#MyHeadRoom

Below you'll find examples of what sanctuary looks like to some of our customers. What does your HeadRoom look like?

Stay tuned to our blog for the next #MyHeadRoom contest. Or, send us an email to marketing@headphone.com with your description, you never know what we might send you.

For a few years, I’ve been hemming and hawing about buying a nice set of headphones. My big problem is that I’m really cheap. I hate to spend money when what I have works. A cheap pair of Sony on ears have kept me going for over 8 years.

Well, HeadRoom had a sale a little while back. So I broke down and bought a pair of Shure SRH440s. I do a lot of engineering, so I wanted a flat response. I’m so happy I got them. They sound awesome, and I’m loving listening to my music over and hearing what I’ve been missing. I’ve also loved having them on gigs. My mixes have been awesome lately. I regret not buying them sooner.

Sincerely,

Kyle L.

I travel a great deal, and usually listen to my earphones while on loud airplanes. Until about a year ago, I had always been a Westone guy. But during a long layover in Houston, I killed some time in one of those airport sound markets listening to some other brands. They happened to have a demo pair of Shure SE846s. I had not been able to hear them previously, so I gave them a workout. No question, they were the best I had ever heard. It was immediately clear that I had to have them. They got me Right Between the Ears! But there was no way I was going to buy them from one of those airport storefronts. So, I called my friends at Headroom, told them the story, and asked for their professional opinion: were they as good as I thought they were. They confirmed that they were, and to make the decision even easier, they happened to have a short-term pre-purchase deal going to make the cost a bit more affordable. I made the plunge into the cost stratosphere, and have not looked back. These Shure SE 856s make everything else seem irrelevant. And every time I use them, I find myself again and again lost somewhere right between my ears.

Randy Q.

I've been listening to headphones since I was a kid. Headphones are how I connect with music. They allow me to block out the rest of the world, so it's just me and my music. When I was a teenager it was my headphones and portable tape player (yes, I'm old enough to remember those) on the bus ride on the way to and from school. Those headphones got me through some truly shitty days in school, some of the worst years of my life. In those worst of times the headphones let me experience something wonderful, when other things weren't so great. Any time I put on a pair of headphones I know that I'll be just a little bit happier than I was a minute ago.

Scott G.

I WON

Darrel B.

Music is more than just instruments and vocals coming together, it is a vibration that not only expresses energy, but also shapes and cultivates itself into what the mind and soul really feels. We listen to music not just for the noise, but to find synergy between human and sound. After a friend lended me his Shure SE215's, I learned what it meant to listen to living, breathing, clear music. In this case, it was the track five of Foo Fighter's Sonic Highways album; Outside. The world may have it's differences in color, race, and way of living, but there is one thing that brings us all together. Music, in which we all share common ground.

Nicolas V.

Headphones are not just for music!

Paul C.

Hi, I'm not a very creative guy but headphones have had a profound effect on my life. I'm a senior in high school and grew up with a father who had an amazing taste in music. He introduced me to the genre of rock and has one of the coolest tastes in music I know. But I live in a family that's very closed minded about music. To them, rock and alt rock is the one true genre and everything else is laughable. I grew up thinking this way and actually judging people based on their musical preferences. My junior year I started expanding my musical horizons. Hip-hop, jazz, folk. It was a new inspiration. Using my meager birthday money I was able to purchase a pair of shure se215. These not only introduced me to true audio but gave me my own place where I could listen to whatever I wanted without scrutiny from my family. Headphones are not only a hobby or as my parents call them a "cash sink" but each pair takes me to a different venue where I get to choose who's playing. Being able to listen to whatever music I want and having high quality headphones to analyze the music is life changing for me. It gives me an outlet, somewhere safe and personal I can go to reflect and express my self. Thank you for reading!

Samuel W.

I have owned many headphones and pre-amps in my life. My two favorite headphones that I have owned are the Audio Technica ATH-M50x (the ones I own do not have a disconnecting cord) and the Shure SE405s (the cable tore at the plug and I soldered a new plug on and later gave them to my younger brother). I still own the ATH-M50xs but they are getting old and uncomfortable (plus they are big, not convenient when going up to campus.

Here is a list of some other ones I have owned:
Sennheiser HD 600
AKG K-701
Etymotic HF3
Shure SE215

I have also had the opportunity to listen to a pair of Grado RS1e's. Pretty good headphones there, but I would not spend the money for a pair.

I have heard some pretty good home speakers, and home speakers are not intimate, nor are they as clear as listening no a pair of good headphones.

I have owned two Headroom amps (the Balanced Desktop Amp with DAC and the Bithead). I have also built a few "Chu Moy" headphone amps.

I guess that is all a background to let you know that I have done some "research." I have also listened to music on studio monitors, yet I always go back to headphones/earphones. Nothing is clearer or more personal.

Here are two photos of my ATH-M50x's with my Chu Moy headphone amp.

Regards,

David G.

Harry M.

Once upon a time, there was a man named Geoff (that’s me!) who wanted to listen to some music! He search all over his house but could not find his really awesome Shure headphones!!!?? Then he realized.. he didn’t own anyHhe only had the lame ones that came with his iPhone. Oh No! He go very sad. So sad he curled up into the fetal position and vowed never to listen to music ever again unless he used a real set of headphones.

Since he didn’t have any…He lived quietly ever after.

Geoff G.

