In Search of the Best Headphones (Part 4)

How do you evaluate sound quality in headphones? What do you look out for? How do you compare between headphones? Well, we’ve finally arrived at this topic in this part of my series on Ultimate Listening – In Search of the Best Headphones.

Earlier parts of the series have introduced the different types of headphones, technical details, and a special focus on in-ear headphones. Sound quality is not less important than any of those. In fact, for many people, the ultimate choice of headphones will come down to sound quality, above anything else.

Sound quality, however, is probably the most difficult to write about, so I’ve saved it for the last. Oh yes, this will be the concluding instalment of this mini-series. I hope you’ve found this mini-series helpful. I’m sure the audiophiles already know everything, and much more, but for those who are trying to understand why some headphones can cost $2 a piece at Daiso, while others can cost well over a thousand dollars, I believe this will all be quite enlightening.

Sound Quality is Very Subjective

Good sound can mean different things to different people. The same sound can also mean different things to different people. What sounds good to me, you might disagree. Hence, it is very difficult to write about sound quality. The ultimate test for whether a pair of headphones sound good really depends on you hearing the sound yourself and deciding for yourself whether you like it or not.

Let me try to give an example, using a very specific narrow attribute, to illustrate how a tiny detail can mean different things to different people. I generally prefer to hear tight bass. This means the low bass frequencies produced by the headphone should start and stop quickly according to the audio signal. I don’t like warm reverberations added to the sound if they were not part of the original audio signal. But others may find the tight bass dry and harsh.

Why are there headphone reviews and why do you read them? Well, it helps you narrow down and shortlist candidates for further evaluation, saving you time and effort of trying every single headphone. So, remember that reviews serve as a guide, and you should try to hear the headphones for yourself.

Test Setup

A few quick pointers to note when testing headphones. First of all, test with the equipment that you’re going to use, or you plan to be using. If you are going to play from an MP3 player, test the headphones with that MP3 player. Don’t substitute some other piece of equipment. A pair of headphones may sound better with one MP3 player than another, but the performance with the MP3 players could be reversed when you try with another pair of headphones.

Test with your favourite music tracks, or at least those you’re very familiar with. You already know how the music is supposed to sound, or how they have been sounding with whatever you have been using. So now you can use that as a basis to compare if the music is clearer, are there new details you’re hearing, do the bass sound punchier, etc.

If you’re going to do comparison between several pairs of headphones, try to minimize differences in the test conditions. For example, always use the same MP3 player and the same music tracks.

I’ll take this opportunity to mention that the music source plays an important part in the headphone’s performance. The music source includes both the player as well as the digital recording. Some players play better than others, or they play better with some headphones than others. Many notebooks and desktop computers will often produce a “noisy” audio signal due to interference from the internals of the computer. A lousy digital recording may sound “okay” on a cheap pair of headphones, but sound horrid on a very good pair of headphones.

Quality Attributes

These are my personal preferences. Some attributes, such as clarity, is probably universally accepted as something desirable. But there are other attributes that may be subjective, an example being the tight bass I mentioned earlier. So just bear in mind that these are what I like.

First, I look for clarity in the sound. Details should pop out clearly and distinctly. Individual parts of the sound (e.g. different instruments, different voices) should be clear and separate, and not sound mashed up together. The tiniest details and nuances should be discernable.

I like a strong, punchy bass that extends all the way down to the lowest frequencies, without losing the oomph. I look for tight controlled bass, not something that sounds “boomy”. However, the bass should not be overwhelming or overbearing. I want to be able to feel the energy in the bass.

There is nothing exceptional I expect out of the mid frequencies, apart from clarity that I’ve already mentioned. The mids are important, and they need to be strong. But I don’t want them artificially emphasized.

The high frequencies should have crystal clarity. They should sparkle just a little bit and sound bright, but there should not be a hint of sibilance (the sound produced by pronouncing words with the letter ’s’ that sometimes comes off too ’s’-ish).

The sound through the frequencies should be smooth and flat. Nothing that stands out stronger, and nothing that sounds recessed. Some people like to set V-shape equalizer settings. Or they like to emphasize the mids. I don’t like the equalizer to mess with my sound.

I want the sound to be natural, as if they were performed right before you, and you’re hearing the performance directly without something interfering with the sound. It’s like looking at a beautiful scenery through a window, and the window is so clear that it’s as if the window was not there at all.

There is an attribute known as soundstage. Close your eyes, and try to picture the sound. Does it come from inside your head? Just outside your head? Or do you see a huge expansive soundstage in front of you, on the left and on the right of you? This is soundstage. Soundstage should be wide, it should be deep.

Standard Test Tracks

Although I’ve said to audition headphones with your favourite music, it also helps to try out some demonstration tracks. One that comes to mind is Chesky Record’s “The Ultimate Demonstration Disc”. The tracks help you understand and identify what some of the qualities are that you can look out for.

There are also other test tracks available to, for example, listen to the reproduction capabilities of the headphones at various frequencies. How strong do the bass sound? How low does the bass extend to?

Final Words

I still haven’t covered all topics there are to cover. For example, I haven’t mentioned active noise cancelation. There are really plenty of things to know about headphones.

But, you already know enough and you’re ready to get started finding your ultimate pair of headphones. Just a quick summary of what we’ve covered in this mini-series:

• Find out what style of headphones you prefer, suit you better, or are more practical for the way you plan to listen to your music.
• Understand the pros and cons of sound isolation.
• Don’t get too caught up with technical specifications. They are useful to know, and they are fun to compare. (Imagine boasting about: “My headphone has more drivers than yours!”) But they don’t necessarily determine sound quality.
• Do your sound quality evaluation by auditioning the headphones yourself. There are several stores in Singapore where they are happy to let you try out their headphones without pressuring you to buy them. Or, you can borrow from a friend who has something you want.
• I would like to recommend in-ear headphones, but they aren’t necessarily right for everyone.

Enjoy your search, and your best headphones when you find them!

This post was originally written as part of my participation in Omy.sg’s K3003 / The Sound of Luxury blog. I’m now reposting some of those posts, with some minor edits, on my own blog.

In Search of the Best Headphones: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4