Neutral

A neutral headphone doesn't skew warm (bass) or bright (treble); instead, it aims for an even keel across bass, mids, and treble. Think of it as 'nothing sticks out'. Bass is present but not booming, mids are clear but not pushed, treble is detailed but not sharp – all roughly in correct proportion. This kind of tuning is often sought in studio monitors or reference headphones used for mixing, because the goal is accuracy. For listeners, neutral can sometimes be perceived as flat or boring if they're used to more colored sound signatures, but many audiophiles appreciate neutral gear for its honesty. Balanced and transparent are often used in describing a neutral sound. In practice, true neutrality is hard to achieve, and there's debate on what neutral sounds like (since ear shape and preferences vary), but generally if a reviewer says something is neutral, expect a very even, uncolored sound profile.

Neutral sound means the headphone reproduces audio without significant emphasis or de-emphasis on any frequency range – it’s a balanced, reference-like presentation intended to reflect the original recording as faithfully as possible.

The concept of neutrality is a cornerstone in audio. It’s an ideal where the headphone is a “straight wire with gain” – adding as little tonal coloration as possible. In frequency response terms, a neutral headphone would follow a target curve that yields perceived flat response to the listener (not literally flat measured raw, due to ear gain, but flat at eardrum perception).

In use, a neutral headphone should make a well-recorded song sound “correct” – bass in line with expectations, vocals neither too forward nor too distant, and treble clear but not exaggerated. If you play a bass-heavy track on a neutral headphone, you hear it as bass-heavy because the track is, not because the headphone is adding extra bass. Conversely, on a boomier headphone it might sound too bassy. Neutral gear strives to show you the recording, warts and all. This is valuable for producers or critical listeners who want to hear exactly what’s in the mix.

However, neutral does not always equal enjoyable to everyone. Some may find a perfectly neutral sound a bit lacking in character – this is why many consumer headphones are intentionally tuned with a slight smile (more bass and treble) to sound exciting, or a warm tilt to sound comforting. Neutral might initially strike a newcomer as thin if they come from bassy headphones, or as dull if they come from bright ones. But after adjusting, one can appreciate that nothing is being boosted artificially.

There’s often a reference to “reference sound” or “studio neutral.” Monitors like the Etymotic ER4 or Sennheiser HD600 series are often cited as neutral benchmarks (though each has small deviations). Flat is a synonym sometimes used (though flat can also refer to literally flat FR, which isn’t exactly how our ears hear neutral). AudioAdvisor defines neutral as “audio without emphasis on a particular frequency”, synonyms balanced, dry, antonyms colored, expansive (interesting they list expansive as opposite, implying some people find neutral soundstage less expansive possibly).

Debates: What is neutral? The Harman curve researchers have an idea of what an average listener perceives as neutral (which actually includes a bass bump and a slightly relaxed treble for headphones). Some audiophiles prefer diffuse-field or other targets. Thus, one person’s “neutral” headphone might be another’s “a bit warm” or “a bit bright.” Generally, though, if multiple people call it neutral, it’s close to a consensus flat-ish tuning.

Some might say true neutrality is boring and they prefer a little flavor, whereas others champion neutral as the only way to hear truth in music. This is subjective territory. It also depends on usage: If you’re mixing audio, you likely want neutrality so your mix translates well to all systems. If you’re just enjoying, a slight deviation might be nice to suit your taste.

Colored is the term often used for non-neutral (having a tonal color or bias). Transparent or uncolored means essentially neutral (though transparent also implies low distortion).

In reviews, when something is praised for neutrality, the reviewer usually means it doesn’t favor bass or treble; it’s often a compliment for accuracy. But sometimes they might also caution that neutral = not for bassheads, or might be perceived as lacking warmth or brightness compared to more colored options.

In summary, neutral is a key descriptor you’ll see a lot. If you seek faithful, honest playback, you hunt for neutral. If you find neutral too plain, you might lean toward gear described as warm, V-shaped, etc. But understanding neutrality is important because it’s a baseline: once you know what roughly neutral is, you can describe other gear as warm, bright relative to that baseline.

For a newcomer, experiencing a neutral headphone can be ear-opening, as you’ll start to differentiate what aspects of sound signature can change with different tunings. It’s like tasting pure broth before adding salt or spices – maybe not the most exciting by itself, but it lets you appreciate the core flavor.