Why Do My Headphones Sound Different On Other Systems?

[kcearl]

i load them as individual stems on my Sony Analogue Valve Walkman IV

 

[grimtraveller]

Im pretty new to recording and I recently just purchased my first pair of headphones for mixing. I was wondering why my headphones sound fine when i plug into my stereo, but when I plug into my MP3 player, they sound different?

If you had 2 different stereos they'd probably sound different through the headphones too. Different systems have different nuances.

I've always found this. Nothing, be it record player, cassette player, CD player or walkman ever plays anything the same as something else. And different headphones always have seemed to bring out different aspects of the sound on different (even the same) players. There was a Deep Purple track I'd been listening to for {at the time} 16 years and as I was riding my bike listening to it, I heard instruments I'd not heard before. That came as a surprize ! But I've long noticed things like that.

i load them as individual stems on my Sony Analogue Valve Walkman IV

When I was a kid flying in the 70s, I used to take a cassette recorder with me on long flights and it really whiled away the hours. I'm convinced some bod that worked for Sony saw me and got the idea for the walkman ! I don't really mind not receiving "inspiration royalties"......
A couple of months ago, I drove from London to Switzerland and back in 2 days. The van I drove only had a CD player and all my CDs and vinyl always go onto tape. So I listened to the walkman much of the way there and virtually the whole way back and it was great. Let's hear it for the Walkman !

Do you mean the bass sounds louder? A lot of portable devices have exaggerated bass response. Marketing to the boneheaded masses.

He's not rude, he's not crude
He won't shock you in the nude
He's the Diggy dude !

 

[Atom Bomb]

If you had 2 different stereos they'd probably sound different through the headphones too. Different systems have different nuances.

I think the main point in this case though, is that mp3 players often have comparitavely crappy sound processing. They're made for the average joe on the move, and the average joe on the move isn't an audiophile. He just wants some tunes to rock out to (or mince about to) on the train.

this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[diggy_dude]

Remember the first Sony Discman CD player? It cost $250 and had a lead acid battery pack that weighed five times as much as the whole CD player - and the CD player was built like a tank to start with!

 

[chris in indy]

Remember the first Sony Discman CD player? It cost $250 and had a lead acid battery pack that weighed five times as much as the whole CD player - and the CD player was built like a tank to start with!

I don't remember that one, but I do use a Sony CD player quite often. I prefer it to the MP3 players that I've owned.



Oh and by the way ................... FedEx picks up the package in the morning.

 

[diggy_dude]

I don't remember that one, but I do use a Sony CD player quite often. I prefer it to the MP3 players that I've owned.

They do sound better, but... did you ever try cramming a case full of CDs under the seat of a Vespa?

Oh and by the way ................... FedEx picks up the package in the morning.

Coolio! Thanks again!

 

[chris in indy]

Yeah, I can understand that ................. I don't carry my CD player around with me, but when I'm on a job, I'll connect it to a Fender amp that I use as a speaker.