I am a retiree on a strict Social Security budget, who has an unfortunate (so say my neighbors) penchant for load orchestral classical music. Unable as I am to afford any headphone capable of reproducing Beethoven with the depth or clarity of my Bose speakers, I'm afraid my neighbors are often forced to share my musical experiences when they'd rather not. This situation has even caused a few of my neighbors to lose their grip on civility.

Winning this giveaway would benefit not only myself, but my neighbors as well, and would certainly help bring peace and stability back to this otherwise charming neighborhood. Two for the price of one.

John W.

Listening with headphones (or, IEMs, in my case) is an individual sport (Maltese mascot notwithstanding.). A time to be reflective, at peace, even spiritual. I have the habit of listening to music through my HeadRoom delivered Shure SE535s while in a rocking chair, by the pool, under the stars. Maybe accompanied by a few nice microbrews. I usually begin after a late dinner, allotting a coupe of hours of personal bliss. But, like most nights, the couple of hours somehow becomes, "Oh my God! It's 4:00AM!" I would love to upgrade to the SE846s, but I am not sure if I could handle these perfect moments getting even better. I am, however, willing to find out.

Brad D.

Shure SE315 Trip Report

[Headphone = Shure SE315] [Weight = 30 grams] [Method = Aural] [Form = IEM]

It was a late Sunday night and I had nothing better to do then browse Headphone.com and dose some music up. I'm a college kid seeking to expand my mind. I hooked in my DAC, and cleaned the area in preparation.
I got a few q-tips and removed copious amounts of earwax from my canals. If I'm going to do this, I'm going to do this right. I load Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon into a playlist. FLAC of course.

12:36 AM 2/23/2015 I press play and brace myself. I hear nothing at first. Slowly the reality around me distorts. I hear a heartbeat. I'm not sure if it's mine. It's getting louder.

12:37 AM 2/23/2015 I can hear more. Laughter is enveloping me. A lazy guitar plays and I relax into the melody.

12:39 AM 2/23/2015 I let the melody take me along with it. It guides and presses. I breathe in the air. I'm not afraid to care.

12:43 AM 2/23/2015 It's quiet again. I think I've hit the 2nd plateau.

12:45 AM 2/23/2015 There's footsteps in my head, and drums all around. I didn't expect to experience such an intimate soundstage.

12:46 AM 2/23/2015 Vocals cut through right to my core. My vision goes blurry and I have to lay down.

12:49 AM 2/23/2015 I'm reminded of the transience and fragility of life, but I don't mind. This is all okay.

12:52 AM 2/23/2015 The bodyload with this headphone is very light, they rest so gently on the ears I forget I'm even on music.

12:56 AM 2/23/2015 Money happens. I'm peaking. Grovvy tunes massage my body. I wonder if my parents would be disappointed with me spending my time on music instead of studying. The trumpet lets loose its iconic lick and I push the intrusive thoughts away.

1:02 AM 2/23/2015 The speedy rhapsodies morph into peaceful aural euphoria.

1:06 AM 2/23/2015 The SE315 is pushing out pure sound, no distortions whatsoever.

1:13 AM 2/23/2015 I'm definitely on the comedown now. The music is getting slower.

1:16 AM 2/23/2015 I keep thinking back to how impactful this is. Hopefully it doesn't cause any brain damage. There's going to have to be more research on it.

1:19 AM 2/23/2015 The album is over. I forgot how silent it is at night. It's easy to lose awareness of one's surroundings when the SE315 isolate so well.

I really enjoyed this audio session. I can see it easy to go overboard and crank up the volume on the Shure SE315, but like with all headphones; moderation must be practiced.

The SE315 is tonally neutral and offers excellent extension both into the bass and treble.

I am in love with the SE315, it'll be daily driver for a long while. Hopefully this report helps you or other readers make informed decisions. Safety first with audio! Make sure to listen at reasonable levels to protect yours ears, and visit headphone.com to protect your wallet!

Eric V.

The obsession began 6 years ago.......my mother unknowingly purchased me a pair of JBL in-ear buds. They weren't anything outstanding, but it began my craze for higher quality audio. 5 years ago, I remember purchasing what I thought to be, my first and last high-end ear bud. It was the Ultimate Ears UE700.......after my first listen, I realized that I could never go back, there could not be anything better sounding than this. I had just hooked myself on a very costly addiction. Fast forward a few years and I am presently a poor university student who has just purchased what I think to be, my first but not last, high-end pair of cans. The Grado SR325iS......after my first listen, I realized that I could never go back, there could not be anything better sounding than this. But I know. I know that the next pair will pleasantly surprise me once again, but until then, I will be in my audio heaven, blissfully ignorant until the next pair arrives. Until then, everything is perfect, Right Between My Ears.

Sam T.

It's been a stressful day. Now on a plane back home. Finally, isolated in your cocoon of ethereal sound, you float through a landscape of clouds back to yourself.

Fritz S.

I am 6' 5" and 275 lbs. I travel with my job about 120 days per year.That is a lot of time on airplanes (in center seats more often than you would think), in airports and in hotels. When I am not traveling I commute by vanpool 90 miles each way to an 8' x 8' cubicle. Headphones (with a decent source full of quality content) can turn hell...

into heaven!

I have been a headphone lover since I first listened to my Dad's reel-to-reel through some Sony headphones my Uncle sent him from Korea in the '60s. HeadRoom reignited that enjoyment when I purchased an AirHead many years ago. I am constantly rotating through different set-ups, but regularly check the HeadRoom page for insight into what to try next. One of my goals is to add Montana on to my travel schedule so I can make a stop to thank you guys for never steering me wrong! When I put my Headphones I can be instantly transported to poolside paradise even if I am really in a center seat between to guys who make me look small!

