What Makes Audiophile Headphones So Desirable?

Audiophiles are passionate about their music. Budget audiophiles spend thousands of dollars on a sound setup, while high-end audiophiles get into the tens of thousands of dollars for their sound systems. With all that money spent on the sound system, audiophiles would never neglect the final piece: headphones. How do audiophile headphones differ from the stereo headphones that the rest of us use?

Audiophile headphones are designed to work with audiophile systems.
Most audiophiles break their system down into components that deliver the best possible sound. Audiophiles typically have headphone amplifiers solely to drive audiophile headphones, as many audiophile headphones require extra power to drive them. Think about regular stereo headphones. When you plug them into your iPod or laptop, the power for the headphones comes directly from the source. However, that limits your listening experience to relatively small stereo headphones capable of being powered by the source.

High-end audiophile headphones, such as many Sennheiser models, are large headphones with a lot of internal equipment designed to deliver high-quality sound. In many cases, these audiophile headphones require too much power; they require a separate headphone amp in order to work. Most average listeners don't have a headphone amp at all, so these audiophile headphones aren't really accessible for the general public.

Diaphragms and reflectors and neodymium magnets, oh my!
Let's face it; audiophile headphones simply aren't made in the same way as the stereo headphones that we Average Joes use. Audiophile headphones include things like special diaphragms designed to reduce intermodulation, surround reflectors to create the auditory illusion of space around the listener, and neodymium magnets to produce superior sound quality. Audiophiles require their headphones to sound like listening to music in a room where it's actually being played, and they require specialized technology to achieve that experience.

Audiophile headphones typically include isolation technology.
By their very design, audiophile headphones typically block out exterior noise. With the circumaural design that many audiophiles prefer, your ears are completely enclosed in a thick layer of foam that serves three purposes: to move the speakers away from the ears to help create the illusion of space, to insulate you from outside noises and to provide comfort.

However, some audiophiles would rather have canalphones; that is, audiophile headphones that fit directly into your ear canal. Canalphones provide the same isolation from outside noises, typically blocking 20-25dB of environmental noise, functioning much like earplugs. However, they deliver sound directly to the ear canals, which typically requires less power and less volume.

Compare this with the stereo headphones that the rest of us use. Most headphone designs for use with MP3 players and laptops are either semi-aural , which fit over the ear but don't completely cover and insulate it like the circumaural design, or earbuds, which fit into the ear but not completely inside like canalphones. These stereo headphones are easy-to-use on the go, but don't provide the same listening experience as audiophile headphones.