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Surprising Headphone Test

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Comments

  • srcersrcer
    edited October 2016

    I was reminded of an online hearing test that can provide a hearing curve. Had to search my google search history to find it again: http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html Unfortunately it requires flash, which I'm not in the habit of running on desktops anymore. While googling around I also just found: http://hearingtest.online/ which doesn't require flash, and works on mobile. What's interesting about the latter is that unlike many of the other tests I came across that one actually indicates some hearing loss. All the other tests I just tried weren't very hard to pass with 'normal' hearing.

    EDIT: Ha ha, just realized the hearingtest.online site is made by the same guy that did the OP site. OP site links to it even. Though I originally stumbled on it looking for that old hearing test. Weird coincidence? Synchronicity?!?

  • srcersrcer

    @skiphunt said:
    The site is here: http://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php

    Wow, great find! Lots of good tests in there :) Just wish they could be scrubbed, or at least go back a couple seconds. Waiting til one ends to replay it is annoying. Tried playing another test then switching back as a work around, but no dice. Refreshing the page is the only way I can see to reset the play position, but then that's not really very fast, so not a good work around. Maybe I'll bug the site owner about it. Give a man a fish and he'll ask for more fish, oh and maybe some wasabi too, heh

  • srcersrcer
    edited October 2016

    Oops, remove

  • theconnactictheconnactic
    edited October 2016

    @StormJH1 said:
    Amen on the HD280's being too tight! I have those and some MDR7506's, I've come to prefer the latter for everything except guitar (something about the harsh upper frequencies). But I'm not an audiophile, so I use cheaper models as well particularly if they have other advantages (comfort; narrower plug that fits in an iPhone case; etc).

    By those criteria, my HD428's might get the most use of all. Dirt cheap (now) and discontinued, but they function kind of like a lighter, stripped down HD280. If you're just playing music as opposed to mixing and mastering, do you need elite level headphones?

    >

    No.

  • supadomsupadom

    While we're at it

  • srcersrcer

    @supadom said:
    While we're at it

    Ah, a Rorschach test, kinda looks like a pointillist painting of an ice cream cone, but maybe I'm just hungry

  • decibelledecibelle
    edited October 2016

    @skiphunt said:

    It's a tough call. My goal is also good isolation for field recording too. And want to be able to make sure I'm getting the detail I'm targeting. [....].

    For example, I went out the day before yesterday looking for sounds. Settled on some machinery drones near a large manufacturing complex. There was a lot of noise, but was trying to focus a short shotgun mic on a particular bit of machinery and the ATH cans are a bit bass heavy (to my ears) making it difficult to focus on the middle or higher end drones. Did the same at a nearby car wash, trying to focus on the water spray and compressor sounds, and less on the vacuum cleaners, etc. In other words, need maximum isolation and to be able to hear the fullest range in order to make sure I'm getting the specific sound I'm after.

    @skiphunt : Did you listen to your recordings afterwards, inside in the quiet? And did you get what you wanted?

    In my experience, I've found that mics will reliably capture what's there whether I hear it in the cans or not. I have always, and I mean always, been surprised and impressed at the detail when listening to my recordings afterwards in the quiet.

    More importantly, I've found that an open mind and simply recording what's there with some degree of a "whatever" outlook, has absolutely got me more interesting more useful results, whereas actually trying to get a specific sound has nearly always got me something "not it".

    I recommend that you trust your mic. No matter which cans, you won't hear what you get until afterwards. I use my cans just for a basic idea and for levels.

    Trust your mics. They'll always get what''s there. :)

    EDIT

    ps: Cans are not mics, so I'm pretty sure cans will never transmit as much as mics hear.

  • skiphuntskiphunt

    @decibelle no, I hadn't transferred them yet, but just finished. And, I did get more than I thought I did, as you suspected. Some of it was way too chaotic, but I might be able to pull something out of the noise.

