Paul McGowan writes: I am often asked what headphones I recommend and the answer for me is simple: I don’t. While I certainly recognize the popularity of headphones and appreciate what they can do, I am personally not a fan for several reasons: I miss the visceral feel of the music as well as the room itself.
When I enjoy live music I both hear and feel the sound with my ears and my body. That visceral feel is an important element for me and one I enjoy time and again when I listen to music: both in Music Room One and Two – heck, I enjoy it even in the car. Put on a pair of headphones and I am isolated from this half of the experience.
As much as we may battle our rooms and try and remove them from our listening experience, they are a major factor in how our systems sound. Once you get the room dialed in you notice its absence whenever you put a pair of high end cans on.
Headphones are great if you don’t have the opportunity to play music live in a room or if your partner doesn’t want to hear the music, but for me, I want to feel the music wash over me alive in the room.
I suppose that means I am spoiled and a bit of a dinosaur, since headphones are a clear trend with younger budding Audiophiles, but I’ve been called worse.
