Griffin Silver

Griffin Silver

@Listener

I’ve been calling myself “Listener” in the audio space for a while now, but I wager the name fit long before I ever needed an audiophile-tinged pseudonym online. As I've said often: Music is a lifelong friend.

Our relationship began in the car with my mother, listening to her sing along to The Beatles. I credit my ear for music largely to her, both in her musical taste as well as the way she interacted with it. She always seemed to prefer harmonizing with the vocals of songs we listened to, instead of just singing the main melody, and I became accustomed to hearing the way she processed it all at an early enough age that it was forever imprinted on all subsequent interactions with music: Listen, understand, react, and listen.

My experiences with music became more personal around 9-10 years old, through a pair of wired earbuds out of a pre-iPod MP3 player with room for about 30 or 40 songs. I loaded it up...and listened constantly. At home, on car trips, and on the bus to/from school, I was hooked on the feeling I got from being ensconced in the separated space-time bubble that music could always put me in regardless of where or when I actually was.

Fast forward to 11 years old, and my sister (whom I credit equally with my upbringing along with my mother and father) started to get into music, both as a serious listener and as a guitarist. Her being musical was a massive boon for me, and her enthusiasm for new music rubbed off on me just as the guitar did.

By age 13 or 14, I was a goner. Radiohead was now my favorite band, I was starting to write and record my own songs, and there was nothing in my world that was even close to as important as music was. Constantly being online looking for new music, guitars, amps, pedals, microphones, anything, led me to forums, publications, and imageboards wherein I was first exposed to, among other things, headphones other than those that came free with an MP3 player. At this time, my thoughts while listening began to change from “I like what I’m listening to!” to “Why do I like what I’m listening to?”

The answer was a resounding “I have no idea, but I wanna hear more.”

Along the quest to hear more, I happened upon InnerFidelity and Tyll Hertsens. We now collectively recognize Tyll as being the preliminary resource for headphone enthusiasts at the time, and he was my first legitimate contact point with this hobby (& I wager I’m not the only one). He’d reviewed ATH-M50, which I had already owned and enjoyed, and had even more recommendations further up in price, as well as for different form-factors. Having never tried IEMs before, I decided to try the Etymotic ER4p...

And this is when the reproduction of music itself became one of the foremost emotional, intellectual, and communal pursuits of my entire life. These earphones revealed a level of texture, micro-detail, and intimacy that I'd never been exposed to prior. This is when I became an audiophile.


In the time since, I’ve spent my life with almost equal time in carefully monitoring music’s creation, playing multiple instruments, and “listening, understanding, reacting, listening” to any piece of music I came across. I was doing so with a pair of earphones exceptionally capable of providing honesty, clarity, and nuance thanks to Tyll, as well as a few other headphones along the way too... until 2020, when I’d realized that I never even scratched the surface.

From 2020 onward has been a heck of a ride. I’ve learned and unlearned more things than I can name, I’ve tried more headphones than I ever thought I would, and I've written with both friends and personal heroes of mine. Here's to that journey continuing!

Latest posts from Griffin Silver

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Sennheiser HD 550 Review — An Absolute BANGER That Took Us By Surprise
  • Video

Sennheiser HD 550 Review — An Absolute BANGER That Took Us By Surprise

In this video, Resolve, DMS and Listener give their Sennheiser HD 550 review. Find out which of the two new releases is best, and whether the new ones can dethrone the legendary HD 6XX, or HD 600 over ear open back headphones.

Sennheiser HD 550 Review: A Legitimate Gamechanger

Sennheiser HD 550 Review: A Legitimate Gamechanger

Sennheiser has indicated that new headphones named “HD x50” should be neutral, but does HD 550 live up to that standard? Join listener as they break it down!

The Topping Centaurus has a problem...
  • Video

The Topping Centaurus has a problem...

Is Holo Audio's notoriously accurate R2R DAC implementation enough to make Centaurus an DAC people should consider? Join GoldenSound as he breaks it down.

This Guy Made Some of the Best Headphones EVER!
  • Video

This Guy Made Some of the Best Headphones EVER!

If you've already changed the very meaning of what an "audiophile headphone" is, where do you go from there? Resolve caught up with Axel Grell—now of Grell Audio—at CanJam NYC to find out.

Sennheiser HD 505: Senn Steps Forward

Sennheiser HD 505: Senn Steps Forward

With HD 505, Sennheiser demonstrates that they’ve been listening to the criticisms about the HD 560S being too thin and bright... but is it enough for the HD 505 to be a valid alternative to the 6 series?

Truthear Zero: BLUE 2 - What's In The Box & What You Need to Know

Truthear Zero: BLUE 2 - Upgrade Path from the Ultra-Budget?

The IEM market has no shortage of Harman-tuned options at low prices, so does the BLUE 2 do enough to represent a compelling alternative that’s worth the extra money versus less expensive options? Join listener as they break it down.

Moondrop Edge: Budget ANC Headphones are Getting GOOD

Moondrop Edge: Budget ANC Headphones are Getting GOOD

The EDGE is Moondrop's first wireless ANC headphone that Listener thinks people should be paying much closer attention to. Join them as they discuss why!

Softears Volume S - 2024's Best IEM

Softears Volume S - 2024's Best IEM

Join listener as they discuss the first IEM that truly signals where IEMs are (hopefully) likely to be going in the years to come, and one of the only IEMs they feel wholly earns the designation of “neutral” from top to bottom.