    I think I'm going to try the suggestion of using earbuds to isolate. I agree with you that as long as I can get a rough idea and isolate away from high ambient noise, I think that'll suffice.

    There's also the factor that I wasn't considering. The headphone amps built in to most potable recorders aren't usually all that fantastic for detailed reference anyway. The transferred recordings always have more detail after I transfer the files than what I hear played back from the device.

  • AxxxAxxx

    Another thing to consider when buying headphones is build quality. I can report that my HD25s recently gave up... after 15 years of heavy usage! I cannot count the times I stepped on the cable and in the process yanked them on the floor. It must have been hundreds of times. I'll get another pair soon.

  • decibelledecibelle

    @skiphunt : By the way, just in case you weren't aware, coiled headphone cable and field recording go together like portability and audio gear from 1927.

    I'd like whoever thought coiled headphone cable was a good idea to get their head examined by a steamroller. Just saying.

  • skiphuntskiphunt

    @decibelle said:
    @skiphunt : By the way, just in case you weren't aware, coiled headphone cable and field recording go together like portability and audio gear from 1927.

    I'd like whoever thought coiled headphone cable was a good idea to get their head examined by a steamroller. Just saying.

    Oh yeah, I know. That's one of the things I like about the Sennheiser HD25 headphones. Short, uncoiled.

    Funny though... I've compared them all again, and overall... my original Yamaha RH-M5a headphones... old, beat up, replaced pads twice, etc. Outperform all that have overall, including the new Sennheiser HD25. They're even better at isolation when I tested them today.

    I'm taking the HD25s back. I really love their form factor, comfort, etc. but I found a pair of nearly new Sony 7506s that I'm going to see what the fuss is about and why they've been standard for so many years. Only thing I don't like about them is the coiled cable. :(

  • johnnjohnn

    @skiphunt said:
    I've got 3 pairs of headphones. Both on-ear and over the ear. None of them are particularly spectacular, but they're all reasonably decent and usable. All satisfying for music listening of all sorts. At least to my ears.

    Recently, I've been thinking I need a new pair. Like I bet many of you, I'm prone to gear lust and obsess over buying new stuff that I really don't need if I'm being honest. ;)

    The headphones I'm thinking of picking up for reference field recording are the Sennheiser HD25 cans, but I can't find anywhere to try them out before buying.

    Last night I went back and forth between all 3 pairs of my current passable sets, i.e. A pair of Yamaha RH-5Ma, that were cheap and I've had for over a decade. A pair of Sennheiser HD580 that I've had for just under a decade and still sound great. A pair of ATH-m40x headphones that I've had about a year. They sound great, but not the most comfortable (though I am starting to get more comfortable with them than when they were new)

    It's difficult to decide which are the best, because they each are a little better at different kinds of listening.

    This morning, I found this site the has recordings of different frequencies and tests to evaluate headphone performance. It also walks you through what you're listening for, with allowances for imperfect hearing.

    I've had a certain degree of high-frequency hearing loss for most of my life. I'm told it's not an age thing but in my case, a genetic thing. However, I suspect it has more to do with some of those early The Jesus Lizard shows at the Cannibal Club here in Austin, Tx where my ears literally felt like they were bleeding and I'd leave the show feeling like I'd been deafened by a roadside IED. (This was before wearing earplugs to protect your hearing at live shows was en vogue)

    Anyway, I ran all three sets through the test on this site and was very surprised at how they performed. Most surprising was that the pair that performed the best overall, were my old, cheaper Yamaha RH-5Ma headphones. They failed at allowing me to hear the highest frequencies, and I got a little more rattle at very low frequencies, but overall they did surprisingly well. The other pairs performed better in specific areas, but it was surprising to me the areas where they fell short.

    The site is here: http://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php

    Aye, thanks for the links. Very useful

  • skiphuntskiphunt
    edited October 2016

    An amusing addendum to this thread...

    I bought a pair of bluetooth headphones about a month ago from a retail department store that had them in a clearance bin. They are kind of no-name or off-brand. I think they're Tzumi or something like that.

