How do you listen to music? Speakers, headphones, which types, etc., [More options have been added; please see posts #60–62] Options

[skamp]

What kind of speakers do you use for listening to music? Speakers, headphones, IEMs, earbuds… Multiple choices are allowed to reflect different use cases.

Notes:

• a distinction is made between stationary use (e.g. at home or at work) and on the go (when walking / riding / driving, commuting…)
• circumaural headphones surround the ears
• supra-aural headphones (on-ear) are usually smaller (but not necessarily always) and sit on top of the ears
• custom mold IEMs require a visit to an orthophonist who makes silicon molds out of one's ears, which are to be shipped to the custom IEM manufacturer
• earbuds sit on the outer ears and are not inserted into the ear canals like IEMs

This post has been edited by db1989: Jan 17 2013, 22:42

[RonaldDumsfeld]

Sounds like desktop speakers to me

Not to start a row or anything in your excellent thread mate but I think you may be missing the point a little.

Your lists reflect what is rapidly becoming a collection of outdated paradigms.

In ye olden dayes we had a hi fi. With smiley face speakers which sounded good with music. Controlled via the pre amp options on the Integrated amp. Or maybe an n.1 system for video controlled via the receiver. Then there was, since that fateful day some time in the 9Ts when you discovered you could play audio on your PC, computer audio. Desktop speaker systems best for speech and games.

Now you can have it all. In one.

Quality multimedia speakers (& a sub if you want) which sound good with any program, music, speech, DVDs, DAWS. even instruments. All controlled via a multi channel, multi program audio interface. You can even keep the hi fi connected if you want. Or satellite speakers in the kitchen. Or talk to your mates over Skype on headphones and listen to music at the same time.

You see what I mean? Your poll options reflect a time when everything was separate. Now it's all integrated. I mention this not to cause friction but because anyone who hasn't sussed this yet is missing out and deserves to be well advised.

[Nessuno]

Not to start a row or anything in your excellent thread mate but I think you may be missing the point a little.

Your lists reflect what is rapidly becoming a collection of outdated paradigms.

With due respect, I have to disagree with your disagreement.

I first connected my PC to my now 20+ years old integrated and speakers (the "hi-fi") via an external USB DAC in mid 2000s and since about then this has become my only source at home (apart from an FM tuner and very very occasionally some vinyl, say less than once a year).

This to say that while the backend feeding the low level signal has vastly changed over last few years, the front end feeding power to our ears has remained the same over the last fifty years or so. And all in all even a powered speaker is a integration of an integrated plus a speaker: nihil sub sole novi!
Maybe a real novelty could have the form of something like Dynaudio Xeo, which all in all is always the integration of a wireless receiver-decoder-converter plus an integrated plus speakers (like my current setup: Apple Airport Express > Rotel amp > Infinity speakers).

So willing to interpret Skamp's point of view which I do share, the distinction is in the way the speakers are placed relative to the listener: an "hi-fi" system is usually meant to be listened rather "far field", vice versa desktop speakers are usually listened very "near field".

All that said, in this very moment I'm writing on an iPad2 while listening to Etymotic IEMs plugged to it, connected to the shared library of my MacBook...

[db1989]

So willing to interpret Skamp's point of view which I do share, the distinction is in the way the speakers are placed relative to the listener: an "hi-fi" system is usually meant to be listened rather "far field", vice versa desktop speakers are usually listened very "near field".

This is fair enough, assuming skamp agrees with your interpretation. Just as I’d be happy to add options for monitors, PAs, and perhaps others, I could alternatively leave the current number of options but clarify them options with reference to usual listening distance and suchlike.

I’m not complaining about the poll, just looking for ways to make it easier for more people to participate. I’m sure we can think up a good balance between the number of options and the number of devices/contexts covered by each!

This post has been edited by db1989: Jan 16 2013, 20:55