"I guess you had to be there..."

Mark B.

Pardon me, but I could hear you if I wanted!
But I'm listening to something more important.
Crisp cymbals.
Deep bass.
Wide soundstage.

Sorry, but you sound one dimensional.

And my phones are designed to keep you out of my private concert.

I listen to people all day.
In meetings.
In classrooms.
Demanding people.
Commanding people.
Boring people.

In my music, there's perfection they can't achieve.

With my phones, the perfection reaches me.
The discordant voices don't.

Music is more pure than silence.
Silence is more pure than voices.

During the day, I'm paid to listen, to dwell on the imperfect.

In my private time, I rejuvenate.

I rejoice.

My phones prepare me for the day to follow.
The put closure to the day that preceded.

Give me my time with my phones.

You can't hear what I hear.

Whether it's rock and roll from my youth,
Or classical from my adulthood,
It's what I am
What I need.

I'll get back to you.

Leave me and my 846s.
They sound better than your phones.
They sound better than you.

Bob.

Whether I’m out for a walk, working hard at the gym or leaning back in my favorite chair, there are times
Times I’m floating above my steps out into my world
Times I’m blasting out a set making my muscles scream
Times I sink deeper, my day melting away
There are times

Segments of sound filter into my ears
Segments I might not recognize with something less
Segments I couldn’t recognize with something less
Segments that make time possible
Segments in which I lose myself in time

Wired, wireless, corded, bluetoothed
Amped, equalized, recorded, ripped
MP3, FLAC, ATRAC, OMG I need to rip again!!

Enjoyment
Satisfaction
Appreciation
Relaxation
These are the times

Karl B.

I was introduced to HeadRoom a few years back at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest held in Denver, Colorado. Not sure how, but I happened to remember that HeadRoom was based in Bozeman, Montana, when I received a wedding invitation. Ben and Travis were awesome to meet, represented a wealth of knowledge and steered me to the best earbuds for my needs, topping my other Mid-Fi earbuds. My audio bliss moment was the first time I tried the new earbuds on my daily train ride into downtown; 40 minutes each way. They sounded AMAZING using just my iPhone and some offline music (Tidal and Spotify Premium). Like Ben said, they do a pretty good job of blocking out the noise around you with the right eartips. Furthermore, I've found these earbuds work great on conference calls including international. Many thanks, Gentlemen, for steering me in the right direction!

James K.

Musical listening can be a paradise or a nightmare depending on if you showered that day I guess. When you finally get to sit down and hit play you've paused something else and that something else is life. Now you can drift off into the depths and explore uncharted territory within the universal language we call music. Emotions take over and transport your mindset into something as gentle as a push down a slide in the park or something like plunging 400 feet into the ground with no beer to make you feel better before the collision. Or maybe I had the bass cranked to high on falling from 400 feet part. Some of us like to go to the extreme lengths to tinker with our gear to hear the heartbeat of the fellow mice roaming about in the recording studio that have grown aware of the leftover pizza in the garbage can while others couldn't care less if their music was played through an air freshener can. Me? I like to listen and fade out. Forget about all problems and just venture off into an acoustical journey that has no rules, no boundaries and most importantly, no distortion... Just me and the music in bliss hearing the complex strings of emotion the artist crafted and taking it all in. Yea, that's what I like... Well, maybe with a bit of Buffalo Wings on the side because... a never mind.

Daniel J.

A headroom is nice, but it's the headphones wrapped around your head that make the place truly special; without them, the room has no purpose...

Any pair of headphones you have can make sound, but to make where you are at right now a headroom they need to be special. They can be your first pair of audiophile head phones, they can be a gift that holds happy memories, or it can be the first pair you chose yourself...

Whatever the reason, these headphones are what will make your headroom, it can't exist with out them really. It's always the headphones...

Thank you for reading...

Alexander M.

Right between my ears...
It's rough. Sometimes I can't tell what is real, especially now. I have been home for 6 months, and my family says I'm different, because I am.
6 months into my deployment. I woke up in hospital bed at the big army base in eastern Afghanistan, with the doctors telling me I had a psychotic break. I expected to lose my life and limbs, but not my mind. It scared me, but it scared my coworkers worse. When my buddies first saw me again, they froze. There faces registered fear for a split second, followed with aversion. I would prefer a hostile expression at least that is an acknowledgment of my existence.
Recovery... Is tedious.
I know without doubt someday I will become stronger than I have ever been, because that is who I am.
Now
The pain is real ,but the source is not. No true progress, but my strongest source of power is hope. Also binaural beats with decent headphones helps me get to a place where I can deal with everything.
Tomorrow
It hurts when people tell me "thank you for your service" because I died out there.
I will be the dad my kids need the husband my wife needs and the person I wished I could be.

Max W.

"What's Right Between My Ears" that gave me my ah ha! moment took place many years ago when I put on my first pair of Koss HV1A headphones!
Up until that experience most if not all other headphones sounded wrong, lifeless, uninvolved and uncomfortable.
At $49 they were simply the best "real" sounding cans I have ever heard. Sennheisers at that time were too recessed distant and veiled. Yamaha, well balanced sound had a very clear set but lacked that lively bass of the Koss. Teac cans were better at delivering emotion but lacked impact and long term comfort. I eventually moved on to Stax electret SR-80 purchased from Innovated Audio when they were in Bklyn, of which I still own! They're a more refined presentation but of course lacking bass impact and lifelike involvement!
I've been chasing that first Koss high ever since! Lol
This second headphone revolution, I feel sparked by Beats Solo has bit me again. I'm currently into my Bklyn Grado SR 325is at $295. Now its time to up my dose for a set of RS2e! Back to Bklyn, USA made for my fix. Lol

Jamie S.

