Earphones in the correct ear?

Blisterman

I was just thinking, I nearly always just pop a random earphone in each ear, never checking that the left one is in my left ear etc. Other people I know check religiously

I never once have noticed a difference. Does it matter? Am I missing out on something by listening with the wrong ear?

Captain Chaos

Blisterman wrote: »

I was just thinking, I nearly always just pop a random earphone in each ear, never checking that the left one is in my left ear etc. Other people I know check religiously

I never once have noticed a difference. Does it matter? Am I missing out on something by listening with the wrong ear?

I notice the difference.

Some of the music I listen to, parts of the track comes down different channels. Part in the left and part in the right, then it all fades together.

Malice

I wear these when listening to music in work. The cable comes out of the left headphone so I've always put them on the right way around. I am curious now though if there's an noticable difference in the audio.

rcaz

But all your music would be playing backwards!

Yeah I check. I figured if the band is sitting in the studio for a few hours mixing their tunes, making sure different tracks are panned just right, you might as well spare a few seconds so that you're listening to it the way they wanted it. I just put a bit of tape on the right cup so I don't have to go looking for a tiny embossed R.

GLaDOS

I always check, would be able to tell if it was in the wrong way around

Leeg17

I probably couldn't tell that much of a difference with most songs, but definitely with some.

It's OCD at this stage

ReacherCreature

Sometimes it matters, others it doesn't.

More of an OCD thing for me. Could rest if the left was on the right and vice versa.

smokedeels

I don't need to check myself, I have this track on my zen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeN7IFbo3Po

Sinfonia

Captain Chaos wrote:

Some of the music I listen to, parts of the track comes down different channels. Part in the left and part in the right, then it all fades together.

In other words, stereo recording, rather than mono.

vider12

I usually check if it the correct ear , though I don't think it really makes a difference!

Irish Aris

I always check.
Like fellow forum members said above, it can make a difference based on the tracks.
The funniest is if you hear/have on only one earphone. If the tracks are split, you might hear half the instruments or half the vocals etc.

Heisenberg.

This post has been deleted.

Mars Bar

Yes. The engineer has mixed the music in the way they expect it to be listened to.

Blisterman

I wonder if they surveyed people who'd never heard a song before which way around sounded better, would it really make a difference? Has anyone carried out a study like this? I'd love to see the results.

rcaz

Blisterman wrote: »

I wonder if they surveyed people who'd never heard a song before which way around sounded better, would it really make a difference? Has anyone carried out a study like this? I'd love to see the results.

Well it wouldn't be 'better', it'd be exactly the same, just a mirror image. Does a perfect reflection of an attractive person look any better or worse than just looking at the actual person?

Irish Aris

Irish Aris wrote: »

The funniest is if you hear/have on only one earphone. If the tracks are split, you might hear half the instruments or half the vocals etc.

Some Beatles tracks (When I'm 64 and Yellow Submarine come to mind) actually have the vocals in one channel and the music in the other. Sounds weird when you either swap the channels or drop one entirely.

longhalloween

Well each ear hears a slightly different range of sounds (left ear is more tuned to lower sounds, right ear to higher) so maybe this is taken into account when songs are being mixed or maybe music players output frequencies that are more in line to each ear's range?

I always check

Mars Bar

Usually, not always, a song is mixed from the perspective of being behind the instruments. If ya get me? I think it just feels more natural. I know I always notice when a drum kit sounds backwards because I play the drums. Although if you're a left handed drummer, it would sound and feel normal...

I'm rambling.

rcaz

longhalloween wrote: »

Well each ear hears a slightly different range of sounds (left ear is more tuned to lower sounds, right ear to higher) so maybe this is taken into account when songs are being mixed or maybe music players output frequencies that are more in line to each ear's range?

I always check

Where'd you hear that? Is that the same for everyone?

ceegee

I always check, but this thread got me thinking:

Does it make a difference if you are facing the right way when listening to music on speakers? Surely turning around would have the same effect as reversed earphones?

rcaz

ceegee wrote: »

I always check, but this thread got me thinking:

Does it make a difference if you are facing the right way when listening to music on speakers? Surely turning around would have the same effect as reversed earphones?

By gum, you've cracked it.

SilverScreen

ceegee wrote: »

I always check, but this thread got me thinking:

Does it make a difference if you are facing the right way when listening to music on speakers? Surely turning around would have the same effect as reversed earphones?

I've actually never really thought about that much, but reverse stereo doesn't really bother me that much when listening through speakers. When listening through headphones or earphones for me they have to be on the correct ear in order to listen to the music as the artist intended. But also with earphones sometimes the buds are shaped so that they fit nicely in the correct ear. If they're placed in the incorrect ear there can sometimes be sound leakage which affects your listening experience to a degree.