Headphones to replace speakers

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Rocker
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Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2010 3:59 pm

Headphones to replace speakers

Post by Rocker »

I am downsizing everything including our hi-fi system and am wondering if it would be satisfactory to replace our system with a headphone amp and cans. What are the better products within a fairly decent budget? Thanks
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Derek
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Re: Headphones to replace speakers

Post by Derek »

DaveF has a Stax setup in the classifieds
https://tirnahifi.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5709
F5Pi Amp(Nelson Pass design), Airtight ATM-4, Ruark Accolades, Pink Triangle TT, Roksan Artimiz, Clearaudio Discovery, Tom Evans Microgroove Plus, Audiolab 6000 CDT, Fran DAC, Dalkey Audio Interconnects.
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DaveF
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Re: Headphones to replace speakers

Post by DaveF »

Rocker wrote: Fri Apr 18, 2025 7:14 pm I am downsizing everything including our hi-fi system and am wondering if it would be satisfactory to replace our system with a headphone amp and cans. What are the better products within a fairly decent budget? Thanks
Hi Rocker,
I've been a Stax headphone user for a few years now and I've gone through 3 different sets. Will headphones replace a typical speaker system? The answer is no, not really. Rather they will give you a very different presentation. With headphones you wont really get the wide soundstage and depth of a well integrated room and speaker system. To what extent will depend on the headphones themselves.
With headphones, you wont get any room interactions or reflections, things that can sometimes ruin or take away from a speaker setup in the wrong room. So there is advantage there. Plus late night listening sessions is always an option.
You can drop serious money on a headphone setup and the Stax in particular do benefit from very decent implication. Just a note on Stax, they need a special type of amp called an Energizer. A normal headphone amp will not work with them.
If you are interested in my Stax set that's for sale, let me know. If not there are few other options that I'd recommend.
"I may skip. I may even warp a little.... But I will never, ever crash. I am your friend for life. " -Vinyl.
Luxmann PD-151 TT, Hana ML cart, Parasound JC3 Jr, Stax LR-700, Mjolnir Audio KGST, Quad Artera Play+ CDP
HiFiFan
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Re: Headphones to replace speakers

Post by HiFiFan »

Rocker wrote: Fri Apr 18, 2025 7:14 pm I am downsizing everything including our hi-fi system and am wondering if it would be satisfactory to replace our system with a headphone amp and cans. What are the better products within a fairly decent budget? Thanks
If you could swing it I recommend going to here: https://canjamglobal.com/shows/london2025/

You will have the chance to experience all the best in headphones and headphone application.

I have gone to 2 of these and can recommend.
SonicTransporter Optical i9, Roon, opticalRendu, Sonore Signare LPSU, Chord DAVE, Merrill Audio Element 116 Monoblocs, Wilson Audio Sasha 2
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