Most people listen to music on a regular basis in some form, whether it's while exercising, on their portable Bluetooth speaker, or casually while driving to and from work. However, while we listen to music on a pretty regular basis, most of us don't listen to the audio in the way that it was meant to be heard, believe it or not. This said, I strongly believe that one should consider purchasing better quality audio speakers/headphones to better enjoy their music and to honestly add something interesting to their lives. Now, I don't have any real statistical evidence to back this up, but the following generalizations that I'm about to make aren't really a stretch in terms of their truth.

The most popular devices that we use today to convert audio from a digital file to actual sound are headphones and speakers. That's sort of an obvious statement there, but bear with me. When one buys headphones, I feel that the typical consumer either buys headphones that are Beats, Bose, or cheap. The typical purchaser of headphones doesn't know what to look for and tends to buy what they believe to be of good quality. In addition to this, they will either be willing to dish out $100-200 on a pair of pretty respectable headphones or they will not and they'll look for the cheaper option that they see at the local store.

Bose is the only brand that I mentioned that accurately reproduces music with their devices. Beats, while popular, is almost scientifically proven to be an overpriced brand of audio devices. Now, I'm not going to explain why through scientific terms how/why this is so. All that you need to know is that Beats' audio devices put a bias towards the bass of music to the point that it drowns out the other crucial details in it. Beats is only popular because they partner with many celebrities and, it must be said, people love bass.

I mention these two brands because they are the two most prominent brands known to most of the general public. There are, of course, many other and better brands that exist, but that don't carry the same name and fame as these two. I also mention these two because Beats is very popular simply due to effective marketing. This is evidence that the common consumer doesn't know good audio.

Also, think about another primary place where people listen to music, in their cars. How many people do you know who have their car audio system completely re-done? I'm sure that you can count them on one hand, if you know any at all. Thus, the vast majority of people listen to music in their cars from the stock audio system, which sounds pretty bad.

I know what you may be thinking, "Marco, my car sounds pretty great. I have the premium audio system upgrade from the manufacturer with 360 watts of power. I'm sure that I'm listening to music the way it's meant to be heard." My rebuttal to that is this that I don't care what stock car audio system you listen to. Unless you're driving a world-class luxury vehicle, (BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Audi, and even Acura in this case) your audio system most likely is not impressive and it does not reproduce music in its best form. Plus, wattage numbers are exaggerated by car manufacturers.

I can go on to explain the exact reasons why all of these claims are true, but I'm really trying to keep your attention here--we're in the world of the internet right now, so your attention span is naturally much shorter--and I'm trying to keep this as short as possible.

The point that I'm trying to drive at here is that the vast majority of people aren't listening to music the way that it's meant to be. Why is it that concerts are breathtaking and emotional events? It's not just the environment and sociology at work when thousands gather to enjoy the same thing, even though that is a big reason why. Those who design the setup of a concert consider the quality of the speakers, the wattage of the amplifiers, and the acoustics in their specific situation to build an unforgettable audio experience. When you hear the music played, there is so much power both in wattage and in musical presence that you can't help but feel like a part of the music. The highs fly through the air. The mids grip your attention with their detail, while the bass almost compels your body to move. Concerts that have density and accuracy in their musical reproduction will make you feel something. The well-kept secret is that you can have something similar to this in your car, home, and even in your headphones!

It's funny that I write this because I don't listen to music the way it's meant to be too. Currently, I listen to music through either my Sony stereo in my dorm (which sounds pretty good, but it's far from accurate or breathtaking,) and my $15 Panasonic earbuds when I'm working out (which sound amazing for the price, but obviously aren't audiophile quality). This is due to me being a poor college student. The only reason that I argue to buy better quality audio products is that I had the opportunity to experience them for a short while.

My cousin had a 2010 Toyota Prius with a JBL audio system installed and his car's music never ceased to amaze me. At times, I was simply impressed by just being more engrossed in the music than I usually was. I didn't just hear the music, I felt it. I understood solely through the medium of sound what atmosphere and feeling the artist was trying to create and communicate.

After this, I thought, knowing one can easily install aftermarket audio in their car, how amazing could music possibly sound when one installed some really great equipment? Low and behold, I was introduced to the aftermarket car audio industry and found out that I wasn't hearing anything before.

Why is it that when one spends a lot of money on a new TV or sports car, it's just spending money on something that they will enjoy for years, but when one spends a lot on audio it's seen as buying something unnecessary? I'd say that the vast majority of people who commute to work by car every day listen to music or talk radio on their way there. Having their audio experience vastly revamped would improve their daily life simply because they'll enjoy their commute more. Putting a couple hundred dollars into your car's audio system isn't a waste. Just like when buying a new car, smartphone, or refrigerator, it's a lifestyle device that you will be using daily. So why wouldn't you want to put a pretty penny towards it?

So, to bring this back to my initial proposition, think again when making your next audio purchase. Rather than thinking of it as just buying a thing that can make sound, think of it as an experiential device that you're buying. Also, think twice about buying from the brands that you hear the most about. That's not to say that famous brands aren't good, but just because they are known it doesn't mean that they should be. Do your research and I'm sure that you'll thank me later about buying something worthwhile.

Feel free to get in contact with me on social media if you want recommendations or have questions about buying audio equipment!