Evil?
omghaxlol!1
I pretty much have to use headphones because of the family. I like them though, so no big deal. I do like to blast some death or thrash when no one is home however.
do you listen to music with headphones?
- Thread starter JayKeeley
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skyrefuge
Member
I use headphones (some Shure in-ear ones) when in portable mode with my iPod, which is probably like 3% of my listening (mowing the lawn or taking public transportation). At home it's full-range speakers + subwoofer; I have a whole 5.1 surround system, but only listen to music in stereo. I live in a house alone, so I really have no reason not to use the speakers and crank 'em up as much as I like. At work, headphones might be appreciated over the low-volume stereo, but I don't want to be that asshole who always looks annoyed when you come by his cube to ask him something.
I (unsurprisingly) don't think that your listening method has much to do at all with enjoyment of a particular piece of music. I think the stuff we key off when we make the "rules/sucks" decision is so coarse and obvious (the basic sequence of notes, tempo, etc.) that using a finer lens (different speakers, better production, uncompressed audio, etc.) might make you hear new things in something you already like, but it's not going to affect your overall enjoyment too much.
Neil
I (unsurprisingly) don't think that your listening method has much to do at all with enjoyment of a particular piece of music. I think the stuff we key off when we make the "rules/sucks" decision is so coarse and obvious (the basic sequence of notes, tempo, etc.) that using a finer lens (different speakers, better production, uncompressed audio, etc.) might make you hear new things in something you already like, but it's not going to affect your overall enjoyment too much.
Neil
Claws of Perdition
Wipes sitting down
I mainly listen on headphones, all my shit is on my pc and im an MMO nerd so have my headset hooked up all the times anyways. Scored quite a nice headset on special not to long ago, makes a difference. Other than that, i have it blasting on my logitech surround setup.
I guess it depends on the music, where for example, a song like "For Whom the Bell Tolls" can ONLY work at loud volume with big speakers. Lots of thrash, sing-along music, Iron Maiden, "Ace of Spades" type stuff definitely works well pumped out at high volume on loudspeakers.
That said, I cannot even begin to imagine how songs like "Det Som En Gang Var", "Waldpoesie", "Wind of the Night Forests", and many more could be fully appreciated without headphones. Better yet, if possible, dim the lights and escape into the music so that you can ONLY hear the music and nothing else. Any melancholic and dark music derived from black metal roots is almost always going to work better on headphones (except maybe viking stuff like Windir, Thyrfing, or Vried, although none of those are melancholic anyway but you get my drift.)
Also, with headphones, and as cheesy as it might sound, try walking through a forest listening to some Pale Folklore. Or Bergtatt. Last winter, I was walking home at night in 2 feet of snow -- the entire setting was black, white, and silent -- and I put on Setherial's Nord. Simply majestic. Listening at home with loudspeakers cannot compare, I guarantee it.
Anyway, if you haven't tried it.....try it.
That said, I cannot even begin to imagine how songs like "Det Som En Gang Var", "Waldpoesie", "Wind of the Night Forests", and many more could be fully appreciated without headphones. Better yet, if possible, dim the lights and escape into the music so that you can ONLY hear the music and nothing else. Any melancholic and dark music derived from black metal roots is almost always going to work better on headphones (except maybe viking stuff like Windir, Thyrfing, or Vried, although none of those are melancholic anyway but you get my drift.)
Also, with headphones, and as cheesy as it might sound, try walking through a forest listening to some Pale Folklore. Or Bergtatt. Last winter, I was walking home at night in 2 feet of snow -- the entire setting was black, white, and silent -- and I put on Setherial's Nord. Simply majestic. Listening at home with loudspeakers cannot compare, I guarantee it.
Anyway, if you haven't tried it.....try it.
NAD
What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse
I prefer headphones. More of the subtle nuances (nuancy subtles) can be heard. Stuff like Zep, Kyuss, et. al. deserves big stinky speakers though, and, all artistic sensibilities aside, big dumb and loud is what rock n' roll is all about.
Listening at the computer is the worst possible thing you can do as a music fan. Nothing like frantically one-hand chatting with your e-bitches while trying to absorb a 70's concept album about elves and blood.
