Levels Of Music Listening

Sensuous Plane
This level is the sheer pleasure of listening to music. You let the music wash over you. This is the level of listening when you hear music in an elevator, grocery store, or when you turn the car radio on by habit when you start the engine. People often lose themselves in music on this listening plane. Music here is used as an escape. Although this isn't the most intelligent level of listening, it is important; even the most highly trained musician enjoys this level of listening.

Expressive Plane
All music has a certain meaning behind its notes that can be hard to express. Good music often will have different meanings every time you come back to it. That is what makes the Beatles better than Madonna or Beethoven better than Debussy. A novice listener always wants to put a concrete meaning to music-sometimes this is impossible. At this level, the music may sound like a quiet sunrise, snow falling, or a horror movie. Most music written for movie soundtracks is meant to be heard on this level.

Musical Plane
This is the highest level of music listening. On this level, you begin to hear and visualize the instruments being played. You will hear the elements of music within a composition, i.e., melody, rhythm, harmony, tone, and color. Intelligent listeners must be prepared to increase their awareness of the musical material and what happens to it. We will start our study of music with the elements that will help you learn on the musical plane.

Some Headphones which i have tried , but not purchased .

COMMENTS ON TRIED HEADPHONES

Eymotic ER.4 – These are really simple looking headphones ,they claim to have 95% audio accuracy, I tried them out , they sounded flat and simple, it does not make you go “wow” or anything as they are plain simple , nothing added to the playback ,The bass was rather silent ,it has lost its power,the mid tones were fine , the highs were basic , I couldn’t put my finger to how this was 95% accurate as the sound produced is very basic , flat , studio like , it isn’t enjoyable as it lacks the Punch and Liveliness of the music , more to the analytical side maybe ~ which I’m not good at appreciating them. They do stay in place and are rather secure with the triple flanges . Since im not good at appreciating such audio , I didn’t bother to listen out for instrumental coherency . For a casual Listener or people who listen to relax , you will definitely dislike these pair of Monitors.

Monster Beats Studio- They looked rather good , but many have been complaining about its durability , it gets its fame through famous stars . I tried them out , they sounded like the Apple iPhone Buds , no difference at all , other than the physical design , the sound is merely as accurate as the Apple’s , the Tuning is also at the Apple’s tuning , nearly tunes identical , music sounded fake. This is somewhat depressing , paying S$699 for a cheaply built headset which doesn’t provide good music is money down the drain . Overpriced for poor sound .

Monster Beats Solo- They looked just like their flagship model , the Beats Studio , but a smaller matted  version, I tried them out and the music sounded unclear and muddy with very little treble and a lot of echoey bass . This is another Product not worth buying , its so expensive , stains easily , breaks easily and sounded too bass-focused , the bass overwhelms the music it is trying to play , and all you hear is the trembling bass . music sounded fake. Very lousily tuned sound .

Monster Beats Solo HD-They Looked like the Monster Beats Solo , but with a glossy coating and they claims that it will not break so easily as the previous models  , well , this is suppose to be an upgrade from the Beats Solo, okay , I tried them out , the unclear muddy sound is still there , Bass have been slightly reduced , treble are a little more present . But its still unpleasant to listen to probably due to unclear audio and lack of coherency , the music sounded fake anyways . Poorly Tuned Sound.

Monster HeartBeats- These are the GaGa Earphones as most would call it , they are uniquely design by triangles, okay I tried them , the coherency is there , but audio quality and realisticability were “just as where it should be” as it doesn’t provide much air and space into the surrounding , bass are slightly tight , when not needed , trebles were too soft , it’s a very nice earphone ,but the sound quality is a good upgrade from a basic bud , nothing much to the sound that gives the awe .

Monster Turbine Pro Copper- These looked like the Original Turbines but they are painted chromed copper, and it claims to have accurate sound , I tried them up , they sounded like The Monster Turbine Pro Gold , with less Bass and more Highs . Otherwise , its similar to that of the Golds . It does not have that Lively sound as compared with the Golds . Probably a long burn-in time is needed to tell the difference ,  but the sound is definitely much brighter than the Golds which some may not really appreciate . I wouldn’t say the Coppers are worth every cent  , but definitely Good sound Quality ,rather analytical tho ~

Monster Miles Davis Tribute- These headphones are made in memory of the jazz player Miles , people claimed it the best jazz headphones in the world , I tried them out , They Sounded as soothing as the Turbine Pro Gold ,but only they do it better , they are slightly warmer than the Golds , as bass are way low and loud enough to make you go “ohhh ~” im serious , these are very accurate sounding buds and you can actually feel the Liveliness and intimacy the singer for any song is trying to bring to you right in front of you . they have a warm sound which makes them enjoyable and relaxing to listen to , the highs are enjoyable as though they were tuned just right to make the ears happy . The Audio are Super Realistic ,Coherent and are very precise in every instrumental present at recording site . they are so enjoyable , I did not want to take them off my ears when I try them . I could say , these are the most enjoyable and relaxing earphones I have ever tried , and these definitely Dominates High End Headphones with this price tag easily …

Monster Jamz- These are Ultra Durable earphones , made for the survival , but do not be fooled , the sound quality is supremely well tuned , I tried them and they sounded close to the Turbine Pro Gold , bass are enhanced , trebles are nice and sweet , you cant find any fault in these pairs of earphones as the sound is pleasant and when u look at it , it simply smiles back to you with it’s chrome finish . with this price tag , you cant go wrong .

