bsyde, on Aug 14 2008, 10:03 PM, said:
I have been trying to train my ears latley to not only hear music but listen to it. Now i have some Sennheiser HD-25 headphones, very good headphones for those who dont know them. I have been listening to music i dont normally, 70's-80's rock etc. Tonally the headphones are balanced through all the range , well maybe not all the wat down to bottom end, but as far as headphones go they do a decent job. I have been listening for stagging which i can hear quite easily Kick in the middle. snare off to the side a little, the right usually i think. Different guitars off to either side etc. singer in the middle etc But the music is in my head right between the eyes, not out in front where should be.
Is ths due to there not being reflections of other surfaces, Just straight into my ear? The reason i ask is cause i have read so much about trying to stop reflectionswith dash mats etc. Am i on the right track that you need some reflections to get depth to the stage? Probably width to?
Let me know people, thanx
Bsyde
I too use headphones, but not so much for staging (in any direction). I use it more to learn the finer details of the music that is missed in the noisy unregulated environment of the car's interior.
One thing that has worked well for me is to listen to a CD, first through my Hi-Fi, in a quiet setting. In particular, I have the two speakers as far apart as possible and aleast 0.5m (500cm) away from walls/solid objects. Then I place my comfiest lounge chair and sit right in the sweet spot. (you may have to move the chair around until you find it). Listen for staging on particular tracks ie, were is the singer, were is the guitars, bass etc.. This is were you also need to liston for depth and height.
Then the same CD, using headphones, but I listen for details, something I may have missed with the Hi-Fi. Im not longer looking to spot height or stagging, but the little details such as accent on voice, and impact of instruments, plus timing of it all.
... then I take that same CD and listen to it in the car and compare/contrast. See what the car's stereo does well compared to the Hi-Fi and headphones, or were it needs to improve.
Hope that helps.