10
Phonitor
With And Without Magnifiers, The End Of Ear Fatigue
Introduction
On loudspeakers such analyses are much more difficult, as such prob-
lems just are not as apparent when one is working without being able
to “zoom in” aurally.
Conversely, loudspeakers provide monitoring with the advantage of
spatial balance in a (definable through placement) stereo width, which
in turn provides the illusion of an acoustic stage.
Traditional headphone reproduction produces one 180-degree stereo
width in the middle of the head, and it is exactly this which creates the
very problematic-to-impossible headphone mixing environment. An es-
sential reason for such unnatural ambiance is the complete separation
of the channels, which does not exist either in natural hearing or in ste-
reo loudspeaker reproduction. This makes it nearly impossible to judge
tonal balance, a stereo image and the phantom center level. Panorama
adjustments as well as related EQ settings that one attempts with
headphones, typically just do not function on loudspeakers.
Moreover, what is often called the “super stereo effect” with head-
phones usually creates a great deal of ear fatigue in the long run. Over
loudspeakers the sound stage is felt in front, while in contrast, when
monitoring through headphones, the stage is present on the left and
on the right – but frontal and rear information is lost.
The End Of Ear Fatigue
Aside from these unnatural headphone ambiance there are further dis-
advantages with fatigue when mixing or listening with headphones.
First, some cans themselves may not be that comfortable to wear...
Moreover, a standard headphone amplifier is often an additional im-
portant reason for premature ear fatigue. Almost without exception,
present-day headphone amplifiers employ comparatively undemand-
ing IC’s. In the best cases they might work with symmetrical voltages of
+/-15 V to +/-18 V, and in less favorable cases, with only a simple supply
of 9 or 12 V from cheaper external “wall-wart“ power supplies.
But the voltage level acts in circuitry much like the cubic inch capacity
to the productive power of a combustion engine: Cubic inch capacity is
replaceable with nothing but more cubic inch capacity – and in the pro-
ductive power of electronics, voltage level functions similarly.
