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No correlation between price and frequency response in headphones
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-dsr-
Jun 15, 2017, 2:10:06 PM6/15/17
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http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.4984044
I'll quote the first paragraph of the conclusion:
Based on the evaluation of the mean, variance, PCA, and mean square
error with respect to a target function, no correlation could be
observed between the measured magnitude response and retail price of
headphones. However, the variance in low-frequency response seems to
decrease with increasing price, indicating an improved bass response
measurement consistency across headphones in the higher price range. It is
however unclear whether this improved consistency with a higher retail
price is the result of better headphones or better repeatability of
measurements with more expensive models. Nevertheless, assuming that the
perceived audio quality is largely determined by the spectral magnitude
response of headphones, there are plenty of relatively cheap models that
match the assumed target function, as well as very expensive ones that
deviate significantly from an assumed ideal response.
I imagine that this paper is largely unsurprising to r.a.h-e regulars.
-dsr-
--
https://randomstring.org/~dsr/eula.html is hereby incorporated by reference.
there is no justice, there is just us.
I'll quote the first paragraph of the conclusion:
Based on the evaluation of the mean, variance, PCA, and mean square
error with respect to a target function, no correlation could be
observed between the measured magnitude response and retail price of
headphones. However, the variance in low-frequency response seems to
decrease with increasing price, indicating an improved bass response
measurement consistency across headphones in the higher price range. It is
however unclear whether this improved consistency with a higher retail
price is the result of better headphones or better repeatability of
measurements with more expensive models. Nevertheless, assuming that the
perceived audio quality is largely determined by the spectral magnitude
response of headphones, there are plenty of relatively cheap models that
match the assumed target function, as well as very expensive ones that
deviate significantly from an assumed ideal response.
I imagine that this paper is largely unsurprising to r.a.h-e regulars.
-dsr-
--
https://randomstring.org/~dsr/eula.html is hereby incorporated by reference.
there is no justice, there is just us.
Peter Wieck
Jun 15, 2017, 4:01:32 PM6/15/17
to
On Thursday, June 15, 2017 at 2:10:06 PM UTC-4, -dsr- wrote:
> I imagine that this paper is largely unsurprising to r.a.h-e regulars.
No surprise at all. I keep a pair of Grado and a pair of Koss headphones, both US-made and enjoy both of them for different reasons. I have had and also enjoyed Sennheiser phones as well. I have listened to AKG and other Euro-types with less enjoyment, and any number of Japanese-source devices with no enjoyment at all. Not any sort of active dislike, just a thorough sense of being underwhelmed. The only Chinese-sourced devices I have heard are what is supplied with a cell-phone, and not actually under discussion here.
> I imagine that this paper is largely unsurprising to r.a.h-e regulars.
On the other hand, 90% of my headphone use is for bench-testing equipment, not heavy listening. The other 10% is heavy listening during quiet-times in the house. As our house is large enough and built in 1890 of brick & stucco in the relevant areas, those times are few.
Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA
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