320kbps is largely arbitrary. it’s a container not an indicator of the quality of the music. dana krall at 192kbps is going to sound 10x better than the gone jackals in flac…
that being said quality headphones are a double edged sword. they will make great recordings sing and make you hate music that isn’t mastered all that well.
they are like a macro lens… if you want to peer into a track, get you some “cheap” grados for $100ish or maybe 560s by sennheiser. with those cans you’ll be able to hear exactly what the track is trying to say, for good or ill.
cd quality music that is properly mastered is really the top of the food chain. that’s when you’re trying to hear chair creaks and humming and intakes of breath and all manner of subtle positions and etc. but the line between that and 320kbps is razor thin and requires a quiet environment and a completely proper setup…
long story long? having quality cans is definitely worth it, they let you hear all the detail in your music. one thing to note is a lot of “audiophile” cans can seem “flat” to the uninitiated because they tend not to boost bass or sound very dynamic… good luck, as it’s one hell of a journey!
saujamhamm t1_it5442x wrote
Reply to What audio quality justifies buying premium headphones? by fdbeyaz
320kbps is largely arbitrary. it’s a container not an indicator of the quality of the music. dana krall at 192kbps is going to sound 10x better than the gone jackals in flac…
that being said quality headphones are a double edged sword. they will make great recordings sing and make you hate music that isn’t mastered all that well.
they are like a macro lens… if you want to peer into a track, get you some “cheap” grados for $100ish or maybe 560s by sennheiser. with those cans you’ll be able to hear exactly what the track is trying to say, for good or ill.
cd quality music that is properly mastered is really the top of the food chain. that’s when you’re trying to hear chair creaks and humming and intakes of breath and all manner of subtle positions and etc. but the line between that and 320kbps is razor thin and requires a quiet environment and a completely proper setup…
long story long? having quality cans is definitely worth it, they let you hear all the detail in your music. one thing to note is a lot of “audiophile” cans can seem “flat” to the uninitiated because they tend not to boost bass or sound very dynamic… good luck, as it’s one hell of a journey!