Still using speakers in decently large living room. But headphone preferred: (1) "socially" difficult to get proper loudness (I had to fight neighbors during speaker-first days; (2) tired of treating room hassles and reflections; (3) due to #2, nearly impossible to get LR perfect balance (a bit annoying to me); (4) sub-bass nervosa.
Some recordings sound better from headphones. 95% of time good speakers preferred, no question. There is so much more potential in speaker systems. No matter how retarded HP systems get, the realism is lacking.
Nope, but if I didn't have huge OBs and room treatments I would prefer headphones for some tracks. I'd even take my HD800 over LS50s and my room sounds pretty awful without absorbers.
Nowadays I really only use my HD800 for the occasional gaming session with friends.
JBL LSR 308 gets used when I'm moving around doing laundry and crap like that. So for everything else, it's the headphones. Neighbors don't like my music. I can't turn it up loud.
Appreciate all the feedback. Thankfully the neighbors aren't a concern, but the room is - a smallish, square (12x12x8). Suspect I'll be reading a lot about room treatments now. :)
I like a great headphone rig over a bad 2ch stereo rig, but thats not really a fair comparison. All else held equal I much prefer a modest but decent stereo 2ch rig. I use headphones for situations where I have to, which is about 75% of the time.
The sense of space, palpable bass and physical freedom (i.e. not having anything clamped to my head) make speakers preferable for me. Sometimes I do reach for headphones though when I want the cleanest possible sound (free from room reflections and interactions).
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