never use any. So maybe you could come up with a list of options to add to the poll, describing precisely what they are, how they are used, what they're connected to, and generally speaking, what sets them apart.
I’ve said as much as I can offer on the possible options, so I’ll leave it to others to put in their suggestions. I do think more options would be a great benefit, in any case.

Edit: Having just seen greynol’s post, which was also already my opinion, I’m at least going to add those qualifiers to the existing options. Edit: Or am I? It rapidly begins to get confusing, so I think more options would be a better change, if any is to be made.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #48
Let's see if this fits: "desktop speakers" =  placed on the same desk at which the listener is seated. "Hi-fi speakers" = at a distance from the listener comparable with the dimensions of the room in which they are listened to.
This to reflect the way people think to (and use) a desktop computer or an hi-fi system.
... I live by long distance.

How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc.

Reply #49
This is suggesting that desktop speakers cannot be high-fidelity.  There is simply no weaseling out of it.

I had crafted a post and decided to leave it alone thinking there was mutual understanding and agreement.  I may have been too quick in assuming.

Near Field = desktop speakers and monitors

Far Field = PA speakers and traditional stereo speakers which stand on the floor or on stands/shelves individually.

I have no idea how to classify surround speakers.

Active/passive should not play a role.  Who cares where the amplifier resides?