Headphones that are tuned to the Harman Curve can be divisive. This article will help you understand what the Harman Curve is and the science behind it. After reading this, you will be able to make an informed purchase decision about headphones, instead of blindly buying the ones with the highest rating. ..
What Is the Harman Curve?
Audio tuning is one of the most important factors in determining sound quality. Sound signature is the tuning frequencies: bass, mids, and treble. The result of the frequency tuning can be represented as a frequency response curve. This curve describes the range of frequencies (and musical tones) the headphones can reproduce. ..
Some headphone producers tune their products differently in order to stand out from their competition. For example, some manufacturers prefer a flat and neutral sound signature, while others go for a V-shaped sound that is more fun. ..
The Harman target curve is a sound signature that is considered to produce the best sound quality possible. There is science behind this claim, which backs it up. ..
The History of Harman Curve Technology
The Harman International study found that the balance between perception and scientific measurement is what makes headphones sound their best.
The study found that people who listened to music with a positive message felt happier and more connected than those who listened to music with a negative message. The study, conducted by Dr. Olive and his team of researchers, found that people who listened to music with a positive message felt happier and more connected than those who listened to music with a negative message. The team was careful to achieve diversity in their gender, age, and listening experience in order to ensure that all participants had an equal opportunity to experience the effects of the music. ..
The study found that the sound produced by headphones interacted directly with our ear canal and auricle, while earbuds only interact with the ear canal. This is because every human is different, and there is a 2 decibels difference in how we perceive sound frequencies.
The Harman curve is a four-parameter curve that is designed to optimize the sound of a speaker. It is based on the Loudness Level of the audio signal and the Frequency Response of the speaker.
The study found that 65% of test subjects, audiophiles, professionals, and everyday listeners, preferred headphones tuned to the Harman curve. The slight difference was that men and young individuals prefer more bass, while women and older people prefer less bass.
What Does the Harman Curve Look Like?
The latest Harman Curve is a new way to hear music. It uses a new algorithm that creates a more realistic sound experience.
Headphones and earbuds are designed for different parts of the ear. Headphones are tuned to interact with the outer ear, while earbuds are tuned to interact with the middle and inner ear. This difference in tuning results in a different Harman curve. ..
Some evidence suggests that people prefer a flat and neutral sound. This might make you think the Harman curve would reflect this and look like a flat line. But as you can see from the graph above, it is far from flat.
The reason why this happens is because of our anatomy. Our head-related transfer function (HRTF) alters the frequency of a sound travelling through our environment, torso, and head before it hits our eardrum. This can cause a change in the way that sounds seem to come from speakers. ..
HRTF is a technology that headphones use to emulate the sound of a human’s ear. When you listen to a sound through headphones, the frequency changes never happen due to the device’s proximity to your ear. This is because headphones are flat and neutral, which means that their sound would be extremely dull if they were not HRTF-emulated.
There is another reason why Harman’s curve is not entirely flat, and that is the fact that headphones are trying to replicate the sound as if it is coming from a room. After all, the most natural listening experience is from our environment. The source of the sound is rarely right up our ears. Harman curve amplifies the bass a little more to achieve the effect of a sound coming from a room.
Does Harman Curve Tuning Really Sound Better?
How can the Harman curve help us understand what everyone likes? It seems that each person has a different preference for music, genres, and loudness. The Harman curve can help us understand this by predicting what people might want to hear.
Some people prefer different headphone types, but professional musicians and scientists have found that most listeners have a similar preference for the sound coming from on-ear and over-ear headphones. These measurements can predict someone’s preference with up to 91% accuracy. ..
You can try Harman curve-tuned headphones and hate the sound you’re hearing. You must understand that your ear needs time to get used to new tuning, especially if you have used poorly tuned headphones up until now. If you don’t like your Harman target tuned headphones even after some time, that’s fine. Harman curve is not the best solution for the sound quality that will please everyone. However, it is a great starting point, and a reference for sound quality backed up by science.
Headphones that Use the Harman Target Tuning
Some of the best headphones tuned to the Harman Curve are available below. ..
1. AKG Pro Audio K371 Closed-Back Headphones
The Harman Kardon headphones are designed for music production, studio creation, and critical listening. They have a 50-mm titanium-coated dynamic driver and OFC voice coil that isolates the listener from ambient noise. As a result, no low-frequency sounds will affect your listening experience.
The AKG Reference Response Curve tuning of AKG K371 is what the Harman curve translates to in headphones. It serves to enhance the frequency ranges from 5kHz to 40 kHz. Its SPL sensitivity is 114 dB.
2. Sony MDR7506 Professional Large Diaphragm Headphones
Sony MDR7506 is another high-quality headphone designed for the broadcast and music production industry. It has a 40mm PET diaphragm with neodymium magnets, which makes it perfect for audio production. The frequency response is 10 to 20kHz, with a 63-ohm impedance. ..
3. AKG N5005 In-Ear Headphones
The AKG N5005 is a hybrid headphone with five drivers that produces well-balanced and pure sound. The customizable filters adjust midrange and high notes to match your taste, and the dynamic frequency is between 10 and 40kHz. The impedance is 8 ohms. ..
Do you like the Harman Curve? We want to know what you think about it! ..
