Humans have a relationship with music that dates back for thousands of years. Be it beating on a makeshift drum or jamming out on a double-neck guitar, the close bond mankind shares with melody and rhythm is an undeniable facet to psychological wellbeing and pleasure.
So it’s no surprise people are now spending upwards of $300 on a quality pair of headphones to receive the ultimate listening experience. The explosion within the market for headphones has resulted in superior sound that provide closest thing to hearing the artist live.
A battle to provide the superior listening experience gives way to a wide field of opinions on which brand is best.
“…It depends on what you’re looking for because they’re going to shine in different areas,” said Todd Phillips, who works as sales support at ListenUp, an electronics vendor that specializes in audio and video equipment. “That being said, I’d say Sennheiser [are the best]. They’ve been around since the 60’s. They just overall [provide] the best quality.”
A marketing masterpiece came forth four years ago, however, dulling popular recognition of higher quality brands such as Sennheiser or Grado. Beats by Dr. Dre emerged an unlikely victor in the market after the success of a well planned advertising and marketing campaign hit the masses.
“The most amazing thing about that brand is their marketing,” Phillips said. ”They have contracts with HTC so they’re in their products. The amount of money you spend on Beats can get you a much better headphone.”
Popular brands amongst the youth include Skullcandy, founded in 2003
“My favorite thing about them is that they have a subwoofer in them and it allows me to change the amount of bass I hear in a particular song,” said sophomore geology major Mitch May. “Also, the noise canceling capabilities help me get a clear head between classes.”
Most higher end brands include features such as these in their product, allowing the listener further control over what they hear.
Freshman industrial engineer major Javier Martínez uses Sol Republic headphones, a brand he came across via his roommate. While he liked Beats after getting a chance to use his brother’s, he says he likes the over the ear feature and price, comparatively, of his Sol Republic headphones.
“My favorite quality about my headphones is the fact that they get everything from the bass and acoustics to the high notes,” Martínez said. There are many headphones that don’t really emphasize the sound of the music, and mine really help me feel the music better.”
Ultimately the decision between which brand to settle upon is how much a person is willing to pay for their audio gear and what is most comfortable in their opinion.
“You can get a good headphone at an inexpensive price,” Phillips said.
With the availability of so many options, finding which headphones are right for each individual listener has transformed into an event of its own. Yet, the trivial battles between companies can be overlooked, as not all consumers are exactly alike in what they want, and some can’t be bothered with the little details.
“It’s kind of like asking ‘Do you like hondas or toyotas?’” Phillips said. ”They’re [all] really quality cars. Whether one is better than the other, that’s completely negotiable.”
Compiled using: Sennheiser, Grado, Beats, Skullcandy, Sol Republic
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Megan Curry at Megan.l.curry@colorado.edu.