Listening at the computer is the worst possible thing you can do as a music fan. Nothing like frantically one-hand chatting with your e-bitches while trying to absorb a 70's concept album about elves and blood.
Conspicuously Absent
Linguistically Confused
Also, with headphones, and as cheesy as it might sound, try walking through a forest listening to some Pale Folklore. Or Bergtatt. Last winter, I was walking home at night in 2 feet of snow -- the entire setting was black, white, and silent -- and I put on Setherial's Nord. Simply majestic. Listening at home with loudspeakers cannot compare, I guarantee it.
Anyway, if you haven't tried it.....try it.
early morning with dew on the leaves and the sun coming up... autumn aurora.
skyrefuge
Member
Oh, yeah, certainly. I just did 22 nights of camping traveling across the West, and I had some great (and freaky!) experiences with my iPod in the woods at night. But now that I think of it, that isn't really a speakers/headphones issue, it's more of an installed/portable issue. Because I always used to hang out with friends sitting around a backyard bonfire at night, and we'd drag the boombox out there and listen to black metal and shit, and that was pretty awesome too. That way you can also hear the environment along with the music: the crackling fire, the haunting wind, the howling wolves. Ok, maybe we imagined the wolves.
Neil
Dark One
The Tainted Dogma
That sounds like an absolute blast - maybe we can compromise and have an RC Camping trip in lieu of the oft talked about, hard to implement RC fest.
That's the thing. I actually think that cutting out all background noise forces you to focus in on the music and immerse yourself further. The visual scenery and climate just envelopes the overall experience.
There are also so many subtle nuances which often cannot be heard without headphones. A hidden bass solo, some diminished background vocals, and even some perceived 'flaws'. The abundant acoustic fret buzz heard via headphones on the Falkenbach debut actually makes it sound like the guitar is being played right in front of you. I barely pick this up when heard through regular speakers.
There are also so many subtle nuances which often cannot be heard without headphones. A hidden bass solo, some diminished background vocals, and even some perceived 'flaws'. The abundant acoustic fret buzz heard via headphones on the Falkenbach debut actually makes it sound like the guitar is being played right in front of you. I barely pick this up when heard through regular speakers.
Dark One
The Tainted Dogma
Reign in Acai
Of Elephant and Man
It also depends on what your running your headphones through. If I were to buy a pair of Sennheisers I'm going to plug em in to my stereo, not the shitty soundboard of my Sony Vaio.
skyrefuge
Member
Count me in! We can defecate all over the area in advance to make you Wackeners feel comfortable. And for ultimate black metal tr00ness, it should be held here: http://www.littlenorway.com/
Neil
Conspicuously Absent
Linguistically Confused
Yes, but I thought we'd eliminated some time ago that we're not GMD morons who think that Drudkh is boring because we heard it through ancient PC speakers and couldn't hear much.
Of course we're using decent audio equipment. Theres a time and place for everything. Of course you're not going to sit around a camp fire with your buddies and listen to music with headphones, but just the same, theres something really cool about being alone in the dark, with headphones on, making you feel even more alone and vulnerable and feeling like you're IN the music's setting or video or whatever.
Go sit in a pitch black park and listen to the new Elend. Then change your undies.
Or try listening to Empyrium's "Die Schwäne Im Schilf" -- christ o mighty, this song torments your emotions, from fear-induced shivers down your spine through to downright sorrow, like watching helplessly as some mother comforts her dying infant.
If you think about it, what Empyrium could accomplish in an acoustic setting is something not even Agalloch or Ulver could attain. Close but no cigar. Again, all mandatory listening on headphones IMO.
Dark One
The Tainted Dogma
Dark One
The Tainted Dogma
Whoa - I'd do that in a blue second, just as long as no one decides to take it to the next level and Euronymous anyone's ass.
skyrefuge
Member
Whoa - I'd do that in a blue second, just as long as no one decides to take it to the next level and Euronymous anyone's ass.
Cannot believe you just used his name as a verb THEY WERE LIES! [/anti-varg]
Lurch, you generally only listen in your car?
LOL ... yeah, most of the time ... i hardly have enough free time anymore.
can't do it in the office and at home its always something to do ... but when I do its with headphones. the misses doesn't like black metal
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