headphones

''But Julio, if you lock your door there's the chance that you'll be lying there enjoying a record while your flatmate bangs at your door screaming "Oh God, get out, the apartment is on fire, run, the building next door exploded and smallpox-infected zombies are climbing out of its basement..."''

its a risk you have to take.

''(Or just, like, "Dude, your girlfriend dropped by, open the door and let her in.")''

ah, but i don't have a girlfriend but yes you have a point there.

I found out last week that a disc i'd pegged as passive-listening headphone music - gas's "pop" - works far better as active-listening speakers music: depending on exactly where i am on the room, i hear noticeably different sounds. even lying on my bed and rolling over from right to left, i noticed all kindsa space-specific micro hooks and rhythms

my ill silver aiwas got busted, does anyone want to sell me a pair of used ones for less than thirty bucks so i dont have to hit up the snobby hi fi store again??

Some of the best music listening I did was in my last two years of high school on the school bus each morning and afternoon w/ my MiniDisc and Grado headphones (which, you know, are ugly and cheap looking as fuck, but very good sounding).

I can't remember much of what I listened to, probably it was mostly indie pop rubbish w/ bits of Dischord punk and Rephlex-y IDM stuff, but yeah, I'd just kind of drift into this half-sleep state where I was conscious of everything around me, but curiously dreamy as well and I'd become aware of very subtle musical details that would otherwise fly right past me (particularly on my cheap stereo speakers!)

yeah increasingly i'm coming around to the opinion that the best way to listen to music is through headphones,i always find that i notice things i wouldn't normally notice...having said that,i can't really listen to music all that loud on speakers all that often for fear of disturbing people...

like the picture mitch!

thanks jel, i'm still waiting for simon to respond angrily tho

I think there's something wrong with my ears - these ear bud things I've got in really begin to hurt after twenty minutes or so.

Mitch, you almost had me sold but the deal breaker was the eyes. They need more of that 'hundred window panes' shiny trembliness.

Headphones are great when I'm editing or listening to mixes but I really don't like them much otherwise. I'd much rather listen through speakers. I don't like not being able to hear what's going on around me, and also minor flaws (eg imperfections from vinyl) are less obvious (and therefore less irritating to me) than on headphones. Plus it's all too easy to up the volume to damaging levels without realising it.

I've had about 3 close calls with cars on my walk to work since getting noise-cancelling headphones, but they make everything sound so much nicer that I'm loathe to give them up for the commute. They're the only kind I've ever used which actually really have bass!

Kim, what type of earbuds do you have that hurt your ears? Some kinds are better than others; ovbiously, the nicer the rubber cushion around the edges, the easier they are to wear.

Well, my Naim 101 preamp doesn't have a headphone output, and can't really see buying a headphone amp (and headphones) when I have the, ahem, competent performance of my Linn Kabers to tempt me, so no headphones, thanx.

Riding on a bike through the woods with headphones one is ace! Or just walking in public, it brings a whole different aspect to the music. But when at home I prefer speakers.

Resident's Eskimo is made to be listened to on headphones.