    Was killing time while the wife shopped, and took them out of the box and pressed the power button. To my amazement, they had juice so I connected then via bluetooth to my iphone and tried them out while waiting for my wife. They weren't bad. Not great, not even good... but merely adequate. With a store coupon that also applied to clearance items, they were only $6. Figured I'd get them as a backup walking/podcast pair.

    The other day my wife poked fun at my headphone testing as asked how my $6 Tzumi's stacked up. I said, "Ha-ha, very funny."

    Well, I decide to try them out on this test in my original post. Surprisingly, they didn't perform much worse than any of the cans. I was able to hear all the frequencies I was able to hear in the best performing headphones.

    They only fell short in the driver matching test. They panned wildly from left to right, while the more expensive cans mostly stayed put in the center. The heavy bass test produced a slight bit of rattle for the lowest frequencies, but not bad. And, they are evidently labeled incorrectly, because the left signal played from right, and visa-versa.

    Mostly though, they stacked up nearly as well as the most expensive headphones I have in my possession currently.

    I told my wife the test results. She had a good chuckle.

    Go figure. lol ;)

  • kobamotokobamoto

    @decibelle said:
    @skiphunt : By the way, just in case you weren't aware, coiled headphone cable and field recording go together like portability and audio gear from 1927.

    I'd like whoever thought coiled headphone cable was a good idea to get their head examined by a steamroller. Just saying.

    this made me laugh out loud, thanks :D

  • skiphuntskiphunt
    edited October 2016

    Just as a quick follow up on this... ultimately I didn't find that better or different headphones allowed me to hear frequencies I've already lost. Some headphones allowed me to better isolate the frequencies that are within the frequency range I'm capable of.

    Ended up getting some lightly used Sony 7506 headphones to test also. I like them and took back the Sennheiser HD25 cans. I liked the HD25s, but they weren't significantly better than anything I already have. The old Yamahas were actually the best for isolating. The Sony 7506 are better for mixing stuff (to my ears) and hearing a flatter range. My older Sennheiser HD580s are the most comfortable for long periods of time. My ATH-m40x cans I like best for loud music.

    If I had to professionally wear headphones all day for work, I think I'd go for the Sennheiser HD25 headphones, but that's not the case, so I'm good with what I have, and the new addition of the Sony 7506 for my flat monitors.

    The HD25 headphones are very light, comfortable, easy to flip up one side to hear, isolate well, sound great, and appear well made. I just don't really need what they offer, at least not enough for the price tag. They aren't expensive, but I wouldn't call them "cheap" either.

    My hope was that different headphones would compensate for frequencies I've lost, but I'm thinking that train my be already gone, like replicant Roy's "tears in rain..."

  • decibelledecibelle

    @kobamoto said:

    @decibelle said:
    @skiphunt : By the way, just in case you weren't aware, coiled headphone cable and field recording go together like portability and audio gear from 1927.

    I'd like whoever thought coiled headphone cable was a good idea to get their head examined by a steamroller. Just saying.

    this made me laugh out loud, thanks :D

    Awesome, delighted to have remotely ga-blurted you solely with the power of my pixels.

    Go Pixel Power™ !! :smiley:

  • skiphuntskiphunt

    @id_23 said:
    @skiphunt re:field recording...
    For isolation and lightweight, what about earbuds.... I have modest priced sennheiser cx160 - I find them handy for setting levels for recording... I often field record without monitoring once I have set my levels... sometimes you can be more stealthy this way too!
    I ran the benchmarks with the cx160's and was very impressed with the results s for a budget set of buds...
    :)
    J

    By the way, your suggestion was right on the money. All of my earbuds have an inline remote and mic for phone use. That extra line of contact on the plugs causes problems with a couple of my portable recorders.

