Headphone preference tests can be run virtually via equalization.

Evidence

The headphones measurements and equalizations were made on a B&K Type 5128. The test included virtual versions of eight popular closed-back headphones with two additional versions of each where the bass or treble was adjusted. The average frequency response of the eight headphones was included for a total of 25 equalizations. The remaining seven virtual headphones included well-known industry target curves including the B&K 5128 514. FF and DF targets, SoundGuys consumer target, two approximations of the Harman AE Targets (2015 and 2018) provided by a third-party, and their modified versions. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1847

Categorization

• XREF: The virtual-headphone methodology is a direct experimental analog of the equalization-based loudspeaker listening methods discussed in earlier chapters.