A friend of mine rang me up the other day, said it was time to replace the old Jays “in-ear” phones I purchased for him from Headroom. He had had them, obviously, for several years and just wanted something new and updated, wasn't sure what to purchase. I won't mention the choices he presented to me, both options were in the $300.00 dollar range, give or take. I'm not a salesman , but I'm not a fool either, the man was just asking for my opinion, and I willingly obliged him with the following: Spend as much as you can possibly afford, get the very best quality you can get in your house with the money you have to spend, and you will never regret it, not now, not in twenty years, not when your in your wheelchair, not ever! I bought a pair of AKG K701's from Headroom too many years ago to mention, and they are still my pride and joy, the one thing I can go home to, shut the door, put the phones on, and forget all the useless, pointless issues at work, dangerously bad drivers, inconsiderate sales people, and all the other hangers on that amount to heresy of a good life to do a job that I enjoy. It's unbelievable how cathartic they are just to put on with a selection of music you enjoy and identify with and just let the ills of the day go away. Do I enjoy and appreciate the AKG's? Yes, without question. But it's worth mentioning, it's entirely possible my close friends enjoy my AKG's as much or more than I do for their ability to adjust my attitude after work, to chill out, calm down, and relax. My buddy is still trying to make up his mind and I am confident he will make the right one for him. And I hope the new phones he purchases will become as permanent and revered a fixture for him as the AKG's have for me, I can only wish him the same success I enjoy daily.

Walton N.

I was a very young boy living in the projects (Jane Adams) in Chicago. Our Family was very poor back then. But we were very rich in spirit. We had very few toys as children. We did have Lincoln logs and green plastic army men that my twin brother Frank and I played with and cherished. One day my older Brother Anthony who had a junk non- running car was approached by a young Spanish man that lived in the same Chicago projects. He wanted to purchase the junk car from my Brother but like everyone else in the neighborhood he had no money. Back then you made a deal with a handshake and some collateral. The man brought over as collateral a record player, a stack of albums, and a set of bongo drums. My brother agreed that when he gets the cash he would pay my brother for the car and pick up his things. He told us we could use the record player and the albums but to please be careful with them. This was my first experience with music. If you can imagine for a moment how happy of a time this was for my Family to have this record player and recordings to listen to? A magical moment it was indeed. We began by playing all of his Latin, Jazz albums non stop and one record that I really liked was Latin Fever by “Mr. Bongo” Jack Costanzo. It was a nice Latin / Jazz album with lots of drums. I tried for hours and hours to make the sounds on the bongo drums that I heard on the album. I was in musical bliss. So much fun. Eventually the man came with the money to pay my brother for the car and picked up his records, record player, Bongos and we were all very sad to see it all go. When I first tried a set of headphones the same feeling I had as a young boy hearing music for the first time came back. My first set of headphones were huge over the ear type but sounded really great. You could hear every nuance of the music or so I thought. They were very crude by todays standards. As the years went by, I loved listening to headphones and the true pleasure it gives me. I could shut out the world, at least for a while. listening for me now is more of a balance in my life. Almost like a mini mental vacation or medicine. I can listen to my favorite music and feel so refreshed like a soothing ma-sausage , warm bath, or like being at the beach listening to the waves relaxing in the sun. The music for me sparks a lot of emotions of total enjoyment and of really happy feelings. Headphone listening will always be a part of my life. Headphones also have gotten me through some very dark, difficult times in my journey through life. I listen in a very different way today than I did as a child. Things I have learned to listen for over the years. I listen to as you might have guessed to Jazz, Latin Jazz, Classical ,and all types of music. I also took drum lessons for 12 years. I have played drums and percussion in and around Chicago for years. I also teach drums and percussion. All of my Family worked their way out of the projects and have become very successful. I am sad to say that some of my brothers and sisters have passed away now but the love, just like the love of music / headphones never dies. I am happy to say that one day I looked up the name of Jack Costanzo on Google and found he was living in California. I also found out his nephew is living a couple of towns away from me. We made arrangements for me to meet Mr. Bongo Jack Costanzo because I wanted to thank him for what he did for me as a child and how much I appreciated his Music. He was my inspiration and played a big part of my love affair with Music. We have become good friends and he comes to my house every year and tells stories of when he would play with big bands and play for famous bands leaders throughout the years. He also would teach a lot of stars in Hollywood. I have enjoyed Headphones,/Music for a lifetime and I am very great full for it. Life and Music are so very important. Truly beautiful and fascinating. Sometimes all you have to do is listen.

Michael G.

I was very excited to hear about the contest being a big fan of Shure, I bought my 530's from you years ago!

I mentioned the contest in my latest post: http://www.roninmarketeer.com/2015/02/24/myheadroom/

Tweet auto-scheduled for 9:05 in the morning and I'll be sure to push the post on next week's Marketing Over Coffee.

Thanks!
John W.

