Our MOST Important Purchase - Headphone Testing Equipment
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Play Enlisted for FREE on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PS5: enplay.link Follow the link to download the game and get your exclusive bonus now. See you in battle! Get your Crucial DDR5 RAM today at: crucial.gg We are making our first big purchase of testing equipment for the new lab, but there are a lot of things to consider. For headphone testing, we are purchasing a Head and Torso Simulator, but choosing between two state-of-the-art products requires some very thorough testing. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Buy Sennheiser HD 650 Headphones: geni.us Buy Audio-Technica ATH-M50X Headphones: geni.us Buy KZ ZS10 Pro in Ear Monitor Earbuds : geni.us Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► AFFILIATES, SPONSORS & REFERRALS: lmg.gg ► PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg ► SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com FOLLOW US --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 0:42 What and Why 3:24 B&K 5128 and SuperHMS 5:10 Our Testing 6:31 Human Testing Demo 8:11 Our Results 10:00 Disclaimers and Context 11:19 Labs' Promise 12:51 Outro
This video documents Linus Tech Tips’ first major investment in a dedicated headphone testing lab, focusing on the challenge of choosing between two high-end head and torso simulators (HATS). The hosts explain why authentic head and ear canal models matter for objective headphone testing, highlighting differences in design like ear canal geometry, materials, and microphone quality. They compare the B amp K 5128 Type B and Head Acoustics SuperHMS, detailing how each impacts bass, treble, and distortion measurements, and why the lab ultimately leans toward the 5128 for its durability, usability, and alignment with their testing philosophy. The discussion also covers the testing methodology, including head-to-head comparisons versus human subject trials, and the practical constraints of running large numbers of measurements in a non-ideal environment. The host team emphasizes that while the lab is still under construction and not all tests are perfect, the move toward objective data aims to empower consumers to select headphones based on measurable performance rather than marketing claims. They promise more rigorous testing in the future and invite viewer input on what tests to run next, signaling an ongoing effort to expand the lab’s capabilities and refine their methodology.
Topics · technology · science · audio · lab equipment · consumer electronics
Questions answered
- Why do the Linus Tech Tips lab choose the B&K 5128 Type B over the SuperHMS for headphone testing?
- The 5128 was chosen for its ease of use, improved durability, and better reputation, while still aligning with their goal of combining current research with newer hardware. The SuperHMS is acknowledged as an excellent product and an improvement over its predecessor, but the team valued the 5128 for practical testing benefits and broader applicability.
- How does the lab justify using HATS for subjective vs objective testing?
- HATS provide a standardized, repeatable physical model of a human head and ear canal, reducing subjective variability from individual listeners. This enables objective measurements that can be compared across devices and test conditions, supplementing human testing to help identify true performance differences.