Philip Mark

So I’m in the market for a pair of headphones. And, trying to be an informed consumer (note: I’m not an audiophile and far from it), I’ve been perusing online to find more information on the intricacies of audio for the past few days. How does one select the best headphones to purchase? For one, its frequency response is commonly used as an indication of performance and quality.

Ideally, you would want your headphones to have an amplitude frequency response of 0 dB (i.e. an input-ouput gain of 1) across the audible range to obtain the most ideal sound fidelity of the original source. Note that the range of audible frequencies to the human ear is roughly 20Hz to 20kHz; where the lower frequencies are often referred to as bass, the middle frequencies as the midrange, and the high frequencies as treble. Of course, manufacturing headphones with an ideal band-pass frequency response characteristic is far from achievable, as even the best headphones are left with a squiggly frequency response, for a lack of better term. As a result, some frequencies will be more emphasized over others (i.e. some sounds will pop out). Although, some of it is wanted, mainly to compensate for structure of the human ear, an otherwise too large of a distortion is not ideal.

Software equalizers (i.e. on your iPod, in iTunes/WinAmp, etc.) can be used to correct the frequency response of headphones by increasing/reducing the amplitudes at different frequency ranges. One can then attempt to achieve a perfect frequency response based on that of your headphones, or obtain a more bass-heavy or treble-heavy sound (or whatever you like). Some headphones have a purposefully skewed frequency responses in the lower frequencies to obtain, say, a boost in bass (and are often marketed as such).

The headphones I’ve been looking at are the Grado SR60i by Grado Labs. I’ve included a frequency response chart (courtesy of headphone.com) where I compare it with other popular models: Skullcandy Aviators, Monster Beats by Dr. Dre Earphones and Headphones. The SR60i’s are rated as 20-20 according to its specs by Grado Labs, and it is reflected on the graph. Although it seems the other headphones are of similar performance, it is to be noted that the amplitude scale is in decibel (i.e. a 3dB increase represents a double in amplitude, and vice-versa). I will let the reader make conclusions of their own about the Skullcandies and Monster Beats by Dr. Dre.

More information here.

I figured I haven’t written anything worthwhile here, that I’d add an entry (also the fact that I am bored out of my mind on a Saturday).

So, I’ve been working at RIM Waterloo for the past 3 months as a Driver Software Developer for the USB team in the OS group. How is it you ask? Let’s just say I’ve learned a lot, and am still learning. I have come to love and hate MSDN (mostly hate though).

I’ve met a lot of people on the way as well: some good friends that have helped make my time here in Waterloo much more enjoyable than what the city offers.

Other than that, there is exactly 5 weeks left on my contract. Time is whizzing by so fast right now. But to be honest, there is nothing here left for me and I cannot wait to get back to civilization in Montreal.

One last thing, call me crazy but I might even consider coming back here for the winter term (weather can’t be half as bad as that in Montreal now can it). Who knows, maybe Waterloo will have something for me 6 months from now. And on that bombshell…

PS: Indeed, I am still a math enthusiast.

yep