Ryan Vance
Chief Operating Officer
Ryan is the COO of Headphones.com and when he's not listening to music on headphones or his two channel system, he's probably out at a live show.
Spotify Playlist
I feel like every headphone tells a different story depending on what you feed it. This playlist isn't necessarily full of "audiophile demo tracks" that sound impressive on everything. It's a set of songs that expose real differences between headphones and help you figure out what actually matters to your ears. It's also a set of songs from artists I happen to love and that represent the kinds of music I'd be most often listening to on said headphones!
Best Way to Experience This Playlist
Ryan Vance's headphone picks for this listening session
Track Notes
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1
Morning
Beck
Beck's "Morning" opens things up with space and warmth. The acoustic layers and strings on Morning Phase are beautifully recorded, and you'll hear immediately whether a headphone renders that organic texture naturally or smooths it into something lifeless.
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2
Under The Pressure
The War On Drugs
The War on Drugs' "Under The Pressure" is nearly nine minutes of building, layered production — synths, guitars, drums all stacking on top of each other. If a headphone can't maintain separation through that wall of sound, you'll know fast. Also lead Adam Granduciel is a massive "gearhead" and obsessed with quality recording.
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3
Hunger of the Pine
Beck
alt-J's "Hunger of the Pine" throws some curveballs with its sample work and unexpected bass drops against delicate vocal textures. It's a track that rewards detail retrieval and punishes headphones that play it safe.
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4
Let Down
Radiohead
Radiohead's "Let Down" is one of the most intricately layered tracks in their catalog the interweaving guitar lines with Thom Yorke's vocal sitting on top of that shimmering production is a real test for midrange clarity and imaging.
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5
Dreams
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" is here because everyone knows how it should sound, and that familiarity makes coloration obvious.
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6
Where's My Love?
SYML
SYML's "Where's My Love" strips everything back to vocal and atmosphere. If a headphone can't make that feel intimate and present, it's failing at the basics. Also Brian Fennell (SYML) is a fantastic engineer and obsessed with capturing quality in the studio.
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7
Such Great Heights
The Postal Service
Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" is a great litmus test for how a headphone balances electronic and organic elements: glitchy synths on one side, clean acoustic guitar on the other.
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8
715 – CRΣΣKS
Bon Iver
Bon Iver's "715 – CRΣΣKS" is basically a stress test for midrange resolution. It's all "processed voice" through a harmonizer, and lesser headphones turn it into mush.
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9
Bloodbuzz Ohio
The National
The National is my favorite band and their "Bloodbuzz Ohio" lives and dies on Matt Berninger's baritone. You'll immediately hear whether a headphone gives male vocals real weight or thins them out.
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10
Somene Great
LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem's "Someone Great" is a slow emotional build driven by synth pulses and percussion. It tests whether a headphone can convey rhythm and feeling at the same time without losing the subtlety in the mix. We all know how James Murphy feels about production, and his attention to detail really shows.
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11
Help I'm Alive
Metric
Metric's "Help I'm Alive" hits with that driving heartbeat kick drum from the first second. It's a great test for low-end punch and transient speed, and whether a headphone keeps Emily Haines' channel shifting vocals clear and forward against an aggressive rhythm section.
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12
Giorgio by Moroder
Daft Punk
Daft Punk's "Giorgio by Moroder" runs through so many production styles in nine minutes: spoken word, analog synth, driving four-on-the-floor, jazz breakdown, it's basically a full headphone audition on its own.