If you’ve ever looked at a professional setup, then you might have noticed that they always have their headphones neatly placed on a headphone stand. It is often because of this that their desks seem less cluttered than yours or mine would be.
Which begs the question from many of us? Is headphone stands necessary? Or are they just something people with a certain aesthetic and preference would want to have in their computer’s audio setup?
No, headphone stands are not necessary at all for you to complete your computer’s audio setup. After extensively examining their utility, we recognize that they do have some minor benefits but are largely a preference for people with aesthetic sensibilities and who like a less cluttered workspace.
Whether you’ve got your headphone stand stuffed into a drawer or you’ve got it decorated and placed right next to your computer, we think delving a little more into the question of the stand’s necessity is important. We’ll look over a few related facts that we’ll further explain as well.
Should You Purchase A Headphone Stand?
The headphone stand is primarily targeted at two types of individuals. The first is a neat freak, people who love to have their desks in order and everything to be accessible at a moment’s notice. These people will appreciate the headphone stand immediately as it will give them a clean workspace without the hassle of knowing where to put their headphones.
The second type of person that will benefit from a headphone stand is the complete opposite of a neat freak. People who’ve got cluttered or dirty desks can buy these stands as a way to increase their workspace and to get some semblance of order back to their desks.
Other than this, in all honesty, headphone stands don’t have any further utility. They can have beautiful designs and can look good, but otherwise, you won’t find it functionally much different than just putting your headphones down on your table or towards the side.
Productivity
Some people will argue that the use of headphone stands can make them far more productive. Because they do not have nearly as much clutter on their desks as before, they can see their work better and hence able to get more things done.
However, statements similar to these do not have a large basis in anything scientific and are more based on the personal sensibilities of people that use them. You might use a headphone stand and find absolutely no difference in your productivity. It simply is not something you can guarantee with these products.
Audio Experience
Finally, as an audiophile, we’d just like to say that headphone stands do not improve your audio experience in any way. They simply are not a device utilized to do so, but rather are merely an object of convenience that you use as you leave your desk or go to do something else instead.
I don’t think headphone stands are necessary at all for the majority of audiophiles and that your money is usually spent better elsewhere.
Can Headphone Stands Damage Your Headphones?
This is an important question for a lot of people. Often people buy headphones stands as a method to reduce the amount of damage that their headphones have to face from not having a proper place to be settled after use. However, some stands might cause more harm than good if you try to use them.
This is largely because of incompatible or poorly designed headphone stands. Often, these stands have odd jagged edges or are meant to be for aesthetic purposes only and not function. This is why they might cause your headphones to deform, stretch extra, or for them to touch sensitive parts unnecessarily.
Eventually, what this causes is that there is long-term damage that occurs to most headphones, and you can easily find yourself having to replace them far sooner than you expected. This is why there is some level of caution that you have to be wary of when getting certain aesthetic or intricately designed headphone stands.
The benefits simply cannot outweigh the potential risks in this particular matter.
Are Headphone Stands Expensive To Purchase?
If you’re thinking about purchasing a headphone stand, then the price is something that you consider. Especially when looking at how necessary an item is in improving your overall audio setup, this is why in this section, we’ll be discussing the price of headphone stands and the possible benefits and issues therein.
Of course, the headphone stand’s price exists on a spectrum. There are extremely expensive sets, and then there are the far more reasonably cheaper sets that you can purchase. In most instances, you can purchase a low-quality headphone stand for as low as $20.
However, the issue has been reported several times over by numerous reviewers regarding the durability of many headphone stands. If you’re looking at the cheapest options, then be prepared for a lot of your stands to be falling over and potentially damaging both your work surface as well as your headphones if you got them on there.
Although we will highlight that there is also extremely expensive headphone stands available on the market. Some of which can cost you upwards of $1000. Many of these are damn near perfect for any sort of headphone and provide tough and durable support for your headphones to rest on.
The Focal brand particularly has a wide assortment of expensive but top-quality headphone stands. And although we don’t think a stand is necessary, if you’re gonna purchase one, then get some of the best you can find.
So that’s all there is to it regarding headphone stands being necessary or not. They are, at the end of the day, completely up to you to decide if you want them in your setup. They add very little utility and are mostly aesthetic and add some comfort based on the model.
There aren’t many drawbacks, but there is a chance that you might end up using the wrong model, and that can be harmful. However, we’re sure that with this knowledge, you’ll make the right decision moving forward.