Fig. 1 The Harman Headphone Virtualizer App allows listeners to make double-blind comparisons of different headphones through a high-quality replicator headphone. The app has two listening modes: a sighted mode (shown) and a blind mode (not shown) where listeners are not biased by non-auditory factors (brand, price, celebrity endorsement,etc). Clicking on the picture will show a larger version.| Audio Musings by Sean Olive
Most people would agree that headphone purchase decisions are heavily influenced by the brand and styling (size, weight, color, quality of materials). But what is considered stylish and fashionable by me is not shared by my 15-year old daughter (this week donning purple hair), and vice versa. In other words, the perceived visual aesthetic of the headphone is really in the the eyes and mind of the beholder, and this can vary with age, gender, culture, and other demographic catego...| Audio Musings by Sean Olive
The 2014 Loudspeaker Industry Sourcebook came out this week. In it, you can find an article I wrote called "Perceiving and Measuring Headphone Sound Quality: Do Listeners Agree on What Makes a Headphone Sound Good?"| Audio Musings by Sean Olive