I started this a couple of years ago because I kept getting the same question from my friends and family: the dreaded “Which headphones should I buy?”
I realized pretty quickly that a few days (hours? Minutes?) after I put down a particular pair that my memory about what they sounded like was … suspect at best. So I started taking notes … which turned into word documents, which I eventually decided to put online so I could share them quickly and easily. And it turned out, I really enjoy this kind of writing and thinking. I write for a living, but it’s pretty dry and legalistic, and to the extent I’m taking a position, it’s usually not my *personal* position, but rather my employer’s. And this stuff is fun, and i care about it, and it has no bearing on what I do professionally.
This page isn’t designed to make me any money. Someday I might figure out how to run ads or set up sponsorships for Amazon or other retailers, and if I do, I’ll make it clear that’s what I’m doing. For now, it’s just for me, as a creative outlet. Any external links are there for your convenience, not my profit, and all of my reviews are based on my personal experiences and preferences, not those of anyone else, paid or otherwise. My info (maybe too much?) on my review philosophy here.
[That said: manufacturers, please send me stuff to review! I don’t want to make money off of this enterprise but I would LOVE for it to be a little more budget-neutral. It would be awesome, and I promise honest reviews. If you make a quality product, you have nothing to fear.]
About me
Aside from a brief stint in DC between college and law school working in the US Senate, I’ve always been a Pacific Northwest kid. I was born in Anchorage (but spent my formative years in the Bush on the Lower Yukon) and spent basically my whole life in Alaska, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. I went to law school to practice environmental law and ended up specializing in environmental, intellectual property, and sustainable business law with a focus on the role our patent system plays in hindering green technology … and then graduated in 2009 as the legal sector crashed and burned.
I ended up taking a session job at the Washington Legislature .. and it kind of snowballed from there. I’m still in the South Puget Sound, where I’ve lived since 2009. I work primaily as a complex commerical transactions attorney to keep a roof over the head of my fluffy task master, a 6 year old golden retriever named Denali.
I’m a music obsessive with hifi systems in six rooms of my house, a solid vinyl collection, and more than 90 pairs of headphones, so if you want to geek out about music, audio gear, or headphones, I’m your guy. Ditto with video games, food (making or consuming), wine or whiskey (or gin), craft cocktails, ugly drum smokers, performance Subarus, or (especially) dogs.
I’m also an apsiring maker, so I’d imagine that over next few months some project posts will start popping up too.
Phil's Superpower of Enthusiasm 