Greeting! I've attached my entry for the #MyHeadRoom Contest. FYI it's four charcoal drawings 15 x 20" of my sons Amir (8 yrs), Miles (6yrs), and myself listening via a pair of Superlux HD669s. It's about our experience with our Muse. The Headroom Airhead is our way to enjoy listening at the same time, two at a time of course. Both headphone and amp are sturdy, inexpensive, and a good way for my sons and I to have a more personal experience with some of dad's music, which consists mainly of jazz, classical, blues, and alternative. Amir and Miles also like listening to the Grado SR80i, but they're a bit too fragile for little boys. As their ears become better at listening, and they become more responsible I hope to have them listen to the higher quality headphones in my collection. Thanks for starting us on my headphone journey!

Melvin B.

My first headphone listening experience came at a pivotal time in life – at the age of 14, when young men are typically really getting into music deeply for the first time. This was certainly the case with me - I was, and remain, a music fanatic. (Or music freak, some would say…) I will never forget it…a friend of my father’s, who was the first audiophile I’d met, first showed me his amazing home stereo setup (in the then-currently-hip “quadrophonic" sound of the time, which was 1976) and then, after laughing at my wide eyes and hanging jaw at the raw and pure power coming out of his enormous speakers, further blew my mind by handing me his headphones (I can’t remember what kind they were, but I do remember we were listening to Peter Frampton’s “Frampton Comes Alive” on his TEAC reel-to-reel deck and then to Pink Floyd on his Marantz turntable) and…WHAM!

It was like lightning had stuck me. I stood transfixed, unable to move. I was hooked! I clearly remember the hairs standing up on the back of my neck and on my arms as I felt the music overpower me in a way I’d never knew was possible, and I felt as if I was being transported to another world of sensual pleasure. I also remember him chuckling at my expression of total wonderment, probably amplified by my teenage hormones, and how he GAVE me an extra pair of old headphones he had sitting around to take home with me.

To say I was hooked on headphone listening form that day forward would be an understatement. I wore those old cans out through the next 4 years of high school, plugging them into the family record player (a cheapie, but hey, it was all we could afford). I’m now 53 and that same hairs-on-the-back-of-the–neck feeling still comes back whenever I listen to good music on a good rig!

My current headphone listening is done almost daily from one or both of two separate rigs. First, a computer station (iMac, all music either ripped from CD to Apple Lossless or FLAC) with an old Headroom Micro DAC and Micro Amp stack that I bought 10 years ago, which I use with both a of Etymotic ER–4S’s (also purchased 10 years ago form Headroom) or a pair of Sennheiser HD 650s. Second is my “man cave” station in our home’s loft - a Sennheiser HDVD-800 amp/DAC hooked to a Rotel RCD-1072 CD player and an Apple Airport Express via optical for streaming my HD–only iTunes library, plus streaming from Spotify, using my Sennheiser HD 650’s.

Prior to this I used a David Berning Micro-ZOTL tube amp for my main listening station, which I had purchased used from a friend for $500 in 2005 and which I sold in 2012 for over $1400…big profit, sure…but also a bigger mistake! My current Sennheiser is great, but, man, I wish I still had that amazing tube amp now.

Anyway…my wife also likes to plug in with me on the HDVD-800 and chill out now and then, and our son, who is now 21 and a fairly serious musician, is as hooked on headphone listening as much as I am…and he thanks me all the time for introducing him to it at the tender age of 11. My wife and I only have one child – so our entire family are headphone lovers!

Rick T.

What do headphones mean to me? Try public transportation in the morning. From taking the NJ Transit bus and the PATH to New York City, my morning commute is filled with background noise. The only serenity I have is in my ear buds. While the headphones I have don't block the noise or go very loud, they provide me with the peace I need, to conquer the day. With this prize, it would make mornings that much better!

#MyHeadRoom make my day!

John F.

Tune in

One day she came to him and exclaimed:
you're not listening to me any more.
It's almost as if you are tuning me out.
He goes:
That's not true honey, you just have to
try and get through to me, that's all.
She goes:
How can I? You always got that silly
Shure earphone stuck in your ear.
He goes: honey let me explain, there is
nothing silly about the most technically
advanced audible technology made period.
She goes: Fine.
Then one day she decided she needed to
communicate at a level he could understand.
So she got through a little tutorial on a
sound editing app and she recorded a message.
But she did not just record, she produced it
so that the sound would appear to emanate
panning from left to right, front to back, and
top to bottom. Almost God like, if you will.
Then she added some reverb and put it in
a micro sd card for him to put it into his dap.
She goes: Here take this (the micro sd card).
He goes: What's on it? As he casually inserted
the card into his premium dap he got recently at, you know.
Then he smiled and said I see and...
If you want me to take out the garage just say so.
But is it because:
a. She went through the trouble.
b. She didn't have to ask for God's help.
c. He's got a package coming from Headroom and
taking the garbage out is on the way to the mailroom.

Harry

Brandon S.

Dustin B.

who loves music doesn't listen with ears...

Who loves music listens with his heart

Raffael B.

Michael G.

Charles T.

How headphones got me “Right Between My Ears” and captured my heart. In 1972 I was a D.J. on a mid-western college radio station. Little did I know that donning those Koss Pro 4A’s, and spinning records on dual turntables, were going to change my life forever.

After one of my A.M. shows I walked by the F.M. station studio and saw my future bride, Celeste. I was totally thunderstruck! I walked and forth in the doorway several times before getting enough courage to speak to her.

A few weeks later I was in a motorcycle accident, and what got me through was my burgeoning relationship with Celeste, and listening to those same Koss Pro 4A’s every night when the pain peaked. Same thing a year later after follow-up surgery on my arm.