Apple Standard Buds- These are probably what most of the people are using and have adapted to its tuning and sound , so , its nothing much actually , just plain mediocre .

The Monster Turbine Pro Gold Audiophile In Ear Speakers

HEADPHONE REVIEW

Monster Turbine Pro Gold

Audiophile In-Ear Speakers

Bought on 1Q of 2011 @S$530

Recommend Product: Yes

Pros: Bass, Mid-range, Treble, Fully Well Displayed. Precise sound produce .Wide array of Ear bud Sizes .Beautiful Luxurious Travel Pouches.Durability of metal housing. Attractive Design.Lifetime warranty!                                                                                                      

Cons: Black coating of the Monster Logo at the back of the in-ear speaker comes off when scratched.

Comfort

These Pairs of in ear Speakers Comes with 16 buds for you to experiment with, to find which fits you best. Most probably you should be able to find one that fits you best. The Moment you’ve found the right ear buds which suits you, comfort comes along.

Portability

These in ear Speakers are really portable, due to the fact that the cables are rather thick and it tends not to tangle, even if tangled, it could be easily untied .Easy storage in the travel pouches they provide. The Set-up time wont take you more than 15 seconds.

Performance

Sound Quality- They are a pair of really capable In Ear Speakers, you will never expect sound of that calibre to be coming out of a headphone of this size , they will shock you i can say .They have Bass that goes down low , deep , tight and extremely natural . Mid-range which sounds so warm that the vocals seemed like the artists are singing for you at your room. Treble are really clear as a bell, it doesn’t hurt the ears, it isn’t piercing, just plain precise and clean. Overall Sound Quality is just simply astounding; it makes every instrument and vocals realistic .Every Sonic Details would be heard with clarity and precision. The audio becomes coherent; imaging is precise and stable with instruments clearly defined and natural sounding. They are Liquid sounding , Lush , Punchy , realistic sound stage which have superb imaging , i can locate which instruments are played from which direction without even looking at it and this is no exaggeration , its dead accurate and precise. Simply to put it, I doubt many other In-Ear Monitors would be able to reach this point of performance calibre. These headphones make listening to music a step more interesting and would might as well change your perspective of In-Ear Monitors. Satisfies Craving for Even the Strictest of All Audiophiles. I see why these are known as in ear Speakers rather than in ear monitors. I would have exceeded the amount of space given if this review was done in detailed!                                                                                                                                                    

Isolation- They isolate ambient noise well with every ear-tip sizes, an exception would be Monster’s very own “Super Tips” they are jelly filled ear-tips, they isolate ambient noise exceptionally well compared to the rest of those given. Every single ear tips produces very different sound.

Design

The Design of these Earphones looks like (yes, you’ve guessed it) a Turbine. The Gold Hard Chrome Finish gives it a really attractive look and it seemed to be scratch-proof. The Material used are really good , It uses high density metal as the housing, which gives it a good and balanced weight ( A light weight earphone would feel cheap and un-durable ) It really seemed like it’ll last for a rather long time. Overall design is just Beautiful ~

Overall

If the heavy price tag is the thing that is bothering you from purchasing these in ear speakers, I must tell you, every single cent chipped into these pair of Speakers are worth it. You are actually paying for an ultimate in ear speakers  which have stunning performance, many accessories, well-known branding and a lifetime warranty!

Included in Package

-Earpiece. Small, medium, large, triple flange small , triple flange large , comply foam tips , Super Tips small , Super Tips 

Medium . 1/4” audio jack adapter. 2 luxurious carrying cases (hard, soft)

Gallery 

The Sony MDR XB 700 Extra Bass Stereo Headphones

HEADPHONE REVIEW

Sony MDR XB700

Extra Bass Stereo Headphones

Bought on 2 May 2010 for S$199

Recommend Product: Yes

Pros: Bass Quality, Overall Sound Quality, Comfort, Flat Cables, and Cheap Price Tag for a High-end Audio Category Headset.

Cons: Sound Leakage, Size.

