*3.2.2 Positive and negative experiences when performing with headphones*

In total, we collected 129 phrasings, 70 from improvisers and 59 from conductors about their positive and negative experiences when performing with headphones. A Yates's chi-squared test revealed no significant difference between the answers' distribution into the nine categories for conductors and improvisers (χ<sup>2</sup> (8,129) = 15,91, *p* > 0.05). Nevertheless, we chose to keep both populations of performers distinct in **Figure 2**, to stay consistent with the

**Figure 1.**

*Classification of phrasings extracted from the 12 improvisers' and 12 conductors' free-format verbal descriptions accounting for their ideal headphone monitoring system.*

#### *Advances in Fundamental and Applied Research on Spatial Audio*

#### **Figure 2.**

*Classification of phrasings extracted from the 12 improvisers' and 12 conductors' free-format verbal descriptions accounting for their positive (green) versus negative (orange) monitoring experiences.*

#### **Figure 3.**

*Classification of phrasings extracted from the 12 improvisers' and 12 conductors' free-format verbal descriptions accounting for their usual ways of wearing headphone monitoring devices.*

other figures in this section. Regarding positive experiences, 58 phrasings were identified, 34 from improvisers and 24 from conductors, and classified into the major category Sound Quality (20), followed by System Technical Quality (15). Regarding negative experiences, 71 phrasings were identified, 36 from improvisers and 35 from conductors, and classified into three major categories, namely Sound Quality (17), System technical Quality (15), and (negative) Musical consequences (11).

## *3.2.3 Ways of wearing headphones*

We collected 19 phrasings, eight from improvisers and 11 from conductors about their ways of wearing headphones. A Yates's chi-squared test revealed a significant difference between the answers' distribution into the four different habits of wearing headphones for improvisers and conductors (χ<sup>2</sup> (3,19) = 6,42, *p* < 0.05). Hence, **Figure 3** presents the classification of phrasings for the improvisers and conductors separately. The main habit that we identified consisted in always (Improvisers: 2; Conductors: 8) or sometimes (I: 4; C: 1) wearing the device on one ear only.
