before everything else and to give the reader an idea of what kind of music enthusiast I am, I must mention that I listen to mostly classic rock (you know, those bands that live on Marshall amplifiers), punk, metal, and alternative or indie a la Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo.
what I look for in headphones is sound quality and high fidelity, not a specific sound signature or trait like high bass, treble, or mid, nope, it’s sound quality and fidelity for me. keyword, audiophile. however, I have a habit of looking to my music heroes for their endorsement. it’s alright if I don’t have the most audiophile-approved pair, it’s ok that it’s good enough for, say, Taylor Momsen.
when I hear the word audiophile, the first ones that come to mind are Audio-Technica and Sennheiser, but in this post, Sony will also be featured (for their sheer prevalence in the market which isn’t due to some gimmick, their overall quality is the real deal).
so, here’s a few videos I came across where Sony, Sennheiser, and Audio-Technica appear in quite old and recent studio performances.
1. Daughtry performs an acoustic version of No Surprise at HitMill studios in Zurich, 2009, featuring Sony
2. The Pretty Reckless performs an acoustic version of House on a Hill, Team Rock, 2014, featuring Sennheiser
3. Phoebe Bridgers and Noah & Abby Gundersen performs Killer and The Sound, Dead Oceans, 2018, featuring Audio-Technica
4. Phoebe Bridgers performs Motion Sickness in the KEXP studio, 2018, featuring Sennheiser
5. Metallica performs Enter Sandman, Howard Stern, 2018, featuring Sony (if it’s at Howard Stern, it’s Sony)
6. Clairo performs Bags for World Cafe, WXPN studios, 2019, featuring Sony
when choosing headphones, I’m like, if it’s good enough for them… yup, that’s it.