Check out the hair ;) I’ve certainly changed physically over the intervening years. Well at least the headphones fit better with my new “haircut" ;)

After 35 years of marriage I’m still with Celeste. I can help but think how we met when the music plays over any of my headphones. It a great reminder on how lucky I am! Yes, headphones got me bad, “Right Between the Ears”, and right through the heart.

William H.

What HeadRoom “RIGHT BETWEEN YOUR EARS” means to me

First my name is Adam I am 38 years old raising 2 teenage girls on my own, one is 14 and the other is 20. How Right Between Your Ears saved my life and my family. About 8 years ago I was diagnosed with 2 slipped and herniated discs In my back. I could barely work and after trying epidural and cortisone shots I had nothing left that would work except to be but on Opiates to control the pain. After being on them for so long I became addicted to them and started abuse them, then I realized I hit rock bottom and needed help. With the help of my family and kids I checked myself into the hospital and got myself clean and picked myself up.

Staying clean I needed a new high and something to keep me busy and my mind of things. I discovered Hi-Res audio and found the HeadRoom website. My first pair of good iem’s I purchased were the Shure SE215’s and never looked back. Discovering my new high in Hi-Res Audio, I began to read HeadRoom’s Research section that gave me an interest in doing headphone reviews to keep me busy and to stay clean. I started off writing reviews on my own headphones and after a couple under my belt I then started to ask companies for demo loaner units to review. I know do a headphone or iem review about every week on a audiophile forum.

So with my new found love of audio I needed a place to go and escape every day stress and my kids that I love more then anything. I made a spot right near my bed, I put a nice desk with a pair of Audioengine A5+ speakers hooked up to Audioengine’s D1 DAC and pre-amped from Nuforce HAP-100 fed from my Lenovo Ultrabook. I can now sit there in my own HeadRoom “ RIGHT BETWEEN MY BED AND BATHROOM” and enjoy my Grado SR225 or my Audio-Technica CKR10’s and escape every day stresses and write some reviews. I turned my love for audio into a family affair, my younger daughter liked to use those free ear buds and the famous on ears all the kids wear these days. Until I made her listen to my UE900S and she couldn’t believe how clear they were, maybe this was a mistake to introduce her to quality in ears it cost my twice as much now.

Right Between Your Ears isn’t just a saying it’s a way of life, it gave me a second chance. Instead of worrying about spending money on my next fix I worry about what headphone I am going to buy next. My kids even make comments of how much time I spend listening to music, but there happy for me and it’s something I can share with them. I now have nice stuff to show for my hard earned money. As you can see on my top shelf in the picture I love in ear monitors, I even made all the headphone stands. Thanks from me and my kids HeadRoom “Right Between Your Ears”.

From my ears to your ears

Adam C.

Dear people at HeadRoom,

My name is Martin, I'm 20 years old and from Germany.
I'd like to introduce you a rather uncommon story of how I found to my beloved hobby, hifi.

Early in high school, I haven't been into music nor hifi at all. My first step into headphones was propably in 6th grade when music got more relevance for me as Music as a subject in school had a focus on different singers and grous so I started listening to the radio at home and also wanted headphones. Therefore, I ordered a Sennheiser PX100 which was shipped from the U.K. which took about a week. I still remember how excited I was when the small package was in our postbox.
As they are open-back headphones, I needed some closed stuff for noisier environments and therefore got an HD-202 which I sold to a former friend of mine one year later to get inear headphones which were actually rather cheap Philips SHE9501.
That was it for a few years.

Later in 10th grade I felt that I needed some good open-back headphones for use at home. After some research, I finally bought a Sennheiser HD598. Few months later in the same year I also wanted good inear monitors for on the go and placed a request on a German internet forum that I wanted a neutral sounding par of inears. From the rest of the money I made with some spare-time work I bought the Shure SE425 wehich lead me to the passion I now have.
This was the start of all, I began to adopt knowledge from many useful sites on the Internet, including headphone.com, read literature about headphones, speakers and hifi and began learning what the frequency response graphs on your site meant. Within few months I knew the sound characteristics of many head- and earphones, knew why headphones and earphones with varying impedance response needed a source with low output resistance and could give succesful purchase advice in the aforementioned forum. In school, it leaked out that I was some kind of hifi expert wherefore I was asked for giving advice before buying a certain headphone. Thereupon I wrote down a quick comparison with the sound characteristics, benefits and disadvantages of some headphones that could be a possibility and received grateful replies that the headphones I suggested to them or their ancestors just hit the nail.
En passant I began collecting headphones as the variety of different sound characteristics interested me. All of the money I made from my spare-time jobs went into my passion for headphones instead of the many other things teens usually spend their money on (traveling, cinema, parties, cars - I actually couldn't (and did not really want to) afford a car by now because I set hifi as my main objective).
Months and years passed with my collection growing just as my knowledge on that topic did, just as my reputation due to the knowledge I have adopted.

Still I spend every single cent I earn on my passion but it will get much harder as soon as I start to go to a university as there won't be much time for spare-time work.

Though I have a variety of many differently priced head- and earphones and many of them differ drastically in tonality, almost all of them serve a special purpose, e.G. for stationary listening, for on the go, for sports, for different types of music, for traveling and so on.
Before buying a headphone I usually look for information and exerience reports, that's why I don't really have any mispurchases.

For my age, the collection I have is rather big I think, though there are many other cheap and expensive headphones that I still have on my list.

