Well, I subscribe to the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, the NY Philharmonic, Opera Orchestra of New York, a Carnegie Hall Singers' Recital Series, plus I attend various other performances throughout the year. There is really no reason to even try comparing live performances to recordings. Even though a live performance may not sound its optimum due to the venue or a particular seat location (under an overhang, for example), no recording can capture how a live performance truly sounds. This especially holds true when it comes to singers.
Recordings, especially when listened over headphones, provide a unique experience of their own that shouldn't really be judged against live performances. It's like trying to compare watching a play in a theater to watching TV.