I am new to this forum and new to headphone listening. I own a pair of Senheiser 800s headphones and this is my first open back. I would think the answer is no, but does wall proximity effect sound stage or imaging with this type of headphone?
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I guess your answer depends on how loud are you listening to these cans? I have a HD800S as well and the only wall reflections I hear – occasionally – are the ones inside the cups themselves. 
Seriously though, how close to the walls? 
Welcome to the community.
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Not unless you are leaning on it. 
HD800S are great headphones. Lots of good pad options too. Options are plentiful. What type of headphone amp are you using?
I’d guess you would need to have lots of volume and be right up against a wall to have any potential impact.
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Thanks for the quick response. I am using a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+. I am getting very good sound and the staging is great. But my room is small and being new to headphones I thought it best to ask.
Thanks again
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No worries.
Should you like to narrow that down, I’d suggest trying simple tones – e.g.: > 4 kHz. The key is to find/identify signs of room reverberation. See this site.
Try with an external speaker first and with some different frequencies. Or even with your own voice (or someone else). If the echo does not bother you with an external source, then definitely the headphones will never be an issue.
Cheers.
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How small is small. The acoustics of the room usually plays a huge part for normal speakers. Like one posted," if you are leaning against the wall", maybe which would impact the lower bass freq. through its reflections off a surface but I would think the volume would have to be LOUD. Because open back headphones can’t block outside noise that well, you’ll hear everything going on around you and that will impact the sound, but not the walls. .
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I only hear a change with open backs when cupping it with my hand or leaning my ear against a chair or covering the headphones with a jacket. Room is a non issue.
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Agree, cupping is acting like an acoustic trap of sorts. Mine do the same thing
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I agree, I don’t see how room acoustics could impact the sound of headphones; opened, closed, or dipoles like the SR1a. Now if the listening space happens to be a coffin with the lid on…maybe.
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If the walls are made of rubber & you’re wearing a white jumpsuit and slip-on sneakers, perhaps the soundstaging will be affected (in your mind only).
Otherwise, nope.
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I was thinking of Halloween dressed up as roll of TP…
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Welcome to the community. One of the advantages of headphones over speakers is that the former takes the room (including walls) out of the equation.
Query the altitude of your walls though. I kid.
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! yes, he could also be buckethead… lol
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or he’s in a japanese spec’d porta potty. i kid i kid…
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Thanks. I think my perception may have been caused by a balance problem. I shifted the headphone output a little to the right and it seems much better. I am also closer to the right wall.
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My left ear is stronger than my right, which is a problem for me. I have to adjust the L/R balance to get a good sound stage for perfectly matched headphones.
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Thanks. It appears that it is my left ear that is stronger plus I use hearing aids. I too have now tried my balance control.
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