Comfort
These are the plushest headphones I have ever owned till now and I can say they are really comfortable, one of the most comfortable in the headphone industry till date. It does get a little warm after a while, just a little; this warmth is actually rather common in all circum-aural headphones. The weight of these headphones will be difficult to be noticed the moment one puts it on, the ear pads will “sink in” onto your head and provide a nice secure hold. The ear pads and headband pads are made from synthetic leather (which is more durable as compared to that of genuine leather)

Portability
This is a real downside, it’s huge, bringing it out may be a little problematic, they don’t fold, they don’t bend inwards, all you could do is to adjust the headband shorter for easier storage. They have something really interesting, flat cables, they’re really great, untangling cables becomes a thing of the past, even if you were to tie any knots, they would be easily untied. The standard round cables, which after prolonged storage of turning and twisting these cables, lose their straight form and tend to curl, these flat chords however, will not curl. The set-up time is greatly reduced.

Performance
Sound Quality- The first thing one will look in a good pair of headset will be the bass response, The bass response of these headsets are really good, it can display very low notes with ease and with no sign of any bass distortion. Low, deep, clear, powerful bass is realised, however not tight, but satisfying for casual listeners . The midrange is well produced with acceptable clarity. The trebles are not ignored in these “extra bass” headphones, in fact, the trebles are crisp, one would not expect unless burned ,the trebles produced are not “piercing” or hurtful to the ears , however may be distorted in some songs which has the splash or crash cymbals being hit repetitively . These pairs of cans are rather enjoyable to hear as they are warm and relaxed and not audiophilic which have accurate tight bass. Not very coherent to be frank , these Headphones can produce the sounds of the instruments , but its not very clear and sometimes small details are inaudible. Emotions of the music are well presented with power and impact .very Lush which produces a rich, warm, ambiance to the sound.  .                                                                         

Isolation- These headphones are not supposed to have good noise isolation. And it did not.

Design
Other than the mentioned, ear pad, flat cables and headband pad. The brushed aluminium for the extended part of the headband makes the headset looks and feels rigid, it’s the design that makes the XB700 differ from its counterpart, the XB500 (which used plastic), it is a negative point for the XB700 as most of its weight actually comes not from the cans, but the aluminium headband itself. They have got a plastic headband, which allows it to be flexible (somewhat typical in headphones). A plastic housing, which is painted with a coat of metallic silver paint. An “L-shaped” 3.5mm audio-jack, which reduces stress on the cables and connectors.

Overall                                                                                                                                                                        
These Pair of Massive Sponge Cans Displayed Good Audio Performance and Have a Price Tag that’s worth the buy! Sony comes with a fixed 1 year warranty. Comfort and durability have also made this more worth the buck!

The Sony MDR EX 500 SL Precision Studio Monitor

HEADPHONE REVIEW

Sony MDR EX500SL 

Precision Studio Monitor 

Bought on 4Q of 2009  for S$159

Recommend Product: Not Really

 
Pros:  Unique shape, Eye-catching housing, A step-up from standard earpieces.
Cons: Cost, Sound quality could be better, Insecure fit. Price tag could be better set.

Comfort
This here, is a vertical in ear earphone design , this design may not be stable for some , but it worked fine for me and its indeed rather secured .

Portability
Sony provides a leather travelling case along with it and it does help in storing them neatly. The cables are rather tangly .

Performance
Sound Quality- The first thing one will look in a good pair of headset will be the bass response, The bass response of these earpiece is just a slight upgrade from the standard earpiece which comes free upon buying an iPod, it can display low notes with not much bass distortion. Bass is realised . The midrange is well produced with the clarity , however not very realistic , sounded rather artificial . The trebles are focused in these earpieces, in fact, the trebles are over-focused, the extreme trebles produced are “piercing” and is somewhat hurtful to the ears for new listeners, too bright in that sense . They take quite a long time to burn-in. The Soundstage is about average. I personally doubt these “Studio Monitors” should be named that way as i don’t think they are up for the title to Monitor Studio Recording , it may be more practical to name them as just “Performance In Ear Headphones” As they are not Precise enough to be used as Studio Monitors. It is rather coherent , you can hear the different music instruments, but its very not distinct and real enough, some were very soft or even left-out , while some stands out but without much clarity. Lack of details.                                                                                                           
Isolation- They have an average isolation system and this greatly reduces ambient noise when placed properly                                     

Design
The housing is made of aluminium, which claims to help reduce vibration noise when playing music, it sure does cause people to take a glance at your earpiece when wearing them out. A vertical in-ear system.  Other parts of the earpiece design are very typical to that of the standard earpiece. It also features an ultra thin cable, which turns out to be tangly .

Overall

These Studio Monitors are rather overpriced , considering that Sony gives a fixed 1 year warranty for a huge number of their portable audio accessories . Performance to Price tag ratio are all “just right”. However cheaper headphones may produce alot better sound quality than these SMs.

Included                                                                                                                                                                                  

 - Small, Medium, Large Ear bud Sizes. – Leather Carrying Case

Here Are Some Photos on it ^^