[Hphones887]

will headphones improve so much in the next 5-10 years making top headphones out now seem way behind sound wise?

 

[Mightygrey]

will headphones improve so much in the next 5-10 years making top headphones out now seem way behind sound wise?

I don't think so. The next great 'leaps' in headphone technology will likely come from DSP and electronics, in my opinion. Extremely-well implemented driver technology from today's headphones will continue to sound extremely good.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Well, I have headphones that I love that are older even than 10 years? The AKG k701 is from 2006. The Denon AH-D7000 are from about 2009 or so? So in ten more years? Actually who cares really?

I’m living for today!

 

[Peddler]

I can't help thinking that with advanced in DSP, noise cancelling and amplifier technology getting cheaper and cheaper that some company is going to produce the 'holy grail' of headphones. Comfortable, virtually lossless wireless, powerful amplification, good battery life and an electronics/driver symbiosis that just works - all for under £100. Well we can all dream.

 

[Hphones887]

that'll never happen--all the current headphone companies won't become obsolete etc.

 

[CTR640]

And who says you'll stay alive the next 5-10 years? Maybe you'll die after 4 years and 11 months or so. No one can say and no one can predict the future.
Headphones are meant to have joy in audio, not for waiting the next year in the hope they'll sound "better" than now.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

In a long run, like 50years digital entertainment may enter to “brain dive-in” type with the maturity of Brain-Machine-Interface. But for physical sound reproduction 5-10 years of span is just a few product life cycles away, I also do not see that huge break through will be coming in any time soon.

For IEM market, I do see extreme competitions though, current top IEMs could lose its position with in couple of years, but that doesn’t mean it will buried with obsolescence, it may lose a tier or two, still should remain as a contender.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I think the way it works is people imprint on a sound. Whatever you heard first and loved, you never forget that. So, you start comparing new stuff to the sound you used to love and it impacts your ranking of newer stuff. Just look at how many newer models of products that reviewers like less than the original.

 

[Nostoi]

will headphones improve so much in the next 5-10 years making top headphones out now seem way behind sound wise?

No.

 

[Redcarmoose]

In a long run, like 50years digital entertainment may enter to “brain dive-in” type with the maturity of Brain-Machine-Interface. But for physical sound reproduction 5-10 years of span is just a few product life cycles away, I also do not see that huge break through will be coming in any time soon.

For IEM market, I do see extreme competitions though, current top IEMs could lose its position with in couple of years, but that doesn’t mean it will buried with obsolescence, it may lose a tier or two, still should remain as a contender.

The IEM market IS a bloodbath. I hardly ever see IEMs even talked about from 10 years ago. The lists and reviews of them are long forgotten. That said, it still means very little to personal enjoyment......or lack there of. IMO

Somehow the technical side of this sales business has convinced buyers that you have to have 10/10 sound for it to be pleasant? Imagine if all the consumers were living in their own technical bubble? That one 2021 buyer had only the technology from 2009? Another had the technology from 2025. Even though IEMs are a better value than they were 10 years ago, you still have music playback that’s good, from old ones. Yes, IEMs are way better in 2021, still people are using their IEMs from 10 years ago and enjoying them. It is just you have the modern buyers who are posting routinely and so it looks like the current models are the only ones used.

 

[Lolito]

will headphones improve so much in the next 5-10 years making top headphones out now seem way behind sound wise?

yes and no. Wireless has a long way to go still, long long way to get real hi res. but that will be quite something, and then all headphones can turn into wireless with a fiio btr 9.

 

[der luda]

I just got myself a tube amp, Feliks Elise,
with additional NSO tubes this year ... ask me again in 20 years

 

[BobG55]

Micro chip sized HP amps & HPs will be implanted in individuals’ brains and be activated via a mini controller carrying millions of songs. It’ll be quite handy in certain situations. For example, a married individual who’s nagged by his wife daily.