[krolly]

Originally Posted by Geoff3DMN

I do put the R and L in the correct ears but I also own a pair of headphones with only a red tip and a blue tip...

I wonder sometimes if the red one is for right (like I use it) but it doesn't actually keep me from sleeping at night

Red IS for right. Always has been. In the olden days before L and R even meant left and right, headphones were marked with something red for the right ear. I think right ears might even have had a red mark in those days. I forget.

Of course if you turn around and sit backwards, you may have to change ears or the orchestra will be set up wrong.

Originally Posted by dotnet

I put them in my nostrils (observing L and R of course). This is a tip a doctor once gave me to prevent hearing loss...

Cheers
Steffen.

This could be the answer. For safety sake there should be breathing holes.

[Graham]

I'm deaf in one ear you insensitive bastards!

[krolly]

Originally Posted by Graham

I'm deaf in one ear you insensitive bastards!

colh!*

*chuckle out loud heaps!





scol**

**still chuckling out loud

[krolly]

Seriously folks. It's to do with how orchestras are set up.
The big round drum thingos are set up at about 1o'clockish (say) and the cello is front left and center or something (I made that up). It really doesn't matter unless you are familiar with your favourite band's setup, but we like to think it does and that's what counts. A bit like how you set the table really.

I'm still chuckling about poor Graham.
Sorry to be so cruel Graham, but I'll be col all evening!

[cmjl]

Originally Posted by krolly

Red IS for right. Always has been. In the olden days before L and R even meant left and right, headphones were marked with something red for the right ear. I think right ears might even have had a red mark in those days.

That's odd, having red designate right in that context, given that red indicates left on boats and ships (port) and you will also find red reflectors on the poles on the left hand sides of roads. What a strange, mixed-up world we live in!

Back on topic, I actually tried to swap my ipod phones around yesterday, thanks to the people who have written to encourage us all to "buck the system", and I found the sound remarkably different. However, I discovered that this was due to the fact that my iPod headphones are not symmetrical. At first glance they appear to be but they really are not.

Anyways, thanks for all who have responded to this poll. For those who asked "why bother?", well, at least it's a bit more Apple related than "cake" or "bacon", and I really was interested to see if there were any people out there who just put their iPod earphones in any old way. Since I actually tried it and found that the sound quality was crap, I suppose that kind of answers the question in general!

[GarageFriend]

Yes,

I do. Otherwise my ears start to hurt after a while.

My Sennheiser CX300's have to go in the right ears, otherwise everything sounds stupid, though that might just be me

[Abaddon]

.srae gnorw eht ni sdub R dna L eht gniraew htiw gnorw gnihton ees I yllanosreP

[krolly]

Originally Posted by cmjl

That's odd, having red designate right in that context, given that red indicates left on boats and ships (port) and you will also find red reflectors on the poles on the left hand sides of roads. What a strange, mixed-up world we live in!

Red reflectors are only on the left in countries where we drive on the left side of the road.

[Geoff3DMN]

Originally Posted by krolly

Red reflectors are only on the left in countries where we drive on the left side of the road.

Does this mean if I take my boat to a country where they drive on the right I can change my nav lights around?

[2353]

To the original question - No - to do that I would need a device that required earplugs. I don't have one. Are you listening Santa?

[Velociraptors]

¡ʇı ɹoɟ oƃ 'ǝlqɐʇɹoɟɯoɔ ǝuo sdǝǝʞ pɔo ǝlʇʇıl ɐ ɟı ʎǝɥ ʇnq 'ǝɔuǝɹǝɟɟıp ɟo ʞɔıl ɐ ǝʞɐɯ ʇ,uoʍ ʇı 'ǝɯıʇ ǝɥʇ ɟo ɥɔnɯ

[adamd]

They fit better in my ears the wrong way 'round.

[eni]

Originally Posted by Danamania

¡ʇı ɹoɟ oƃ 'ǝlqɐʇɹoɟɯoɔ ǝuo sdǝǝʞ pɔo ǝlʇʇıl ɐ ɟı ʎǝɥ ʇnq 'ǝɔuǝɹǝɟɟıp ɟo ʞɔıl ɐ ǝʞɐɯ ʇ,uoʍ ʇı 'ǝɯıʇ ǝɥʇ ɟo ɥɔnɯ

I'm sure this has probably been discussed elsewhere given your sig, but I'm really surprised I can read that without the slightest issue.

[dotnet]

Seriously (for a brief moment), L-R-reversion wreaks havoc to the stereo imaging of listeners to orchestral and chamber music, because they have a traditionally trained expectation of where which instrument (group) is supposed to be. Their brains simply don't adjust that well to those flip-overs.

Before you ask, with "they" I firmly include myself.

For bonus points: why does a mirror flip left and right, but not top and bottom?

Cheers
Steffen.

[Currawong]

dotnet: left and right are relative, up and down are absolute.

[dotnet]

Originally Posted by Currawong

dotnet: left and right are relative, up and down are absolute.

While this is certainly an interesting philosophy, it isn't the answer.

Any other takers?

Cheers
Steffen.

[fompsweeva]

Mirrors don't reverse left and right.

They reflect light.

If they reversed anything, I could wave at myself in the mirror and it would appear to be my opposite arm moving. That would be scary.

[watters]

Originally Posted by decryption

I do the opposite just to fuck with the establishment.

You sick bastard!

More comfy wearing them in the correct ears (almost said right ears but that would have been confusing).

[cmjl]

Originally Posted by watters

More comfy wearing them in the correct ears (almost said right ears but that would have been confusing).

So you have left them in the right ears then

[Tragedies]

Yes, I do. My CX500's appear to be designed to fit better if they're in correctly. But for headphones like Apple's normal ones, I don't think it'll make a difference.