    So, I bought a pair of new Sennheiser CX300-II's since they don't have a mic or remote. They had decent reviews. They work GREAT for isolation, and won't attract attention like full-size cans seem to. They also sound excellent. They're clear but favoring the highs a little bit. Bass, but not too heavy to distract from the mids and highs. Perfect for what I needed.

    They're new, but I think an older model and were only about $27. Thanks for the suggestion! :)

  • decibelledecibelle
    edited October 2016

    @skiphunt said:

    @id_23 said:
    @skiphunt re:field recording...
    For isolation and lightweight, what about earbuds.... I have modest priced sennheiser cx160 - I find them handy for setting levels for recording... I often field record without monitoring once I have set my levels... sometimes you can be more stealthy this way too!
    I ran the benchmarks with the cx160's and was very impressed with the results s for a budget set of buds...
    :)
    J

    By the way, your suggestion was right on the money. All of my earbuds have an inline remote and mic for phone use. That extra line of contact on the plugs causes problems with a couple of my portable recorders.

    So, I bought a pair of new Sennheiser CX300-II's since they don't have a mic or remote. They had decent reviews. They work GREAT for isolation, and won't attract attention like full-size cans seem to. They also sound excellent. They're clear but favoring the highs a little bit. Bass, but not too heavy to distract from the mids and highs. Perfect for what I needed.

    They're new, but I think an older model and were only about $27. Thanks for the suggestion! :)

    Great idea! In my more minimal field recording gear packs, I use the Mee M6 Pro earbuds.

    Physically they have a flat profile & detatchable cables, and the price includes two cables, one TRRS with inline mic and one TRS without. The straightforward cable swap over is so handy, and like all well-fitted buds, the isolation is superb.

    The sound quality works well for me too.

    On the other hand, even from my teens I've thought (and still think) that Sony's £10 earrbud ranges compare very favourably with Bose/Sennheiser/etc cans costing £hundreds, plus I prioritise comfort over sound quality anyway.

    (CAVEAT: Except those über-craptastic, stratospherically priced, multi-mega-landfilling ozone-hole-reamers, e.g. Beatz and other Apple hashtag-setting earwear [wtf is up with that anyway, jeez] #doesmybraincelllookbiginthese #nichtfürdieganzeTorteinSacher )

    So my can/bud evals re: audio-quality probably need some extra salt. :wink:
    Nevertheless, I think they're super peachy keen, yes I do. :tongue:

    (OTHERCAVEAT: Am private purchaser, unaffiliated, unpaid, completely separate unrelated entity, not at all trolling for free pressies, no sirree Duvel #extrashinysincereface )

    Affiiliate-free informative link just in case anybody wants a look-see:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B015S2I6A0/

  • skiphuntskiphunt

    @decibelle said:

    @skiphunt said:

    @id_23 said:
    @skiphunt re:field recording...
    For isolation and lightweight, what about earbuds.... I have modest priced sennheiser cx160 - I find them handy for setting levels for recording... I often field record without monitoring once I have set my levels... sometimes you can be more stealthy this way too!
    I ran the benchmarks with the cx160's and was very impressed with the results s for a budget set of buds...
    :)
    J

    By the way, your suggestion was right on the money. All of my earbuds have an inline remote and mic for phone use. That extra line of contact on the plugs causes problems with a couple of my portable recorders.

    So, I bought a pair of new Sennheiser CX300-II's since they don't have a mic or remote. They had decent reviews. They work GREAT for isolation, and won't attract attention like full-size cans seem to. They also sound excellent. They're clear but favoring the highs a little bit. Bass, but not too heavy to distract from the mids and highs. Perfect for what I needed.

    They're new, but I think an older model and were only about $27. Thanks for the suggestion! :)

    Great idea! In my more minimal field recording gear packs, I use the Mee M6 Pro earbuds.

    Physically they have a flat profile & detatchable cables, and the price includes two cables, one TRRS with inline mic and one TRS without. The straightforward cable swap over is so handy, and like all well-fitted buds, the isolation is superb.

    The sound quality works well for me too.

