Frequency response vs actual sound

So, what are some thoughts about frequency response vs the actual sound of various headphones?

There seems to be some school of thought that the response should be ruler flat—so that the headphones are "accurate."

I find that to be in error.

The fact that headphones are right against the ears, means the frequency response would need to be quite scooped in places, in order for the proximity effect—especially in the low end—to balance out.

Audeze LCDs are a good example. There's are valleys from the mids to the highs.

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudezeLCDXC.pdf

In the headphones tests I've been doing in the recording studio, using the LCD-Xs and especially the XCs, give me
back in the monitoring system exactly what I put into them.

When I track and record, I'm composing and mixing at the same time. When using the XCs, they translate perfectly.
I get no surprises when I fire up the monitors.

Interested in what others are finding.

 

I don't think the XCs sound neutral, either. The sound like they're voiced for music. The bass is full and tight. I do hear a bump in the mids, but nothing like the killer 6K spike on the HD800s. And then the highs are smooth and pleasant.

I have a ridiculously accurate monitoring system here, with Lipinski L-70 monitors, various DACs, and cables by Wireworld and others. All in a treated room.

The recording work I do under headphones—which includes mixing as I work—comes out perfectly on the Lipinski and other APS monitors I have here.

If we're looking at a proximity effect, then of course, the bass needs to be the "line." And from there....what do you need louder than that from a speaker that's an inch away from your ear? Nothing. You need those mid and higher frequencies to scoop lower on the response.

I even love just hanging out an using 990s through my iPad for music and watching movies. But I know that's a much more hi-fi sound,
and I can't use them at all to work in the studio and record/mix with. Any time I've used them, things sounded rockin', until I fired up
the monitors, and everything was just lifeless with no cohesiveness.

 

Personally I find the only headphones that are very close to neutral (especially when compared to speakers) to be the Orpheus HE90 (still not perfect) and maybe the UERM (slightly bright) and HD6X0 (slight 3-4kHz bump).
(again - never heard Marv's ZOMG Jades, modded HE-6, SR-Omega, HE60, Code-X, ...) (other post where I said pretty much the same thing)

Here are some very interesting threads about this and similar topics from changstar:

• Neutrality
• Neutral Playback
• Why is neutrality and low resonance ideal?
• Here you go, just for you Shike. (LOL)
• are we on the same page?
• Neutrality Part Deux
• HRTF doesn't matter for headphones, only IEMs

And finally, the thread on SBAF:

• What is Neutral Frequency Response

You should really read these threads. A lot of very interesting stuff.
Here's an excerpt from "Why is neutrality and low resonance ideal?" (first post on page 2):

In the end I also feel that every headphone coupler is a compromise. Listening to stuff tells you much more than looking at graphs.

EDIT:
Another interesting discussion from changstar:

• are we on the same page?

(also added to the list above)
There's a lot more great stuff on changstar.

 

Thus I heard at one time:

Our brains' auditory systems have their own "curve" at given volumes, equal loudness contours.

Then, our ear canals have their own resonance. The One to Know is 2.7khz. Well-designed earphones are tuned with this in mind. When amature audio people come up with their own target curves they often miss this. Looking at you, Golden Ears.

One you plug your ears with earphones or various other things, then there are other resonance issues. 8khz area becomes an issue.

Sub-bass is felt as much as heard and some audio engineers have found a little extra sub-bass is perceived as more natural sounding in an earphone. Others have found that a vented earphone allows for a more of a moving air feeling in the bass and a lower overall SPL, even if the isolation is lowered. There is some support for this.

 

I think I can insert my B2 so deep that the resonance goes all the way from 8kHz to around 12kHz.
This should be around 14.3mm (half wavelength) from my eardrum, shouldn't it?

 

Ha ha, that's...impressive(?)!!!

 

Brilliant info so far. Thanks. Serious, going to go through those links. And I'll be Bach. Cheers...

 

I have had many headphones and a few diffuse field headphone from AKG's crazy years among others (K240 DF, K241, HD250 II Linear).

Later I learnt of frequency measurements and CSD's. Sometimes what you hear and read are totally different. Sometimes what you hear and read match. Then you look at the headphone and check your music again.

The most amazing headphone was the Pioneer Monitor 10 for me. In the end the music has to sound right (enough) and then you know you are good.