I had an awesome moment earlier this morning that reminded me why earbuds can be so awesome despite (as well as because of) their lack of isolation.
It was a rainy morning where I am, and I was lying in bed using my new Fiio X5iii -> Hi-Z HP-650 (which reminds me, I need to update my sig) to listen to a wonderful new track I discovered:
In this track, there is some sort of instrument that plays constantly in the right channel (if I was to relate it to soundstage, it sounded like it was to the right and behind me). The instrument reminds me of a cowbell (played in a 'muted' way so that it doesn't resound), but I'm not certain if that's what it is. This is instrument #1.
In the left channel, on the opposite beat of the cowbell, there's a tambourine being played. Soundstage-wise, it sounds like it is to the left and back, perhaps opposite to the bell directionally. This is instrument #2.
As the track goes on, despite the singer's marvelous voice and the beautiful strings and piano that swell from time to time, in my 'buds at least, I can always keep track of those two instruments whenever they are played. In fact, I was doing something of a listening exercise and trying to focus on different instruments for long periods of time (gotta exercise that active listening!)
At a certain point, I became aware of a third instrument that was being played that sounded like it was being played "between my ears", a bit back, and to the right (closer to the bell than to the tambourine). For the life of me I couldn't figure out what it was, just that it sounded like a solid "tap" that, although it was being played to its own rhythm, did a great job of offsetting the other instruments. I started pulling that into my active focus and keeping track of it as instrument #3 along with instruments #1 and #2.
Imagine my shock when, after the song ended and I found I was still hearing instrument #3 playing loud and clear, I realized that instrument #3 was nothing more than a single raindrop continuously falling from the gutter edge outside and above my window onto a brick below. A simple sound, but it sounded right at home in the song.
Even though I love full-sized headphones, and I have some IEMs on the way, there are some things they just can't do as well. Sometimes letting noise in is exactly what is wanted/needed.
