A new headphone or start investing in a speaker setup?

[sanadsaad]

So I have started a "Sound system fund" and I keep adding to it every month. I live in the UK. Currently, I have

[Doc B.]

The main thing you are sacrificing with headphones is soundstage. You will never get the sense of the artists in the room in front of you with headphones (and I imagine some dedicated headphone listener will dispute this). If your living accommodation allows for it, that is, you can turn up the music without getting complaints from neighbors, I vote for speakers and at least some minimal room treatment like absorptive material at the first reflection points.

[Jim R.]

I do agree with doc, but if your listening time will be restricted if noise levels are a problem then the headphones are the way to go, and if you want a pair of headphones to serve you for a lifetime, the Senn HD-800s are superb with the Crack -- easily the best amp I've ever heard the 800s on, as they can be fairly fussy about amplification.

-- Jim

[adamct]

If you go with speakers, my advice would be to try and get a pair of Magnepan MMGs. Frankly, I haven't heard anything that can touch them, even at 3x the price (that isn't just a theoretical 3x -- after much research, I bought what I considered to be the best speakers available at 3x the price. Then I heard a pair of MG12s -- nearly identical to the MMGs -- and promptly put the more expensive speakers into "storage" until I could sell them -- the Magnepans were CLEARLY superior). There has been a flood of positive reviews of the MMGs recently, just look around.

You do need an amp that is stable into a 4 Ohm load, and they require a fair amount of power, but fortunately, several Emotiva amps pair quite nicely and don't cost a fortune. Something like the Emotiva XPA-200 would do nicely.

The one fly in the ointment is that I don't know how expensive it would be to have a pair of MMGs and an XPA-200 shipped to the UK. Nor do I know if there are European dealers. But in any case, this is a great pairing.

But contrary to the advice above, I would recommend going for a pair of headphones, the HD800s to be specific. There are things speakers can do, that headphones cannot, but there are also things headphones can do, that speakers cannot. Putting issues of resolution (where headphones excel) and bass impact (where speakers excel) aside, I simply find that headphones give me much, much greater flexibility. I can listen to my music whenever I want, at whatever volume I want, without disturbing anyone. And while I love my speaker system, I love my headphones more.

Take a look at my Head-Fi profile here: https://www.head-fi.org/u/163295/amcananey -- To put it mildly, I have heard a LOT of headphones and a LOT of amps. I have been STUNNED by the combo of the HD800s and the Crack + Speedball. I actually disagree slightly with Jim, as I don't find the HD800s to be fussy about amps, but they clearly do better with OTL tube amps than with solid state or WOT tube amps. And out of all of the amps that I have tried (including the Woo Audio WA22, a fully-balanced Beta 22, a HiFiMAN EF-6, an ECP Audio DSHA-1, a Violectric V181 and an AMB M^3, among many, many others), I have found the Crack + Speedball is EASILY the best amp I have heard with the HD800s, in a way that simply takes my breath away. You will not be disappointed with that combo and it will trounce whatever speaker setup you can put together.

Best regards,
Adam

[Jim R.]

Of course another recommendation for small speakers are the Blumenstein Orcas and floor or desk stands.  And they can easily be driven with 2 or 3 watts. -- s.e.x. and sterreomour are excellent choices.  And they're beautiful as well.

[ironbut]

As much as I love headphones, I could never consider them as real substitute for a speaker set up. Really apples and oranges IMHO.
If you're about to escape from the legalized slavery of internship (which I'm guessing is where you're at right now), do yourself a favor and step up to the luxury of speakers!
It is more difficult to get the sound that a given pair of speakers is capable of so set up can be a long process, but I like to think that that process is one of the things that makes what we do qualify as a hobby.

Live with the speakers set up in a textbook way for a while.
Find something that you'd like to improve (like imaging, bass definition etc).
Move the speakers/your listening position and/or add a little room treatment.
Repeat.

I really love the way that working with a speaker set up illustrates the science of sound. Spend a little time to study about first reflections and diffusion/diffraction. Then maybe a little about psychoacoustics. Then put that knowledge to work in your listening environment over the next decade or so.

[Grainger49]

First, congratulations on prioritizing music.  I did this during the 90s when I was earning good money and so was my wife.  It allowed me to go on a number of adventures.

Next, I expect whether you get speakers will be decided on where you are living and whether you will disturb your neighbors when you choose to listen.  Privacy is a great reason for headphones.  A family is another good reason for headphones. 

I haven't listened to headphones since the 70s.  I have been in a single family dwelling since then.  So I am slanted toward speakers.  And the fact that I'm a Soundstage Junkie adds to that.  I just haven't heard a nice centered vocalist on any of the headsets I have heard (it may be possible, I just haven't heard it). 

So, much of what you ask are variables.  You have to know your listening space volume (more power for larger spaces), your listening volume preference, your amp's power, your speaker's sensitivity... it goes on. 

I would go with the Stereomour, middle of the line, amplifier and some appropriately sensitive speakers. 

To best help you we need to know what you find most important in listening to music.  Do you like soundstage?  Imaging? Proper tonality?  PRAT?  Dynamics?  The list goes on. 

I'm just saying that there needs to be more information to properly answer your question.

[adamct]

FWIW, I live in a large, detached, single-family house far enough from neighbors so as not to disturb them, even when playing music fairly loud. But I have a family, including a wife who doesn't share my taste in music, and twin 4 year old daughters. Given my work schedule and my family's preferences, I have maybe 2 hours per week where I could actually use my speakers. When I do, I love them. But I get 10x as much usage out of my headphones.

[Grainger49]

Adam,

I would advise you to go deeper in the headsets for the immediate future.

[adamct]

Grainger,

Check out my Head-Fi profile (link above). I'm not sure I can (or should) go even deeper into headphones... 

Best,
Adam

[sanadsaad]

If I were to buy something right this instant, it would definitely be headphones since im moving around quite a lot. But if I were to invest in a speaker setup, mostly for classical music and some rock, what should I look for in Speakers? I have no basic knowledge about speaker sensitivities, crossover circuits etc which makes matters worse! Grainger, I had the Stereomour in mind too especially after you told me about tube amps taking speakers to another level back when I was troubleshooting the crack amp on the forum. I did check out the few videos of people using it on youtube. But I feel like I should first get the basics of speakers done before I go about shopping for em.

[Doc B.]

The only way you can really be sure about speakers is to listen to them before buying. Which is really difficult these days with everyone selling direct. If you can, try to make it to one of the audio shows and listen to as many speakers as you can - both what is in the budget and what is outside the budget. That way you can begin to form an idea of what characteristics are important to you and what are less important. With some sort of basic idea of the sound you are looking for you can better process the impressions that others might share about a speaker you have not heard.

If you like large scale classical and heavier rock you might need to keep sensitivity and woofer excursion in mind, as those will be critical if you want a lot of dynamic punch. If you listen more to chamber music and indie rock you might be able to get smaller speakers that can excel at imaging and work well in a smaller room.