Your pass to live, front-row center seating.

Consider the recording session: Microphones just so, engineers hovering over control boards, musicians keen on/ever being prodded to capture that elusive take. It's a calculated coming-together of various, often seemingly-contradictory elements to create a desired effect.

Now consider the live performance: The adrenaline presents, the energy generated feeds into itself, emotions ebb and flow, and the human, heart-borne need to SAY SOMETHING rules over the desire for humdrum perfection.

Yes, even in the $100-and-under category, there are 'phones capable of adequately capturing the wholly-intended results of a studio session. These are good 'phones, worthy of the praise of those with limited budgets who want to be a part of the ability to hear what the musicians and engineers in question intended.

But when you want to be at the live show, when you want to experience the sorrow or joy the vocalist felt when he or she wrote their lyrics, the sweat of the drummer, the building spring-like tension of the violinists awaiting the upcoming riveting swell of the strings, the urgent uncoiling of the soloist's performance, all without spending more than about a week's worth of groceries, there's only one way to go.

Yes. The Grado SR60s.

No, I am not insinuating that these 'phones are diamonds in the rough, incapable of capturing what the studio session has wrought. That they can do, in spades.

You want to hear the conductor's baton whoosh through the air? Well, if the mic's picked it up, you'll hear it.

The blues singer came to the studio the morning after a rough night on the town? You'll swear you can smell the remnants of whiskey on their breath.

It's like that. An uncanny level of detail that goes beyond the price range of these 'phones.

But even though these Grados can deliver the detail, that's not what they're about, really. You don't wear these to analyze. Rather, these 'phones are about conveying the heart of the music, the soul of the performance.

Consider the SR60's open design. Downside: Those around you can hear what you're listening to. They can pass judgement on your musical tastes. They can snarl because your "soundscape" has invaded their "personal space." As well, you'll be able to effortlessly hear their complaints unless you set the volume to "liquify." Upside:

A soundstage as big as the day is long. And that's why you don't listen to these 'phones to analyze the detail; that detail is a part of a big sound that brings to mind being in a live performance venue, where you're able to appreciate the heart that goes into the music.

So, hooray for these Grado's spaciousness -- but what about grooveability? Y'know, bass? What can the SR60s do to put various of your body parts in motion?

Imagine a rumble. A commanding, veritably paternal, authoritative rumble, coursing into your ears like a tectonic shift. There's your bass. No, it's not the tightest, punchiest around, but by golly it will get the attention of your bones.

You've probably heard of the SR60's tendency to be bright. Yes, they're that. Go anywhere, grab any 'phones, spend 80 bucks, spend a hundred. Now, look into the night sky. You'll see some stars. Ain't they neat?

Now, put on the SR60s and look into the night sky. What do you see? The Seven Sisters. The Littlest Dipper. The Milky Way band.

Yeah, love it or don't about 'em, the SR60s are that bright. Oh, you can adjust the EQ setting. But you can't hide.

OK, the styling. "Nerdy." "Retro-chic" (a nice way of saying "nerdy"). Whatevah. They're big. And they're black. But despite the chunkiness, it's a black that even the uptown girls can't pull off as well in their black Saturday night dresses. You wear these, you got nothin' to apologize for.

So, you've purchased your SR60s for a relative song. So that's it, they demand nothing else of you, right? Wrong. These 'phones will require something of you, alright. What they'll require is that you get yourself somewhere where distractions are at a minimum, and you can just be alone with the music.

Because these 'phones were not built for the great outdoors, or even the great indoors. No, they demand that you get yourself into the lesser indoors, into a room where you won't encounter audio distraction, where you won't be disturbed. If need be, these 'phones demand that you slip into your closet. Close the door.

Comfy?

Now, put on the music.

And tell me they don't take you to the best live show you've ever been to.