Headphones vs Speakers!

[RinkuHero]

Does anyone know whether more people use speakers or headphones to listen to music when they play games? I personally use headphones far more than speakers, but I don't know if this is common.

I ask because we're currently arranging the music to my game and noticed that some instruments sound better on headphones and some better on speakers; I'd never noticed this before now, but which (speakers or headphones) do you think music should be geared toward as it's arranged?

[soniCron]

...I'd never noticed this before now, but which (speakers or headphones) do you think music should be geared toward as it's arranged? Both. If your musician isn't testing with both (and many more) configurations, then you need to get yourself a new musician. Or a bigger budget! ;)

[janwinnicki]

I ask because we're currently arranging the music to my game and noticed that some instruments sound better on headphones and some better on speakers; I'd never noticed this before now, but which (speakers or headphones) do you think music should be geared toward as it's arranged?

And this is what's on mixing and mastering. There are some certain rules, to make good sounding music on most of the sound systems.

[bignobody]

I'm in the both department as well. If I'm playing late at night when the sounds might bother others, headphones. Otherwise speakers.

[LilGames]

It really depends on the quality of the equipment, and your sound/music guy should be using some high quality head phones with a wide dynamic range. I tested several headphones before I found a pair of Koss that had good bass.

With cheap headphones, the bass tends to be very weak, and tweaking your sound and music based on what you hear in those cheap headphones will make it sound terrible through speakers that have good bass delivery (overdriven low-end).

Also, set your sound card settings to the default, since most people don't even tweak those settings.

[Sharpfish]

Headphones: Beyerdynamic DT-900s, won't "dress up" your sound much so what you hear is what you have (kinda simplified there depends on a lot of other factors).

Monitors: Get some neutral/revealing studio monitors rather than "nice sounding" hi-fi speakers and mix using these and the phones for reference. Cheaper ones are preffered if your monitoring room is far from ideal and colours the sound anyway, still better than using the standard consumer hifi speakers with "X-plosive Xtra Basss 3D surround virtualisation and life enhancement system" ;)

(edit) Mixing: If you have a problem instrument (as you mention) then if you can't use eq to cut "notches" out for each instrument to play nicely together (each in their own freq range with their strongest transients) then consider dropping/swapping that instrument for something less troublesome. Or get a better version of it (if it's a "piano" say, with less problematic frequencies) if you really need that particular kind of instrument sound.

Test on car stereo, walkman, mp3 player, through TV from video, on cd through cheap CD player and then on "good" CD player. Test on computer via crappy monitor speakers (if you have them) or "generic" computer speakers that come with cheap/consumer computer packages. If you can get it sounding good on all of those (or a compromise) then you are good to go.

However, at the mastering stage do some multiband compression, multi/parametric EQ ing, limiting and stereo widening if you need it. Do not over compress and check for clipping (the limiter should sort that).

Having said all this, unless you are making Oblivion or something with grand orchestral scores it's quite a lot of overkill and could show up the rest of your product. Music should fit the quality of the game and not overpower it, many is the time I've heard full blown *QUALITY* real orchestral scores put on a simple 2D match 3 tile swapper with sub-par graphics. Novices may be impressed by the music but to me it shows an imbalance, a more subtle "cheaper" sound (but only in weight, arrangement and style not in sound quality) would help the personality of the title retain consistency.

oh and to answer the original question, I MOSTLY use headphones cos I prefer the intimacy/immersion but I imagine most casual users will be using cheap monitor/add on "desktop" speakers with almost zero bass.

[Mike Boeh]

I think it depends on your audience. Core gamers definitely use headphones.... But casual gamers, you can bet that grandma isn't putting in her earbuds to play Bejeweled- they're almost certainly speakers.

[Nikster]

Have to agree with sharpfish, the problem with headphones is that it amplifies the stereo positioning that doesn't translate too well to speakers, I've heard plenty of music that sounds great via headphones, but end up sounding more mono going via speaker and generally pap.

Playing FPS's I generally use headphones, so I can tell where the enemy is coming from more easily, but for more ambient music/sfx I use the speakers.