While the way I store my inears may be rather regular (I store them on my bookshelf, as you can see on two of the three pictures I have attached), the way I store my fullsize headphones is rather unusual: each of them is stored in a shoe box which includes a towel in which the headphone is wrapped. It is propably not the fanciest way of storing them, but the most practical and cheap one.
I labeled the boxes to not get confused which headphone they contain.
For the SRH440, I haven't made a label yet.
Only the HD600, HD800 and LCD-X aren't stored in shoe boxes (the Sennheisers are stored in the carrying boxes they came with and the Audez'e is stored in the cardboard box it came in because its connectors are so big that it doesn't even fit the carrying box it came with when the cables are attached).

Whenever I find the time to I make engineering plans of electronical and non-electronical stuff that is related to hifi and headphones (the latest construction plane I made was a low impedance headphone amplifier with digitally controlled volume - most of the projects haven't been finished though because of not having enough time to finish them) or make interconnection cables for my gear.

I'd really like to be part of the competition and maybe I get the chance to win a price as the SE315, SE535 and SRH1540 are also on the list of the things I want to buy if I have saved up some money again (I wouldn't say no to one of the other prices either).

Here is the link to the pictures of how I store my inears and headphones and an a list of my rather uncommon headgear inventory for a 20-year-old (some of the minor stuff is stored in another shelf and not on the pictures):

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B0VorShgd1qtflpOX0hLcGoyVWhNcm1HcFVDRHc4d2thRzlGNmdNSk1VazZvNVBjQzB2SEU&usp=sharing

All the best regards to your team (keep up the great work with the graph comparison site and the headphone samurai videos that I really like) and also good look to the other participants

Martin S.

I have two worlds... 1 is in reality and 1 is in my mind.
Everyone knows reality with it's uncoontrolled sounds.
Fewer know of the minds ear world where enjoyment is "found in sound". Shaped to your likes and a place you can escape to.

Ric S.

I am Shawn M., and I have created an acrylic painting on canvas to represent my "HeadRoom". When I think of what listening to my head phones means to me, I immediately get the excitement that it feels like to get a new pair of shoes or eat a good meal. I listen to various entertainment on my headphones, and it has been drastically improved with the introduction of the wireless bluetooth capabilities. My telephone conversations can be done cable-free, I can listen to audio tracks digitally at maximum volume, and can enjoy videos without being restricted, for example, lying on my bed. My "Head Room" is a zone that I can escape to when im dealing with the daily routine and decide to take a break. The head set I use are the Phiaton Chord MS 530. After doing my research, they compared most to the wide spread and acclaimed Beats. But this device goes beyond what I have experienced with any other headphone. I turn on my music or watch a video on YouTube and there is nothing that can be more entertaining. While my cell phone has become my best friend, I use it to listen to music, and it combines with the headphones perfectly. In this painting, I wanted to take all my aspects of my life and express them in one well rounded scene. In the middle, excuse my language, is a bad @$$ skull that is wearing the exact model of head phones I have, and I think that I relate to it as if the music and sound reaches into my bones. It is a thrill! If I would have taken another direction with the center section it would have showed my head with a vision of my brain with the head phones sending the sound waves into my electrically wired brain. I chose to stick with the skull and having the music reach my bones idea. Everything around the center is what I experience and involve with my music and other entertainment listening. From the top left and moving clock wise around the skull, I showed a few of the different images that are my expressions of what the headphones add to my life. First there are a few sports I play and whether it is warming up on the court or carving some powder on the hill, I listen to the music that gets me pumped up to enhance my physical abilities, to go beyond just playing and try to become better. Music helps me get in the right mind set of doing my best. In the upper right corner there is a couple sitting together, and they are caressing their baby. All of them, including the baby, is shown with a set of listening head phones on. I have a child on the way and can picture him being peaceful listening to a positive sounding noise. If there was any way to get a baby in the womb to listen to music, I would do that with them, because it would make them connect to the parents in an early stage of life. We are actually going to experiment putting speakers close to the baby in her stomach and turn on different music each time, just to be fun! What my family and I have is so spiritual that I relate music to them both. Coming down the side, I fit in the two logos of YouTube and the Bluetooth icon to add to the meaning of what the technology and this program really help me experience while I listen to it all. The fun designs I have are, first, the bottom right corner. All my pets are charicatured to resemble a person in which their music inspires me. First, my dog Oskar, a dachsund, is shown angry and barking and wears a zip up orange jumper and a mask just like the band Slipknot does on one of their album covers. I love hard core rock, especially the kicking of the double bass drum and the vocals that the singer can scream. I crafted my cat, Tom, lying on his back, to resemble the singer from Maroon 5, Adam Levine, so I gave him tattoos on his arms and a hair style that looks just like him. And third, my other cat, Grace, has a bandanna around her head and some gold teeth to relate to Tu Pac and all the rappers that I listen to. I chose to include these three because I listen to the music so loud and dance around with them watching that they must know I am enojying myself while I pet them. Next up, the bottom left corner shows how I am giving a pair of headphones to an alien. I think that my pair of headphones are the best thing on this planet. I wanted to express this by showing an alien taking the gesture of having a good time listening to something. Then for the left side, I added another few symbols of the programs I use to listen to music, Beats Music and Spotify. The technology is so well designed that so much music can be gathered from a single source. All of these are done with my super cool Phiaton bluetooth headphones. My research has been proven worth the effort to go outside the normal and take a chance with another company's item. It has turned out so amazing that I want to tell everyone about it. If you use this piece to tell other sources about your company, I hope you can get feedback that will improve word of mouth and your business activities. I love music and entertainment with my head set I bought from your company. Thank you so much! Lastly, to be a bug and be choosy about the outcome, that if I and my painting accomplish the goal of being a winner in your contest, would you please be so kind to grant me the prize of a set of ear buds? I know the top two winners will recieve one of the two pairs of Shure ear buds,and I hope I am one of them! But any other pair of buds would work for my desires. I dont really need another pair of head set phones because I rock out with my Phiaton model. This has been a very fun and inspiring contest, and to make a piece for the theme laid out has made me push myself to be creative. Thank you again!

