Setting up a system with subs and headphones only

[grampi 10+ year member]

I prefer wearing headphones in the car over listening to car speakers for several reasons. For one thing the phones cut out a lot of road noise inside the car, but the main reason I like them is because they just sound better than car speakers. You can hear every detail in the music and you get the full imaging effect, i.e., you can hear how certain sounds come from the left or the right, and everywhere in between; something I've never been able to achieve with car speakers, which is probably due to the horrible locations of car speakers.

However, the one shortfall of headphones is their lack of low frequency punch. I'm wondering how using the headphones for the freqs you would normally get from your mids and tweets coupled with a sub, or subs would work.

In my system, I have 2 separate HUs (I have an in dash CD/receiver and an XM receiver), so I would need some sort of a pre-amp that I could plug these units into, and it would also have to have at least one, but preferably two phone jacks. Are pre-amps for car audio even made anymore? I already have a pair of subs and an amp I can use. Do you think this is doable, or is this just a stupid idea?

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[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Yes, headphones are superior to a car audio system in terms of stereo separation, and spacial imaging. They are superior to every other playback method (home/pro audio) in those ways. The over-ear type especially. Even people who build high-end home audio systems rely on headphones to help them tune the system properly, as a means of reference.

But yes, headphones' weak point is the lack of much tactile feel of the sound. I have heard of people using bass shakers in the listening seat they wear their headphones in at home.

Using headphones in a car is illegal, I think.

 

[grampi 10+ year member]

Yes it is illegal, but no more so than driving down the street with the system turned up so loud they make the pictures in your house rattle...

 

[Serpent710 10+ year member]

Yes it is illegal, but no more so than driving down the street with the system turned up so loud they make the pictures in your house rattle...

headphones are/system isnt.

 

[grampi 10+ year member]

headphones are/system isnt.

I didn't start this thread looking for a discussion about what's legal and what isn't (you're wrong by the way, loud systems violate noise ordinances). I'm looking for suggestions for a preamp that has either a headphone or line out jack, and a good set of headphones....let me worry about the legal issues....

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

I can answer your question, I've hand build headphone amps before.

But the issue is similar to people asking about bypassing neutral safety for in-dash monitors. We are liable for providing information for illegal acts. If someone dies because of our advice, we can be laible.

That said, let's say the headphones are for passengers... Look up CMOY pocked headphone amps. Build/buy one.

 

[f1mclarenagr 10+ year member]

In Wisconsin headphones aren't illegal to drive with... Lol str8

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

The best bass response and noise rejection come from in-ear monitors. Shure makes some nice models I like. Then have custom ear molds made and get some custom earplugs, with 15dB flat filters, the filters are removable and you can insert some in-ear monitors. This way it is not obvious or combersome.

I wear Sennheiser HD280PRO for normal listening, great budget over ear headphones. But too bulky for a car. I did; however, enjoy them on 9hr flights. But the IEM with custom molds are better.

Assuming these are for you passengers and not the driver:

The pre outs could be used as inputs to a headphone amp. You still want volume on the headphone amp. Power it from the car, use a 9V or 10V regulator in lieu of a 9V battery.

 

[dumple 5,000+ posts]

yea i had one headphone in while driving while talking on the phone as a means of hands free and got a careless driving ticket from a cop who saw it, but yes a bass shacker would be neat

 

[The_Grimy_One 10+ year member]

This is an interesting/funny thread...

It really kills the wow factor, but could sound good...

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

I have used bass shakers before. They are great, even with subs.

 

[duro78 10+ year member]

what about from a safety standpoint? when you use headphones you can't hear anything. Even with a decent size setup you can hear emergency sirens, honking horns or what ever else barely but it can be heard.

 

[Chipmunk2k3 10+ year member]

wont the pressure from the subs have adverse effect on the tiny cones of earphones. I'd say bass shaker or just mount some 4" mids & tweets high in your listening area to aid in your issues with stereo separation.