Is it time for a new Harmon Curve survey? (2025)

colonelkernel8 said:

The components used in that cable could have 200% tariffs on them and the manufacturing price would go up like $10 on a $3500 retail cable. lmao

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Lol

bigshot said:

I don’t think you can be totally sure about that. You need to buy the more expensive one just to be sure you have the best. More money means better and more accurate sound. Hurry up and order it before they’re all gone!

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Lol , you guys are bored silly

Expensive stuff is often built to last and usually looks miles better, just might not sound better.

Buy cheap, buy twice

Whazzzup said:

lol, you got cheap stuff, you win the curve as a prize, lol

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I bet my system sounds better than yours does!

bigshot said:

I bet my system sounds better than yours does!

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My milkshake is better than yours. Lol petty and ignored.

colonelkernel8 said:

That's because bass is awesome. If you've ever attended a concert that wasn't an orchestra you may have noticed there's a LOT of bass you can feel in your chest. That's why the Harman curve is the way it is. If there was a new survey it would probably be even more juiced in the low frequencies.

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Right, trying to get headphones to do bass like speakers. I go to a lot of jazz and what I'd call chamber rock and the bass matches and not over powers the music. Whats on the recording is what I want to hear, not some closed back bass cannon with Harman PEQ'd in and have the artists intent mangled. That's for me, you are welcome to your preferences.

bigshot said:

Based on your replies, I don't think you understand the purpose of the Harman curve.

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Based on your writings, its apparent you have abdicated listening for measurements. I believe there is plenty of room for both.

bigshot said:

Can someone explain to me why all the passionate hate for the Harman Curve? It's just a suggested response curve that they admit isn't for everyone. The people frothing at the mouth over it seem to think that there is a "one and true" response curve and it isn't Harman. But by definition it's one size does not fit all.

I don't see why it's worth arguing over. Most people prefer Harman. That doesn't mean that you do too.

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Amir THE science preacher complains in very headphone review when a headphone does not have a tuning according to the Harman curve and company’s should stop building these nonsense headphones and start adhering to THE SCIENCE!
Do you call this a preference curve?
I bet you are registered at ASR, as I said have fun explaining to Amir Harman tuning is just a preference and not a scientific law.

P.S. btw. personally I am a big fan of the Harman tuning and most of my headphones are tuned by EQ to this.

bigshot said:

I don't think you understand what the Harman curve is used for either.

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Do you believe that if one transducer is EQ'd to within .1 db from 20 Hz to 20 KHz, it will sound the same? Certainly in some cases such as ZMF v ZMF or HFM v HFM it could be very close, perhaps not ID'd in double blind. However, a HFM HE-6 SE cannot be made to sound like a HD-600 or HD-800 for instance. So while the FR domain is quite important, there are factors that it does not address, that's my point.

However you slice it, the experience of listening to music is subjective. One can get better playback with better equipment (not defined by price or glamour) but by competency. Also, an educated ear is liable to be able to tell that a particular transducer has a bass Q higher than ideal when listening to say a cello and a string bass playing together. Some, even many people like bass with high Q, because its louder, and the sustain can be longer. I prefer it to start and stop as it was recorded.

bagwell359 said:

Based on your writings, its apparent you have abdicated listening for measurements.

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You haven't been paying attention. I have said over and over that accuracy and fidelity is the baseline. You get as close to that as you can, and then you add coloration like salt and pepper using equalization and DSPs.

Daiyama said:

Do you call this a preference curve?
as I said have fun explaining to Amir Harman tuning is just a preference and not a scientific law.

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Yes, Harman is a preference curve. It's a good starting point for finding your own preferred curve. A headphone company that shoots for that will end up pleasing most (but not all) people.

I haven't enjoyed explaining anything to Amir, and he hasn't enjoyed his interactions with me. That's why he left Sound Science and launched his own forum where he could create his own narrative.

bagwell359 said:

Do you believe that if one transducer is EQ'd to within .1 db from 20 Hz to 20 KHz, it will sound the same?

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Speakers? No, because the room is at least half of the sound and there's always compromises to be made there.

Headphones? Yes, it will sound as close as dammit. There's no way to test for that though because you can't A/B headphones. But more importantly, can headphones be EQed to an individual's preferred response curve? Yep! And only you can determine your personal preference. I can't dictate that for you.

I can't figure out why you're arguing with me. We don't seem to be that far apart. Maybe you are just biased against anything I say.