Listener-preferred headphone response mirrors a neutral loudspeaker’s in-room response

Evidence

Experimental evidence from several independent studies indicate that listeners prefer headphones with a frequency response that approximates the predicted in-room response (PIR) of a neutral loudspeaker calibrated in a semi-reflective listening room. Since music recordings are optimized for loudspeaker reproduction in rooms like this, it makes sense that the best-sounding headphones approximate these conditions. — Toole, Floyd E, Sound reproduction- the acoustics and…, 1867

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines PIR (predicted in-room response) and explains why headphones targeting it sound best.