A single headphone target curve cannot satisfy all listener preferences

Evidence

More data would be enlightening, but this amount is sufficient to indicate that a single target curve is not likely to satisfy all listeners all the time. Because these preferred curves were subjectively determined, they include the “circle of confusion” issues. Just as they changed with listener experience and training, they are likely to change with different programs. It is proof that we need easily accessible bass, treble and/or tilt tone controls in playback equipment. — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1422 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

After performing A/B testing of 235 different target curves involving 147,000 individuals, they found that no one target satisfies most listeners and about 80% of listeners would benefit from some form of headphone personalization (Bems, 2023b). However, 40% of the listeners can be satisfied with adjustments in the bass/mid/treble of their target that fall within ±3 dB. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1832 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Equalizing to a universal target curve cannot reliably improve sound; No single equalization target curve can suit all listeners — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1422; No single headphone target satisfies most listeners — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1832 (+1 more)

Related

• No single headphone target satisfies most listeners (similarity 0.95)
• Equalizing to a universal target curve cannot reliably improve sound (similarity 0.92)
• No single equalization target curve can suit all listeners (similarity 0.90)
• The X-curve target does not deliver the neutral direct sound it was believed to (similarity 0.85)
• No single loudness compensation curve can serve music with dynamic range (similarity 0.83)
• A headphone target curve descends gradually with frequency and boosts bass. (similarity 0.83)
• The Harman target satisfies most listeners but bass preferences split by age and gender (similarity 0.82)
• Spatially averaged equalization can satisfy no individual listener (similarity 0.82)
• Distinctly different headphone frequency responses can all be equally preferred (similarity 0.82)
• Preferred headphone tone adjustments depend on music program and listener attributes (similarity 0.82)
• Top-rated headphone responses cluster tightly around a shared mean curve. (similarity 0.82)
• The international standard DF target curve rates worse than alternatives (similarity 0.81)
• Headphone and loudspeaker bass targets converge on the same in-room response (similarity 0.81)
• Headphone sound-quality variance comes more from user and content variables than target-curve refinements (similarity 0.81)
• No universal sound-quality model exists; listener data is the only shared starting point (similarity 0.80)

Broader Connections

• No single equalization target curve can suit all listeners #corroborates (1.00) — , Toole, Floyd E - Sound reproduction-…, 1422
• No single headphone target satisfies most listeners #qualifies (0.85) — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1832