Just thoughts based on The Headphone Show’s video released today. I have thought about this a lot between the headphones we choose based on the music we to listen to and enjoy, then the headphones made to be revealing of recordings that may be recorded that particular way. I am happy Andrew brought this up, even though I might disagree with his view on music like black metal, and the artistic purpose of the recording itself. Even though I wrote this just to get some thoughts out, I hope others with see this as an opportunity to discuss what music they listen to: Do you enjoy “bad” recordings? I know I do. I love The Sonics’ “Here Are The Sonics” and that album is recorded awfully. I do love my ZMF Aeolus for this reason, I can still love this album regardless. So please anyone who may see this, and this may not be a tree falling in the forest and all that jazz.
Absolutely, as long as I enjoy the music, and I enjoy hearing it it’s full poorly recorded glory lol
I didn’t watch the show. But did he mention black metal as a genre full of bad production quality? It’s not all bad, LOL.
i like bad production, same as i like good production. i feel like low fidelity has this wonderful crunchy feeling that almost causes an ASMR like feeling in you… that might be why i have issues with DACs and stuff that make the audio higher fidelity, because i like my audio full of aliasing and compression and noises
There is something charming about the guy operating the recording gear leaving a mic open so you hear the director giving commands or the floor boards squeeking. Gives some character to the song/album.
Some genres thrive on small accidents, the experimental ones more than others.
I think you’d have to define bad recording.
There are a whole host of things that get lumped into that bucket.
I listen to music I like regardless of the technical merits of the recording, but there are some tracks I listen to fairly regularly that I wish could have been recorded better.
headphones are all about the enjoyment of music. the definition of that enjoyment may depend on the person…listening or analyzing or creating, etc.
Thanks to everyone who has left a response to this query of mine. I am quite happy to see there are those out there who enjoy music and the equipment is there to serve that purpose. I have always had that attachment to music myself, and seeing others have that reaction as well is something I really identify with.
I agree with the small accidents point brought up by @MazeFrame, but also agree with @Polygonhell about wishing some of my favorite recordings were mixed and mastered better. But as is life, and I occasionally like to be reminded, even if it is frustrating joke.
Thanks everyone who looks at this post and has a point of view. That is what I am always looking for.
As you can see from my profile pic, I love IGOR by Tyler the creator (and cal chuchesta). IGOR was intentionally produced in a shotty manner and given pops and roughness throughout the record. I listen to it all the time, though. Tyler hid some sounds in his recordings and I keep finding a faint voice or instrumentation here and there.
Ah… good old 80’s thrash metal recordings with blast beats and sloppy playing, all sounding like the mikes were placed in the corridor next to the recording room. 
It’s about the music, audio equipment is a tool to facilitate enjoyment of music. I regularly enjoy music recorded in the pre-stero era for which recording quality is less than great. And great music on a mediocre audio system is better than mediocre on a great audio system in my view.