Detailed

When a headphone or IEM is described as detailed, it means it has excellent resolution. You'll notice things like slight finger movements on guitar strings, the texture of a bow on a violin, the breath of a singer between words, or faint background instruments, all presented distinctly rather than smeared together.

This comes from a combination of a well-extended, clear treble and fast driver response that brings out micro-detail. Detailed headphones often give the impression of high clarity and focus, making complex music more transparent.

However, sometimes a very detailed sound can also expose flaws in recordings (tape hiss, editing cuts) or become fatiguing if the detail is achieved by an overly bright tuning.

Detail retrieval (often just called resolution) is a hallmark of high-end audio. Audiophiles pursue gear that can 'lift the veil' off recordings and unearth information that lesser gear blurs.

A headphone known for detail will make each instrument in a busy mix easier to follow, because it minimizes masking and distortion. Technically, detail can be related to factors like a flat frequency response through the mids/treble (so nothing important is recessed) and low distortion (so subtle cues aren't lost in noise). Fast transient response also plays a role: a driver that can start and stop quickly can articulate each note without smearing into the next, preserving detail.

Describing something as detailed is almost always praise. Words like "resolving," "high-resolution," "revealing," "accurate," or "transparent" often accompany this descriptor. For instance, a reviewer might say "these IEMs are extremely resolving – I could hear the singer's inhale and the slight quiver in their voice, details I never noticed before." This is the kind of performance detail lovers seek.

On the flip side, detail can be a double-edged sword if taken too far. Some headphones artificially emphasize treble to seem more detailed (because our ears are very sensitive to subtle high-frequency info), but that can introduce harshness. So, the best detailed headphones manage to deliver loads of information without sounding etched or piercing.

This is why planar magnetic or electrostatic headphones, known for combining quick transients and relatively smooth treble, are often lauded as extremely detailed yet refined.

Debates: One debate is "true detail vs. fake detail." True detail means the gear genuinely has better resolving power (e.g., lower distortion, better transient response). "Fake detail" implies the gear is just brighter – giving an illusion of more detail by highlighting the high frequencies.

Experienced listeners often try to discern this: a headphone that is bright but coarse might reveal some things yet mask others, whereas a headphone that's detailed due to quality drivers will reveal everything across the spectrum (you hear low-level bass texture as well as treble nuances).

Another aspect is that extremely detailed sound isn't always musical. Some find that when they focus on every tiny sound, they lose the emotional forest for the trees. Others live for the analytical thrill of dissecting music.

In summary, calling a headphone detailed or resolving is highlighting one of its strengths – it paints the music in high definition. It's a trait often associated with top-tier and reference headphones. Just remember that detail should ideally come alongside a balanced tonality; the best gear is both detailed and natural, whereas some gear achieve detail at the expense of comfort.

If you're a newcomer, hearing a truly detailed headphone for the first time can be a revelatory experience, showing you new layers in your favorite songs.