    On the other hand, even from my teens I've thought (and still think) that Sony's £10 earrbud ranges compare very favourably with Bose/Sennheiser/etc cans costing £hundreds, plus I prioritise comfort over sound quality anyway.

    (CAVEAT: Except those über-craptastic, stratospherically priced, multi-mega-landfilling ozone-hole-reamers, e.g. Beatz and other Apple hashtag-setting earwear [wtf is up with that anyway, jeez] #doesmybraincelllookbiginthese #nichtfürdieganzeTorteinSacher )

    So my can/bud evals re: audio-quality probably need some extra salt. :wink:
    Nevertheless, I think they're super peachy keen, yes I do. :tongue:

    (OTHERCAVEAT: Am private purchaser, unaffiliated, unpaid, completely separate unrelated entity, not at all trolling for free pressies, no sirree Duvel #extrashinysincereface )

    Affiiliate-free informative link just in case anybody wants a look-see:
    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B015S2I6A0/

    Oooohhh! Those look nice! I've got to put my headphone obsession to bed for awhile because it got a little ridiculous there for about a week. Truth is, there's nothing keeping me from getting what I'd like to get... already have all I need for now. Just need to get out there and start putting it to use.

    Hoping to take off on the motorcycle soon and I think I've got a nice micro-compact field kit that I should be able to make room for, and hopefully get some fresh stuff from the road.

    But, I REALLY like that these Mee M6 Pro buds have replaceable cords. That's huge. Adding them to my Amazon wish list and off to read reviews of them. Thanks! :)

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    edited October 2016

    hd 25 are really bassy, its dj headphones
    what you hear will not be what you record
    get some closed overear sonys and call it a day?

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]
    edited October 2016

    @Telefunky said:
    never mind... and don't be fooled by numbers (or rather their size)
    Missing 10.000 cycles between 10khz and 20khz reads like desaster, but it's just one single octave ;)
    Even more: it's the top octave which entirely lacks original content.
    But below 10khz there are 8 full octaves to enjoy.
    To make any sense of a note at all, you need the fundamental frequency and at least 2 harmonics (because even/uneven is important for perceiption).

    That sets the theoretical limit of 'usuable' notes somewhere into the 7khz range.
    Anything above would just be a high pitched tone without any character, a sine beep.

    oh oh
    you never did sit next to someone that can't hear the annoying beep ...
    I was watching tv with someone and Im like turn that shit down
    and he was like I don't know what you are talking about
    I tested him later - didnt hear anything above 11 kHz

    what do you mean with there is no original content above 10 kHz ?
    don't you think the hh on a drum kit is original content? ;)

  • skiphuntskiphunt

    @lala said:
    hd 25 are really bassy, its dj headphones
    what you hear will not be what you record
    get some closed overear sonys and call it a day?

    That's exactly what I did. My post before the earbud diversion laid it out in detail and what I ultimately settled on. Got some Sony 7506s lightly used for a reasonable price.

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User]

    @skiphunt said:

    @lala said:
    hd 25 are really bassy, its dj headphones
    what you hear will not be what you record
    get some closed overear sonys and call it a day?

    That's exactly what I did. My post before the earbud diversion laid it out in detail and what I ultimately settled on. Got some Sony 7506s lightly used for a reasonable price.

    oops, sorry
    tldr

  • skiphuntskiphunt

    @lala said:

    @skiphunt said:

    @lala said:
    hd 25 are really bassy, its dj headphones
    what you hear will not be what you record
    get some closed overear sonys and call it a day?

    That's exactly what I did. My post before the earbud diversion laid it out in detail and what I ultimately settled on. Got some Sony 7506s lightly used for a reasonable price.

    oops, sorry
    tldr

    ps. I agreed the HD25 were a little on the bassy side and I can see why they'd be popular dj headphones. My ATH-m40x's are even more bassy. I prefer that for listening but it's too distracting for monitoring.. at least to my ears. The Sony's are perfect for monitoring a flat full range and picking out the subtleties. I can even hear the subtle vinyl pops that I'm guessing were added in for effect? Or, didn't get cleaned up from the original masters. In particular I was listening to Steely Dan's Aja and had never noticed any vinyl pops before.

