In terms of hearing protection, Morales sees a major advantage to Sensaphonics soft-gel silicone construction. "It's not just a comfort thing, although that's part of it," he says. "The silicone gives better isolation than anything else, which keeps everything you don't want out of the mix. That means you don't have to push the volume so hard. It's like lowering the noise floor, which gives you a clarity you can't get any other way. Any good sound engineer can relate to that."
Morales began using Sensaphonics when working with another mega-star, Beyonce. "My first pair was the 2X-S, and I could tell right away that the Sensaphonics design was different and better. The soft gel seals a lot better than hard plastic moulds, and the sound quality is great, very balanced and true," he notes. "With other earphones, I usually have to use the output EQ to make them sound good. But Sensaphonics just sounds better, smoother. Everything's there, so I don't have to do anything to make them sound great. I don't have to do anything but mix."
The Lady Gaga tour is in Europe through mid-December, then will take a break before beginning an extensive North American arena tour in February.