Are You Listening??

In this new world of phones that dub as mini stereos, where are you with your listening devices? I mean, we spend crazy money on the actual unit of our choice, be it an iPhone, Zune and various other mp3 players, but what about ya ear/head phones? I'm all about quality sound. The first thing I do when I go to a listening session for the new whoever's album at a studio is look for the sweet spot and lock it down. For the non-knowing, the sweet spot is the area where the speakers are directed at an angle so the sounds meet at a point in the middle of the room (usually). If you stand or sit there, you'll get the optimum sonic experience. Most home theaters and movie theaters are set up similarly. So for my music leisure time, be it heading to work or catching a flight, I'm always chasing that sound. Yet, to do so means, in most cases, getting the biggest, most cushiony, bulkiest headphones around.

I'm talking shit, 'cus my daily ones aren’t anywhere near those, but that is usually the thought process for me. I have the Beats by Dre headphones, which are a marvel to enjoy. I also have some Skullcandy Snoop Dogg Fatherhood promo joints that are pretty decent. I even have some new ones that I haven't cracked open called iFrogz, they look impressive (I have the Billionaires) ‘cus they are big cushiony and bulky. They are all fine and dandy and each serve a purpose, but my everyday pair are some non descript $6 earphones (not plugs, I feel like a martian wearing those) that take me a few moments to figure out which is the left and which is right since the lettering has worn off. I untangle the wires and plug it to my iTouch and neck-snap away to Black Moon, Black Star or my new favorite DJs Black Chiney. My $6 dollar hearing pieces are convenient, they work and are sound in quality, until there is a flight I need to take and I break out the big boys. The Beats are like having an orchestra in your cranium. The resounding bass and super crisp highs let you know how Dre wanted you to hear his productions as well as those of his musical family. Through those I've heard new background sounds and more Jim Jones adlibs than ever. Yet, I can't walk the streets of NYC and feel comfortable with over the ear headphones on. With the anything-can-happen-in-a-New-York-minute attitude I have, shit be poppin' off on the street too much for me to be in THX land singing the latest Lil Wayne hook.

So I sacrifice my everyday listening pleasure for the safety of my $6 joints. Yeah, my ears ache after 5 minutes of funk, but at least I can sort of hear what the hell is going on around me in these evil streets. I'm gonna test these iFrogz out on the trips I'm taking during this week and next and update y'all.

But first, let me know what you listen to your music through and is the experience live wire or limp biscuit?