  • Aud_iOSAud_iOS

    In particular I was listening to Steely Dan's Aja and had never noticed any vinyl pops before.

    Just had to chime in - one of my all-time fav albums. I caught a documentary about its production a year or 2 ago, can't remember the name - but the two NY English majors in California bridging the sounds of both Coasts together - very inspiring to me and my English major roots!

  • Durwin99Durwin99

    @Ocsprey said:
    In particular I was listening to Steely Dan's Aja and had never noticed any vinyl pops before.

    Just had to chime in - one of my all-time fav albums. I caught a documentary about its production a year or 2 ago, can't remember the name - but the two NY English majors in California bridging the sounds of both Coasts together - very inspiring to me and my English major roots!

    Was that one of the "Classic Albums" series on the production of "Aja"? I've been (slowly) getting into Steely Dan & Donald Fagen for a long time, watching that doc last year was the first time I've ever actually seen them in the flesh - very interesting!

  • Aud_iOSAud_iOS

    @Durwin99 said:

    @Ocsprey said:
    In particular I was listening to Steely Dan's Aja and had never noticed any vinyl pops before.

    Just had to chime in - one of my all-time fav albums. I caught a documentary about its production a year or 2 ago, can't remember the name - but the two NY English majors in California bridging the sounds of both Coasts together - very inspiring to me and my English major roots!

    Was that one of the "Classic Albums" series on the production of "Aja"? I've been (slowly) getting into Steely Dan & Donald Fagen for a long time, watching that doc last year was the first time I've ever actually seen them in the flesh - very interesting!

    Yes, I think that was it. I remember on Josie the drummer plays a metal trashcan lid on the overdub... I'm not a sound expert, but this album has been stuck in my head since age 4 when I got my first record player... aja, news of the world, and saturday night fever. Good memories!

  • id_23id_23

    @skiphunt said:

    @id_23 said:
    @skiphunt re:field recording...
    For isolation and lightweight, what about earbuds.... I have modest priced sennheiser cx160 - I find them handy for setting levels for recording... I often field record without monitoring once I have set my levels... sometimes you can be more stealthy this way too!
    I ran the benchmarks with the cx160's and was very impressed with the results s for a budget set of buds...
    :)
    J

    By the way, your suggestion was right on the money. All of my earbuds have an inline remote and mic for phone use. That extra line of contact on the plugs causes problems with a couple of my portable recorders.

    So, I bought a pair of new Sennheiser CX300-II's since they don't have a mic or remote. They had decent reviews. They work GREAT for isolation, and won't attract attention like full-size cans seem to. They also sound excellent. They're clear but favoring the highs a little bit. Bass, but not too heavy to distract from the mids and highs. Perfect for what I needed.

    They're new, but I think an older model and were only about $27. Thanks for the suggestion! :)

    :)
    Glad this helped
    Happy listening!

  • mrufino1mrufino1

    @skiphunt said:

    . The Sony 7506 are better for mixing stuff (to my ears) and hearing a flatter range. My older Sennheiser HD580s are the most comfortable for long periods of time. My ATH-m40x cans I like best for loud music.

    If I had to professionally wear headphones all day for work, I think I'd go for the Sennheiser HD25 headphones, but that's not the case, so I'm good with what I have, and the new addition of the Sony 7506 for my flat monitors.

    >

    Just for reference, they're not "flat," but I've had mine for a long time and know their sound pretty well. And I do like the sound.

    But, I use this eq in the master bus on auria and reaper when I'm just using my headphones and find it helps to get a mix that's more translatable. Just remember to turn it off when rendering... If I posted this already my apologies...

    http://www.thestringnetwork.com/viewtopic.php?t=5632

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