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Topic: effect of outer ear acoustics on hearing - headphone vs earphone (Read 8160 times) previous topic - next topic
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effect of outer ear acoustics on hearing - headphone vs earphone

Firstly I did not use a "really good" earphones till date, and I was thinking despite how good your earphones get, if they would be of any use. I believe that no matter how flat the frequency response of you earphones become, you can never reach the quality of a very good around the ear headphone. This is because the earphones bypasses the outer ear, thus we might not get the full experience of the human hearing.

Did someone really try a very good quality earphones and see if they are as good as very good quality headphones?

effect of outer ear acoustics on hearing - headphone vs earphone

Reply #1 –
In both cases, you need to take acoustics & resonances into account. 

Normally, headphones are tested with an artificial head/ear.  Apparently, headphones that measure flat with a simple microphone don't sound flat.    I would assume in-ear monitor design must account for the lack of outer-ear acoustics. 

Quote
Did someone really try a very good quality earphones and see if they are as good as very good quality headphones?
I'll bet some listeners prefer in-ears.  I suspect good in-ears compare well with good headphones and it's mostly a matter of personal preference & comfort, etc. 

I haven't tried any good in-ears...  In fact I've never even tried the ear buds that came with my iPod, although I have listened briefly to Apple ear buds.  (My iPod is connected to my car stereo.)

P.S.
This is just one opinion, but Headphone.com says:
Quote
Many in-ears sound significantly better than traditional headphones or earbuds at the same price

effect of outer ear acoustics on hearing - headphone vs earphone

Reply #2 –
Quote from: fullband on
This is because the earphones bypasses the outer ear, thus we might not get the full experience of the human hearing.


I'm not convinced by this argument . So far I enjoyed more stuff like techno, or progressive house with In-ear monitors (because of the bass).

Quote
you can never reach the quality of a very good around the ear headphone

I'd rather think, they would never sound the same. Just try both , and get your own opinion.
Personally,  convenience is more the deciding factor.

effect of outer ear acoustics on hearing - headphone vs earphone

Reply #3 –
Quote from: fullband on
This is because the earphones bypasses the outer ear, thus we might not get the full experience of the human hearing.


So you don't think IEM designers are likely to have taken this into account and tested it at all?

I use IEMs all the time. I've always found headphones uncomfortable but each to their own. I've never had an issue thinking I'm not getting "the full experience of the human being".

effect of outer ear acoustics on hearing - headphone vs earphone

Reply #4 –
Quote from: fullband on
Firstly I did not use a "really good" earphones till date, and I was thinking despite how good your earphones get, if they would be of any use. I believe that no matter how flat the frequency response of you earphones become, you can never reach the quality of a very good around the ear headphone. This is because the earphones bypasses the outer ear, thus we might not get the full experience of the human hearing.

Did someone really try a very good quality earphones and see if they are as good as very good quality headphones?


I probably have acquired a dozen of each over the years.

Earphones clearly get the  the nod from me for truly portable usage.

In situations where I end up taking the 'phones on or off a lot, I seem to prefer headphones.

Headphones with really accurate bass response seem to be in the minority.
 

effect of outer ear acoustics on hearing - headphone vs earphone

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Arnold B. Krueger on
Headphones with really accurate bass response seem to be in the minority.
Yeah, I want to get some with Bass revealing not Bass enhancing earphones.  Thats what I never got about the whole Beats headphone thing, surely if Bass is so important to that type of music they would just record it with more Bass in the first place.

I love the album Stanley Road by Paul Weller, where the bass is phenomenal, but its on the recording.  I won't turn up Bass frequencies it just seems so pointless, well other than those recordings where the amount of care given to it is lacking.  So I would have liked to hear Bass like "Crash Course in Brain Surgery" by Metallica, on the and Justice for All album, but it simply hasn't been recorded.

I'm also never going for in-ear again, I'm convinced that is substantially made my Tinnitus worse, I've had it for 21 years and its only in the last 3 hears (1.5 using in-ears), that its suddenly got significantly worse.