Shawn M.

With this picture I am hoping to illustrate how great music using great gear helps me reach a Zen state!

Ali S.

Traveling overseas and working long hours in unfamiliar environments, my SE215 (LTD) provides me with my "personal sanctuary" where oftentimes, the music that I bring along is the only familiarity I have around.

Lou H.

I hope you guys like it, attached is my headphone world!

I thank Mike Olson for always helping me out. I have always received good and advices, HeadRoom experience first, commercial interests last. My HD800 was b-stock, but could never tell the difference.

Headphone.com added tree great headphones to my collection: TH-900, HD800 and my beloved yuin pk2. All doing the best in their own way.

Socially sharing on my youtube and twitter accounts:
http://youtu.be/N7Jw7aGTH7E
@eduhiramoto

Please also look my interpretation on the digital piano, music is what matters most and put me on the road of audiophile market (though my quest has always been to better attend my specific audio neeeds). This was my first recording, still some noise, but I could not tell if I didn't have your headphones. Going to improve it later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTh2udBFr7k

Eduard H.

My Shure buds have been nothing short of exceptional. I've torn through probably a dozen other brands, none of which could stand up to the wild and crazy life of your typical 20 year old. These things are ridiculous, they make it seem like i have the packed Monday-afternoon gym all to myself.

Anywhere can be my headroom with Shure.

Michael M.

HeadRoom
By: DC

The long day finds me,
Sitting on a stump made by the daily grind,
Wondering if I'll make enough to be free...

Oh - how my hands aches,
Oh - how my head aches,
Oh - how my soul aches,
What do they think of me?

Lost in pain,
Lost in love,
This reflection shows they are one of the same...

Voice inside,
You'll find,
A room for my head...

Where I'm dancing with myself,
Like there will be no tomorrow,
These melodies and voices touches places unfelt...

Inside my HeadRoom,
Where the night goes boom, boom,
That's where you'll find me,
As I fly to the moon…

Inside my HeadRoom,
Where my egos collide,
They ride on transducers across the heavenly skies...

Inside my HeadRoom,
Where emotions party like there will be no tomorrow,
When it all ends, it won't stop,
Because I've got repeat to keep the tunes alive,
As the big hand points at noon, and the little at five,
Standing and knocking is the daily grind.

David C.

Got some good tunes on
Watchin’ the sun fall
All of those sounds caressing my ears
The music from My Headroom’s
Washing away today’s fears

Relaxing again with My Headroom
Letting the sounds take me away
Some people say the world’s too stressful
But I know how to relax my day

Don’t know what’s up next
Button says “shuffle” in text
Nothing to do but wait for the next song
But it will be just great
Just a short wait, and the music
Just can’t be wrong

Relaxing again with My Headroom
Letting the sounds take me away
Some people say the world’s too stressful
But I know how to relax my day
I had a rough day
No one wanted to play
Too much to handle, couldn’t wait to get home
But there’s music on the rack
And soon I’ll be on my back
Just listening and letting the day melt away

Relaxing again with My Headroom
Letting the sounds take me away
Some people say the world’s too stressful
But I know how to relax my day

Larry M.

Well i am an actor and headphones are the one thing that gets over looked. Comfortable headphones to put on while waiting for my audition time but not sacrificing audio quality and clarity. Creativity can be sparked by the music i listen to. As an actor i bring stories to life and i love it! With headphones and music it could be enhanced immensely. HeadRoom would be a vital tool to my arsenal as an actor.

Tobias N.

My HeadRoom experience is my life. Here's a taste:

I used to go to college in the city. Loud, obnoxious, and a welcomed distraction kind of a city. Junior year rolls around and I'm taking this intense class. They got us working from dust til dawn. No cake walk is what I'm saying. Friday night is poppin and a major project turns up... The dreaded, due in three weeks. I think to myself 'Okay, I got all weekend'. People outside are inviting me to spend a nice quite evening to just chat of course. And so I hold off. Same thing happens next week and the week after. Before I knew it my grades are back and you guessed it. FAILED. I felt terrible, so I said to myself 'Damn man. You got to pull yourself together or you'll never graduate'. That’s when HeadRoom delivered my Audio Technica ATH-M50X and I started living right between my ears.

These puppies changed my life. My focus sky rocketed. Next project came up with a two month deadline. BAM! Finished it. Girlfriend wanted to talk for an hour. BAM! An hour of crystal clear music instead. Roommates wanted me to clean dishes. BAM! Dishes cleaned before I even realized I was doing work. Slapping those headphones on took me to a whole other universe. Over the ear, noise canceling gods have answered my prayers. I sleep with them, take them to work, wear them as an accessory. No longer was I a slave to common annoyances and distractions. My Audio Technica allowed me to become a man, traveling to any land and doing anything I wanted. Thank you HeadRoom for allowing me to start my life over again with my ATH-M50X headphones.

Jake R.

See #MyHeadRoom Page 2 for more!