2 channel vs headphones

I just don't like headphones period. It doesn't matter much how good they sound, it is unnatural music presentation. I only use them rarely when monitoring recordings that I sometimes make to tape and late at night listening to news and youtube videos. I have Grado RS1 and HIFI Man headphones in the house.

I was actually shocked how inferior Headphones are when compared to my system. They completely control the acoustic environment & that should not be the case. According to reviews, my BHK doubles as a very good HP amp, and the Clears are very good, but not to my ears. 
And they are bad for tinnitus. I only listen when I must… but they do look good. 😒

HP system: Aurender > Briscati > BHK > Focal Clear OG

System: Aurender > Briscati > BHK > Moon > Ref 3’s

@jimcrane - have you tried headphones WITH hearing aids? I got a pair of in-canal HA's just for that purpose and it's worked out great for me. 

@signaforce - I'm not sure what a BHK is, but generally, nothing that has to 'double' as a headphone amp is going to be as good as even a less expensive dedicated headphone amp. Focal Clears are good, but they're relatively inexpensive and shouldn't be expected to sound as good as better ones.

As far as it controlling the acoustic environment, and that shouldn't be the case, that is the case because that's what they are for. It's not like your listening room isn't controlling its environment, either. Headphones are a very different listening experience to speakers, as they should be. Doesn't make one inherently better or worse than the other. Down to the person and the gear. 

@larsman PS Audio BHK preamp. I probably could improve their performance with a specialized HP amp, but I far prefer to listen without HP. I have invested enough in a non starter… for me… if for no other reason than the negative effect on tinnitus.There are better headphones, but there also are better speakers. I think I have an apples to apples comparison. 

BTW, I use my high quality hearing aids for all listening. Thanks. 

On the BHK headphone amp Gemini summarized the reviews as follows…

The BHK Signature Preamplifier is frequently cited not just as a world-class line stage, but as hosting one of the most capable built-in headphone amplifiers in the high-end audio market. Unlike many preamps that treat the headphone jack as an afterthought, Bascom H. King designed this as a dedicated, discrete Class-A MOSFET stage. 

Reviews consistently highlight that the headphone output isn't just "good for a preamp," but rivals many dedicated external headphone amplifiers in the $1,500–$2,500 range.